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[continuing chapter 9]
Hiroki was sipping tea, and toying with a cube of sweet bean paste in the hope he could make his mind focus on the scattered threads of the story, when Tetsuo slunk into the room. For all his solidity he looked like a small boy who had been caught stealing, and the first words he said were, “I’m very sorry, Hiroki. I have made a mess of my assignment.”
So nobody is having a good day. “What happened, Tetsuo?”
“I thought I was being clever. About the lesser Hour of the Monkey I saw a disreputable-looking man approach Togashi’s gate. He argued with the old servant for a while; at first I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but as the argument went on it got louder and I realized the man was demanding he be paid the money he was owed.”
“Well, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. I’m sure Togashi owes money to tradesmen and sake-brewers all over the capital.”
“Yes, Hiroki, but then I heard the old man call the younger one Makoto. And I remembered that this was the name Togashi said was the servant he had dismissed for theft.”
Hiroki knew, from Tetsuo’s demeanor, that this good news couldn’t be everything the younger man had to say, so he made himself smile as he nodded, and said, “Good job.”
Tetsuo expelled an anguished sigh. “No, it wasn’t. The man went away, and I thought I would be clever and follow him. Except I don’t know this city very well, and I got lost. I can’t even tell you where I was when I lost sight of Makoto.”
“Don’t worry, Tetsuo. We can retrace your steps in the morning.”
“There’s worse, I’m afraid.”
“Oh?” I’m afraid I know what’s coming, and no: it’s not good.
“When I finally found my way back to Togashi’s place it was shut up and nobody was there. I think he’s run away again.” I hate it when I’m right, Hiroki thought.
Tetsuo dropped to his knees. “I’m really sorry, Hiroki. It was a simple task you gave me and I failed badly.” He looked up. “Have I ruined everything? I wish we were back in Kozuke, fighting someone. That is something I know how to do.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself,” Hiroki said. “I got myself yelled at by the arms master this afternoon and one of his guards nearly took my head.” An exaggeration, but justified if it made Tetsuo feel better. “And all I got for my trouble is the assurance that I’ve been suspecting the wrong people.” He tried to smile a reassurance he didn’t much feel. “As for the wakashū, if he’s run back to Mount Hiei we can probably track him down there if we have to.” After all, there are only a hundred or so temple buildings we’ll have to search. An exaggeration, but not much of one.
“I’m glad you’re not angry,” Tetsuo said with a relieved smile. “I promise I’ll spend tomorrow finding that servant, and when I do I’ll make him talk.”
“Of course I’m not angry, Tetsuo. In fact, I think you have probably provided us with the strongest course of action to follow. Even if all we learn from this Makoto is that my hunch is correct and the wakashū is not a villain — or at least not the villain in this case — then you have done well.”
“I think I have a stronger course to follow,” Shiro said from the doorway. He walked into the room, carefully brushing the shoulders of his jacket with his fingertips. “It’s raining again, by the way.”
“What have you learned?” Tetsuo asked.
“I have found your Akamatsu Noritoyo, Hiroki. He lives in a house south-east of the imperial palace.”
“Not a mansion?” Tetsuo asked.
“Not even much of a house. I don’t think it’s actually his house, though. Just a place he stays in when he visits the capital. The neighbours tell me his real home is in Yamashiro, a couple of hours’ ride from here.”
“Were you discreet?” Tetsuo might, Hiroki thought, be projecting his own embarrassment onto Shiro now. “Will the man suspect you’ve been asking after him?”
“Of course I was discreet. I only talked to the neighbours, not to Akamatsu’s own servants.”
“We should go and talk to him first thing tomorrow morning,” Hiroki said. Before he, too, runs away. “I would do it tonight if it weren’t already dark.”
“And raining,” Shiro reminded him.
“And raining.” Hiroki agreed. “It must be the Hour of the Cock by now, and I’m famished. Let’s just have our evening rice, and hope for a productive day tomorrow.”
Next Characters Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9
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