Chapter 4

The shop was small.

As soon as we stepped inside, the noisy world outside seemed to vanish with the closing of the door. The air here smelled of metal, gun oil, and sandalwood. I heard a crackling sound, as if fire was burning, but there was no flame in sight.

I froze, as if I didn't know where to go first. It was a tight fit for the three of us, but inside my soul, I felt a strange warmth and peace, as if I had been walking for a long time and had finally arrived at a good... a right place. The place where I should have come a long time ago.

Behind me, Misaki let out a long breath.

I slowly moved along the displayed blades. You would look at them and couldn't tear your eyes away. There was something enchanting about these weapons. I might not be able to name everything as they do here. I might not understand everything here, but... nothing felt repellent.

And I wanted to touch the handles, run my fingers over the guards, glide over the blades... I let out a ragged breath. Okay, some inappropriately erotic thoughts were starting to creep in. In any case, everything here cost so much that even if the three of us pooled our money, we'd only have enough for a part of a blade. So, Aska, look and wipe away your drool.

Haruka and Misaki didn't utter a sound. It was understandable; the place itself was so... special. You didn't want to chatter here. You wanted to... feel. To look. To listen. And even though the swords themselves wouldn't tell me anything, it was foolish to hope for that, I still felt that I was right.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the owner is a Blade Master," Misaki whispered, staring spellbound at the nearest katana.

"You are absolutely right," a voice rustled.

It wasn't a voice, but a sound like sand. Not the kind that slips through a glass timer, but the kind on the shore of a distant sea on the western coast of the Region of Storms.

We spun around sharply.

Behind the counter, leaning against the wall, stood a thin man. He had dark skin, smooth hair, and a brown ribbon on his forehead. A network of wrinkles lay by his eyelids and mouth, and his nose was hooked. His eyes were black, like the abyss behind the Weaver's back.

He wore a tattered gray shirt, wide pants, and a black apron. His hands were crossed on his chest. Even from this distance, I could see that they were covered in scars. What had happened to this man? Had he been in a battle? A factory accident? Problems with his ryoku? I was unlikely to ever find out.

Obeying some strange impulse, I cupped my hands together and bowed to him. Haruka and Misaki hesitated for a few seconds and then copied me. The man bowed back slightly, just as politeness required. He appreciated our respect and showed that he had noticed it.

"Master Nodaru at your service," he said with a barely audible rasp.

"Your weapons are something incredible," Misaki said, her voice shaking with excitement.

Something glinted on a chest to the left. I was distracted from the conversation, trying to make out the object. A dagger... with a straight, short blade no more than seven centimeters long. It was easy to carry in a wide obi sash; no one would even see it. The unusual handle was what drew my attention. The light either fell on it in a strange way, or the master had made it so, but it seemed to "flow," to bend as if it were alive. It was just begging to be held; it was impossible to look away.

It suddenly became impossible to breathe; my vision began to darken.

"Such kaiken are used for self-defense," Master Nodaru's voice reached me through the darkness, strangely resembling the Weaver's voice. "Kaiken were given to a bride so that her fate would be a happy one. And also... so she could die to save herself from dishonor. Because a kaiken is what is used to slit your own throat in ritual suicide, Aska."

A shiver ran through my body. The darkness dissipated.

My fingers were just a few millimeters from the handle. And only now did I realize that it was shaped like... a cobra. Here was the flared hood, here were the fangs, here were the predator's eyes.

"Does it appeal to you?" Master Nodaru asked softly, having unexpectedly appeared next to me.

"Yes," I answered curtly.

I should have said something more elaborate, probably, but all my eloquence had disappeared. I stared at the metal cobra's silvery eyes, unable to look away.

"Take it," Nodaru offered unexpectedly.

"Huh?"

"Take the kaiken in your hands," he explained patiently. "It is clearly calling to you."

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I should have refused.

I should have said that I didn't have the money to buy it. It was madness to pick up a weapon that you couldn't keep.

But my fingers closed around the handle on their own. My palm was scorched; the air was knocked out of my chest. I gasped but squeezed my fingers tighter. The heat from the kaiken melted my skin, burrowed beneath it, and flowed directly into my blood, rushing through my body at a frantic speed.

I turned the blade. A flash ran along the edge, blazing so brightly that I had to shut my eyes.

Behind me, the girls gasped.

I was mesmerized, staring at the kaiken.

"How much does it cost?" I asked in a voice that wasn't my own.

"How much do you have?"

I frowned and shook my head. Whatever, he asked for it.

"Twenty sha."

"It's a deal."

I forgot how to breathe. I just stared at Master Nodaru in confusion. It seemed my hearing was off.

"What? You agree?"

Misaki and Haruka stood frozen like stone statues. It seemed they couldn't believe what they had heard either. No, seriously, does something like this really happen?

"I've had this kaiken for a long time," Nodaru said calmly. "It is one of those things that waits for its master or mistress. And now... it has waited long enough. So you didn't mishear; I will sell it to you for twenty sha."

I reached for the cloth pouch of coins hanging from my belt. With one hand. Because the other was still gripping the dagger. To let go of it was beyond my strength. I scooped up the sha and gave them to Master Nodaru.

Haruka seemed to want to say something but didn't. It was as if something was bothering her, but she didn't dare to ask. Misaki was completely silent, frowning slightly and looking from him to me.

"Thank you," I finally said in a voice that barely obeyed me.

And I bowed. This time—deeply. The master's nod, and then a short breath.

"This kaiken has been waiting for you for a long time, student. Wear it with honor."

I bowed again. No sensible words came to mind. Besides, we weren't taught eloquence. It was better to show your attitude with a single gesture than to weave a whole lace of words.

Someone called him from the back room, and Nodaru left us in the shop. I looked into the cobra's eyes. For a moment, it seemed that my face was reflected in them: my eyebrows sternly furrowed, my lips pressed together, my hair disheveled, my cheek smeared with blood. My heart skipped a beat. Another moment, and it was gone.

I shook my hair, pushed my bangs back, and hid the kaiken in my belt.

"Let's go," I said softly and firmly, leaving the shop with quick steps. "There's nothing more for us to do here."

And only when I was outside did I feel as if I had shed a bewitchment. The cool autumn air cleared my head instantly. I turned around and, frowning slightly, looked at the shop.

"What was that?" Misaki asked thoughtfully.

"I think Aska has a gift for bargaining just with a look," Haruka remarked.

"Very funny," I muttered.

But the question was valid. My brain refused to understand what had just happened. I knew perfectly well that a kaiken couldn't cost twenty sha. I had, of course, heard that a weapon chooses its person, but... I had encountered it for the first time. All my information was based on what I had read in books. Maybe it was a common thing here, but... if so, people would be talking about it everywhere.

A cobra... Miya's words! How did the little one know about this? It was unlikely she could have made a deal with Nodaru; I doubted anyone would have taken her out of the Gozen School. And to go on her own... No, that's impossible for a five-year-old child; the forest is nearby, and the distance is too great. No, definitely not.

"Show it to me, will you?" Haruka suddenly asked.

I was about to pull out the kaiken, but something stopped me. I frowned slightly.

"Later, in our room."

Haruka raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. It seemed the girls were also getting used to the fact that when Aska got something in her head, there was no way to change her mind.

"I want okashi with cinnamon and sesame," Misaki announced. "I'm not going to get full with you guys."

"Aren't you afraid you'll turn into an okashi yourself?" Haruka teased her.

"Then after school, I'll become a sumo wrestler!"

I snickered. Okashi was a sweet made of rice dough with various fillings. You could probably spend an entire day tasting them and still not bite into all the varieties. Nevertheless, Misaki wasn't in danger of becoming a rice dough ball—she'd have to eat way too much okashi.

But my friend was determined. So she walked toward the sweets stalls so quickly that I had to catch up.

The scents here were indescribable. I wanted to try everything at once. But... my purse was already empty. So all I could do was stand behind the girls, who were laughing loudly and picking out sweets. It's okay; sweets are bad for you. Of course, I had a young, growing body, but we were fed well at Gozen School, so I wouldn't starve. Besides, in a little while, we had to find the "At the Mountain" eatery.

"What if you have to pay with your own money there?" The thought came to me, and I felt a little uneasy.

I hadn't thought of that.

Just then, Haruka turned to me and shoved a packet into my hands.

"Here," she said. "These are your okashi with dried apricots."

"And these are with chocolate," Misaki announced happily, stuffing a second packet into my hands.

I looked at them, blinking, unable to say anything. For me?

"What's wrong?" I finally managed to say.

Misaki and Haruka exchanged puzzled glances.

"Aska, you like them," Misaki said carefully.

I like them... Aska, the one who was before me, liked them. But that wasn't what struck me. They hadn't asked, hadn't offered—they had just done it. They weren't expecting anything in return, but they had spent their money because I had given all of mine away for the kaiken.

"Hey..." Haruka touched my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Everything's..." My voice was treacherously hoarse, but I pulled myself together. "Everything's fine. Thank you."

The look of surprise didn't leave either of their eyes.

It suddenly started to rain. The vendors quickly began to look for canopies, hiding their goods from the water.

"Let's go to the eatery!" Misaki grabbed my arm and briskly pulled me toward the houses.

The crowd of people suddenly became too thick. We had to push our way through. But Misaki knew exactly where she was going, and Haruka made sure I didn't fall behind. And we reached the wooden house with the red "At the Mountain" sign very quickly.

We ducked inside, and the first thing I did was crash my nose into someone's chest. The packets almost flew to the floor, but I managed to catch them.

"I knew you missed me, but I didn't suspect it was this much."

A pair of strong arms wrapped around me. I looked up and met Hideo's brown eyes; his lips were smiling.

Behind me, thunder rumbled on the street, and a bolt of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating every corner of the empty eatery.