"You run this... establishment?" the collector asked, voice dripping with the particular disdain government officials reserved for anyone not them.
"No."
"No?"
"I sit here. Things happen around me. It's very annoying."
The collector's face went through several colors. "Lord Matsuda demands his portion of your rice yield."
"Don't have rice."
"Your fields—"
"Not mine."
"This compound—"
"Appeared without permission."
"You—" The collector paused, apparently having run out of sentence. "Lord Matsuda demands tribute or he'll send soldiers."
"Soldiers are loud," Tsurugi observed.
"Is that a threat?"
"A prediction."
The collector left, mustache vibrating with indignation. Taro sighed.
"My lord, you've just declared war on Lord Matsuda."
"I've declared nothing. I stated facts."
"He won't see it that way."
"Not my problem."
"It will be when soldiers arrive."
Tsurugi went back to watching his beetle. It had found a leaf. Good for the beetle.
