The night was quiet in a narrow alley, resonating with the sounds of heavy rain, the breaths of sleeping merchants, and the moans of the wind brushing against the glass bottles stacked on the ground.
A man sat on the sidewalk under a dim lamp, wearing an old-fashioned hat that covered part of his head, with strands of black hair cascading down to his eyebrows. He whispered words that were unheard, as if talking to himself in secret.
A vendor laughed from afar and said while turning on his side:
— "The crazy perfume seller… who buys perfume in this cold alley?"
But the truth was not as they saw it.
Before him stood a little girl. She was wearing a short kimono the color of clouds before rain. Her eyes were wide like a gazelle's, but their sparkle was not human.
Behind her stood a tall man, with gray hair and eyes without lashes, as if they were mirrors of the ancient sky.
The girl said, inhaling quietly:
— "His scent… resembles a flower whose name I do not know, but it makes me not want to return to the den of darkness."
The perfume seller smiled and handed her the small bottle.
He said:
— "Keep it, you may need it if the night comes to you alone."
A watcher remained in that moment, as the sound of armored footsteps approached the alley.
Soldiers, wearing iron helmets and swords strapped to their backs. One of them raised his hand and secretly pointed at the perfume seller, saying to his companion:
— "That's him. Don't let him escape."
They approached, while the merchants woke to the sound of steel, and their murmurs began to rise.
The leader of the group stepped forward and asked in a sharp tone:
— "You… the perfume seller, right?"
The perfume seller slowly raised his head, his eyes showing neither fear nor defiance… just a quiet certainty.
He smiled a barely visible smile and said in a calm voice, like a breeze preceding a storm:
— "Swords reveal blood… while perfumes expose what is deeper. Before you raise your sword, ask yourself…What do you smell in this place?"
The leader frowned and ordered his soldiers to capture him.
But the seller was quicker. With a light hand, he gathered his bottles into a large piece of cloth and carried it on his back.
He jumped and ran towards the other end of the alley, while the soldiers chased him, shouting:
— "Stop him! Don't let him escape!"
He passed by one of the walls, and when a young soldier approached him, he turned the Japanese instrument he was carrying on his back, then pulled from the handle of his musical instrument.
From its end extended a long blade, thin as moonlight, hidden within the old wood.
The man attacked him, and with one blow, he knocked him unconscious.
The sound of the oud came from every movement... a melody that couldn't be heard, but could be felt.
He was surrounded by swords from three sides, but he pulled a small bottle from his pocket, opened it, and a sharp scent spread, light as smoke.
The soldiers who inhaled it swayed their heads and collapsed one after another.
But one of them, from a distance, fired a shot from an old rifle.
The hero felt warmth piercing his shoulder, but he did not stop.
He ran until he disappeared into a crowded market.
He got lost among the crowds, then sneaked into another alley... dark, narrow, inhabited only by humidity.
He sat there, his breath ragged, his wound bleeding, and the blood soaked the hem of his garment as the rain poured heavily.
He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.
Soon, his body surrendered to sleep, and the sounds around him faded away.
...
In the dream, he saw a familiar face.
It was a child, drenched by the rain, his clothes torn, his face scratched. He emerged from among the trees, screaming:
"You knew I would die! You sent me to the forest on purpose! You knew!"
A huge man appeared, with disheveled hair, laughing loudly.
He said as he opened the door of the hut:
"And here you are back alive, this means you deserve to learn."
The child cried and entered, trembling, while the man treated his wounds and said:
"The forest teaches... more than it kills."
And the scene transformed... the teacher sat in front of a dim fire, Faint
He muttered faintly: "Dream… Memories… Death… Life… This ash will not sleep until the truth is known."
Suddenly, the perfume seller woke up in a fright.
His breath was labored.
On his shoulder, a black shadow, resembling a hand, extended toward his face as if pulling his soul from his body.
He screamed and struck it with a powerful punch, causing the shadow to dissipate like smoke.
But around him, in the walls, the voices whispered:
— "Next time, you won't survive."
— "Surrender the ash... or burn."
He stood, blood streaming from his shoulder, his eyes ablaze.
He looked into the darkness around him and said:
— "I will not surrender it... I will not allow it to be buried in hell."
And after hours of silent pursuit, when the rain stopped, he rose carrying the perfumes on his back, the sword in the stick, and the ash in his heart.
The perfume seller emerged from the narrow alley, covered in the marks of the last confrontation.
The voices of the villagers rose in the small village market, mixed with the calls of the vendors and the laughter of children running between the shops. But something had changed that morning. Across the narrow alley, at the end of the market, stood a young man who did not resemble the locals. He was clearly not from here, evident from his features and that strange aura that wrapped around him like a light shadow.
His clothes were simple, but clean in a way that raised suspicion. On his shoulder was a Japanese stringed instrument, and in his eyes was a gaze as if searching for something no one else could see. He inhaled the air, as if tracking the scent of something that the breeze usually did not carry.
Some looked at him cautiously, while others showed no interest.
Only a small girl stood gazing at him for a long time, then approached him with light steps.
"Are you... a seller?" she asked.
He nodded, without smiling.
"A seller of what?"
He replied in a calm voice: "Perfume."
She wanted to ask him more, but her mother pulled her away with a worried look.
Amidst the bustling market, the perfume seller spotted a plump man standing behind a pie cart, his face round, his eyes glinting with cunning. He was watching him. The man smiled and winked as if he knew his secret. The perfume seller paused for a moment, but when he blinked… the man disappeared behind his cart, as if he had never been there.
Tanuki…
And elsewhere, in a palace shrouded in mist, the same stout man stood before his master, Odaki Maru – the Lord of Black Mist.
Tanuki said with a light laugh:
"I found him. The perfume seller… he was in the market. He spotted me, but didn't chase after me."
Odaki Maru was silent for a moment, then said in a calm tone:
"Strange… the spirits did not catch him. And there was an unseen presence behind him… his perfume conceals them even from my rain."
Tanuki replied:
"He's not like other humans. I think he knows how to create something beyond perfumes… something that awakens spirits."
Odaki Maru responded coldly:
"Who does he think he is? He has killed some of the leaders of the yokai. For no apparent reason." Tanuki replied: "I heard the reason from some of them… he makes only one perfume.
A perfume that calms the spirits, born from the restless soul within him.
---
The perfume seller returned to strolling through the market, watching the spirits mingle with the humans. Only those with an "open eye" can see them. He passed by a beautiful woman with a pungent scent reminiscent of foxes… but he realized she was not human. They did not speak, only exchanged glances.
Kitsune… he thought to himself.
Later, he entered a small pharmacy in a side alley, where a thin old man with a hunched back stood, his clever eyes behind thick glasses.
The old man said:
"Medicine for stabbing pain or bleeding?"
The Perfume seller
replied with a smile:
"Both, if possible."
The old man looked at him for a long time, then handed him a small bottle and a herbal wrap.
"You don't look like someone who gets sick easily… take care of yourself."
The perfume seller took it and said:
"Thank you… and I will try.
He returned to the alleys, hiding among the crowd. He spotted some soldiers searching for him, so he tried to conceal himself. Among the passersby,
he passed by children carrying candles…
running joyfully. Then he entered a dilapidated wooden shop.
He said to the old seller:
"I would like to deposit this bag with you until tomorrow.". It contains only my perfumes. And if you don't believe me, open it yourself. I know that the trade of magic and spirituality is common these days... but I am not one of those. I am just... a perfume seller."
The old man looked at him suspiciously:
"If you are honest, then it's fine... but know that they are looking for a perfume seller. If you don't return by morning, I will sell it."
The perfume seller smiled and patted his shoulder:
"A fair deal."
Suddenly, the old man whispered to him:
"Beware... there are those searching the alleys and mentioning a runaway perfume seller. If you don't return by morning, I will consider you dead."
---
Later, he wore a mask that concealed half of his face and stood in the square playing the benzaityn. The music was soft... spiritual... drawing people and spirits together. It was as if the city had paused to listen.
The soldiers approached, moved by the performance. But they suddenly moved and seized him.
One of the soldiers shouted, "Playing in the streets is forbidden."
Then... the winds.
Strange winds swept through the place. The spirits trembled, and people lost their balance. Incomprehensible sounds filled the square.
The soldiers tried to push their way through the crowd, but the winds and spirits made the square a dizzying whirlpool.
The perfume seller seized the moment…
He grasped the handle of his musical instrument, the benzaityn, are The wooden body cracked, revealing a blade…
moonbeam. He stabbed it into his chest without killing him.
Then he sprayed him with a perfume that made him sink into unconsciousness.
The perfume seller took the leader into a narrow alley, placed the knife at his neck, and said in a sharp tone:
"Where is the one who sent you? Odaki Maru?"
Who ordered the arrest of the perfume seller?
The leader spat in his face and said:
"Kill me... I will not betray my oath."
The perfume seller fell silent and then said:
"It is then, Odaki Maru. The fog... obedience... control over the rains. He uses the rain for domination, that is why he saved the region from drought."
It seems this is the reason for the constant rainfall in the region.
The leader laughed maniacally. Before he could speak again, the perfume seller severed his head in a silent moment and heard a licking sound.
The perfume seller looked inside an old building and found a small red creature licking the ground. It raised its head and smiled with black teeth and said, Your scent is like that of filthy bathhouses.
The perfume seller replied with a sarcastic smile, "Thank you... I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult. You are Akaniyame, aren't you?"
Akaniyame said, smiling , "How did you know me? No one has ever spoken my name before."
The perfume seller said, "I read about you in a manuscript. I never expected to meet you one day. But encountering you is somewhat strange?"
Akaniyame laughed and said, "I've heard about you... the perfume seller. Some see you as a devil, killing souls mercilessly."
The perfume seller replied, "I don't kill indiscriminately. Only those who deserve it. I'm looking for a perfume... just one wish. Perhaps the souls will calm down."
Akaniyame's expression changed, "Liar... the souls are not angry with you, but with what you carry. Something you took from their world. You want to wish for their forgiveness... not to rid yourself of it."
The perfume seller was silent for a moment, then said, "Will you help me?"
Akaniyame replied, "Of course, if it's within my ability."
The perfume seller asked, "I want to know where Odaki Maru is?"
Akaniyame's features changed and said, "I don't know. You are an intruder in my world. There is no reason for me to reveal the location of the owner of the palace."
The perfume seller said, "I know that Odaki Maru controls humans through hallucinations and dreams. I don't think he has the ability to control yokai. I know he is a strong yokai, but you have no connection to him. Just tell me where he is, and I promise to provide a perfume that will make you hidden from him, and I also promise that the area will be under your control starting tomorrow."
Akaniyame was silent and said, "Odaki Maru lives in a palace at the edge of the village. Surrounded by a temple and long stairs. He looks like a god... but he releases the fog of obedience that makes people see him as a savior. His eyes are gray, but when he's angry, they turn to embers.. Only those he has chosen may enter the palace.
The perfume seller handed him a small bottle and said:
"You will remain hidden from all their eyes. I have kept my promise."
He turned and continued towards his next destination.