In the kitchen, Miku and Satsuki were devouring the canned meat I'd provided. They were shocked that such a thing existed in this era, but they were far too hungry to question it. At their last job, they'd spent their days cleaning a noble's mansion on a diet of thin gruel, always in a state of gnawing hunger. To be able to eat real meat until they were satisfied was pure bliss.
"This is better than any luncheon meat I've ever had!" Satsuki's eyes sparkled. She ate slowly, savoring every single bite.
"This is a groundbreaking invention," Miku said with the utmost seriousness. "If this was used as military rations, an army's morale would be invincible!"
Yukinoshita, who had brought them to the kitchen, remained silent. Their words—luncheon meat, groundbreaking invention—were all the proof she needed.
"You're from Japan too?" she asked quietly.
""Ah? You too?!"" the sisters replied in unison, their mouths full.
Yukinoshita watched their pink, oil-slicked lips move, her feelings growing ever more complicated. It was a miracle these two hadn't been chased out and exorcised as demons for their strange talk.
That night, I had a female shikigami deliver two quilts to the twins' room. It wasn't quite summer yet, and the nights were still cold enough to be dangerous. With my work at the Bureau on hold, I had less opportunity to hunt, but my stores were plentiful. Feeding two more mouths was no problem. Besides, as a normal man, I had to admit, having some beautiful scenery around the house was a welcome change of pace.
Day 20
The sky was slightly gloomy, with thunder rumbling in the distance, but no rain fell. I lay on my side in the spacious room that overlooked the garden, watching the girls work. My eyes inadvertently swept over their slender, white arms and the curve of their calves. With no job and few entertainment options in the capital, enjoying the view seemed like the best way to spend my time.
Boredom eventually got the better of me, and I decided to do a bit of fortune-telling. I spent all my time making calendars and safety guides for nobles; it was time I tried it on myself.
[On the day of Wushen in the Gengchen month, the auspicious star shines brightly. All things are possible…]
"My luck is strong today," I thought. "Whatever I want to do will probably go smoothly."
If that was the case, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: fill in the gaps in my knowledge of this world. I needed to understand everything—the court's power structure, the altered myths, all of it. The future promised political struggles and disasters caused by the great serpent demon Yamata no Orochi. Knowing that in this world, the war god was Susanoo instead of Izanagi, was just the tip of the iceberg. The myths had been rewritten beyond recognition.
I stood up, determined not to let this good fortune go to waste.
"Master Kyosuke." A chorus of two voices greeted me as I headed for the door. Miku and Satsuki, both now wearing simple gray tunics like Yukinoshita, bowed their heads. Yukinoshita was there too, her lips moving, but her voice was too soft to hear.
"I'm going out for a while," I nodded, walking past them, my eyes slightly hot from the beautiful picture they made.
Once outside, I looked down the long, straight street and thought again about getting an ox cart. I was a noble, after all. Walking everywhere lacked a certain class. I'd been walking aimlessly for about fifteen minutes when an ox cart suddenly pulled to a stop beside me. A curtain was pulled open, revealing a familiar face.
"Kyosuke."
"Baoyin?"
"Get in, quickly!" he urged. "The palace is holding a purification ceremony today. I've secured us a spot in the library!"
"Coming!" I practically leaped into the cart.
Inside, Baoyin and I stared at each other for a moment before he spoke. "About what my brother did…"
"It's nothing," I said, waving him off. "It gave me a chance to relax." I could see the guilt on his face, but I genuinely didn't care. Arguing with a mid-level noble like Kamo Yasunori was beneath a man in his position; it only hurt his own reputation. It was a petty way to vent anger.
"Shall we discuss Confucianism?" I offered, changing the subject.
"…Alright," Baoyin said, relieved, and a smile returned to his face.
Back at the mansion, Miku and Satsuki were cleaning near the front door, talking in low voices.
"That Ayanokouji is selfish," Satsuki muttered.
"If we hadn't gotten this job, he might have had other ideas for us," Miku added darkly. "He couldn't pay the head tax for both of us."
Satsuki pursed her lips, no longer defending him.
"We have to be more careful next time," Miku said. After being betrayed so easily, she was thinking seriously about how to find her other sisters. Yukinoshita had said Master Kyosuke was an Onmyoji. Ayanokouji had mentioned that too, but now she saw the holes in his promise. People in a weak position had no right to make demands.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through Miku's mind, a plan taking shape. They weren't powerless. They had something to offer. And Master Kyosuke, she suspected, was a man who understood the value of a fair trade.
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