"Waa—"
"What a huge boar!"
"Onii-chan, did you two poke a boar's nest or something?"
"Shut it, Shigeru. Father said boars are ferocious—if you see one, you avoid it… Onii-chan, this one must've run into a tree and killed itself, right?"
Run into a tree? Roy only knew boars like to rub on trees.
Smiling, he ruffled Takeo's hair and praised him. "My Takeo's the smart one."
Kamado Takeo puffed out his little chest. "See? I was right."
Which earned him a round of eye-rolls.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah—only you're smart…" Nezuko moved to discipline her little brother. Poor Takeo went from cocky to being dragged off by the ear in a second.
Mother Kie smiled and shook her head. She stepped up to help Roy take off the basket and asked with concern, "You're not hurt, are you?"
Roy shook his head, handed over the roe deer, then brushed the snow from his clothes with Tanjiro and stepped onto the veranda.
At one corner a brazier glowed; a pot of tea warmed on top. Wrapped in a thick quilt, Tanjuro sat by it. Seeing Roy come up, he beckoned.
Roy went over and sat beside him.
A cup of hot tea passed into his hands. "You worked hard, Rōichirō," Tanjuro said gently.
"It was fine… Tanjiro helped, so it didn't take much effort." Roy took a small sip, giving half the credit to Tanjiro.
Tanjiro was playing with Hanako in Grandma's arms. Hearing that, he scratched his head, embarrassed. "I didn't really do anything. Nii-san did it all."
The brothers were of one mind; neither mentioned the demon, so as not to frighten the younger ones—or anyone else.
But Tanjuro was sharp.
He knew Tanjiro too well to think the boy would lie. Which meant the roe deer, the pheasants, and that boar as tall as a man really were Roy's doing.
A ten-year-old hunting a boar alone…
Tanjuro glanced deeply at Roy—the boy drank his tea calmly, free hand teasing Hanako, whom Tanjiro had passed over. A rare moment of peace.
It didn't last. Kie soon called them into the kitchen.
"Rōichirō, Tanjiro—come portion the boar."
"Coming~" The brothers hopped off the veranda, two little shadows—Takeo and Shigeru—trotting after them.
"I wanna watch the boar!"
Chubby little legs shoveled faster than anyone's. In a blink, only Tanjuro, Nezuko, Grandma, and Hanako were left in the main house.
"Abba… abba…" Hanako still couldn't talk, always sucking her fingers like nursing. Nezuko kept patiently pulling the little hand away.
Tanjuro warmed his hands by the brazier, eyes drifting now and then to the snowflakes in the courtyard, lost in thought.
Before long, the moon was high. A rich smell of meat rolled through the little yard.
Dinner—meat, for once.
No one had time for talk; they grabbed bowls and dug in like mad, afraid to miss a second. In the end, everyone but Roy had bellies bulging.
Even Tanjuro, rarely so hungry, had a second bowl.
"Ugh— I'm stuffed. Takeo, rub my tummy." Shigeru flopped on his back, groaning as he clutched his belly—Takeo sprawled beside him the same way.
Kie thought to scold them to be more proper, but couldn't bring herself to; she only shot them a look and told Roy and Tanjiro to take the two to bed. Nezuko volunteered to help her clear the dishes.
Roy nodded, grabbed Takeo in one hand and Shigeru in the other, and carried them to the side room next to the main house.
Night deepened.
After a bit of fussing, Takeo and Shigeru slept heavy. Tanjiro, spent from a day more exciting than his whole childhood so far, rubbed his eyes, told Roy good night, and dove under the covers.
Puff—
The oil lamp went out. In the dark, only Roy remained awake.
He waited—for a certain figure—and that figure came.
Before long, a familiar cough sounded outside the window. Tanjuro's shadow flickered on the paper screen. He stood silently by the wall for a while, with no intention of coming in, then turned to leave, quilted coat over his shoulders.
Roy stopped him. "Father—aren't you going to ask me anything?"
A boar as tall as a man isn't prey for an ordinary boy. Roy could dress up the truth and fool Tanjiro with talk of skills learned "in a dream." He wasn't sure he could repeat that trick on Tanjuro.
For all his frailty, the man was the only one in this world to awaken the "Transparent World" without being a swordsman. It was Tanjuro's teaching that would let Tanjiro, three years hence, first step into that realm while chasing Upper Rank Four, Hantengu.
Hearing Roy, Tanjuro froze, stayed quiet a long while, then smiled. "No."
Now it was Roy's turn to fall silent. If he'd had any hope a moment ago that Tanjuro might not notice anything amiss—that hope was gone.
He searched for words. A dozen plans flashed through his mind; he rejected them all.
He decided to rip off the bandage. "You must want to know how I hunted a boar by myself. I'll tell—"
"I don't want to."
A calm, firm voice cut him off. Tanjuro repeated, "I don't want to know."
Silence again.
Through the paper screen Roy could make out a gaunt figure standing in the wind and snow, the sun-and-mountain earrings swaying. He looked like he might blow over at any time.
After a while, Tanjuro added—his tone unusually steady, "Rōichirō, I know you are my child.
"You love your grandmother, your mother, your brothers and sisters.
"That's enough.
"As for your secrets…" He lifted the screen and smiled at Roy. "Tell me when you want to. Tell your father then."
Heat pricked Roy's eyes—he wanted to say something.
Kie appeared from somewhere, slapped Tanjuro's hand off the screen, grabbed his ear, and hauled him away. Through the wall, Roy could just make out her scolding—blaming him for fussing and letting the cold in on the child.
A gust of wind whooshed by—it really was a bit cold.
Roy hunched his shoulders, burrowed under the quilt, leaving only his eyes out as he stared at the black rafters, dazed.
Sometimes, a goodness can feel so good it seems unreal.
If he could stare blankly till morning, that would be fine, Roy thought—at least then he wouldn't have to wake to that other home: vast estate, hundreds of servants, where a word could send a butler to die for him… and yet a cold father to face, a twisted mother, warped brothers, and a grandfather who killed every day.
So why am I here?
And why should I leave?
Roy kept asking himself—then narrowed his eyes and found his answer.
Right… to get strong enough to kick that household over.
To become the true master.
~~~
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