Chapter 10: Fish Out of Water 4


    Illumi: “What is a monster like him, teaching in the Daigaku? I am grateful that he saved our lives, but I


    am horrified that he is allowed in our midst.”


    Akako: “Hold your tongue, Illumi. He’s our teacher. Warriors live to kill, and to die. Isn''t that something


    from the warrior code? Who cares about the number of lives taken? I’m sure all our elders who have


    been in the military, have killed a few. That is an undeniable truth. And who believes in curses these


    days?”


    Kafu wanted to offer a rebuttal, but Daigo spoke over him.


    Daigo: “Nonsense. Demons and curses don’t exist. Warriors have to fight with des and kitsu. And in


    dire situations, with their bare hands. The weak will perish and the strong will live on. But I am curious


    to know, Shigeo- where do you think Keiji-sensei’s powerse from? I am outright sure that you have


    a theory.”


    Nadeko: “Tell us, please!”


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Shigeo: “I do have a theory. Ginko-sensei, in an appendix to the book, mentioned rare humans, born


    during a certain alignment of the stars, who, when awakened, gain passage to a transitional world


    between ours and Meido. Mugen-sekai, the world without an end. It is said to be brimming with kokyu-


    mugen, the anti-matter. And those cursed with the affliction, can do incredible feats without kitsu.”


    Chiyo: “But how does it work? Thosemias exploded as he touched them. And, beyond doubt, he ran


    on water.”


    Shigeo: “That was not exined in the book. Ginko sensei himself, never met a mugen user. It is


    rumored that there are, at best, five mugen users in the entire continent of Kinheni.”


    Akako: “That sounds fascinating. Does that mean- Kento can be a mugen user as well?”


    Shigeo: “Unfortunately, we have no way to know. Four out of ten children are kitsu-blind. But, mugen


    users are rare- perhaps, one in a hundred thousand people. And most of the cursed ones never


    awaken their abilities. Those who do, live very short lives. Mugen is corrosive to the human soul, writes


    Ginko-sensei. It is not malleable energy like kitsu, but a miasma that undoes matter. Imagine what it


    does to the soul. Now I have to disim, that all of this is my spection, based on Ginko-sensei’s


    work.”


    Kafu had a vein throbbing on his forehead. He finally broke character and voiced his opinion.


    Kafu: “Ginko was a fool who did not believe in the goddess.”


    The priest was speaking from his knowledge of history. Ogino Ginko had been incarcerated for his


    scepticism of the goddess Shibai Sharin. He wrote books and preached discourses that the goddess


    was an imaginary figure, a monogram of the temple, concocted to establish its authority over the


    people. Sadly, Ginko was dragged through the streets, beaten and then sent to the temple to be


    subjected to an exorcism. The priests imed demons possessed him. The schr spent hisst days


    in captivity, starving, diseased, and in the end, lost his mind. It was reported that he died of the white


    death. But, nobody could affirm what really happened to him.


    The group went silent. While teenagers were sceptical of the existence of gods and goddesses, they


    had been instructed since they were old enough to understand, to not speak against the Shibai Sharin


    for fear of retribution from the priests. There were no stories as tragic as Ginko’s, but there were cases


    of how vitors disappeared under mysterious circumstances.


    Shibai Sharin was the centre of civilisation in Kinheni. And particrly in Karasuma, she was revered


    and feared. Religion and politics had mixed amicably. Even the Overlord and the other kin-lords paid a


    weekly visit to the temple.


    The forest cover parted, and the canoes entered a creek segment, which expanded on either side to


    form a vast circr bank. About half a mile onwards, the circle closed to create a linear stream again.


    About two dozen floating houses were anchored to the banks, away from the creek current. It served


    as the home of the Wajin tribe, which Karasuma governed. The vige-nation’s territory extended to


    anynd touching the three rivers- Reisui, Mizusashi and Kurosashi. There were several other tribes


    andmunities interspersed throughout the ins and marshes.


    The preceptor and sub-squad canoes closed in from both ends.


    Yuuki: “It''ste afternoon- the sun will set soon. It is ill-advised to sail in these parts after dark. We will


    be staying as guests here, for the night.”


    The aspirants anticipated a night halt, but the location of their temporary sanctuary was entirely


    unexpected. The Wajin tribe was not a very friendly group. They had frequent tussles with the Kin-


    Council (the assembly of kin-lords) and the Hyougi (members of the Vige High Council) over mining


    and forest rights.


    The foundation of the floating houses was made of hollow logs, and the entire structures were tethered


    to the bank with oiled, hemp rope. Therger ones had ambtory space around the houses for


    clothes-lines, children to y, and lounges. The Wajin people peeked at the outsiders- from their


    windows, open doors and sun-decks. They wore nes made from ws and colourful dresses


    with headbands made of feather. Some painted their faces. It was a new experience for someone like


    Kento, who had had restrictions on travelling since he was a child, on ount of being the heir to the


    Overlord.


    They drifted towards the house that was thergest and most borate, with a small tower and


    seemingly twenty or more rooms. The enormous weight of such arge establishment was evidently


    disced with kitsu. Dahlias and fire lilies grew in vases on the gyre that surrounded it. de vines


    hung down like streamers from the roof. Children frolicked around, engaged in games; women and


    men went about their daily chores. A few aged people rested in the sun on bamboo chairs.


    Akako: “Whose house is this?”


    Keiji: “You will realise that soon.”


    A small dock house adjoined the main building. It harboured all the sailing vessels. As the canoes


    approached, two men with painted faces and the Wajin attire approached and bowed. They proceeded


    to help them tie-up, ande onboard the floating house. One of the men pointed to a boy standing on


    the dock house path, which led to the main building.


    Man 1: “The young master has a message for you from Lord Hakaku.”


    Shigeo: “This is Hakaku Yamazaki’s ce? The Chief Strategist-Economist of Karasuma ?”


    Keiji: “And we are lucky to have been granted a night’s stay.”


    The sailing party approached the boy referred to as ‘the young master’. Thetter bowed courteously to


    the preceptors. He had his face painted as well- a beeline of ck dots, with a white line running down


    the middle of his face. He seemed to be the same age as Kento and Akako.


    Boy: “I havee to wee you on behalf of Lord Hakaku Yamazaki. He is waiting for you in his


    reading room.”


    Yuuki: “We are grateful. And who might you be, child?”


    Boy: “I am Uzziah Yamazaki.“