《The Cursed Adventurer》


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 Prologue

    ¡°If someday he who has a kind heart appears in front of me, requesting for help, then I will aid him the best I can. This curse does not allow me to just go away from someone in need.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that?¡± I asked him. ¡°If your curse doesn¡¯t allow you to live your life, then I will take it¡± My words clearly demonstrated my calmness, my expression showed that I was serious about this. I couldn¡¯t just let an opportunity to save someone in need like this go away. I want to be of help to other people, even if that means I¡¯ll have to go out of my way to do so. ¡®That''s usually how it is, but in this case it was different.¡¯


    ¡°You, do you really understand what you''re saying?¡± This person didn''t look like he was taking me seriously. ¡°No. Don¡ät you see that no matter what you do, you''ll never be able to leave someone in help?¡± My hand touched his shoulder and I crouched so I could talk to him, face to face, looking at his eyes intently. The room in which we were didn¡¯t have anything else than windows. Windows that didn''t allow one to see what was happening outside of the room, but instead windows that would allow for light to illuminate the room.


    ¡°I mean it¡± I answered. My motives were something I couldn''t just go and reveal, even if this person asked me, I wouldn¡ät answer. I¡äm of the kind that won¡ät tell the truth unless it benefits me later. But at the same time I¡äm of those who dislike telling lies, so I hope he won''t ask me about it.


    The old man¡äs hands started to move by themselves, and he finally showed his stomach.


    ¡°Are you serious? You won''t change of opinion?¡± This old man is wrong in something, he didn''t understand my motives clearly, but even so, this worked for me.


    ¡°No, I won''t change¡± I answered, completely lifting any responsibility from his shoulders. I prepared my naginata in my hands. The only way to break a curse is by either granting the curse¡äs wish, or by transferring it from one body to another. Usually, people would have trouble understanding what a curse wants, this was an absolute rule that neither curses nor humans understood, but it was that curses will only disappear one¡äs body by luck. Be it that the human did something like killing someone the curse despised in its earlier life, or whatever. But in my case, I can make that even easier to understand. ¡°Don''t worry, I can communicate with curses and I''m also protected, they won''t do me any harm. The curses are just one side of the coin that reflects life itself. One side is the death, one of the outcomes of living enough, the other side of the coin though, is curse. How horrible, isn''t it?¡± I prepared myself to do the ritual.


    The old man¡¯s stomach was visible and here I could see a symbol that marked the place in which the curse was. My naginata was an enchanted weapon that could purify the curses before they entered my body, and that is the reason why curses didn''t do anything to me. If I don¡ät use my naginata before they enter, then those curses will try to invade my body and try to order me around. How horrible.


    ¡°If for any reason I were to manage to completely disagree with the terms of the curse, then it will take toll on me and won¡ät let me eat until I agree to do as it says. Are you sure do you want to handle this burden?¡± Informed the old man.


    ¡°That¡äs quite the dilemma you''ve got there¡± I answered before thrusting the blade of my naginata inside this person¡äs stomach. The thrust did not penetrate his body, but the curse instead. The problem with breaking a curse by this method is that it would install itself in the body of he who broke it. An individual would not be able to break a curse by himself in most cases because he wouldn''t be able to understand the curse¡äs wish. My naginata purifies curses, but what if I don''t use it? That¡äs easy, I''m also being protected by an enchantment. I and my naginata both are enchanted individuals that won''t get affected by curses, and I can even talk with them.


    A great growl could be heard coming from the old man¡¯s stomach. The curse was both thanking me and moving to my body. The symbol in his stomach became a gas substance and slowly started to fly in the air before introducing itself into my own stomach. Finally a symbol like the one before could be seen but on my body instead. I finally did it, it was over. I extracted the blade from his stomach and with a sharp movement I backed it onto my shoulder as always. Even though I supposedly thrust his stomach, there was no sight of any wound.


    ¡°Are you better now?¡± I asked him, but didn''t get any answer. The man was just crying in the floor. He could finally sense hunger, and could eat, but most than anything he wouldn''t need to worry about anyone else besides him. I¡äm sure he must be thinking this was a blessing, but to me the situation he was in now¡­ was really bad. This man has been surviving up until now because of the curse, it¡äs possible that because he just recovered his sense of hunger he isn''t feeling any secondary effect, but sooner or later the starvation he has been in for a lot of time will take a toll on him, and sooner or later he''ll die. Even if he starts eating now, his body has already took the punishment for not obeying the curse. Yes, exactly, the obligation of some curses are very tricky.


    ¡°I see then, I''ve finished here, I''ll be going¡± I said, parting with him. I got out of the cabin in which the man was being confined so he wouldn''t need to suffer more than the necessary. Outside, there were many people anxious about hearing the news. Almost everyone asked the same thing: ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Did he recover?¡± and other things. In the middle of all this noise, there, I was, waiting for the silence to finally come so I could talk. After this silence reached my ears I opened my mouth and said the words that everyone was waiting for. ¡°Yes, everything¡äs fine now¡± I answered while I saw the bright sun. It was obvious that my lie wouldn''t be discovered soon. Everything wasn''t exactly fine, but even so I didn''t want to tell them the truth, even if it hurts me to do so.


    The man wished for me to take his curse out, so I did that, but no matter how I see it, this was only one step towards death.


    ¡®It would be a long way from this village to the next so it would be for the best to prepare myself as soon as possible¡¯ That¡äs what I thought for a moment, but soon I was getting involved in a situation a little bit complex.


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    ¡®How bothersome¡¯ I thought. I could see many kids coming my way with ¨Cwhat seems to be at least¨C their parents. If the situation required it, then I would try to escape as soon as possible so they wouldn¡ät think I was actually escaping¡­ but that wasn''t possible anymore. Well then, looks like I''ll have to endure the talking of some stupid children. This was really annoying for me, who hated to waste much more time than the necessary, and more than that, I hate kids, I just don''t get them.


    ¡°Sir, will you be departing soon?¡± Asked one of the kids. They were two, a girl and a boy of at least ten years each. I¡äm sure they suddenly thought about a great idea and so they wanted to tell me it. ¡°You should stay tonight! You won''t be able to travel without any energy or rest!¡±


    ¡®What are the chances of me returning to this village? Taking in consideration that the articles sold here are of very good quality, when I return I may be obligated to come back here. That means I can''t just go and run away. Even so, that option seems very tempting right now¡¯ I started calculating inside my mind.


    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡äs a good idea, haha. What¡äs your name, kiddo?¡± I asked so I could add more credibility to my act. Laughing while I talked to these kids would help for people to believe in me much more. I had already said it, I hate kids, I don¡ät get them at all but that¡äs the exact reason why I have strategies to fight with them! Know your enemy!


    ¡°Leri!¡± And the girl beside him answered Meri. I''ll remember that name, Leri, you damn¡­!


    ***


    I was lying down, but even if the bed was quite comfortable and the night was one of those that were very silent, like not many I''ve had, I just couldn''t get myself to sleep soundly, let alone even close my eyes for five minutes straight. Instead of that I started to think about many things, one of them was this bothersome feeling I¡äve been having since I arrived here, the East. I come from the West, a traveler who doesn''t like adventures. I¡¯m a person who was an objective and will travel for that objective in order to fulfill it.


    ¡®But it''s of course not so easy to do that¡¯ I thought while doing a vague try of sleeping. I''m sure I would be better of lying on an uncomfortable ground, something like a rocky surface. That way I wouldn''t have to think that much. The bothersome feeling I talked about earlier isn''t the same one I''m putting as an example now though. That feeling is the one you''d have when you reach a place that is totally different from the one you used to be living in. If this feeling didn''t exist then I wouldn''t have so many troubles getting used to this place. That said, the process of entering the society in this area is pretty simple too. If you''re a traveler then I''m sure people will treat you well, if you do something for them they will treat you even better. In the west they''d probably make you take the trash out regardless of your achievements.


    I got up from the bed I was using in the hut, a free room thanks to my services to the village. Did I even do anything? I mean, the man is going to die in a few days anyways.


    This night feels like it would continue eternally, I don''t like that feeling. This feeling of not being able to end something, to always keep on, eternally, that¡äs something I hate with all of me. In the past I have already felt this, and I kept living it for a long time, that¡äs exactly why I understand it so much¡­ and that¡äs why every time I feel it I usually frustrate. At least I¡¯m not as bad as I used to be before.


    I moved towards the window, opening it and leaning my back on it. As I started to ask a few things unrelated to the former topic, I started to look at the moon. Suddenly, I fell asleep in this same way.


    ***


    ¡°Sir, have you slept well?¡± Asked the manager of the hut as he saw me going down the stairs. My presence here was not necessary any further and I had rested enough. This was my last day here, and I wanted to at least get as much resources from this village as I could.


    After answering with a ¡°Yes, I did sleep well¡± to the manager¡¯s question, I approached him and asked about things that wouldn''t need to be cooked, in this case I asked him about fruits, the only vegetable I can really endure is the lettuce, probably.


    ¡°If you are searching for fruits, then the public market is where you will find them. The prices are very cheap and people are always nice towards others, they will surely make you a discount thanks to your efforts. They are very nice indeed¡± These guys sure are nice, it was almost enough to make me think about using that for my own self. I had to stop myself from laughing.


    ¡°Thank you very much. It was nice. If I feel like I don¡¯t have much to do and my plans allow me to, then I will surely return to this village someday¡± I added before parting with him.


    The sun was very bright that day and there was almost no clouds in the skies, actually, it seems like there aren¡¯t any, not even one. Looks like for some people you could probably call this a ¡°perfect day.¡±


    I prefer rainy days as long as I can shelter myself from the rain, it always brings me a feeling of loneliness that I quite enjoy¡­ usually. Even so, saying that I¡¯m always alone is quite a flaw on the one who thinks about me in that way.


    Just as the manager of the hut had indicated, the public market was very active and lively voices of people selling and buying could be heard, it was a very joy-like atmosphere.


    I went towards the markets and started to look around. After thirty minutes or so I had finished getting everything I needed, I included some other utensils like a hunting knife, a few bandages and yeah, yeah. Basically, everything I would need to travel in the forests.


    After getting everything, I went towards the exit of the village. I wonder when I will actually return. That doesn¡¯t matter that much anyways.

 Chapter I

    ¡®What a bright sun!¡¯ I thought while I was walking through the path that went to the nearest village. It wouldn¡¯t take too much time to get there, but even then I needed to be careful.


    The main reason for me to come to this next village, which is called Genpei is simply to take a little rest from the travel. From time to time I¡¯d stop by at some rest places, most of the time it¡¯ll be to take shelter from imminent rains though. Wonder if someday I¡¯ll go to any Mother City.


    Damn, it¡¯s that thing again. Can¡¯t it just shut its mouth? Wait, it doesn¡¯t have mouth.


    The truth is that, as I said before I could relate with curses. The curses existed as people in their earlier lives that died in the worst ways possible. If you think you can think of a sad way to die, you¡¯ll probably be surprised at the way these people died, it doesn¡¯t only have to be cruel to the person itself but sometimes it also includes other people. Nobody remembers how they died though, not even the curses themselves.


    The problem is, people can¡¯t relate to curses as I said. They can¡¯t understand their desires, nor can they talk with them. They don¡¯t even know curses can think, but I can, and it¡¯s kind of annoying, especially because the new curse that I received in my stomach is quite talkative.


    I don¡¯t really understand how I can understand what they¡¯re saying. Is it possible that I¡¯m not understanding what they¡¯re saying, but instead I understand their intentions?


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t plan to return to the village so you can have another chance to pardon yourself to the old man, he won¡¯t even be able to understand you¡± I answered the curse.


    ¡®I just can¡¯t thank enough my luck. It¡¯s because of it that I¡¯m able to keep eating like always¡¯ I enjoyed the very thought of it, but that made me hungry.


    The fruits in my bag were exquisite as the people said, they had been bought just about six hours ago and even still they tasted like if they were just extracted from the farm.


    ¡°An apple? Banana? I have a wooden drinking cup, I could make a lemonade! If I find any river I could make use of my hunting knife and use it to make a fruit salad¡± My imagination was making my hunger grow by the time. ¡°Uh? Do you want to eat? I can¡¯t give you this, you don¡¯t even exist physically¡± I answered to the request of my stomach curse, at this rate I¡¯ll need to give it a name.


    The curses in my left arm, my back and my right shoulder weren¡¯t even making any ruckus like this one was, it sure looked like my stomach curse died very recently, it doesn¡¯t even know how to act before people. I wonder how it died. If he or she has this personality right now, how was he in his earlier life?


    This thought disappeared from my mind when I found a river with water streaming. The water was sparkling which meant that I could probably find fishes too, and at the same time telling me it was clean, I could probably wash myself in it or use it for drinking.


    ¡°But, do I really need to clean myself?¡± I said as I started sniffing at myself. Even though I wanted to actually go inside, I didn¡¯t really need it and I couldn¡¯t manage to waste any more time now. ¡°I curse the creator of time right now¡±


    I sat on the side of the river and from the bag I took out a mini-table that I used for cutting food. I deposited my naginata on my side so I wouldn¡¯t lose her.


    I started by washing my hunting knife that I had in my belt. After that, I started cutting the fruits into little pieces, then I put the content on a wooden bowl and I washed the fruits.


    And finally, the food was prepared.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t eat this. Gah, it doesn¡¯t matter now. Look at how I eat all of it and you don¡¯t even get to taste it!¡± I presumed to the curse on my stomach. ¡°You¡¯re hurting inside because of this, aren¡¯t you!? Do you feel it!? Hah!¡± I started wondering if I was too rude by this moment.


    A growl started roaring from my stomach, it made sense, even though I was eating the curse wasn¡¯t really that happy.


    ¡°Mhmr Rhm? Does it really matter that much if you can¡¯t affect me?¡± The curse told me it did, and that it wanted to kill me from starvation. ¡°Well, you¡¯re going in a wrong way, stomach. You know I can just go and penetrate you with my naginata?¡± I said, menacingly. ¡°Huh? No, not at all, it won¡¯t hurt me because it¡¯s an enchanted naginata, but it will hurt you!¡± After this, the curse stopped emanating any intentions so I couldn¡¯t hear anything more from it.


    Victory! Is what I wanted to say, but it was too sudden that I started feeling bad about the curse, poor of him or her.


    After finishing half of the bowl, I got up from the place I was sitting before and wanted to take a quick peek at the surrounding area. I needed to be extra careful, I dropped my guard too much, just as I thought that. Very suddenly.


    ¡°Heh? *swish* Gah!?¡± An arrow appeared in my left arm. ¡°Kyah! What the¡­? Who¡¯s there!?¡± I shouted, but didn¡¯t receive any response. Of course, bandits and thieves wouldn¡¯t answer, hah. ¡°Huh? I¡± My sight started growing numb. My eyes started feeling heavy and my body dropped all of its strength, making me fall to the floor with my right shoulder.


    ***


    I woke up, didn¡¯t really have any idea of how much time had passed but it was night. Night, that means only a few hours because my stomach isn¡¯t growling, therefore it hasn¡¯t even been one day.


    I got up and started feeling a slight pain coming from my shoulder. Of course, falling right onto it could probably break it, after all, it received the whole impact. It¡¯s not much but I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be able to use it for a few hours at the very least.


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    Supporting my shoulder with my left hand I started looking around. There wasn¡¯t any animal so I didn¡¯t have to escape.


    Those had to be bandits without any doubt. Thieves would probably just go and kill me or only steal high priced things, but these ones stole everything.


    Suddenly, I realized that my left arm started to wake up as it had been sleeping all this time. With that action I also realized that it had an arrow penetrating the flesh and it was hurting quite a lot.


    ¡°Ugh! Gah!¡± I had to endure the pain for a few seconds before it finally went away. The pain came of course from the arrow, it probably had a poison that made me fall asleep. I didn¡¯t have to worry about it anymore as it seems the poison was already exterminated by my body, but I couldn¡¯t just go and take the arrow out because the bleeding would start. ¡°A bandage? Wait, yeah, right, they stole everything. For the love of God! What kind of people they are to even steal bandages!¡± I took a fast glance to the wooden bowl that before had the fruits. ¡°They even ate everything!¡±


    But the most important thing that was stolen.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be, wait. Where was it? Did I hide it? No, it wasn¡¯t hidden. That means¡± They stole my weapon too, my enchanted naginata that worked specifically for breaking curses and defeat enemies and animals. ¡°How do they even dare!¡± I cursed at nothing and then fell with my butt on the grass. I couldn¡¯t use my right shoulder and my left arm had an arrow that couldn¡¯t be extracted. I was utterly destroyed. I don¡¯t even have the most important part of my equipment, my naginata, my precious, and I can¡¯t even eat.


    ¡®If I didn¡¯t drop my guard at that moment! I should have continued my way to the village. That¡¯s right, the Genpei Village! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to recover my naginata, but at least I¡¯ll be able to recover myself¡¯ I thought.


    I got up from the grass while trying not to move my arms too much. The Genpei Village was really close, even more, I was attacked just as I was getting there.


    Someone would consider this as a really unfortunate situation, to be so close to a village and still get robbed.


    I learned something very important, you can¡¯t drop your guard in these kind of places, not to the animals and beasts nor to the terrible humans that dwell in it.


    After thinking about a few things, I decided to go to the Genpei Village as soon as possible. I could probably try and hunt a fish from the river but that¡¯d make me struggle.


    ***


    ¡®Damn, it¡¯s already been fifty minutes, I¡¯m sure I got lost somehow¡¯ I thought. While I was eating before I knew the direction in which I needed to go, but when I was robbed I ended up forgetting everything.


    I fell to rest on a nearby tree. A tree that had a really good wood that I could probably use to make a bow to hunt, but in the night it¡¯s not good to stay too much time in a place. Making a bow would take a lot of time in the state in which I am right now. That said, my right shoulder was starting to recover.


    ¡°I imagine in about two hours I¡¯ll be able to move it like always. It¡¯d be much faster if I could just support it with some kind of rope¡± I told myself.


    The intentions of the curses started resonating in my head.


    My left arm was shaking because of the pain. My right shoulder didn¡¯t even flinch. Could it be because of its earlier life? And of course, my stomach is saying things that don¡¯t make any sense, well, except for one.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make any traps, didn¡¯t learn much about them. Even if I made a bow I wouldn¡¯t have any arrows. Huh? I can¡¯t do that neither¡± I started answering every proposition the curse told me. If anyone saw me now, he¡¯d probably think I was crazy because it seemed like I was talking to myself. ¡°Stop whining, I can¡¯t take the arrow because you¡¯ll start bleeding. Do you want to disappear from my body and go somewhere else where you won¡¯t be able to rest? I think you¡¯re good as you are now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    In the West, I learned skills from use of weapons and bows, how to maintain them, repair them, and basic knowledge about survival, but I never thought I would be struggling like this so I never stopped to learn about making traps.


    I thought I would be protecting the city walls instead of hunting animals. Who¡¯d have guessed that wasn¡¯t a good decision after all? Of course, when I was learning I didn¡¯t actually think about coming to the East, not at that time at least.


    ¡°I should have made much more of my childhood back then!¡± I said.


    I got up from the tree and started making my way to the city again, feeling lost, but as I started walking I saw something.


    ¡°Could it be?¡± It was night but that was the very reason why I could see it so clearly. There were lights, a light in the darkness.


    ¡°They¡¯re torches! It¡¯s the village!¡± I shouted, couldn¡¯t care less about someone or something hearing me.


    I supported my right shoulder on a nearby tree and then felt that my breathing was really heavy. The sight of the village was precious to me, nothing too special but it was my salvation.


    I started walking towards Genpei, I still felt pain in my arms but I just couldn¡¯t care less. I¡¯m going to get treated, and eat! What could be greater than this!?


    ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Come on, let¡¯s go¡± I ordered myself.

 Chapter II

    It¡¯s only been a day since I reached Genpei, the people have treated me well and I managed to get a good recuperation. My left arm is still kinda bad but my right shoulder is completely recovered.


    ¡°Have you rested well?¡± Asked a teenager.


    I usually don¡¯t carry well with kids, but with teenagers that¡¯s a different story.


    ¡°Yes, thank you¡±


    ¡°Alad, that¡¯s my name. I¡¯m thirteenth if you ask¡± Answered the boy.


    ¡°Alad, that¡¯s quite an interesting name¡± I said.


    Alad was the boy who found me in the night when I was reaching Genpei after almost one hour of walking. I think it was 3:00 a.m. and he was searching for some water on a fountain near his house.


    When he found me, he immediately called the healer of the village so he could check me. After having confirmed that my left arm was the one in the worst condition I went to rest.


    ¡°Sir, now that you¡¯re awake, they have sent me to ask how is it that you ended in this kind of state. I don¡¯t want to be rude but we do not want to have any problems in our village so it¡¯s of absolute necessity that we know this¡± Asked Alad in a serious manner.


    Even though he¡¯s a young of thirteen years he¡¯s pretty intelligent and his tongue is sharp, moves fast and eloquently.


    I hesitated my answer. What do I do if this brings problems to the village? I¡¯m sure they were bandits, but if they weren¡¯t then that could mean a real problem for them.


    ¡°Answer now, sir¡± Alad urged me.


    ¡°I was attacked by some bandits while I was reaching this village, that¡¯s what I think at least. They robbed me of everything I had. The arrow was poisoned with some substance that made me fall asleep¡± I answered.


    ¡°Do you have any idea who they are?¡± I asked.


    Alad made a frustrated expression in his face after hearing what I said. This clearly demonstrated that he actually knew who these bandits were.


    ¡°The Daimyou¡¯s Pillagers. That¡¯s how they call themselves. They¡¯re bandits that fit your description as they use poisoned arrows to steal people. You¡¯re not the first and I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be the last. Many people have suffered the same tragedy and have come to this village to get help¡± Answered Alad.


    The Daimyou¡¯s Pillagers, so they¡¯re the responsible for this. When I reached Genpei I thought I wouldn¡¯t get any hint but now I have the name, I only needed to ask something else and start a rigorous search for them.


    ¡°Do you know where their hideout is?¡± I asked.


    Alad tilted his head from left to right.


    ¡°I see¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s a small empire to the east of here that¡¯s searching for them. The troop is full of professionals at this so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get your things back¡± These were good news. If I could reach this empire I¡¯m sure I could probably get back my enchanted naginata, but¡­


    ¡°Where does this empire lie? I¡¯m sure there were two big empires and one small, could it be that small one? The Empire of Taira?¡± I asked to clear my confusions.


    Alad nodded.


    ¡°I understand. Oh, right, I¡¯ll see you later. I need to go to the healer¡¯s house so he can get a good view at my left hand and after that I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get to use it again¡± I indicated.


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no use to doing too much effort for us. If you need any rest, then please by all means have it. Of course, you shouldn¡¯t be listening me here because the healer is sure to get mad at you if you¡¯re late, he usually is¡± Notified Alad and after that I parted with him.


    I had bandages on my left hand that supported it in a way that appeared like it formed a ¡®V¡¯ letter. My steps made a great noise because Genpei was really silent, this was something that surprised me when I woke up.


    What could be the reason for this?


    Another thing I realized is that in the East it¡¯s almost always sunny even at this stage of the year. In the West I¡¯m sure right now it¡¯s probably raining a lot, but here the sun is as bright as you can get.


    I finally reached the healer¡¯s place.


    ¡°Ois! Nice day, isn¡¯t it? I came to get my left arm checked¡± I shouted while slamming the door.


    The house was made of wood and the windows that were positioned in a way that made it so that the house was fully illuminated were the one thing that made me wonder if this healer man really lived here.


    From one of the doors inside the house came a young man of about eighteen years old. When I first saw him I was surprised, in the West Healers usually were really old and with a lot of experience in life, actually, in the first village I came by when I got to the East frontier the healer was really old.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve finally got here! I was scared you might actually be late! Sit down, come on, I don¡¯t have all day. It¡¯ll only be a check-up and you¡¯ll be ready, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already fine¡± The healer retired the aid-bands from my arm and started checking it. From the arrow spot to my fingers. His eyes made me feel interested in how much he was concentrated on the task


    ¡°You¡¯re strong, where have you trained? Your muscles look really well and your arm looks like one of a soldier. You come from the West, don¡¯t you?¡± He only saw my arm a little bit and the healer now knew from where I came.


    ¡°H-How?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The training, the day-by-day and the place you¡¯re in make the appearance of someone, and yours is very characteristic of the West. Maybe you won¡¯t notice it immediately but after taking a closer look you¡¯ll surely notice¡± He answered.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now, you¡¯re completely healed. Yesterday I didn¡¯t have much time to do presentations did I? My name is Trotter and I¡¯m Genpei¡¯s healer. To be honest, I also come from the West¡± Trotter said.


    Oh! Someone from the same place as I. I now understand how he realized I was from the West.


    ¡°Nice to meet you Trotter. Sadly, I can¡¯t give you my name. But instead, in exchange of yours I¡¯ll give you the name by which people in the West used to call me by. I¡¯m called Yan¡± I said.


    Trotter made a conflicted expression. Not many people are incapable of giving their names to other people, that¡¯s true, but I have my reasons.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, I think I¡¯ll need to go and see what I can do to get my precision on my arms back, I¡¯m sure my left arm is in a bad condition because I haven¡¯t used it¡± I said and parted Trotter.


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    Just when I was about to close the door.


    ¡°Ah! Wait a moment, please!¡± I heard the voice of Trotter calling me.


    ¡°You, your face. I know you. Do you come from the special troops of the David King?¡± He asked.


    David, the gubernator of the West. The continent was divided in two sections, East and West, in each section there was a gubernator. The king divided his own section and gave it to the bourgeois and the upper-class people, this way the empires were created. Later the empires rulers gave land to people they thought were good enough, and thus the cities and villages were created.


    ¡°If only I had such privilege I wouldn¡¯t be here right now. In fact, if I was a recruit from the special troops I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be presuming it in your face right now. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t belong to such a place, sadly¡± That was my answer.


    ¡°Well, if you excuse me¡± I closed the door, leaving Trotter finally alone, and a little confused too.


    ***


    ¡°Gah! Is this good?¡± I placed the barrel near the storehouse and asked the manager.


    ¡°Yes, yes! That¡¯s perfect¡± He said.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you have chosen to collaborate with us this way. You¡¯ve only just got out from your healing period and you¡¯re already working this hard, hahaha! You need a lot of motivation for that, young¡± Answered the old manager, I still didn¡¯t know his name, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d never learn it.


    Okay then, I finished my work here. Thanks to Alad I could make a good schedule for the daily works. I didn¡¯t plan on being too much time here in Genpei but I wanted to at least help and at the same time train my body.


    ¡°Alad, I finished this. What¡¯s next?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The next thing in the schedule is your rest-time. What did you expect? More work? You¡¯re already doing a lot¡± In one way or another, Alad and I started getting a lot better than I expected. Too bad all this character development happened out of screen.


    ¡°Huh, I see¡± How disappointing. As I do more work, I¡¯m also training myself mentally and physically and that helps me to recover my left arm completely.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go for something to drink¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, good. Yan, bring me something too. A grape juice is good, the old manager should have some¡± Alad asked me.


    I accepted and went to the storehouse. Should I learn the name of the manager? No!


    After bringing the drinks I sat on one side of Alad.


    ¡°Here you are, this is yours¡± I gave him his wooden cup.


    Ten seconds happened and neither of us said anything. We took a large sip and the first one to start talking was Alad.


    ¡°Trotter told me you come from the West. What reason do you have for coming here?¡± Asked Alad.


    ¡°Is it really just training?¡± He continued.


    ¡°I wonder¡± I answered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to answer?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s my answer. I wonder¡±


    ¡°I see, you¡¯re pretty strange in that aspect, you know? I don¡¯t know anything about you and yet you¡¯re helping us, I can¡¯t understand you¡± He said.


    So that¡¯s how other people see me, it¡¯s to be expected.


    ¡°If you pay attention it¡¯s possible that you may realize something sooner or later that will answer your question¡± I indicated. Of course, I didn¡¯t promise to do anything to answer him.


    I don¡¯t want to become a famous person, or someone known. Becoming known when you¡¯re travelling is actually quite easy if you do things for the people you meet, but I don¡¯t want that. I don¡¯t give my real name and I won¡¯t say anything about me neither, it¡¯s possible that soon people will know me as the ¡°Wandered without name¡±. I prefer that over me being too known here that people from the West will listen about me.


    And with a final slip I finished my drink. I went and returned the cup to the storehouse. Time to continue my schedule.


    ***


    ¡°Have you heard the rumor, Yan?¡± Asked Alad.


    ¡°Which one of all of them?¡± I answered with a question.


    It¡¯s been three days already since I came to Genpei and I was planning to go today, but I decided to stay a last day after listening to what Alad had to tell me.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that says The Daimyou¡¯s Pillagers have been sighted near an abandoned mine. This mine was abandoned five decades because of a cave-in that couldn¡¯t be repaired¡± Said Alad.


    It¡¯s them! I can¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste.


    ¡°Where¡¯s this abandoned mine?¡± I asked with an expression that demonstrated my intentions.


    ¡°What will you do when I tell you?¡± Alad asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious, I¡¯m going to get my stuff ba-¡° I said, but soon realized what was wrong.


    ¡°Right, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t just go alone, can I?¡± I continued.


    ¡°Exactly. You can¡¯t go alone and Genpei won¡¯t change its mind just because you¡¯ve helped us. We¡¯re not going to help you in this, but I have a suggestion. I thought of it before telling this to you just in case¡± Said Alad and then started explaining.


    ¡°You already know about the Empire of Taira, that¡¯s where the squad for hunting down The Daimyou¡¯s Pillagers is on-going. I¡¯m sure that with this rumor they¡¯re going to assault the mines sooner or later¡±


    ¡°Alad, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re thinking too much ahead for your age?¡± This is something that has been on my mind for a while.


    ¡°Mhh? Why do you think that? It should be pretty normal¡± Alad answered.


    ¡°Oh, never mind then. Well, I think it would be for the best then that I prepare myself for the journey to the Empire of Taira, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I said.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do, huh? I understand. I can¡¯t simply go and say no to you. If your decision is to stay here we won¡¯t have any problem neither because The Daimyou¡¯s Pillagers won¡¯t get close to the village though¡± Notified Alad, clearly suggesting that I should by all means stay here, but I can¡¯t do that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to continue with my journey. If I can recover my enchanted naginata then I¡¯ll regain my reason for doing this¡± I answered.


    ¡°I see¡±