The Maiden in the Hut
You run for the hut, the pebbles crunching painfully underfoot. Behind you, you hear the hushed, curious tittering of the children, wondering just who you are and what you are doing naked. As they begin to play with various theories, you dart over the threshold, closing the door behind you. You note the sunken hearth at the center of the living area: embers still stir within it, glowing red amidst a pool of grey ash. Unfortunately, the house isn’t as uninhabited as it seemed from the outside. Still, there are no shoes and sandals at the entryway, and you should be safe for a while – hopefully the children will not tell on you, or if they do, their stories will be dismissed as fanciful tales of the young.
Quietly, carefully, you walk across the wooden floor, looking around to see if there is anything you can garb yourself in. Nothing. Aside from a few iron pots and a comb, this house is pretty threadbare. Perhaps you will have better luck in one of the rooms.
“Father? Are you back?” You hear a young woman call out, and footsteps approaching the living area.
“Oh ho,” says Ei.
Panicking, you look around for a place to hide – but unless you want to run back outside, there is nowhere to go. Weighing your options, you decide to move. You may have better luck at one of the other houses. You run towards the door.
You only manage to make it halfway across the living area when the young woman appears from the connecting hallway, bumping into you. The both of you fall, and the hard wooden floor does not prove kind to your bare bottom. As you rub your back in pain, you see the woman staring wide-eyed between your splayed legs, one trembling hand held over her mouth. She has turned utterly red.
“Oh ho, oh ho,” says Ei. “It’s your lucky day. She’s pretty cute.”
“W-wait… I… this isn’t what it seems…” you stammer, trying to explain while preparing to flee the house as fast as you can. “S-sir… if it is money that you want, we don’t have any,” pleads the woman quietly. She is trembling, her face averted from your naked personage. “If… if it’s my body, I am a sickly woman, so please… don’t hurt me.” She coughs; indeed, her complexion is pale and her long black hair lacking in lustre.
Ei giggles. “You’ll be gentle, won’t you, Acchan?”
“No!”
The woman shrinks back, gasping in fear.
“N-no, I mean, that’s not what I meant,” you say quickly, stumbling over your words. “I’m just looking for some clothes. Believe me, I don’t mean you any harm at all!”
“Oh… oh, I see,” says the woman, trying not to see a thing. She gets up, still carefully averting her eyes. When you make no motion to assault her, her shoulders seem to relax slightly. “Could you wait here for a second?” She walks off into an adjacent room. You can hear her rummaging around inside. Just as you are wondering if she is looking for some sharp implement to stab you with, and if you should just run off now while you still can, the woman reappears, a bundle of cloth in her hands.
“Here,” she says, looking at the floor. “These are my father’s old clothes. If you do not mind…”
“O-Of course not! Much appreciated!” You thank her hurriedly.
“Are you really going to wear those old rags? You’re better off going bold and free,” complains Ei.
As you struggle to get the clothes on, you catch her peeking at you from the corner of her eyes. “Do all men look like this?” she mumbles curiously under her breath.
“Sorry?”
“Never mind, it was nothing,” she says, blushing.
You finally get the sash done up, and sigh in relief. It’s not a very comfortable fit, and still rather breezy below the waist, but at least you have clothes on now.
“It looks like my father’s clothes are too small for you, sir. I’m sorry, but this is the only set of menswear I have in the house,” she apologizes, bowing politely.
“No, no, I’m the one who is sorry for intruding…” You trail off, wondering awkwardly what to say next. At times like this… yes, an introduction might be a good way to start off. “I’m Shinoseki Adachi… a traveller of sorts.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Shinoseki-sama. My name is Maeda Yukina.” She returns the introduction with another bow. Maeda? You wonder if there is any connection – but it is a common enough surname as it is, and you decide not to put too much thought into it for now.
You see Ei lying lazily near the hearth, and point at her to continue the introductions. “Oh, by the way, that rude little girl over there is my companion, Ei. Come on, introduce yourself.”
Yukina’s eyes follow the line of your finger, and she looks at Ei in puzzlement. “Ei? There’s… no one there?”
“They can’t see me, Acchan,” says Ei, yawning.
She could have told you earlier. You flush in embarassment, lowering your hand and stretching for an explanation. “I… uh… was it just my imagination?”
Yukina can’t help but giggle in amusement, some life returning to her pallid cheeks. “I’m… I’m sorry. You’re an interesting man, Shinoseki-sama! You must be very good with children, if you have imaginary friends like they do,” she teases politely. “My little brother did that all the time.”
“I… well… it’s not exactly… never mind,” you sigh, giving up as Ei skips to your side, grinning from ear to ear.
“So, Shinoseki-sama, why are you here? Though you look like a cultured man, your manner of speech is somewhat peculiar. It is not as strange as a naked man barging into my house, of course.”
Why are you here, indeed. If your guess is right, the Sakaguchi mansion is that reason. There is also the Juunimon and its associated rituals. “I came here because of that Western mansion,” you say carefully, glossing over how you lost your clothes. “If I’m not mistaken, it is the dwelling of Baron Sakaguchi. I have some business with him.”
Yukina seems to be surprised. “The mansion? Well, a Sakaguchi family still resides in it… they just moved in late last year, in fact, but I am sorry to inform you that Baron Sakaguchi is no longer here. He died a few years ago.”
“I… I see. What happened?”
She looks away, uncomfortable with the question. “I don’t think it is my place to tell, nor could I; my father forbade me to leave the house that night. All I have are whispers and rumours. Hardly reliable. The village elder would know more, he knows everything that goes on in the village. The head priest of the Tendou shrine might also know something… his sister was married to the baron before she died.”
“What about the family currently living in the mansion?”
“You could try asking them, but they seem troubled as of late. I am not sure they would be willing to meet with a stranger at this moment, let alone talk.”
Letting out a sigh, you bow to Yukina. “Thank you for your help, and for the clothes. I will return them as soon as I find something else to wear.” You should leave before you impose on her any further.
As you turn around, Yukina calls out to you. “Please wait, Shinoseki-sama. If you do not mind, perhaps I could escort you to where you want to go? The villagers will be suspicious of a stranger, but I can explain on your behalf.”
“I couldn’t,” you shake your head. “I’ve troubled you enough, Maeda-san.”
“My mother taught me that I should always help a person in need, but truly, it would not be that one-sided,” she smiles gently. “As it so happens, I am supposed to pick up some fish and vegetables later today. If you could help me out with that…”
“Be a gentleman, Acchan,” Ei urges – you can clearly see the ulterior motives carved on her crafty young face. She just wants to tease you further.
***
A. You visit the Sakaguchi mansion.
B. You visit the village elder.
C. You visit the Tendou shrine.
***
1. You have Yukina escort you. You are a stranger, she is not. It would be easier to talk to the villagers with her as an intermediary.
2. You go by yourself. Yukina definitely has a frail constitution, and you do not feel comfortable dragging her around for your business.
to be added on top of it.
