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CHAPTER XXVII—LORD ASHER BOONE

Hans lead the way up the massive stone steps. This Lord Asher Boone’s mansion was enormous and just on the outskirts of the city atop a rolling hill. It overlooked the hills and the villagers.

“Quite charming, wouldn’t you say?” asked Hans.

“I wonder if the charm continues as we go in,” said Shinjiro, or if this place is another false face like Fujiwarai’s manor.”

“No don’t be so cynical.”

“Hmph,” Shinjiro sniffed.

Rōkura glanced about with a smile on her face as she turned round and round. The trees were sculpted like statues and the bird fountains were old stained marble with oxidized brass gilding.

Glancing up, she saw that the house was four stories.

“Who has the money a house like this?”

“Mansion,” Hans corrected. “It’s called a mansion—and Lord Asher Boone does, it seems.”

“How long have you known this man?” asked Shinjiro. He was feeling rather skeptical, and it was starting to show. He decided to stop asking questions then and there on the matter of distrust. At least for the time being, otherwise he would turn into an old ogre.

“Long enough,” said Hans. “Now let’s not dawdle.” He slapped the door knocker down three times.”

An eerie silence followed.

Rōkura wondered if anyone was home. How could he even hear them knocking? Oh—he probably has servants. She nodded to herself. Before leaving, she had left her empty scabbard at the house, taking only the wakizashi short sword with her on this trip.

It would do—had done well in her fight with Sir Alaric and his pages.

“Hmm,” noised Hans. He looked at them both from two steps above, which made him slightly taller now. “If and when we are invited into the mansion, watch yourselves.”

“Should we be worried?” asked Rōkura.

“Probably not,” Hans said. “However, Lord Boon is a rather acentric character.”

Rōkura and Shinjiro shared a glance, though neither said anything about that. Did Hans know what he was talking about? He seemed unsure to her.

“Well,” Hans said, glancing about. “We could try another door.”

Shinjiro frowned. “Just like a cat to sneak in around the back through a slightly ajar door.”

“Please,” Hans said. “This house is big.”

“It’s the front door,” Rōkura said with a gesture. This was… surprising. “Knock again. You only tried once, Hans.”

“Oh, all right.” He did as she suggested, knocking three times, even harder this time. The door cracked open with a click and a squeak but didn’t fully open.

All three of them looked at one another. Hans thought the door had simply been left open, while Shinjiro believed that Hans, the sneaking little man that he knew him to be, had done something to open it.

Rōkura’s eyes widened. “That’s… eerie.”

“Indeed,” Hans said. He turned back to the door, reached for the handle and hesitated.

Shinjiro sniffed loudly with annoyance and disdain. “The door is open.” He stepped up to where Hans was and nudged it open with a gentle push. The door opened, revealing the antechamber.

It was a chamber of lacquered wooden panels, floor rugs and expensive wall furniture. “Huh…” he said. “The door is opened. I suppose that means—“

“What a minute!” Hans protested.

Shinjiro walked inside.

With a sigh, Hans shook his head. “And I thought Rōkura was the bandit among us—“

She stepped past him after the samurai.

“Rōkura!”

“Come on, Hans.” She looked at him and couldn’t keep the amusement off her face when she said, “Stop lollygagging.”

He raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Like the outside, Rōkura turned around, looking at everything. It was quiet, save for the gentle tinkling of the crystal chandelier hanging above them, disturbed by the subtle draft from the open door.

“Where is he going?” hissed Hans.

Rōkura found Shinjiro, his back turned as he strode deeper into the mansion. She shrugged. It was surprising that Hans was so worried, and yet he couldn’t stop them, so he was a lot like an older parent.

She followed Shinjiro.

The samurai believed it essential that they do anything and everything to help Rōkura concerning her Persistent Bad Luck “ability,” and if this Asher Boon had something, perhaps a cure or a way to change this part of her stats, then he wanted to find it.

His hears perked up as he heard something farther into the mansion. He stopped.

“What is—“

He put up a hand, cutting Rōkura off. “There it is again,” he said quietly.

“What is it?”

“Not sure—but it sounds like a loud noise, banging perhaps?”

“Is he in trouble?” asked Hans. “That’s a sure way to get Lord Boone to help just make sure we barge in here unannounced and save his hide right before death comes.” He sighed heavily. “If only it were that easy.”

“Come on,” Rōkura said, and she glanced up as she thought she heard the sound as well. It was coming from above them. They came out into a large hall with runners and carpets leading up the wooden steps.

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Rōkura put her hand on the banister and walked up, admiring the pictures on the walls. There were many people, a lot of them quote handsome and very rich. “Are… are any of these Lord Boone?” asked Rōkura. She would like to know what he looked like.

“Hmm,” Hans mused and even Shinjiro turned to wait and see if he couldn’t find one. “No—he’s not here. And I would be surprised if a portrait of himself was fond on these walls.”

“Why is that?” asked Shinjiro.

“He believes its bad luck,” said the small man in a breath.

“That’s fine,” Shinjiro said. “You can give him one of your nine lives if he happens to miss one of these steps hurrying down to lunch.”

Rōkura laughed.

“To make fun of a man is one thing—to make fun of him while trespassing in his house is quite another.”

“Perhaps,” said Shinjiro.

Rōkura sobered. Then she made to lead the way, but Hans stepped her by taking her wrist in his hand. He patted her hand, then said, “Not with your luck, Oni-san.”

She clicked her tongue with annoyance as Shinjiro nodded and strode up to the top in short order. The sounds were getting louder.

A lot louder.

“Come,” said Shinjiro. “I can hear the noise coming from down the hall.”

They followed him around a bend, and at the end of the hall, they could hear a man grunting and moaning and screaming. Something metallic was hit. Lighter metal was skirled about.

“Hyaaah!”

“Is he… is he dueling in there?”

Shinjiro glanced back, then went forward to the door and pressed his ear closeby.

“Again, sir?” someone said.

“Yes, once more—oh, but Withersbee, try a little harder this time.”

“Sir, I near damn broke my arm the last time.”

“Haha! Do your best, man!”

The other mumbled something about hiring out when Shinjiro turned to Rōkura and Hans. He was about to speak when something hit the door.

Rōkura’s heart nearly burst as the sword point stuck out of the door next to Shinjiro’s head.

Her hand instinctually went for her wakizashi blade as footsteps pounded up to the door. Shinjiro shunted back, ready for a fight.

“Nonono!” said Hans, grabbing at Rōkura’s sword hand. “Do not overreact.”

The door flung open revealing a middle ages man with square shoulders and a huge grey mustache. He snarled, raising his should and short sword.

Hans screamed.

Rōkura jumped back, baring her blade to meet their attacker.

“WITHERSBEE!”

The man was about to strike at Shinjiro, who still hadn’t revealed his steel, though he was bent like a predator, his hand on his hilt, ready to draw and attack with a single stroke.

The middle-aged man called Withersbee froze. “My lord—there are intruders in your house?!”

“I am well aware of that, man,” called an annoyed voice from the room beyond. “Why do you think I threw my sword at the door?”

Withersbee looked at them.

They looked at Withersbee.

Rōkura swallowed.

“Invite them in, Withersbee,” drawled Lord Boone.

He sounded like he was in his thirties .

Withersbee lowered his shield and sword, then through his massive mustache, he smiles, gestured. “Won’t you join me and my master?”

“Ah… Withersbee—I don’t quite remember you last time I came to call on Lord Boon,” he said as he passed the servant.

“I have my eye on you,” he threatened. “Both of you—all three of you. Both of my eyes.”

Hans laughed nervously. “Indeed.”

Rōkura glanced back at Withersbee taking up the rear, then followed Hans into the massive room. The windows were high and let in enormous amounts of light. There weren’t even any curtains.

But what drew her eye the most, was Lord Asher Boon. He was tall, young. Shirtless and… impressive.

Shinjiro glanced back as he entered the room. He was always aware and perceptive, though for that sword strike at the door…

“Ah, Hans Bellefeuille. It’s been too long my friend.”

“Indeed,” he said with a bow. “We knocked but—“

“Oh never you mind about that,” Asher said with a wave of his hand and a smile. Then he lurched up to them and Rōkura instinctually took a step back.

Asher took them all in, then tapped his forehead. “You were probably wondering how I knew you were at the door?”

“Actually,” Shinjiro said, “I am certain you sensed—“

“Wrong you are, my friend.

The samurai frowned.

“I heard a very subtle creaking at the floor. I know, you are probably thinking that was luck—and you would be right. For even in my swordplay with Withersbee, here, he stopped for just long enough to give the room some quiet—and that’s when I heard the creaking board, all the way from across the room I might add. I just happen to be turning my head as I noticed a fly going for the window, and my ear was positioned just perfectly to face the door.”

Rōkura frowned. So Hans meant that he’s crazy. I’ll remember that next time he used the word ‘eccentric.’”

“Very lucky, to be sure,” said Hans. “But for you—not so much luck, but what is might I say?”

“Now that my old friend, is an interesting philosophical argument.” He spread his arms, still breathing heavily from his dueling. “Was I lucky, because of my exceptionally good luck, or was this just the normal course of events, due again, by my high luck—but if I’m always that lucky, can it even be called luck. What is ‘luck’?”

Hans shrugged. “We could wonder about this until the end of time,” said Hans.

“Indeed,” said Asher with a smile, and he turned and took up a tower from a butler stool and wiped his face.

Rōkura turned and regarded Withersbee for a moment, who scowled at her. She swallowed and turned back, trying to ignore him.

Lord Asher Boone was just about to head the conversation and ask why they were there to see him, but something interesting caught his attention. He couldn’t help glancing at the oni girl.

Actually, he looked at her from head to toe, lack of clothes and her ample cleavage drawing his eyes. She rolled her own cubes, but he didn’t much care.

They did push their way into his house after all.

He clicked his fingers and pointed at her. “You, madam are an exceptionally unlucky girl, I’m afraid to say.”

As she frowned, feeling a little annoyed, he seemed to nod more to himself than to her, then he touched her horn, testing the tip with a touch. When he put his finger into his mouth, he sucked on it for a minute, and that made her smirk with satisfaction.

Hans was a little worried. He could see the annoyance on Asher’s face.

Indeed, Asher was annoyed. “Hmm,” he mused. “Now that… that was rather unlucky.”

“Eh… indeed,’ said Hans, feeling a little off kilter. “My friend, you look well. I take it you are in good health?”

“Excellent health!” he practically shouted, and his joviality came back as he whipped his head about. His long golden hair reached down to his waistline and was held together at the nape of his neck with a ribbon.

Rōkura glanced toward his chair and the silver gilded rapier hanging in the scabbard.

“I was about to get cleaned up and go down for lunch. Would you join me?” he was looked at Hans. Then as an afterthought he seemed to notice Rōkura and Shinjiro. “Of course, your friends are welcome as well.”

As much as Rōkura loved the idea of lunch, she was feeling a bit impatient. “We are here to see if you can do something about my Persistent Bad Luck.”

Asher froze as he reached out for his sword belt. “Persistent Bad Luck you say?” He clicked his tongue and laughed. “Ho-ho-ho! You are plowed—forgive my language.”

Rōkura sighed and rolled her eyes. She suddenly wanted to gnashed her teeth. This was a waste of time!

“Well…” Hans mused. “It is a problem. Being acquainted with your wonderful good luck, my friend, we thought you might be able to assist us. For old time’s sake.”

“Old times…” said Asher. He didn’t like the sound of that. He looked at Hans with a stern expression. “Now I’m done with all that. I paid everything I owed to Ogai.”

“Oh—yes, yes. Nothing to do with any of that, I assure you.”

“Good,” Asher said, otherwise I would have Withersbee throw you out on your ass.”

Hans glanced back and Withersbee hefted his shield. Good gods—he’s serious about that. Hans sighed and smiled. “I promise you, this has nothing to do with Ogai.” Then he took Rōkura by the shoulders. “Only this poor, retched, pathetic oni, whose had the worst turn of luck imaginable.”

She looked up at Hans, her indigence rising. But she understood he was selling the problem.

“Hmm,” mused Asher. “I will tell you what. For old time’s sake. You have your bad luck child go clear out the pests in the undercroft. I want to see how bad her luck really is.”

“All right,” Hans said with a smile.

Rōkura sighed. “Pests? In the undercroft?”

“Indeed!” said Asher. “I’m going to get cleaned up. While Withersbee gets lunch ready, you go deal with that problem. You and you… I don’t know. Enjoy the house.”

He gestured flippantly and walked out of the room. Rōkura glanced back at Hans and Shinjiro. Then Lord Asher ducked his head in quickly, and surprising them all except Withersbee, he said, “Have fun!”

“I cannot believe this…” Rōkura breathed as Withersbee left them as well, leaving Hans, Shinjiro and Rōkura alone.

Hans sighed contentedly. “It’s a small price to pay if he’s speak to us, Oni-san.”

“I think Withersbee just doesn’t want to clean up after the pests,” Shinjiro said. “This makes sense.”

“Probably right you are. Rōkura, can you find the undercroft?”

“Well, do your best, and if you never manage it, chalk it up to your bad luck. I’m going downstairs. Come along, Steel Swinger.”

“But…”

“No—this is Rōkura’s task, man.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said.

Shinjiro nodded, touched her on the arm and followed Hans out of the massive drawing room.

Rōkura glanced about and sighed.

“I can’t believe this.”