SC1 16.1 – Drinking With Yui
When I got back to the hut, Kato still sat in the dinning hut. She was calm as still water, holding her kodachi in her lap. As soon as I entered the yard, she immediately got up to her feet and walked over to me, and creased her brows when she saw massive blood stain in my clothes.
“How could you get this bloody mess? You said you could handle it alone.”
“I said he is not strong enough to kill me,” I casually replied. “But it doesn’t mean he can’t hurt me.”
“How bad is your wound?”
“I already treated it using Healing Spell. It’s not critical anymore.”
“Who is our guest?”
“Shouji.”
Big question mark instantly appeared on Kato’s forehead. “Shouji the Head Constable from Rokube?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No.”
“You let him go after he almost killed you.”
“He is not a threat anymore.”
“How so?”
Wasting no time, I told Kato everything. Once I finished the story, she instantly gave me a worry look.
“Sanno, we should leave this place and start over using new identity. Level 14 is beyond us.”
After taking a deep breath I said, “I believe Wanderer Oracle have established a wide and deep network in this continent. We can avoid him for a while, but it’s just a matter of time before he discovers our whereabouts.”
“At least, it will give us some time to prepare ourselves,” Kato insisted.
“We can prepare ourselves here. Most of all, rather than going into a place where we don’t know the identity of his mole, staying here where Shouji can warn us about his arrival is the best option we have for now.” After a short pause I added. “But I don’t mind if you chose to leave. My offer is still the same.”
“No,” Kato firmly replied. “I have been thinking about it carefully. I chose to stay.”
“My I know the reason?” I curiously asked.
As she looked at me straight in the eyes Kato said, “I like to stay with Yunno and Yui as their guardian.
Your limitation on my discretion for everything that related to them is pisses me off. I feel like you treats like an idiot, but I can handle it.”
“You have just put Yunno and Yui in a peril. How I can trust you after that,” I genuinely said. “Honestly, there is even a moment when I think you are just a senseless dumb.”
“...”
Kato gave me a displease look, but I had no intention sugar coating my words. If she couldn’t handle it, it was not too late for her to leave for once and all. Of course, if she chose to stay and do her role as best as she could, she would receive worthy reward.
I would make her into the best warrior she could be, beyond her imagination. And actually, I planned to make her reach Level 20 in four years. I didn’t tell her about this because if she decided to stay, I wanted she do it because she had her own reason.
At the same time, I honestly couldn’t say for sure that what Kato told me was the truth or not. I also couldn’t check her latest memory through Soul Binding, as this method worked only for a kid under ten-year-old. However, if she wanted to stay then she could stay.
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“If you don’t mind,” Kato woke me up from my pondering. “I want us to legally register our relationship. I know it’s only an act, but let’s play it as good as possible. We will do it for 20 years.”
“I don’t mind, but I can’t show my face right now.”
“When they marry, warriors only have to show their face when they perform marriage vow. And I already took care of it,” Kato then took out a set of document from her spatial storage and handed it over to me. “You only need to put your hand sign and thumb print on the registration form. I will register it in Rokube civil affair and administration hall tomorrow.”
Wasting no time I checked the marriage registration form. It was already being filled with Kato’s neat handwritten, while in one of the attachments I found record from Rokube main temple. It stated that I and Kato had performed our marriage vow and received the marriage blessing from the head priest personally.
“How did you get the record and blessing from main temple?”
“Some donation has convinced the head priest to issue it personally.”
“I see.” I nodded before adding, “Let me register it tomorrow. I believe it’s my job as the head of the household to do it.”
“Okay.”
Then, I handed over all the money I took from Shouji to Kato, along with 20 essence cubes. “Use the money for our household expenditure, and use the essence cube for yourself.”
As she looked at the essence cubes in her palm Kato said, “These essence cubes are too many for me alone. I will share it with Yunno and Yui.”
“No, you can’t,” I firmly replied. “I will supervise their essence cube consumption directly, and you can only use your essence cube when you are undergoing a breakthrough, or when you have emergency in a fight.”
“Do you mean that for my daily training, I should only absorb essence directly from the air?”
“Trust me. It’s the best training method to reach the highest level possible.”
“Okay.” After a moment of silence Kato turned her gaze to me and in low voice she said, “I’m sorry about today”
“Just make sure that from now, one of us takes turn to stay with Yunno and Yui all the time.”
“Understood.”
“Also, please give them lot of hug and kiss.”
“I will.” Kato firmly replied.
“Well, that’s all. I need to take a bath.”
“Mhmm… Do you need my help with your bath?”
“No, I’m good.”
“I will go sleep then.”
“Have a nice sleep.”
Without delay I continued my walk to the bath hut, while Kato went to the resting hut.
---
After the bath, I went to dinning hut and took my time to enjoy a bottle of warm sake. As I gently took a sip of my first cup, my mind went to ponder about today incident. What happened to Yunno and Yui was regrettable. If I could time travel and go back, I would prevent it by all means.
But at the same time, the incident gave me an important clue. The possibility Yunno turned into a calamity still exist. I thought by killing Hisami I had taken it down for good, but I was wrong. There was someone else who could turn Yunno into calamity, and this person was far more dangerous than Hisami.
Now, raising Yunno and Yui in a good environment was not enough anymore. I had to eliminate Wanderer Oracle by all means, and I hoped I have enough time to prepare myself.
Then, I heard a light movement from resting hut. A moment later, Yui exited the hut and she had a tense look in her face as she walked over to dining hut. I calmly waited before finally Yui arrived two steps before me, and then she dropped to her knees and put her forehead to the ground.
‘What is this?’ My eyes widened as big question mark popped in my mind.
“Uncle Deitoro,” Yui said while maintaining her prostrating posture. “Please don’t chase Big Sis Yunno from the household. It’s Yui who leaked the recipe. Big Sis Yunno loves this place so much. Please just chase away Yui alone.”
“What about you?” I casually asked. “How much do you like this place?”
“Yui loves it so much too, but Yui has broken the taboo so Yui has to receive the punishment.”
“The thing is,” I casually said. “I don’t blame you or Yunno for the leak, and I have no intention to chase you from my household.”
Yui slowly raised her head and then looked at me with her clear eyes while hesitantly asked, “Really?”
“Really,” I firmly replied. “So, get up and sit here. Accompany me enjoy a few cups of drink.”
As Yui just stayed still in her place, I immediately helped her to get up to her feet, and then gently wiped clean the dirt on her forehead and knees. After that, I lifted and sat her across me, and took out another cup and a pot of warm lemon and ginger from my spatial storage.
“This is lemon and ginger sweetened with honey,” I said as I poured Yui the lemon and ginger. “Have a try.”
“Mhm.” After giving me a nod Yui took the lemon and ginger and sipped it. “It’s tasty.”
“Glad you like it.” After a smile I said. “Now, let’s talk about the leak.”
“Hai.”
Yui nodded while her face became tense once again, so I immediately explained.
“Next time you and Yunno are in danger, remember this, do whatever necessary to survive until I or your aunt come to save you. Or, until you have the chance to escape from the situation.”
“What if, to survive we have to leak some of our household secret?”
“Just leak it if you have no other choice, but do it slowly and avoid to give everything in one go, because once you tell your captor everything, you will lose your value and the worst will happen.”
“Hai.”
“Your life is more important than recipe or martial skill I gives you. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Hai,” Yui firmly nodded. “Yui will remember it.”
“Good.” After taking a deep breath I said, “Now, I will teach you about etiquette in drinking gathering.”
“Hai.”
Yui gave me another firm nod, and after a smile I started my explanation.
*****