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”