Bab 18: The Master
"Are we really doing this?"
Came Akiko's anxious question as they stood outside the mansion's gates, preparing themselves for the task ahead.
"Aye. I'll wait in the courtyard and you meet with your father."
She nodded taking deep breaths to steel herself.
"Okay…"
"Maybe if I had a better style of dress, this might be easier. Perhaps a clean kimono and a katana at my waist."
"I don't think that matters for you."
Gengyo tilted his headed at the curious comment, but allowed it to slide.
"Good luck."
"Yup. Let's go."
They walked slowly into the courtyard, each feeling a little apprehensive.
"I think you should sit down on the bench."
The young man shook his head.
"I don't want to give off an impression of disrespect on my first meeting. I'll stand."
"Okay…"
She moved off toward the main building – the only two-story building in the dwelling – passing rows of bungalows along the way.
These lesser buildings were meant for the guards, maids and the like.
'Speaking of guards… There will be some on patrol. Hopefully they don't kick me out before Akiko finishes.'
He even heard a soft bray of horses, following his eyes toward what appeared to be a stable.
It was such a grand piece of space that Gengyo could not help but shake his head at the wealth demonstrated by the owner.
The architecture inside was as splendid as that of the outer wall, following the same style. Thatched and tiled rooves, with the rest of the buildings being made almost entirely out of wood, aside from a few instances of whitewashed material that patterned in at times.
…
...
Akiko was extremely nervous as she entered the main building, and when her maid, Shibata called out to her she jumped so high that she almost left a hole in the roof.
"Akiko-sama, what are you doing walking on that foot?"
She quickly came towards her, supporting her shoulder.
The young lady was grateful for the assistance, as simply walking over here had left her all but sweating in pain.
"Thank you. I need to see father, but I can't let him know about my foot."
The maid raised an eyebrow. The girl in front of her had refused to see her father for a good time, due to the marriage that she would have to undergo, but now all of a sudden she wanted to see him?
'I bet it has something to do with that man.'
The maid did not entirely trust the peasant she saw carry her mistress back yesterday. It was remarkable that the lady had not caught a cold. But aside from that, she could not fathom how such a man had grown to be so close with her. He was moderately good looking – not that she believed Akiko would trust him simply because of his appearance – but after all, he was a peasant. An existence even below her, a maid.
But alas, she had sworn that she would keep her lady's secret, even from her father, and after spending so many years attending to her they had grown close, so she did not wish to be the cause of her mistress's misery.
Perhaps it was that man that had been the source of her happiness these past days, despite the looming marriage?
'Even if it was… I cannot help but worry.'
"I understand my lady. I will help you to your father's room. Then, I will heat a bath ready for when you have concluded your business."
Akiko smiled.
"Thank you, Kane."
They negotiated with the stairs carefully, sparing Akiko the most amount of pain possible, but making their ascent slower than it might have been.
They paused outside the landholder's room, noticing that the light of the candle flame was passing through the rice paper sliding door.
She took a deep breath, and clenched her fists before speaking.
"Father."
Her voice was loud and clear, and the shadow of the man inside the room flinched across the screen.
"Akiko…?"
Came the surprised voice of a very tired sounding man.
"Yes, father."
She slid the door open, revealing the haggard visage of a once strong man. He was not at all too old, perhaps in his thirties, but he seemed to bear a great weight, as he had the face of a much older man.
She felt a degree of guilt seeing her father as such, for she knew part of it was her fault. She had not made things easy for him with the upcoming marriage.
Shibata bowed upon being revealed to the master by the opened door, before averting her eyes and remaining quiet, letting them know that they were free to speak.
Her father offered her a tired smile, evidently happy to see her.
"What does this pretty daughter of mine require of me?"
Akiko returned the smile, feeling much the same way. Though out of stubbornness she had refused to see him, she had missed him greatly.
"Uhm… I would like you to reward a man that helped me."
The master tapped his fingers on his desk as a degree of surprise circulated within him. This was the first time his daughter had asked such a thing.
"How might he have helped my daughter?"
Akiko put genuine feeling into her acting, drawing on how she felt days before when Gengyo truly had rescued her.
"It got dark quicker today, and I got lost in the forest. It was really scary. But he came out of nowhere and guided me home."
His finger tapping continued as he pondered on the matter. He did feel grateful toward this man for helping his daughter, for there were a good deal of people that would find another use for her, especially considering how beautiful she was.
"A good man. A gold coin would be a fitting reward."
Akiko gasped at her father naming such an expensive reward, but managed to collect herself and shook her head.
"No father. I've already offered him such things… but he has a different request."
He raised an eyebrow, stopping his finger tapping as he waited expectantly.
"And what might that be?"
"He… Wants to meet you."
The tapping resumed, and he stared off into the candle.
"Hoh… Who is this man?"
The master's interest was piqued. Most men would have been blinded by the reward of such a massive amount of coin.
"Miura, father. He's one of your workers."
"A peasant? Interesting…"
He nodded to himself, before pinching out the candle flame and standing up to meet his daughter.
"Very well. Take me to this man."
Akiko winced at the prospect, for it would no doubt reveal her wounded ankle.
"Apologies father, he's waiting in the courtyard. I'm very tired, and Kane was saying how she'd drawn me a bath, so I would like to attend to that."
A brief moment of suspicion flashed over her father's eyes, but he waved his hand and dismissed her anyway.
"As you wish. I'll deal with this on your behalf."
Akiko bowed lightly as her father began to descend the stairs, not moving until he was fully out of sight.
'Miura, eh?'
Her father thought to himself. He recalled such a name, but could not place any faces. He did not pay much interest in the affairs of his workers, believing that they should be given their due amount of privacy.
He crossed the courtyard with swift steps, intent on dealing with this quickly.
He noticed the torch of his guard shining by the face of a young man. The guard's stance was aggressive, and he held the handle of the sword on his belt firmly.
"Don't you realize how bullshit that sounds? You better leave before I start getting unfriendly."
"Leave it!"
Came the master's voice from across the courtyard as he marched closer.
The guard recognized it immediately, and bowed at his waist, his boiled leather armour groaning as he did so.
"My lord!"
He nodded at his guard, dismissing him.
The soldier was well trained, and stood up quickly, marching away with even measured steps, before stopping about twenty paces away, should his lord require his assistance.
Gengyo was calm when facing this grand landholder, and bowed similarly at the waist.
"Rise. Miura, I presume?"
Gengyo stood up slowly, and answered with as much respect as he could manage.
"Yes my lord."
"Niwa-san is fine. Thank you for looking out for my daughter."
The young man's shoulder twitched slightly at that choice of words.
'That's more true than you imagine.'
"I merely did my duty as a servant of the Niwa household."
The master waved his hand impatiently, dismissing the formalities.
"What is it that you ask of me?"
He could not help but smile at the directness of Niwa's question, as he was a person who could also appreciate bluntness that was not beautified by meaningless words.
His reaction surprised the master, as not many dared to smile in his presence.
"As you say Niwa-san, I have a request of you. The honour of my household has recently been tarnished due to accusations from a man the village over."
Niwa frowned, not liking the direction this was headed in.
"You want me to restore the honour of your household? How? Kill the man? Your request is much too bold, peasant. There is no way I would sully the honour of my house, by killing the worker of another samurai just to restore your own."
Gengyo shook his head.
"You misunderstand me, honourable Niwa-san. I do not ask for you to take on that role."
His frown deepened, annoyed by Gengyo's indirectness.
"What is it then? Spit it out."
"Tomorrow, I will arrange a fight. The loser of the fight with be branded a liar. I wish for you to stand judge for this fight, so that the conditions of it will not be breached, and winning will have meaning."
He stroked the short beard that decorated only his chin, and pondered the peasant's words.
"Hoh… That's a good way of settling this. By the way, what village might the opponent be from?"
"Tobishima."
His eyes flickered with a certain light upon hearing the name of the village, and his fist clenched, before a smile began to decorate his face.
"Good… Very good. Young Miura-kun, I will oversee this fight of yours. Schedule it for sundown, and I will be there. The venue shall be the centre of town. I will organise an arena."
Gengyo did not quite understand his suddenly positive reaction, but nor did he care. He bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much, Niwa-san."
"Good. With this my debt to you is repaid. Off you go."
His words were blunt, and most would take offence at them, but such was his right as a man of a higher social class. But to Gengyo, it made matters easier. He nodded, and began to take his leave.
Just as he pushed open the gate, he was stopped by the shout of the master.
"Young man! You'd better win."
Gengyo acknowledged his words with another nod, and disappeared from the compound.
He was rather pleased with his day's work, and felt that his family would enjoy the fruits of his labour. He felt grateful toward Akiko, for making it happen. Though she had owed him a favour, he still could not help but think that he now owed her.
It seemed as though he would not be able to fulfil his promise to take her to the lake tomorrow, but he reasoned that she would understand as her father would most likely tell her the results of their conversation.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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