"To Inazuma City?" Muramasa repeated her words. "I don't mind going, but is there a particular reason?"
"Yes. The village has gathered some… things we no longer have a use for."
Things no longer in use. A euphemism for the belongings of the deceased.
"I want to take them there to see if we can exchange them for some Mora to help repair the village."
Mora… so that's this world's currency.
Muramasa nodded, then glanced at Kujou Sara standing beside them.
"Hm?" Noticing his gaze, Kujou Sara was puzzled but didn't show it.
"What about the other villagers? Are they going too?"
Hailing answered, "Uncle Goko and Auntie Cui wanted to come with me. But we're short-handed now, so everyone in the village is very busy. If you could come with me, Mr. Muramasa…"
"I understand." Muramasa nodded in agreement. "Consider it a commission. I accept."
"Oh, and you," he said, turning to Sara. "Kujou Sara, was it? When do you and your men from the Tenryou Commission plan to leave?"
"After the midday meal, we depart in the afternoon." Though she didn't understand his reason for asking, she answered truthfully. "The men can go without rest, but the horses cannot."
A very practical answer.
"In that case, would you be willing to escort us for a portion of the journey?"
"Eh?"
Not only was Kujou Sara surprised, but Hailing was also taken aback.
A cunning smile played on Muramasa's lips. "We don't need you for the return trip, just for the journey there. We'll have quite a lot of goods, won't we? It will slow us down on the road, and if we run into danger, I won't be able to protect everything on my own."
It wasn't an unreasonable request, but why would he suddenly ask for such a thing?
Kujou Sara did her best to control the subtle expressions on her face, dipping her chin slightly in thought. A single village's worth of goods, no matter how much, would barely fill a single cart. What benefit is there in this for him? Or is there some benefit for us…
She recalled the villagers' attitude towards the Tenryou Commission. While not confrontational, there was a clear sense of resistance and dissatisfaction.
Is it for that?
Sara suddenly felt she was finding it harder and harder to understand this man. His thoughts seemed profound, yet upon reflection, they were deceptively simple.
"No." After careful consideration, she shook her head. "The Tenryou Commission is on official business. We cannot be delayed for such a matter."
Hailing was slightly disappointed by this answer, though not entirely surprised.
Muramasa, however, seemed to ask at an inappropriate moment, "But?"
"…But I, as an individual, can accept the task of helping you." She felt a touch of resignation, sensing she had been seen through, just as she'd expected.
"Great!" After a brief hesitation, Hailing's face broke into a smile. "Then I'll go back and get ready—" she said excitedly, then ran back as if she were afraid they would change their minds.
"You're quite popular. It seems that little girl is familiar with you," Muramasa teased Sara, watching Hailing's retreating back.
"I am not aware of that," Kujou Sara replied, her expression as serious as ever. "But as a general of the Tenryou Commission, a well-known reputation is necessary to deter our enemies."
So she's a general. Still, for a general to be this hands-on is something else.
Muramasa mused on this before adding, "And to reassure the people under your jurisdiction, right?"
"No," she denied flatly, a surprising move. A fervent glint of what could only be called 'faith' shone in her eyes. "It is the Shogun's might that reassures the people. We are merely the instruments of her divine radiance."
It was impossible to reason with a zealot about their faith. Furthermore, Muramasa, who had never met these lofty gods in his own life, had only experienced a nation with gods through his summonings.
As he was thinking about how to respond, Kujou Sara spoke up. "What you said earlier… you were thinking of the Tenryou Commission's interests, weren't you?"
"Fifty-fifty," Muramasa said, raising an eyebrow. "The villagers just lost their loved ones, and you, as their protectors, failed to keep them safe. Even if they rationally know it's not your fault, many will still feel resentful, won't they?"
Sara nodded. She was clearly aware of the villagers' sentiments; this wasn't the first time she had encountered such a situation. "So, you want to use this method to close the distance between us and them."
We are on your side. We will also do what we can to help.
"Though I can't say for sure if it will work," Muramasa said with a shrug. "And besides, it's not a good thing for your relationship with them to sour, is it?"
News in villages like this often spread by word of mouth. The villagers' negative opinions would naturally travel to other villages. If their reputation declined because of this, it would undoubtedly cause some trouble.
"For both of you, and for them."
With that, Muramasa took a step and headed back towards the village.
Kujou Sara stood rooted to the spot, watching him leave, lost in thought.
He's doing it because it benefits "us"?
…
"That's the situation. You will take this pendant and the report back first," Kujou Sara instructed her subordinates upon returning to the village. "I will be temporarily leaving the unit. You are to report back as normal."
Her words were met with stunned silence and exchanged glances.
One of them voiced his concern. "Lady Sara, if you do this, you will be punished, won't you?"
"Naturally." Her tone was as if to say, Is there a problem?
Seeing this, they dared not say more. Under her command, they departed from the village.
"Lady Kujou is so impressive…" Hailing remarked as she and a few other villagers loaded goods onto a cart.
Muramasa was helping out nearby, his eyes scanning the contents of the boxes.
"These look like new things…" he mumbled. He saw a middle-aged man trying to place a box on the cart, his hands tightening and loosening their grip. On top of the pile was a tiny, handmade pair of children's shoes.
Hearing Muramasa's mumble, the man forced a stiff smile, thinking he was being asked. "Yes, new… brand new. The ones that were worn… we couldn't bear to sell them…"
After speaking, he dropped the box with a thud, not noticing that the shoes on top had tumbled to the ground. He then turned and practically fled the scene.
"Wait." Muramasa continued to move other items, jerking his chin. "You dropped something."
The man finally noticed the shoes on the ground. "Oh, oh," he stammered, scrambling to pick them up and put them back on the cart.
"How can you sell them if they're dirty? They're not worth much anyway. Just take them back." Muramasa said without looking at him, his tone casual, giving the man a reason to keep them.
He didn't see the man's expression, only heard an indistinguishable sound followed by the quick patter of footsteps.
"Mr. Muramasa." Hailing, who had witnessed everything, spoke up. "They said that's everything."
Kujou Sara, mounted on her horse, slowly began to pull the cart, signaling they were ready.
"Alright then. Let's head out."
-------
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