"If Lord Magistrate Torii is assigned the Inba Swamp post," "I imagine you will have even more responsibilities." "Yes..." "They call it reform, but all they do is spend money on useless projects..." "Gunfire!" "This is gunfire!" "A shield!" "Serve as a shield!" "Secure the front and back!" "Do not let the ruffian escape!" "Gunfire?" "But I did not hear it, nor did I smell gunpowder..." "With a gun, you will be easily found out." "Curses..." "Where is it?" "Kotoba dake ja tsutawaranai mono o The things you can't get across with just words" "Ichiban tsutaetai no wa naze?" "Why do you want to get those things across the most?" "Kutsuzoko o suriherashite Wearing down the soles of your shoes" "Hadashi demo tomarenai no wa naze?" "Why can't you stop, even when you're down to your bare feet?" "Kaban no naka ni hoshizora The starry sky is in your bag" "Arashi no yoru mo soko ni aru The stormy nights are in there too" "Soro-soro tabi ni dero It's about time you go on a journey" "Robou ni saku hana yo hana yo The flowers, the flowers that bloom by the wayside" "Goro-goro doro-darake Rolling around, covered in mud" "Mune o kogasu yoake yoake The dawn, the dawn that consumes your heart" "Soro-soro hashiri-dase It's about time you start running" "Kowareru made asobe asobe Play, play until you break down" "Odorou yo doro-darake Let's dance, covered in mud" "Mune o kogasu yoake yoake The dawn, the dawn that consumes your heart" "Cha pter Sixteen" " P eople of Craft" "Lord Shiroyama..." "No, I should say, Lord Ogasawara." "It has been quite some time, so we've accumulated a considerable number of things to show you." "So it seems." "We have acquired some Western paintings as well." "Would you like to see them?" "Ah!" "That would..." "More importantly, what of the unusual archaic inscription?" "Yes, I have that right here." "Well?" "I can't read it like this." "Though it certainly seems to be Ayagami..." "Where did you acquire this from?" "Is this steward of yours an expert on their writing?" "Ah..." "Well, boys who grow up near temples pick up the sutras..." "Who are you calling a boy?" "You have so many accomplished men working under you, Lord Ogasawara." "If you happen to know anyone with time on their hands..." "You wish for me to refer some bodyguards to you?" "Lately, just by virtue of dealing in foreign goods, men of questionable character target us for violent deeds, so it would be nice to have some skilled men on hand." "So we live in a time when even warriors can be bought cheaply." "What?" "It seems the Lord of Noto came under attack at a restaurant." "Atobe, the Finance Magistrate?" "Our superior?" "Lord Atobe has ties to Western learning as well." "Could it be the same men who targeted our shop?" "Well, now!" "Yes." "This is just what I requested." "I'm glad to hear that." "Are you really running around after those monstrous beings," "like the one we saw the other day?" "I am." "It is a task only I am capable of." "What is it?" "No..." "It just seems wrong somehow..." "Hey!" "Did you find the place all right?" "Yes." "Who is this?" "The craftsman from Hourai Village, who devised that contraption." "He came out to Edo for me recently." "Masurao!" "Hey!" "Masurao!" "I was sure he came this way, but..." "This is..." "Is that you, Masurao?" "!" "I cannot believe how shameless you were to dare speak to me." "Mountain People, Ocean People, Plains People, River People..." "In this country are peoples who do not answer to any daimyo, and live freely without being listed in the temple registers." "The People of Craft, who manipulate contraptions, are one of them!" "Yes, I even lived with you Mountain People for a time." "So why, Masurao?" "!" "I heard." "You violated the code of our kind." "We Ancient People do not pay tribute or taxes, nor do we answer calls of recruitment for labor." "That is exactly why we must follow our code, or it will put everybody in danger!" "They say that you are killing gods of the land." "The gods of the land are great, holy beings who protect us." "Isn't that right?" "!" "They're Youi!" "Not gods!" "Never come near me again!" "The Mountain People and the People of Craft are both Ancient People." "I cannot let you go unpunished for breaking our code!" "Wait, Masurao!" "Masurao!" "What is it that you smell?" "I don't know who it is, but probably..." "Ah, there he is." "Over there." "Just as I thought, it was the smell of blood." "Don't go on another rampage on me." "A little flying is not a problem." "He's the Ayashi who's one of the Mountain People." "Mountain People?" "A people who live in neither towns nor villages, and who don't serve the warriors." "But it seems their lives are not easy, either." "Are you all right?" "Hang in there!" "Ninai..." "Ninai?" "Abi!" "Where are you?" "!" "Abi!" "Hey, Ayashi!" "Over here, Ayashi!" "Do not call me "Ayashi"!" "There is no smell of gunpowder whatsoever." "And in fact, they never heard the sound of gunfire?" "No..." "These days, most guns no longer use matchlocks, but they still make loud noises." "Are you all right?" "Yes." "No one ran out of the restaurant, nor could they find the gun." "But they definitely came under gunfire..." "Well, there are many kinds of guns." "Wrapping it in cloth or padding might make them quieter, but..." "That would be conspicuous, so would that not have only made it easier to find the shooter?" "As you can see, when Lord Atobe was fired upon..." "Tofu?" "A sketch of something... perhaps?" "At any rate, if Lord Atobe was made a target, there is a possibility that Lord Abe will be targeted next." "Lord Torii of Kai..." "Are you suggesting that Lord Torii would take action against Lord Atobe and Lord Abe?" "The incident in Nikko and the matter in Yoshiwara..." "Honjo, Hanai, and the rest clearly regard us with hostility, and wish to see us disbanded." "It would be natural for them to go after those two." "It may even be possible that they are using Youi." "If that is the case..." "No, Ryudo, Abi, and I will guard Lord Abe." "Saizo and Edogen, you will follow another line of investigation." "Why must you and I serve as some merchant's bodyguards?" "Well, it seems rather fun, don't you think?" "I am Yoshinobu Narikawa of Yamazakiya." "Are you here through Lord Ogasawara's introduction?" "Yes." "We thought you might relieve our boredom for at least a little while." "What funny people you are." "The suspicious characters actually appear at my villa in Ouji." "Never mind the details." "More importantly, I assume you will be providing sake and women?" "Then again, I suppose there are no decent women to be had in Ouji." "Someone may be trying to kill him." "Who goes to view a garden at a time like that?" "If you are invited to a prized garden, it is only courteous to go." "How do things look?" "Abi, are your wounds fine already?" "Yes, it was just a little scuffle." "It seems townsmen normally come to view the garden as well, but I have had the gates closed and set guards to watch for now." "Good." "What if Youi which were too small and swift to be seen flew like bullets, and it was made to seem as if it were gunfire..." "What are you going on about?" "Gunfire!" "Protect Lord Abe!" "A Youi?" "!" "Surely not..." "Are you all right?" "Yes." "I just fell." "Come." "This way." "Yes." "No one escaped from the estate and no gun was found." "How can we think it is anything but the work of Youi?" "But this is a normal lead bullet." "Well, well." "An invisible shooter, is it?" "It sounds like an interesting case." "If I recall correctly..." "we met in Yoshiwara..." "It's Kyousai." "Kyousai Kawanabe." "Why did you bring him?" "When I went to get Atl, he came along on his own." "Well, I figured he might be of some use." "What do you think?" "There is no sign of Youi." "I agree, nor do I smell any gunpowder." "If this is not the work of Youi..." "What's this?" "This is..." "Paper?" "If you had a gun made of paper, you could dissolve it in water like this, or burn it in a fire." "Guns require gunpowder." "Could paper withstand that heat and force?" "Ever heard of air guns?" "By that, do you mean pressurized air guns?" "They store up air to fire." "There are people who can make things like that?" "A gun made of paper?" "I wouldn't know about that." "Good." "Who is it?" "So I assume you're Masurao?" "I heard you guys got raided in the last five days?" "That you used a paper gun on stage that sounded just like the real thing." "Who are you people?" "If you made that, then I bet you could make something even more incredible, couldn't you?" "Like something that could fire a real bullet and kill a person." "It's not like I'm planning to tell the town magistrate." "Quite the opposite." "I want you to sell me a gun." "Kyousai!" "One that I could take anywhere and then burn in a stove after using it." "I could do interesting things with that." "Make our world interesting." "I'll commend you for getting to Masurao faster than me." "Did you make paper air guns and sell them to someone?" "!" "What if I did?" "Run." "This is paper hardened with glue." "You put this together like so..." "And this part is devised to pressurize the air to use as power." "As if anyone would believe you." "Hold it, Masurao!" "If the source of the guns becomes known, you will be a criminal too!" "If that happens, you can no longer remain of the People of Craft, either!" "You will be judged by the laws of the town as a vagrant!" "No one but I need face that fate!" "That is none of your concern!" "I was worried, so I followed you." "That was the man who wounded Abi the other day." "Him?" "!" "And the maker of those guns, too?" "Yes." "This is a matter between Mountain People and People of Craft, a matter between Ancient People!" "Did he do the shooting?" "Or did he give the guns to someone else?" "I can't say!" "That is part of the code of the Ancient People." "Masurao!" "You are no longer one of the Ancient People." "And yet..." "Yukiatsu!" "Yukiatsu!" "Ow..." "That hurt!" "Of course it hurts!" "Why would you..." "Why, you ask?" "Yukiatsu..." "Yeah, I'm fine." "The same reason Abi defended you." "I consider him one of my own." "He is no longer one of my own!" "If he wishes to claim that he is, why does he kill gods of the land?" "!" "Such a thing is not permitted!" "Ninai." "That man is looking for Ninai." "Ninai?" "As I recall, that's your big sister's name, isn't it?" "Ninai disappeared." "To us, the Mountain People," "Youi were a part of our daily lives." "They would be nearby at unexpected moments," "and every so often, we would find dead Youi and eat them." "Those occasions meant rare feasts for us." "That was all the contact we had with them." "Until that day." "For a Youi to abduct one of the Mountain People was an unprecedented event." "But my people convinced themselves that Ninai had been chosen to be the god's bride." "But it made no sense." "May a god do however he pleases?" "I forsook the mountains." "To kill the Youi that took Ninai." "If it's Ninai, I saw her." "Where?" "Tell me!" "Please!" "At the villa belonging to Yamazakiya, the medicine wholesaler." "On the day that I delivered the paper guns, I'm certain I saw Ninai." "Ninai is..." "Is Ninai really..." "It was good of you to tell us this." "Mister, it was because you wouldn't mind your own business." "Wait..." "If it's Yamazakiya, Saizo and Edogen are..." "But what a truly grand villa." "Stay away from me." "Please!" "The talk about sake and women was a joke." "Are the people who shot at Lord Atobe the same people out to get Yamazakiya..." "There is something here." "Something?" "That cannot be..." "A Youi!" "Mado no soto no sora o mitara Outside my window, looking at the sky" "Kumo ga haato no katachi ni mieta yo The clouds looked like they were in the shape of a heart" "Iki o ookiku suikome ba If you take in a deep breath" "Kokoro ga ookiku natta ki ga suru ne It makes you feel like your heart's grown bigger, doesn't it?" "Ai to wa nanika?" "What is love?" "Nante kono toshi ja wakaru wake nai kedo There's no way I'd know that at my age" "Itsu no hi ka wakaru toki ga kuru no kana I wonder if there'll come a day when I do know" "Mado kara mieru ki no eda mo ha mo Outside my window, I can see tree branches and leaves" "Mainichi mainichi nobite-iru yo And they grow every day, day after day" "Kore kara mo nobite-iku yo ne They'll continue to grow from now on too, won't they?" "Konna toki ni wa konna uta ga niau At times like this, a song like this is just the thing" "Jibun no ima omou kimochi o kuchizusame Sing whatever you're feeling right now" "Aishite-iru to iu suteki ni hibiku kotoba ga The words "I love you" have such a wonderful ring to them" "Mirai ni iru jibun o kitto ima no nanbai mo ookiku Surely they'll make my future self many times greater" "Yasashiku sasete kureru no kamo shirenai Maybe many times kinder than I am today" "Preview" "Assassin's bullets take aim at high-ranking Shogunate officials." "Is it the judgment of the gods of the land?" "It is all the world that Abi's elder sister desires." "Next Time Cha pter Seventeen The Shrouded World" "Next Time Chapter Seventeen The Shrouded World Chapter Seventeen." "The Shrouded World."