6 Prologue to a Battle!

A day after the village chief of Aoyama left for battle, everything seemed normal and fine... but not for long.

"The Chief is back! Chief Aoyama is back!!!"

A shout came from the streets and followed by slow footsteps of horses and men.

This is supposed to be a welcome back celebration but it seems that everyone knew that there's something wrong.

"Are you there, Doctor Iwasawa?"

"I am. What brings you here in such an hour, Shimura-san?"

"Chief Aoyama... My uncle is wounded. We need your help."

"Sure, wait there while I'm gathering my tools."

We entered the abode of the village leader and saw his wounded body being tended to by several servants in his room.

"Bring a basin of boiling water above a pot of live coals, as much cheesecloth as you can bring and white jasmine extract."

"Y-yes, sir."

"Shimura-san, where is Chiyo-san?"

"S-she went out to tend to the other wounded men."

"Fine, you'll help me for now. Bring a lighted candle and place it on this candlestick."

I ordered as I gave him a candlestick where an arm with a mirror and several glasses is attached. He then ran away to get a candle.

"Hah...A gunshot wound that punctured the abdominal cavity and several layers of the intestines... This will be hard."

I mumbled beneath my breath as I took out my surgical tools to prepare for a long operation.

"The acupuncture treatment to block pain is complete."

"The chief drank the medicine and is now asleep."

The female servants reported while I'm wearing my surgical glasses and my gloves.

"Spray this around the room and the hands of everyone in here."

I gave a small spray bottle of water-diluted carbolic acid to Nobisuke who hastily sprayed the contents of the bottle at every corner of the room and the hands of every servant present in the room.

"Well then, let's begin. Scalpel."

With those words, I began the long-battle to save the old man's life.

"Please replace the candle, I can't see a thing here."

"Y-yes."

"How is the Chief's pulse going?"

"It's still steady."

"How about his eyes?"

"They are still unconscious."

For several hours, I did nothing but to scour his innards as I tried to look for the bullet fragments that punctured his body.

This is why I hate round musket bullets... it's so brittle that they disintegrate into so many pieces.

"This is the last hole. Pluck out a strand of his hair and attach it in a needle. I need it to stitch him up."

"Yes sir."

After so much effort and time, the bullet fragments finally came out and I decided to close up the last wound in his intestine.

"That settles it. Clean him up carefully so his stitches won't be undone. This is the tonic that he should take once he wakes up. This balm will help to ease the pain around the stiches."

"Thank you very much Iwasawa-san. This is the payment for your services."

Nobisuke took the medicines that I prescribed and presented a small casket filled with gold kan.

"I'll only take this much. Send the rest when the old man gets better."

I spoke and scooped out 4 gold kan out of the chest and placed them on my pouch.

"B-but why?! You did something incredible Iwasawa-san! It should be natural for you to take this amount of money!"

"I'm not that kind of a person Shimura-san, I don't take my reward if my job isn't finished yet."

"Why did you take several coins then?"

He asked while I turned around and mounted my horse's back.

"That's payment for the medicine I finished making. For the rest, I'll have to wait once he gets back on his feet."

I answered briefly and went out of the courtyard while riding my horse.

"S-so cool!"

"That doctor is a total bishounen! I think I finally have hope to be a Yome-san!"

Before I got out, I heard several remarks from the female servants which made me blush lightly.

"Hey, Shinzuke. Can you understand me?"

I spoke plainly to my horse while we're trotting forward at the road beside a small river. I asked him like he can seriously understand me and answer.

"Che... What am I doing in my life? Like you can give me a proper answer..."

I noticed that it was already sunset so I went home to rest and prepare another batch of tonics for Aoyama-sama.

The night passed and I rode towards the Aoyama residence in order to check on the elderly village leader.

"Hiro-nii? Hiro-nii!!!"

I heard a high-pitched voice coming behind me. I tried to turn around but suddenly, a stick hit Shinzuke's back which made him sprint in pain.

"Aaggghhh!!! Damn! Calm down boy!"

"Hahaha!!! Hiro-nii is a dummy!"

The source of the voice was nothing more but the little street twerp named Misanagi Rinne.

"Argh! Rinne! Why did you hit Shinzuke?! I almost fell down!"

"Bleh! Nyahahaha!!!"

She stuck out her tongue and laughed merrily as she ran away from me. I hastily unmounted the horse and ran after her.

"Get back here!"

"Wah!"

I wasn't really angry but I decided to play along and chased her to the grassy downhill slope near the river.

I tackled her and both of us rolled down the slope.

"Hiro-nii caught me!"

"I caught Rinne!"

"Hiro-nii is a dummy!"

"I am a dumm- Hey!"

"Nya! Ish- jurts! Gah!"

It almost slipped off my tongue since I did just play along. I pinched her cheeks and pulled it slightly before letting it go.

"Hah... Why are you always out at the streets and being naughty Rinne-chan?"

"Because Rinne is a lively kid out to explore the world!"

"Okay, okay... But don't hit anyone with a stick. Seriously, it hurts a lot."

"I'll use a frying pan then!"

"That's worse!"

This short conversation continued at the back of Shinzuke where I placed her in front of me.

"Your grandma will be angry again. Look at your clothes, so dirty."

"Rinne will do her laundry!"

She shouted loudly as she raised her left hand.

"You can't even take a bath by yourself."

"Umu! If I wash my clothes perfectly, you'll cook Spaghetti as much as I want!"

"Okay. That's a promise."

I stuck out my pinky and entwined it with her's, solidifying our promise to each other.

"By the way, is your grandpa having a guest today? There's so many horses in front of your home earlier."

"Huh? Grandpa is talking with the Kiko Three. They came after midnight so I used it to sneak out by morning after breakfast."

"Man... This child is an expert escapee."

I shivered for a moment as I can't imagine how she can always sneak out of their huge house and return before afternoon.

"Wait, who is the Kiko Three?"

"Mm? They are chiefs of the other villages in Kiko. If I heard it properly, they came to grandpa to inquire about something."

"And that is?"

"I heard my name and about the Capital and nothing more else."

I was intrigued about it so I asked her.

"Hmm... Can I come to your home Rinne-chan?"

"Mm? Sure. Cook spaghetti, alright?"

"Okay, okay. Whenever you want."

I turned to the opposite direction of the Aoyama clan's abode to get to the mansion of the Misanagi household.

It somehow resembled a scaled-down version of a palace without huge gates or elevated places.

"O-Ojou-san?! How did you get out of the house again?!"

"Bleh! You guards are so lousy!"

She used her signature move against the guards that stood before the mansion's gates.

"My, my... Why are you always escaping from the house, Rinne?"

"Iyaaahhh!!!!"

An old lady came behind us and pinched her ear tightly.

"Granny Akari, I caught her near the river."

"Bah! It's always like this. She escapes from the house everyday and once she gets back, she's covered in dirt!"

"Hehehe... She's still a kid thou-YAAAAHHH!!!"

"And who told you to meddle with our family?"

I shrieked in pain too after she pinched my right ear which she let go moments later. I held my poor, fragile ear in pain as I tried to rebalance my position behind my horse.

"By the way, don't block the gates. Get in and get your horse to the stable."

She mumbled and walked away as I placed Rinne down and unmounted from my horse too.

"I'll be cleaning myself, Ooba-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah. Do that or I won't cook your lunch.

They conversed briefly and Rinne ran to the nearest room.

"I heard that the Kiko Three is here. Why did they come to your husband, Ooba-san?"

I asked while we're walking to the stables where I'll leave Shinzuke.

"Ho? You hear things quite fast, Iwasawa-kun. No one in Kiko is yet to know that they are here. Not even the nephew of Takeshi-kun knows."

"No...I just heard about it from Rinne."

"Well then, there's no sense in going around circles with you."

She mumbled and tied Shinzuke's reins at a post. We then walked to a tea room inside the inner courtyard of the mansion.

"They came here to ask Jirou's permission to borrow our warriors for an upcoming battle."

"An upcoming battle?"

"Yeah."

"Against the Kusanagi clan, I suppose."

"No. Against the Akizuki clan."

I was taken aback for a moment and my head went blank until she snapped her fingers in front of me.

"Are they... prepering a rebellion?"

"Exactly."

In the Sengoku era, it isn't a huge surprise for a retainer to rebel against his lord. I think, there's even a song about it.

"Here's your tea."

"Ah. Thanks."

The old lady brewed some tea and poured it on a cup which she presented to me.

"Well, truth to be told. Everyone's lives became better since you came here Iwasawa-kun. Back then, people had to gamble their life with certain herbs or ask monks to do rituals."

"Haha... You honor me too much."

"To be honest, I want you to stay in Aoya for much more longer."

"Why?"

"I heard from Takeshi's daughter that you are a travelling doctor, so it would only be a matter of time before you have to move out, which will make that child very sad."

"And why is that so?"

"Rinne really wants an elder sibling. I tried everything but she doesn't seem to warm up to other people as much as she does to you."

The old lady answered and tapped the table as she stood up. Somehow, I felt that even though she doesn't show it to others, she is a thoughtful grandmother who genuinely cares for her grandchild.

"If you really have to go, of course I won't stop you. But please think about how the little child will feel once you do."

"Yes."

And with that, she came out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"Choose?"

I mumbled as I stared on my tea cup and started to think deeply.

"After all that I have done... I still get to make a choice?"

~~~

"Hiro-nii! Look, my clothes are perfectly cleaned. Now give me my spaghetti!"

"Eh? Is it really you who cleaned it?"

"Of course I did."

She replied as she looked away and I noticed the maid behind her wearing an agitated face. She must have redone it after Rinne washed it.

"O-okay... Lead me to the kitchen."

"Yay!!!"

We walked for several minutes on the corridor while being followed by a group of female servants.

"You cleaned it again, didn't you?"

I whispered at the maid behind Rinne.

"Yes, sir. She's cute but she does get on my nerves sometimes."

"I totally get your point."

I replied and went back to walking beside the little twerp.

"There! The kitchen! Now, make spaghetti!!!"

She cheered and waved her little arms.

"Alright..."

However, as I opened the door, I saw a familiar face standing in front of the stove.

"Aoyama-san?"

"Chiyo-nee-chan!"

"Iwasawa-dono? Rinne-chan?"

Like the coincidental meetings in mangas and animes, the three of us were surprised to see each other in the same place.

"What are you doing here, Aoyama-san?"

"Eh? Ah... I am here as my father's substitute. You know, my uncles are here so I just can't sit idly."

"Uncles?"

"The Kiko Three."

"Oh. That makes sense."

I stepped into the kitchen and went beside her. She seemed to be uncomfortable when I looked at her so I backed off a little.

"Are you brewing tea?"

"Eh. Ah... Y-yeah."

She answered while taking the steaming teapot off the stove.

"Umu! Hiro-nii! Spaghetti!"

Just as I was admiring the elegance of the sophisticated tea preparation, the little girl beside me began to whine again.

"Alright. Go to your room and practice your writing while I'm cooking."

"Yay!!! Spaghetti is the best!!!"

She ran away while cheering loudly.

"Can you please help me in slicing the tomatoes?"

"Yes, sir."

The maids responded and went to do the task. Somehow, I noticed that Chiyo is no longer in the room.

"She's busy too. I better leave her be."

Time passed and soon it was already 5:00 PM (according to the slightly orange sky). The spaghetti was finished and the maids tried to conceal their desire to taste the dish.

"Thank you everyone. You're welcome to eat as a sign of my appreciation."

They looked surprised as they heard my words and I just gave them a smile which seemed to get the message across.

"T-thank you, Iwasawa-sama, b-but we can't just take this offer that-"

"Oh please, don't be too shy. Just eat to your heart's content and enjoy it."

I spoke as I opened the door to get out of the kitchen. Bringing a large bowl of spaghetti to the room of the little girl.

"Rinne-chan? Are you there?"

There wasn't a single creak of answer.

"I'm coming in!"

I spoke loudly and opened the sliding door of her room.

"Rinne-chan? Ahh..."

The room was dark... It had such a gloomy feeling which made me shiver a bit.

*Bwip...Blip...*

The sound of a liquid slowly dripping down the floor echoed throughout the creepy room.

"Rinne..? Where are you?"

I walked inside the room where paper scattered on the floor stuck below my feet.

"Hey... What is-"

Then I saw the reason.

"Hiro...Nii..."

"Rinne..."

At the table in the middle of the room, the little girl is leaning motionlessly while mumbling some words.

"Where is..."

"Rinne..?"