4 4. Travelling Back To Kitakata At Last!!!

The sun was almost reaching the horizon, and we made camp. I noticed there are some trees in the distance which bears fruit even in the winter. With its barren branches and clumps of fruits hanging from them, I knew that I would not mistake them as I searched my memories.

I asked permission from Hiko-sama to venture out since there's some daylight left and promised to promptly return. He waved me off, and I jumped off his mount and scurried away to the trees in the distance. Using my Third Eye, I sensed there were no enemies or wild beasts around me. As soon as I reached the trees, I saw in a distant, my lips smacked in ecstasy.

Orange and shaped slightly off round, these fruits were native to Japan. They're Japanese Persimmons or called Kaki. It's a wonder to find these hanging on barren branches as these trees bear fruits throughout autumn and winter. Eaten raw, we can eat these fruits whole and had little hard flat seeds in them. The skin was hard to protect from the juicy and sweet insides.

I made several twines and stretched them along with two pieces of wood. Then I made another few more twines and interlaced them to make some netting. I climbed the tree and took those fruits that were dark orange, so it was ripe for the picking.

After gathering about a dozen or more fruits, I jumped from the tree, gathered up the fallen fruits and placed them into my makeshift basket and lugged them over to the group of samurai.

By this time, they had made a small fire and heated some water. As I was walking near the group, they noticed that I had picked Kaki, a fruit that would quench both thirst and hunger. I placed the fruits before them and invited them to take a few.

"You have an eye for things, kid. You really can survive in the wild for sure." Kami-sama cold towards me since the night before spoke up and was a little soft on his attitude towards me. Anything good I'd do for the Samurai, they'd return it 10 times to me. However, if I were to do bad 1 time to them, definitely the returns would be 10 times more!

"You have an eye for things like this, kid. I like it very much. Survivability in the wild means you can forage for food and make use of its environment effectively. If only you could wield a weapon, then it would be greater and join the ranks of the samurai when you come out of age."

The man who spoke this was Miroku-sama. I smiled and nodded towards him, for I knew I would not be a samurai-like them in years to come but a lone swordsman instead.

I took 3 persimmons and gave 2 to Hiko-sama, which he took it after running it with his unarmoured part of his uniform and took a bite. The Sweet and luscious fruit within made him smile as he too rarely enjoys such simple pleasures during his expeditions and mainly relies on his rations instead.

"Is your house sitting on a plot of land, Hiko-sama?" I asked since I knew every samurai would give a piece of land where he could build his house on it.

"Yes, it's a 100 metres square foot of land. I have not much of it and it's gathering grass as we speak. Why? You intend to cultivate the small piece of land?"

He asked while looking at me with a twinkle in his eyes. He knew that piece of land even those it's barren at the moment, could yield some vegetables if it is being tended well.

"Yes, Hiko-sama, if you won't mind, I'd like to see how large the land is and cultivate to good use. I see what is common and uncommon in the village and gather up some seeds from the vendor if they carry any."

"Sure, there's a farming section and I am sure they carry all kinds of seeds there. If they require money to purchase, I'd gladly pass you some to start with. However, we'll wait till we reach there, ok? I don't want you to be so worked up and then feel disappointed when you look at the piece of land behind the house, later. "

"OK, should not be an issue for me." I smiled as I bit into the skin of the persimmons.

With so many trades and professions in the village up ahead, there would be limitless opportunities to make money, even though it may need to be earned through sweat and tears. Not blood as it would be the essence of one's vitality. Even though the reap would be small, I am sure it would amount to quite a considerable amount to those who were paying. It is a start of something new so I don't think I would fret over it, especially in the body of an 11-year-old kid.

"You have been thinking of how to earn money as soon as you set foot in the village, right? Don't worry, there' are a lot of opportunities for you. If you have a firm body and full of boundless energy, I am sure you could multitask!"

"Hiko-sama, you seemed to understand what I have in mind and I would like to share with you with whatever I have. You brought up about me being an experienced person way ahead of my age, there will be a time when I let you on a secret."

"Haa...haa...haa...you speak as though I am speaking to a young man and not to a kid anymore. You have deep insights and I know you would go far in your life no matter how you sculpt it."

"Thank you Hiko-sama, I am truly honoured of you to exalt of me even though you had known a bit of me during these 3 days. I am sure we could learn from each other shortly."

"Sure... sure... Why not? Knowledge comes from all kinds of people with all kinds of exposure. I wouldn't mind learning a thing or two from you, just let me know what you need, ok?"

"Thank you again, Hiko-sama. I truly appreciate it. Is that the village you were talking about?"

"Hmm... Hmm... That's right, it's my village and soon it will become yours too."

=*=

The night passed with no incidents except for a howl or two that came from a lone wolf somewhere near the cliffs ahead of us. An occasional sight of a soul catcher demon was seen capturing a lost wandering soul that glowed an eerie greenish orb near a desolate cemetery near us, Normally the village would set up a cemetery for the final resting place of their loved ones a distance of about 10 kilometres away from the village perimeter.

Daybreak came and everyone broke camp. I carefully stomped the fireplace, ensuring that I had properly extinguished the fire and would not set the forest accidentally on fire because of the glowing embers were still at the base of the fireplace.

The rest of the samurai tied down their mounts to make it lighter before they reach their destination. Even though they could have continued the journey to their village last night, but the thought of not bothering the guards of the village made them camp outside.

After performing some housekeeping on their mounts and themselves, it's time for them to continue their journey back to the village. As it was daybreak, there would be some villagers who would have been up and about, busying themselves with their daily activities.

I travelled with Hiko-sama on his pony and all 5 of the samurai made their way gingerly towards their village and soon would make their first stop at the Mayor's Castle. "Harune-kun, I would drop you at my house first. Do not answer the door if anyone knocks on it. Just stay indoors for the time being and wait upon my return. I will bring you to the registrar to register your name in the village's census, do you understand?"

I nodded my head and will make myself to good use once I am at the house.

"One more thing, do not enter one room if I am not in the house, OK? It is my prayer room and a place for storage of my armour and some other valuable things. Be a good kid and do what you are supposed to do. At the meantime, do not do things to expose yourself at all. Wait for my return, OK?"

"Yes, Hiko-sama. I understand your instructions and will not go against it. I will wait for you at your house and remain indoors while waiting for you to come back."

Hiko-sama just nodded his head and trudged on with his pony ahead of the group, and this time he held the black flag with the big red "X" on it and lead the way upfront.

The path we were on led us to a clearing ahead, and the first thing I saw was a high wooden fence surrounding the perimeter of the village. There was 2 large swinging gate made of sturdy tree trunks and was manned by a high sentry post. There were 2 armed soldiers with 2 crossbows on it. 2 armed soldiers were also visible on each side of the gate and it armed them with long pikes with a broad blade on one side and a sharpened bit on the other end. They armed the soldiers with katanas on their sides. From the looks of these soldiers, I am sure the garrisons from the militia assigned them.

Hiko-sama reached the main gate, and the soldiers saluted him and the rest of the arriving samurais. They greeted one another and told that they need to report to the Mayor upon their arrival regarding the findings of the village that been pillaged earlier.

The guards waved them inside and we made our way through the majestic gates of the village. They hung a huge wooden sign at the archway of the main entrance and it read "Welcome to Kitakata Village" etched in bright yellow in contrast to the dark wood sign.

"This is the South entrance of this village. There's 3 more other entrances and exits and they are on the East, West and North. This South entrance is the furthermost away from my home, but it is close to the Mayor's Castle. I will trot now and send you home first."

"Comrades, I am going home to send this kid back and would join you in a while bit. Do wait for me a while and we will meet with the Mayor after this."

After he said that, Hiko-sama galloped his pony and went straight home, which was just a few minutes through the governmental district. There were several officials and important looking persons walking unhurriedly to their respective office buildings and made way for the galloping samurai as we made across the main courtyard and into the business district before entering the residential district.

It was a grand tiny village, and it should be called a town instead. I noticed a few signboards erected in the governmental and business district, informing the layout of the office buildings and business buildings on its informational bulletin board. It also showed where the person was standing if he was looking at the signboard and would not be lost easily in the array of mazes that the buildings were standing from.

Right after the business district, I came across 2 temples, a public building presumably a library of some sort, a junior high school and a high school. Plus, there is a small fountain in the middle of the so-called education district, which I prefer to name it and soon would get acquainted with it. From cobblestones right to the paved road, the tiny village of Kitakata was very well maintained and managed, and not even a single rubbish was seen strewn carelessly across the ground.

It amazed me at how the tiny village had organised itself in order not to confuse its visitors or even its residents. This way, it eliminates the need for any kind of concierge services where one needs to ask where his or her next destination would be.