14 The price of the effort

In the inn, Hana have a bath in the morning. She remember the last and blush. she put half of her head under the water. Meanwhile Daichi discuss with the innkeeper.

" I think this belongs to you "

Daichi shows him the locket as he opens it. The innkeeper looks at the object and smiles. He takes it and kisses it.

" Yes thanks. "

He looks at his wife and daughter sitting at a table in front of them.

"If you weren't here they would probably have died or sent and just this thing is haunting me."

Daichi look at his reflect on the alcohol in his glass, his face are still cold and he sigh.

" All of us have something that we are afraid to lose. I thought I was an exception but I see that's not."

He drink his beer. The innkeeper look at him while smiling.

" The girl with the pink hair isn't it ?"

Daichi look at with suprised and look down.

" I don't know... It been so many years that I wasn't feeling anything, that I don't know what is this... Or if this is real"

The inn keeper wash a dish and put it down. He look at Daichi and stand on the count. He smirk at Daichi.

" If this wasn't real you wouldn't have made such noise."

Daichi split his beer and look intensively him with a embarass face.

" Wh-what are you saying ? M-made such noise ?"

The innkeeper close his eye and begin to laugh.

" Of course ! When both you get upstairs we continue the party a little longer but after some minute. We heard both of you do a lot of noise !"

Daichi was embarass and continue to drink.

The innkeeper serve him another glass and look at Daichi.

" By how she screamed you was pretty good kiddo."

Daichi avoid the eye contact and rough sigh.

"Can you stop teasing me like that ?!"

The innkeeper laugh. Hana begin to come down and see Daichi. She get closer to them.

" Speaking of the wolf "

Daichi look at her and smile. Hana blush and avoid his look. She approach them and sit down next to Daichi.

" What do you want to drink young girl ?"

Hana look tenderly the innkeeper with a happy face.

" Water please. "

Hana and Daichi look each other timidly.

Later

Hana and Daichi was on their horse. They begin to go on the road and say goodbye to the village. More later, the air begin to be more cold but more pure too.

"We have arrived. Kaseshi, we can see the virtuous mountains. Look, the herbs, the flowers, the trees, all are more colorful. Kaseshi, with its bigger mountains and its great plains. The vegetables, the exotic flowers and the plants alchemicals are the richness of this territory. Many schools fight to control their exploitation. 3 schools are really influential here, the school of the viper, the school of the scorpion and the most powerful, the school of the golden rose."

Hana look Daichi with a curious stare. Daichi have cold gaze while looking the mountains.

On them a lot of monastery, house, farm and some mansion or castle was build.

" Daichi-kun... Are you okay ?"

Daichi look at her but with his normal face, he look down and narrow his eyes by sadness.

" No... I hate this place... This is why I came her in last..."

Hana look front and was curious.

" Why ? Lool the view is beautiful !"

Daichi has his right arm shaking. He squeezes it with his other hand to calm himself. He takes a deeper breath over and over again.

" I-I hate this place because... It's where we transform me."

Hana get shocked, she wanted to speak but she couldn't. She look down by culpabilities.

" Sorry..."

Daichi calm down and look the place with anger.

"Don't worry... It does not matter... Just let's go..."

Later, they arrive in the city, the entrance say Koshi. Daichi and Hana enter in the city. A lot of people run or have a walk, most of them was non-humans, elves, dwarves, halfelin and others. All of them look the two strangers with caution, Hana was embarass and Daichi cold gaze at them. Suddenly a troup of 5 witchers get close to them and block the road. They was 3 man and 2 girl. Hana look at them with surprise.

" Daichi-kun, who are they ?"

Daichi grabs his medallion and rubs it with his hands. Hana observe the witchers and saw the same medallion than Daichi.

" They come from the same school as you ! Daichi-kun !"

Daichi look away and grind his teeth by depleasure. The witchers kneel infront of him.

"Daichi-sama. Welcome to Kochi! What do we owe the honor of your visit?"

Everyone look at them with eyes laughing at them, some of them whisperes or laugh sofly.

" Daichi-kun, why the witchers are kneeling ?"

Daichi sigh, get down of his horse and Hana do the same. The group of witchers take his horse and all of them begin to walk.

" What are you doing here ? Daichi-sama ?"

The sun enlightened them, the breeze refreshes them and the grass or flower being lifted in the sky. Daichi look in the sky and calmly breath.

" I'm here for my vengeance."

The witcher look at him with suprise and shocked face.

" W-wait your vengeance ? You mean..."

Hana look both of them and get close to Daichi. She's next to him and timidly look at him.

" Wait... I don't want to interrupt this discussion but I have some question."

Daichi and the other witcher look each other then toward Hana.

" Go ahead " Said the witcher.

" How can be the kitsune school in this city, if your HQ are in the opposite direction and far away ?"

Daichi deep sigh and stare at at Hana in the eyes.

" Like you said the kitsune school are one of the most prestigious school of jiyu. Infact, we all have different outpost in jiyu, but here, in kaseshi, the three school that I named before are the most influential. So because of them I can't say that we are influent here."

Hana look infront of her with her hands in back. They arrived to the outpost and enter.

" We arrived Daichi-sama. "

Daichi look the castle. We can't say that, because it was a ruin more than a castle. The height of the wall was 3m but was full of a lot of bramble, green mold and some breaking stone have fall.

" It's a ruin..."

The others witchers look down by shame. They avoid to look Daichi.

" Y-you know Daichi-sama... It's because we are not very effluent here... People trust more the other school than us..."

All of them, grind they teeth by anger and frustration. They hear a voice with a lot of pride.

" Hoya ! Hoya ! Who's here ? Isn't it the witchers scum from the kitsune school ? "

He get close with a long smile and look at Hana.

" And you have a beautiful girl with you !"

He get close to her and roll up his hand around her shoulder

" Hey ! Girl... why are you hanging out with these losers ?"

Hana push back him and get close next to Daichi. The man look at him with a curious stare.

" And who are you ?"

Daichi look at Hana then to him with a angry face.

" I'm Daichi... Daichi kasai..."

The man suprisly look at Daichi and smile.

" Kasai ? So you are the next leader of the Kasai clan? I have one advice to you, drop out of kitsune school and join forces with the golden rose school."

Daichi dark looking at him.

" Why ?"

The man laugh. " Why ? You're serious ? It's because we are better than them ! We have the most influent witcheres in this country on our side ! The great Kogane-sama !"

Daichi narrow his eyes.

" You talk about Hea-chan. Right ?"

All of the witchers be quiet, Hana too but anger and suspicious was more on her soul.

"How did you call her ?" Said the man.

Daichi look at him with his eyes still narrow.

" I say Hea-cha-"

The man drew his blade and attack Daichi. His eyes was fill of darkness and was silently enraged. He tries to beheaded Daichi but he grap his weapon. The man was shocked and cold sweat rooling down on his face.

" What are you thinking you doing ?"

The man back up and stay on his guard. Daichi advance but doesn't drew his blade.

The man rush to Daichi but another man come and stop him.

"What are you doing ? Jun ?"

The man was called Jun, he looked at his companion while grind his teeth.

" Let me go! Iso ! This man just called kogane-sama, like she was an equal of him ! Hey ! Listen ! Don't think you better than Kogane-sama ! You're nothing compare to her !"

Iso look at him, then cold gaze Daichi. The wind whistled and watered the path between them.

" Let's go Jun ! Give it up !"

Jun struggled ardently while Iso try to contains him.

" You can't beat him ! "

Jun calm down and look intensively Iso. He eyes was narrowed by deception.

" You are no match for him !"

Jun and his friends look at Daichi with cold stare. Jun sheath his blade and go. Then Iso follow him after making a reverence to Daichi.

The others witchers from kitsune school get close to Daichi.

" They are from the golden rose school. All of them are pride because of this woman with golden hair. "Hea Kogane". The golden petal of the rose."

Daichi look at them, sigh and begin to enter in the domain. Hana and the others follow him. Inside, the japanese mansion was really broke. The roof was broken, the wall have big hole in it and the wooden beams have some fissur on it. Hana and Daichi wa shocked

" How it can be like that.... Why the kitsune school doesn't give you some money to renove this outpost ?" said Hana

The witchers was shame they look down and narrow they eyes.

" For our own school and the others. In Kaseshi we are just a joke. Nobody trust us so the contract for a request are really uncommon. We are the shame of witchers from the kitsune school."

Daichi glance at them, he deep sigh and look the mansion.

" Yes... you are the shame for the kitsune school. Why can't you deal with it ?"

One witcher advance.

" It's because they abandon us. You see, the witchers who are here arrived in last position on the medallion test. So all of us are the weak in the kistune school..."

Daichi look at them with his arm crossed and Hana look them with pity.

" We thought you were her to help us but I see it's not... But can I ask you to do it ? To help us ?"

Daichi looked at them with disapproved eyes and begin to open his mouth to refuse.

" Of course, we do it !" Said Hana.

Daichi look at her curiously, with a shocked face. The others witchers looks at her with suprise.

" We not going to abandon them. Aren't we ? Daichi-kun ?"

Daichi look at her with his eyes close by desperation and sigh.

" Guess I have no choice."

The witchers explode of joy, Hana was happy and they look at Daichi with a great smile but he look at them with a evil face and a little smile.

" Trust me... If you think I going to go easy on you because you are part of my school. Your wrong..."

Daichi get close to them, they look at him and begin to step back. Their eyes begin to be scared.

3 hours laters.

Daichi are stand, he deep breathing, he's tired, he drink some water and look down.

" You really weak guys..."

On the floor the witchers were lying, all were on the verge of fainting. They all thought something like : "kill me..." or " We are in hell..."

Hana looking at them with culpability, because it's her who sollicities to help them. Daichi tired, wiped himself with a white tissue, he's sweat rolling his face and cover his hair. Hana couldn't focus on something else apart him, her eyes was subjugate by his body after a long train.

" I let yours 15 minutes to rest."

Daichi sit next to Hana. She look away and retake her mind. Then she look Daichi, she narrowed her eyes by anger and deception

" What ?..." Ask Daichi with a suprisly face.

Hana look at the witchers, they begin to stand up and help each others. She sigh and watches him intrigued.

" You don't want to go easy on them ?"

Daichi look down and sigh. He look infront of him and observe them. Analyzing every movement they make.

" I can't, because of two reasons. First I need a boost..."

Hana turn her head and ask.

" A boost ?"

Daichi turn his head to and intensively stare her.

" Yes a boost. I will told you later. The second reasons his they don't want to fight, look they help each other with big entousiasm like if it's their goal of they life, help other. Just this mindset oppose the fact of fight and, I think, they don't want to learn it. Maybe for help and protect each other but I don't see anything else."

Daichi put his tissue on his head while Hana observe the witchers, they all have some smile on their face and are happy to help their companion. She smile and tenderly look at Daichi.

" I think you must to motivate them."

Daichi turn his head to Hana, his towel hide his face but let catches a glimpse of his eyes.

" How ?"

Hana stand up and begin to enter in the house

" I don't know but I trust that you going to find how..."

Daichi look at ther go and look the witchers. He see one go himself to an other way, behind the mansion. He stand up and follow him. The witcher go up a slop and Dzichi continue to follow him. Suddenly, he hear a sound, a loud sound, he get close to it and see the witcher meditate infront of a energy site with the sign of Axii.

He can't believe his eyes, he get close and walk on a wooden stick. The witcher who meditate stand up and stare at Daich.

" What are you doing here ?"

Daichi get close, his eyes was wide open by suprise and point his shacked finger to the rock.

" It's a rock of a energy site, why didn't told me about that ?"

The witcher look at the rock and then Daichi.

" I didn't though it would be so important for you."

Daichi look at him and point his finger on him.

" What's your name ?"

The man look at daichi, he was lost but answer him.

" A-Aiden..."

" Ok so Aiden... Now you going the train going to be more easy..."

Aiden look at Daichi with a great smile.

" Really master ?"

Daichi sigh and look the rock of the energy site.

" Yes."

Later, both of them go on the cour. The witchers get close and are prepared for the next session. Hana get outside and look at Daichi.

" Okay ! Everyone ! Now I have something new for you !"

Daichi look Hana who are behind him. She was lying with her back on wall.

" It's more easy but don't be foolish ! It's steal hard !"

Daichi do a sign with his finger, Axii appear and bewitches them.

They all touch their head and look infront of them. A replica of themselves but who are like a ghost stand infront of them.

" This is a replica of you all ! But, with what you could be if you reach your full potential !"

The image of themselves begins to attack. Aiden tried to block some of the attacks from his copy, but he couldn't handle much and was beheaded. Instantly Aiden kneels down, looks around and touches himself to see if he's still alive. He takes a deep breath and looks at the others who are on the ground too. "Your copy fights you like it wants to kill you! You might feel like you're dying ... But you instantly regain your mind. We continue this train till the dinner."

Daichi walks to Hana behind all of them gets up and restart to fight. Hana sit down and Daichi next to her.

" You see it's not so hard." said Hana

She look Daichi and kiss his cheek. Daichi look at her and smile.

" Yes your right..."

Daichi look at them and stand up.

" Can you watch them ?"

Hana look at him, her eyes betray her curiosity.

" Where are you going?"

Daichi look at her, put on his boots and take his swords.

" I working to renovate this ruin. Find some charpenters, forgeron for the blade and make some money. Don't worry I will be here before the dinner."

Hana look at him while smiling.

" I saw some charpenters all dwarf, in the entrance be mad, they doesn't look to have wood maybe a monster go check on them."

Daichi walk away to the exit and say good bye to Hana with his hand. Hana reply too with her hand. Daichi in the village go in the entrance and see the charpenters. They arguing with other witchers but get in trouble.

" No ! Not that much ! You going to ruin us !" Said the dwarf. The witcher take the dwarf and carry him up.

" Shut up ! Either you pay ! Either I let this monster take care of ruining you ! "

Daichi get close and cold gaze at them.

" Either he pay me !"

The witchers look at him, the man let the dwarf go and see the medallion of Daichi. At this view, they begin to laugh.

" Look guys ! It's one of the trash beyond the kistune school !"

They all laugh and the witcher come close to Daichi.

" Clear! otherwise we beat you up!"

Daichi smile and get his face close to him.

" Try it..."

The man try to punch Daichi but he block it, grabs his little finger and starts twisting it.

The kneel down, the two others come. Daichi cold gaze at them and they stop moving. The man who are kneeling cried of pain.

" Argh ! W-what are you doing ? Help me !"

The man couldn't move, they breath intensively and have they eye fill of fear.

" I-I don't know. My body w-won't moving..."

" It's because it's more than just fear... It's instinct."

The two guys was terrified, they knew if they atrack they would die. Daichi let go the man, instently his friends come and help him.

" Go ! Now !"

All of them run away. The dwarf get close to Daichi but with eyes narrow by anger.

" Why did you do that ?! Now, instead of them, it's the fucking monster who's going to ruin us ! Are you happy ?!"

Daichi was lost, he help them but they doesn't seems happy.

" You prefer them to ruin you ?"

The dwarf walk away and sigh.

" No... I prefer have a chance to not be ruined than being ! This witchers from the scorpion school are maybe jerks but they do their jobs ! And now who's going to help us ?"

Daichi touch his medallion and look at it.

" Who else ? Me of course !"

An other dwarf come with doubt.

" You ? A witcher from the kistune school ?"

Daichi look at him intrigued.

" Yes ?! I mean I'm a witcher "

The dwarf begin to laugh and take it like a joke.

" Sorry... Sorry ! but, you ! Kitsune school witcher are not really good !"

Daichi kneel down and look the dwarf.

" Okay let's do that ! I'm kill your monster free ! And before this night ! But if I kill it before the night you do something for me okay ?"

The dawrves look each of them and look at Daichi.

" Okay ! Deal ! But this night and not one second more !"

Daichi and the dwarf squeezes their hands.

" When you get near the forest search a little shed it would surely be the lumberjack who must provide us with the materials"

Daichi get out of the village and go down the mountain.

Few hours later.

The dwarves arguing each others and looks the sun get down.

" You think his going to come ?"

" I think he maybe dead "

" I don't want it look the suns is almost down."

"It's seems that we need to pay another witcher to deal with our problem"

At this sentences, they all look the entrance and see a silhouette. It was Daichi with the head of three monster. They look him with shocked face, they can't believe it. Daichi infront of them throw the head of a leshen.

" It was a leshen who protect the tree from the lumberjack. Don't forget our deal."

The dwarves was agape and look Daichi go.

" Wait ! These three other monster, it's for why ?"

Daichi look at the beheaded head and look the dwarves.

" I took others quest too it's why I was so long ! In that ! Goodbye !"

The dwarves said goodbye at Daichi while smiling. They thought.

" This man killed four monsters in few hours."

" Geez. We must to take the kistune school more seriously now !"

After daichi take visit to all of his contract he return to the kistune domain. He open the door and see the witchers who have finish they train around a table. Hana serve them some ramen and discuss with them. She saw Daichi who get closer, she put down the food and run to hug him. Hana and Daichi hug each other tenderly.

" Your late..."

Daichi look at her and smile.

" Have you eat ?"

Hana thought and do some cute noise while she thinking.

" No !"

Daichi look at her and carry her around his arms.

" So i'm not late"

Hana wraps her arms around Daichi's neck and smile at him. He tenderly look at her and both of them kisses.

The wind chug, the grass flies away and the moon lighted the couples.