A Meeting with the Mystical Beasts.

"I thought I heard the old man say."

"""Leave her Johnny, leave her."""

"Tomorrow ye will get your pay."

"""And it's time for us to leave her."""

""""Leave her Johnny, leave her! Oh! Leave her Johnny leave her!""""

"For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow!"

"""And it's time for us to leave her."""

At a boat bearing the 26 men of Iwasawa Hiroshi's group that is crossing the Onnoki gulf, a small group including their master was singing while helping the boatswain and the crew to row the boat across the turbulent part of the gulf.

"Oh, the wind was foul, and the sea ran high!"

"""Leave her Johnny, leave her."""

"She shipped it green, and none went by."

"""And it's time for us to leave her."""

The group of men who came from Kiko was signing that song along with their master who took the lead lines. It was something unknown to the crew of the ship and some of them initially found it annoying.

""""Leave her Johnny, leave her! Oh! Leave her Johnny leave her!""""

"For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow!"

""""And it's time for us to leave her.""""

But they eventually got the hang of it and joined in the merry singing, joining their voices and half-hearing, half-speaking lines into the chorus that seems to be easy enough to join to.

"Iwasawa-sama and the guys from the navy sure knows how to spread our culture even when it is not their intention to."

"Is that a navy song? It sounds nice."

"It is. I heard about it several times while I was training in the SO Academy. It's called a Sea Shanty, something that helps sailors to coordinate their moves while they are working in a ship."

Meanwhile, the other members of their group are either sleeping under the decks to dismiss their seasickness or was conversing at the deck while drinking Sake or eating some snacks.

At one of these tables are the two highest ranking members of the group named Akizuki Minori, the head of the Crows Espionage Service, and Himeji Kotori, the newest direct retainer of Lord Iwasawa Hiroshi. They were eating lightly salted fried peanuts stored into metal foil packs to be easily eaten on the go.

"I didn't expect Iwasawa-sama to still have the energy to help out the rowers."

"He asked us to take a nap before we entered the port town. He must've felt exhausted earlier and wanted to enjoy the boat trip by being awake through it."

"Ehehe! That's something that I can respect about him."

The two talked about their master and looked at him as he rose his voice at every chorus to rile up the rowers and relieve their tiredness.

"Can I ask why you suggested that we cross the Onnoki channel, Akizuki-dono?"

"Just Minori is fine. And to answer your question, my reason for suggesting this path to Iwasawa-sama even though this is quite a dangerous way is more of a precaution."

"Precaution by going to the dangerous way?"

"I know that it sounds ridiculous, but this is for the best… As you may already know, Iwasawa-sama has this side to him where he can't help but involve himself in things that he isn't supposed to just because other people are asking him to."

"Yes. I heard that he created a huge company in Hashidate and brought down the other counselors in its government due to the request of two Otherworlders. There was also the camp doctor work that he took and later on, the assistance in the rescuing of my friends in Haguro…"

Kotori looked at the man that she was talking about, and her eyes looked like she was admiring a man that she thoroughly believes and loves. Minori saw that gaze and seeming to not want to break her heart himself, he just sighed and dismissed the thought.

"Iwasawa-sama is kind. Sometimes too kind that he is even willing to do things that he isn't supposed to do by himself. This is why I believe that there are things that the Shogun told him back at Haguro that hit him too squarely in the heart and mind."

"And those are?"

"Things about how he will later regret his kindness and the illusion of the freedom that he pursues to spread to the people of this country."

The meeting that they had with that man wasn't something that only affected Hiroshi but also his men.

Though Minori was the only one who truly went face to face with that man and he is someone who believes at his master through and through, what the Shogun spoke about the possible future of Kiko and its allied countries is something that he cannot deny will most likely happen if nothing is changed in there soon.

"You are repeating the mistakes that destroyed our past world. You have disappointed me beyond any measure."

"Sir?"

"Those are the words spoken by the Shogun when we met him. Back then, Iwasawa-sama wasn't in the right mind to say anything back. He asked us to simply go back to the camp and not talk about it as we went back to our normal work, but I know him enough to know that those words weighed on him greatly."

Minori was holding a peanut on his fingers, but as he continued to speak, his hold loosened, and it fell on the table.

"As someone who led people through war, I know a thing or two about the weight that leaders are expected to bear especially when they are being looked up to."

"…"

Kotori took a few nuts off the foil pack and arranged them to a triangular pattern.

"There are many ways to describe what a great leader is supposed to be. Some say that he is someone who rises up to pull the others to his level in order to rise again and pull his people up… a never-ending cycle of upward movement."

Kotori scrambled the nuts and formed another pattern where it's arranged into a line.

"There are also descriptions where the leader is someone who leads the line through any hardship. Holding a shield and digging his heels into the ground to protect those behind him who can shoot back against their adversary."

She scrambled the items yet again into a new pattern and spoke her final line.

"While there are also those who sacrifice themselves for the sake of those that they want to protect."

The pattern was a circle where one nut that was crushed is in the middle of the others.

"What are you trying to say, Himeji-dono?"

"I'm trying to show what Iwasawa-sama seems to believe what a leader should be."

"A sacrifice? There is no way that-"

"You said that the Shogun described the world that "they" used to live in. If that is so, then we can assume that Iwasawa-sama is also an Otherworlder and as such, has experienced the world that that man described."

"He is an Otherworlder. It is something that most people know just through the product of elimination. After all, he created all kinds of inventions unknown to any of us. It would not be wrong to assume that he is one even if he rarely admits it."

Kotori took the nuts and ate them. She chewed them roughly before eating it and speaking.

"Then, has anyone of you ever asked Iwasawa-sama what kind of world he came from?"

"I… I believe that General Shimura has heard of some stories. He is the closest confidante of Iwasawa-sama after all. I just heard some miniscule parts, one of them is a story about how he lived a life that wasn't his and, in the end, he didn't really know who he should be."

"A life that isn't his and a confusion about who he should be…"

"I can only imagine it as a life of an impostor…"

(T/N: Oh heavens, I implore you… Please don't revive that meme here, Author Rai.)

The two looked at the person who is the subject of their conversation, and unlike the joyful and caring man that they saw back then, the Hiroshi that they saw here was someone who is keeping his fears and anxiety beneath a façade of joy.

"Minori-dono, how long do you think Iwasawa-sama will last at this pace? You said that he has inner confusions about who he is and what kind of person he should be and there are also feelings of pressure about his responsibilities towards his people."

"…I don't know."

Minori spoke those words that, as an intelligence officer, sounded ironic.

"Iwasawa-sama loves us… all of us. He is desperately trying to fit all of us in his heart and that makes it very hard for him to keep his act together."

"…Minori-dono."

"Yes?"

"Does… Does Iwasawa-sama have anyone "close enough" to bear that "personal burden" with?"

Two keywords stood out to Minori that was spoken by her. By asking him if anyone is close to their master, Kotori was asking if Hiroshi has a lover. And by asking him about a "personal burden" she was suggesting the possibility of solving their master's fears and anxieties using that "thing".

"…As one who competes in a race, though she runs desperately to gain the reward she seeks, it does little to help her against her predicament."

"Huh?"

"In the end, it does nothing to prevent her realization that someone had run faster and further than her… a reality that she would have to accept once she has heard the cheering that she desired for herself being given to another person."

"I apologize but… I don't understand what you are saying, Minori-dono."

Minori looked at Kotori on the eye and his gaze exuded an oppressive aura behind it, enough for Kotori, a warrior who has fought in countless battles, to feel it and stagger a little before steeling her own gaze to remain calm.

"…There are things that are better for you to solve by yourself using your own methods and by your own accord, Lady Himeji."

"What…?"

"To put it simply, even if I serve Iwasawa-sama wholeheartedly, there are things about him that I believe I shouldn't put my nose into. One of which is what you are asking…"

Minori looked up at the sky before he stood up to leave.

"Perhaps, in the end, the victor of the race is decided by the one who has the authority to designate the goal. At that point, those who ran the furthest and those who ran the least can have the opportunity to be the winner. In the end, the only thing you can cling on to be the deciding factor of your win is if the person in charge will choose you."

Minori left after saying those words. He turned in for the night, going under the deck to sleep on his own bunk.

"If the person in charge will choose you…"

Kotori dwelt on those words that was left to her. It almost felt like she has heard them before, and its meaning was obscure yet encouraging.

"No… not yet."

For Himeji Kotori, who abandoned her homeland, the family that she was taught to praise and serve and the prestigious noble name that she was born with, she has nothing to give to her master other than her loyalty and service.

"I have nothing to give to him… I have just started and have no glory to claim for my own."

To Kotori, serving her new master became her reason to restart her life. To begin anew even if she could've just stayed back and lived at peace. To her, her master, Iwasawa Hiroshi, is everything… And because of that, she is usually restless about not being of use to him.

"I don't want my love and service to be rejected solely because it is miniscule compared to the others. I don't want to hand it over half-baked… yet this feeling of not being of use…"

Kotori stood up from her seat and approached her master who was taking a break after rowing the ship out of a windy part of the gulf.

"Iwasawa-sama…"

"Oh! Kotori, do you need something?"

"I…"

With a slightly flushed face and a jittery tone, Kotori spoke up to her master.

"Can I talk to you somewhere private, Iwasawa-sama?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Somewhere… private? What could it be?

"Somewhere private, you say?"

"Y-yes… someplace where there are no one looking or… listening."

"I see… but Kotori, we're on a boat. This vessel is too small for any privacy."

After I pointed that out, Kotori looked shocked for a moment before she slapped her forehead lightly and sighed.

"Argh… I made a fool of myself…"

"Ahaha! No need to be too nervous, Kotori. I think there do is a place here where we can talk."

"A-ah!"

I took her by her hand and we climbed to the roof of the stall hiding the cabin door. There, the chattering of the drunken men seemed to have disappeared or was relieved for a moment.

"So… what do you want to talk about, Kotori?"

"I… I feel a bit embarrassed, Iwasawa-sama…"

"About what?"

"About not being of use to you…"

Being of use to me? I see, I see… I've already handled a bunch of cases like these back in the army school and at the city of Kota during the alliance signing festival.

"Ehehe… No need to be in so much of a rush, Kotori-chan. You've just been my vassal for the past three days. Opportunities to show off doesn't come and go quickly, you know."

"B-But…"

I placed my hand behind her head and spoke calmly.

"I know that you feel insecure about being accepted as my direct retainer when you have done nothing but to ask me for favors and think about your own self and those personally close to you…"

"Ah… Argh…"

I heard her groan as she used her hands to hide her embarrassed face. This made me remember someone who also easily gets ashamed when she is praised or made to recount some awkward memory.

"But for me, the reason I accepted you is because I saw potential and promise from you and wanted to know if you are prepared to face the hardships to continue to nurture that potential that you are hiding."

"Iwasawa-sama…"

I removed my hand from behind her head and used it to pat her back lightly.

"So, you don't have to rush to show me fruits of your labor. After all, a tree forced by its keeper to bear fruit when it isn't meant to do that yet will end up with rotten or underdeveloped fruits. Take everything in your own pace, I'm not the kind of Daimyo who would expect things that aren't sensible."

After that, I went down from the platform to rest my hips from all the rowing we did before going down to the deck and sleep.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Take it in my own pace…"

After he left me with those words, I looked up to the clear sky and saw the countless stars that lighted the sky. It reminded me of the days when I can't sleep during skirmishes.

"Then… will you let me win your heart on my own pace, Iwasawa-sama?"

Nowadays, I am serving a man that I decided to dedicate my loyalty to. I want to give him the honor and glory of everything I will do.

"…"

One day, one day when I can show you my worth as your subordinate and a woman…

"I will win your heart over, my lord."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

After the group's passage through the gulf, they arrived at the opposing harbor that looked a bit less unmaintained than the port at the other side.

"I have a question, Minori."

"Yes, Kou-sama?"

"Why did we pass through the sea passage if we could've just gone on land through Mutsuki province?"

After hearing the name of that place, everyone in the group looked at their master and then, towards Minori. Their gazes looked anxious or disturbed.

"It's for the sake of our security, Kou-sama. Mutsuki is a province climbing out of a recent succession crisis and political infighting. I believe that going through there with our retinue would attract much attention given our past activities in Hashidate and Haguro alone."

Everyone seemed to be confused with what Minori said, but after quietly realizing something that might be the answer, they decided to keep their mouth shut for the sake of their mission and the safety of their master.

"I see… If that is so, I commend your great outlook, Minori."

Hiroshi rode his horse and after him, his men as they went out of the desolate harbor area to continue to their trip around the country.

After a few hours of travelling through the endless plains, grasslands and bamboo groves of Shukaku island, the largest island in this alternate world's country of Japan, Hiroshi and the others decided to rest by a stream where the horses can graze and drink some water.

"Umm… my lord. I think we have a problem."

"A problem, you say?"

Their navigator, spoke up while he is measuring the distance they have traveled since they left the port at this island's end of the Onnoki channel. He seemed to be confused about something and decided to call for his master's direction.

"The compass is going all haywire and the map is quite inconsistent from the one that I studied back in the university."

"…I see. The map might be inaccurate since we bought it outside of Kiko, but the compass is the serious problem."

Normally, a compass will continue to work so long as its in a proper environment. But the compass needle is going round and round as if it was placed inside a magnetic can.

"Hmm… Interesting, but highly disturbing."

Hiroshi looked around and sure enough, the place where they are resting at is as normal as anything. There is a huge expanse of empty land where tall grass are growing, a few trees at the road and there are some traces of human habitation, houses that were either abandoned or burned, leaving nothing but ruins that one can hardly deduce when it was used as a shelter.

"Where are we anyway?"

"Umm… We're in the north-east road to Hitachi province, the Imperial capital. This area is said to be a land owned nor claimed by anyone and is considered a buffer zone that separates the parts of the central plains near and away from the capital."

"Haah… even in the area of the so-called pure-blooded nobles, there are still distinctions on whose seat is nearest the coolest kid on the table."

"Sir?"

"Nothing, nothing… I'm just rambling to myself."

Hiroshi looked up at the sky and tried to find the sun. After finding it to be going down at a certain direction, he picked up a stick to write on the ground and showed it to their navigator.

"I used the sun to make some kind of primitive compass. Try to keep the directions in your mind and use it to navigate us around."

"Will do, Iwasawa-sama. I'll plot our way now while I'm at it."

Hiroshi left the scene to drink some water in the stream and rested for a while.

"Okay, has everyone rested now?"

"""Yes, Kou-sama!"""

"Then let's go and continue on our trip now!"

The group continued on and after a while, they arrived at some place which baffled the navigator and the others.

"Why is there a forest here?"

"Is it not in the map?"

"No. This place in the map is entirely empty. It doesn't have any name or symbols."

The navigator took a double take and even showed the map to the others and there really was nothing there.

"Did we travel too far from the main road and ended up at another province?"

"No. This place has no other neighboring provinces other than Kanae estuary and the Imperial capital of Hitachi. If we got lost and ended up on those two places, we would surely see human settlements and not a huge forest like this."

The navigator had a point which made the others agree as well.

"Then…does that mean that this place is just something that was not recorded in the map?"

"Well, given that this map is not something that is entirely accurate, I can say that it would probably be an unmarked area… Yes, I believe that this is an unmarked area."

The group tried to think of a way around this. It is almost nighttime, and they surely know that it would be dangerous to enter the forest when the night comes.

"Iwasawa-sama… what do you say about this?"

"Hm? I think we should be more careful and just camp here for the night. Let's enter the forest tomorrow once the sun is already up so the forest fog would already be cleared up."

"Understood! You heard it, everyone! Dismount and set up the camp!"

Minori directed and helped the others to erect the tents and set up the campfire where they will be resting. Hiroshi, after the fire was lit, volunteered to cook for tonight which delighted his group.

"…I knew it."

"I see that you really don't sleep that easily, Minori-kun."

"You almost made me finish you, Iwasawa-sama."

At midnight, Minori woke up and saw an unfamiliar shadow at the tent wall. He drew his kunai knife and crept out of the tent to finish the unknown guest but stopped after her recognized the tender music being played through a flute.

"Why are you still awake, my lord?"

"I slept quite lately yesterday. I think my body clock got messed up and I'm just trying to tire myself by keeping the fire lit up and playing some random notes through the flute."

"…"

The breeze of the night was cold. Even their fire barely kept their encampment warm as the men in their tents buried themselves in their thick blankets while the women, Kotori's followers, on the other tent huddled together like canned sardines to preserve their body heat.

"Do you miss Kiko now, my lord?"

"I sure do. No night since we left Kiko have I never missed it. There are times when I want to just go back and abandon this trip… but as you know, I can't do that while there are still people going after me."

"I see."

Hiroshi stood up to take some twigs and tossed them into the fire. The flames flickered and seethed, making the place warmer than before.

"As the leader of my land, there are times when I have to sacrifice my own feelings and desires for the sake of my people. Even if I end up lonely, if I have completed my responsibilities, I can smile as much as I can."

"I apologize, Iwasawa-sama. But even though what you said is noble, I believe that there is something there that can be changed even for just a bit."

"Huh?"

Minori took a stick and poked the twigs on the campfire to properly burn them.

"Even though you are our leader, and we expect you to lead us, we also want you to be happy as a person."

"…"

"We want your instructions as much as we want you to be happy."

Minori then tossed the stick into the fire and looked at his master straight at the eye.

"Selflessness and humility are virtues, but humans cannot live through virtues alone. It is not wrong to seek your own happiness as well so long as you can uphold your responsibilities. So, please never forget about your own happiness."

After saying those words, Minori walked back into the men's tent, leaving Hiroshi to sit near the fire, contemplating what has just been spoken to him.

"Never forget about your own happiness…"

Hiroshi looked up at the sky and saw the moon that kept the forest and plains around him dimly lit.

"I guess it really is time for us to go back."

Morning quickly came and while the entire group is eating their breakfast, Hiroshi stood up and spoke some words that initially confused his men.

"I have decided to go back to Kiko. Our trip ends here now."

"""…"""

They were silenced after the announcement, but they smiled at each other and bowed towards their lord one by one, showing that they all agreed with their lord's abrupt yet acceptable decision.

"Well then, it's time for us to go back. Let's-"

However, the group noticed something around them that they just realized by now.

"Iwasawa-sama… the forest…"

"The forest is no longer in front of us. We're inside of it."

It was quite surprising. For the Crows who was trained to notice even the slightest difference in the things around them, the fact that the grove of trees in front of them disappeared and suddenly reappeared around them something very unnatural and illogical.

"Iwasawa-sama… what could this be?"

"I don't know… Are our belongings here?"

"Sir! Our guns are not in the tent!"

"What?!"

The news that their main weapons are gone shook the group who immediately stood up from their seats and drew whatever weapon they have on their person. Some had knives, most of them had katanas and naginatas, but only Hiroshi and Minori had a pistol on their hands.

"Everyone… be wary of your surroundings and keep your ears sharp… We can't-"

"Kakakakakakaka!!!"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar noise came from the bushes which almost made the nervous Hiroshi to draw the trigger of his gun before Minori held his wrist to stop him before he walked to the bush to check it.

"…"

"What is it, Minori?"

"It's… It's a Tanuki."

Minori swept the bush and from it, a racoon dog hopped out to run away from the scene.

"Where the hell are we…?"

"Crows, keep your eyes on the tree branches!"

"Everyone, don't shame me about how I trained you and look out for any dangers!"

"Iwasawa-sama. Please get behind us. We will protect you with our lives!"

Both Minori and Kotori's men had their eyes peeled and ears listening around as they forced Hiroshi to get inside their protective circle.

"Anything around?"

"Nothing… just the chattering of the tanukis…"

"Darn… just when Iwasawa-sama told us that we can go home now."

The racoons around them continued their loud chattering and as the fear and anxiety of the group began to grow more and more… a movement on the bush near them caught all of their attention.

"What…?"

This reaction from Minori was not unnatural.

"A Kitsune?"

After all, a six-tailed fox each having a bluish flame near its tails appeared behind the bush and looked at them.

"Thou art invited to the Sanctuary of the Great Fox Spirit."

Suddenly, they heard a voice inside their head which shocked them before one by one, they fell to the ground unconscious.

"Urk… too tired…"

"Must… resist… the hnnnggg…"

"Everyone! Don't sleep… don't let Iwasawa-sama to…"

Many of them resisted, but in the end, all of them fell asleep save for one person who was left in their middle to be approached by and talked to by the mystical fox beast.

"Thou art interesting, thou hath not fell for one's spell… Are thou an acquaintance of Inari-no-kami or… are thou art not from this world?"

The fox walked around Hiroshi who was nervous with being talked to by a being that he never believed was real.

"Fascinating… perhaps one must bring thou to a place befitting thou stature."

The Kitsune spirit's fox fires grew larger and after Hiroshi looked at it in shock, his eyelids became heavy, and he fell on his knees as sleepiness took over his mind.

"Yoo-hoo? Are you alive?"

"Master Ku… perhaps this man is no longer with us and deserves a proper funeral."

"No way! He is still breathing, and his heart is beating!"

Hiroshi woke up to see a young lady wearing a shrine maiden kimono with a short skirt.

"Oh! So, you really are alive! My pet right is preparing a grave for you already!"

Hiroshi's eye went from the girl to the one she was talking with, and this made Hiroshi to sit up immediately and crawl backwards with a nervous face as he hurriedly reached for his pistol holster which didn't have his gun.

"Are you perhaps looking for this, boy?"

The pale-skinned person… if he may call it like that, standing beside the girl, was wearing a minister's robe and on his face is a paper charm with ancient Chinese inscriptions.

One who knows oriental history or had watched some Chinese movies can clearly recognize what kind of being that man is who is currently holding his gun.

"Are you… are you a Jiangshi?"

"Wow. I didn't expect to hear that name after a long time… You are right, but since I am Japanese, I would like you to call me a Kyonshi."

Although his skin was pale and his lips was bluish, the man looked like a living person given his proper vocabulary and mannerisms not found on usual depictions of oriental zombies.

"Hey, hey! Who are you? Are you here for the summer festival?"

"H-huh?"

"Master Ku… How many times do I have to remind you to present yourself first before starting with a casual conversation?"

"Ah! Ehehehe~ My bad, my bad…"

The girl twirled around once using her toes and the nearby maple leaves on the ground was swept by the wind to cover her as her short-skirted shrine maiden uniform changed into a vibrantly colored formal kimono that has maple leaf and fox fire designs.

"My name is Momiji Kurumi. Shrine Priestess of the Hidden province of Furuya and the Keeper of the Mystical Forest of Mori."

The scene that unfolded in front of Hiroshi made his eyes to almost bulge out of its sockets. The fact that he saw her change her clothes and even style her hair in but a single moment was nothing short of illogical and magical to him.

"As for me, I am Kyo. Just Kyo. And as I said before, I am a Kyonshi who works as master Ku's assistant in Shrine affairs and her companion whenever she decides to ditch her work in the Shrine and roam around the lands."

"H-Hey! I'm just taking a break! I will do my job when I get back. For now, I'm just taking a breather…"

"According to my memory, you have said those exact same words for the 57th time in the past three days. If this continues, Lady Inari will surely get mad at you."

While the two are conversing, Hiroshi is holding his head, seeming to not yet able to digest the fact that he is watching a girl with magic powers and a living zombie banter after he and his men were put to sleep by a fox spirit.

"…Say."

"Yes?"

"Where am I?"

The two looked at each other and the girl was the one who answered his inquiry.

"You're in the Western Temple of Furuya province dedicated to the fox goddess of harvest and prosperity, Inari-no-kami. For some reason, you were sent here by one of our fox envoys… Hey, did you try to enter the forest and chop wood?"

The girl asked him with a plain face which Hiroshi immediately answered with a "No" by shaking his head sideways.

"Ehh? Then why would one of our guardians bring you here?"

"Perhaps, they camped outside of the forest and accidentally spread the fire?"

"No way! We placed stones around our fire, so it's impossible that-"

After recounting last night's events, Hiroshi's face froze which the two noticed.

"Don't tell me…"

"Does that actually count, master Ku?"

"Yeah… if he was sent here, it can only mean that the six-tailed foxes were on patrol when they picked the twigs and burned them. Argh… those "rules are rules" prudes…"

Hiroshi was initially confused but after the zombie guy walked near to him and extended his pale and cold hand to help him up, he composed himself back to his normal state after holstering the pistol that was given back to him.

"So… what will happen to me now?"

"Hmm… at this point, I guess you can voice out a complaint to Lady Inari. You seem to not be aware of this place and why not many people from outside comes here, so I guess she would listen to you."

"Lady Inari… you mean, the fox goddess herself?"

"Yup! Don't worry stranger, I might not look like it for now, but I have good leverage with the spirits! I'm a Shrine Priestess after all!"

Her eyes was almost glowing with anticipation after saying those words as if she is advertising herself.

"Hey boy… what's your name by the way?"

"Ah! Yes…"

Hiroshi patted his clothes and with a formal tone and movement, presented himself to the two.

"My name is Iwasawa Hiroshi. Daimyo of the Province of Kiko, Chancellor of the Southern Alliance Quartet and-"

"Wow! You're a daimyo and a leader of an alliance?! I haven't met someone like you before!"

"Master Ku, stop cutting off our guest and let him speak the rest of his words."

"Aww… Okay, I apologize for cutting you off. Please continue."

Hiroshi cleared his throat, but before he can speak out, the zombie named Kyo, saw something on his chest pocket and went close to him.

"H-Huh? H-h-hey! What are you doing?!"

"…This is…"

What Kyo took from his chest pocket was a seal. Not just any seal, but the Kirin Lord's seal that gives Hiroshi a great deal of identity.

"Master Ku…"

"What is it, Kyo?"

The two suddenly looked at each other with serious expressions which made Hiroshi's hand to quickly slide to his pistol holster if things go south.

"We mustn't waste any time. Lady Inari must hear about this man's arrival."

"Understood. Kyo…"

"Orders given. Orders received."

Hiroshi's senses were right, immediately after being given unspoken orders, the Kyonshi ripped the seal on his forehead and lunged forward towards him with inhuman speed.

"Shit!"

"…"

Hiroshi jumped back and drew his pistol. He quickly yet carefully lined the sights up and shot the zombie thrice, each of them hitting vital spots.

"Sorry boy…"

"Urk!"

But it did nothing to the undead man who grabbed him by the arm and hit him squarely on the solar plexus with inhuman strength.

"Kah! Argh…!"

While he is writhing around on the ground, slowly losing his consciousness, the young lady changed her clothes back to the short-skirted Shrine maiden uniform and spoke to him with a stiff tone.

"We're not so fond of people given those kinds of titles."