Chapter 16

She closed the door behind me and then led the way to a door on the back wall. That door was translucent paper against wooden lattice. She slid it to the side, back into the wall.

“This is your room,” she said as she stepped aside to let me enter.

The room was narrow and long but there was a large window on the far wall. A futon was folded in half on the floor and shower stall fit into the near corner on the right. She slid a door back to reveal a small closet. Three long white sheaths were hung there with what might have been slacks or pants folded on a shelf below.

“You will sleep in here and keep yourself clean for me. Those are your clothes. You won’t need any until later today. Are you ready to begin?”

“Hai, Joō-sama,” I remembered to say.