Chapter 1: Arrival

Chapter 1: Arrival

Looking out the plane window at the rather modern city outside, I begin to consider why I ended up coming to Japan, even though that doesn't seem possible. 

"Sir, you're the only one missing."

"Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts."

Apologizing to the stewardess who just stares at me, I get up from my seat then grab the little luggage I have with me and walk towards the exit of the plane so I can start the paperwork to enter the country. 

1 hour later. 

"You look awful professor."

"I hate bureaucracy, come on seriously they had to check my bag so thoroughly? And treat me like a weirdo?"

Sitting in the back of a vehicle belonging to whoever hired me this time, I start talking to a Caucasian gentleman most likely European due to his features and that this museum is owned by a foreigner. 

"Hahaha, that's why the director had offered to have someone go get him, he doesn't even know the basics of the language to be able to handle himself."

"Tsh, in high school in my country the only options were English or Portuguese and let's just say for Portuguese... I'm horrible so English it will be, besides this is the universal language! "

As we talked amongst ourselves about my rather bad experience at the airport, this one boils down to being able to understand them, but not knowing how to speak to them, we started traveling towards the history museum I was hired by. 

"Professor Christopher, this way."

Getting off the vehicle after a trip that took us half an hour or maybe a little more, managed to see my employer waiting in front of some granite stairs leading to a square with a fountain and a tall white marble museum with different banners about current exhibits. 

"Mr. Leonardo, it is a pleasure to meet you in person and more for the news you have sent me."

Walking towards him, I give him a few words of courtesy before shaking his hand and starting the real conversation. 

"I can assure you that it is 100% truthful this information, it is a family with a long history and extensive property. Richard take the professor's suitcase inside."

"Yes!"

With Richard rushing out of the car with my luggage, Leonardo and I moved down the stairs to the plaza and then into the museum. This one was undergoing renovations for its new exhibits making silence reign throughout the place, it would be eerie if it weren't for the large windows letting in the soft midday sun. 

"We're almost all set to open next Monday, the only thing we're missing is the crown jewel something that will attract experts and inept alike, that's this."

Passing through the empty aisles that had one thing or another lying around, Leonardo pulls a cell phone out of his clothes before showing me a picture of why I'm here. It was a sword from the times of the fighting kingdoms, much like the chokutos only its hilt had some sort of gem embedded in it and you can't see the edge thanks to the light brown scabbard covering it leaving merely a copper mark visible on it. 

"It certainly looks like a chokutos sword. But its size and shape seems to differ from them and it might even be a different or unknown model."

"That's why I called you, you are well recognized in the circles of sword collectors, historical artifact restoration and history in general."

This looks interesting, I have traveled in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, but have never seen anything like this. It would be a great find if it turns out to be a model lost in time. 

"You have convinced me, I would like to leave as quickly as possible to see this specimen and I think you are interested in that as well."

"Hahaha, I knew that a man like you could not stand idly by at such an opportunity, now let's have lunch and I'll give you the information on where to go."