Funaho
“…And that was how I went to Jurai.”
“I see. But calling her ‘old bat’…” Funaho chuckled, yet the smile seemed sad somehow.
“Now I am on a training journey. Though not restricted by the Imperial Family, if I languished here too long, there’s no knowing what she would say to me,” Azusa joked, but gave Funaho a serious look. “I plan to leave in a few days.”
“I see…” Looking at Funaho’s face in profile, as she cast her eyes downward, wrung Azusa’s heart.
I can’t stay here forever… This is for the best, he told himself. He was forced to feel the distance between them as he spoke of his past, and he agreed with Asumi’s warning. But that was a conclusion made from logic, and the emotions locked within were resisting wildly. This is for the best, he told himself over and over, but then he saw Funaho’s lonesome face. He wanted to at least make her feel better.
“Here, take this…” As thanks for her care, he held out a comb, carved from a Royal Tree, with marbled purple amber jewels.
“It’s so beautiful… But I can’t accept something so expensive…”
“It’s really not much. I carved it myself, and it’s a common material where I’m from. Don’t concern yourself about it. That’s the only thing I could give as a token of my gratitude, so if it’s to your liking…” He did not try to continue further and handed the comb to Funaho. He might not be able to hold back his emotions if he kept on talking. Just looking at Funaho, clutching the comb with both hands as if it was precious to her, made him feel that way. He could imagine the old bat, laughing mockingly with a sidelong glance at his immaturity.
Just then, a white-feathered arrow whizzed through the air and struck a shrine 30 meters away. “Don’t move!” Azusa looked around, shielding Funaho, but there were no more arrows, and the village resumed its peace and quiet. Except for the shivering shoulders of Funaho staring at the arrow.
“Azusa-sama, please leave this village at once.” were Asumi’s first words to Azusa as he waited for him in the shrine office. His expression was foreboding, and Funaho looked the same as her grandfather.
“Wasn’t that arrow from the men who were assaulting her?”
“Yes. But they’re not just bandits…”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s better that you don’t know. It’s for your own good.”
“Please, tell me about it.”
Pressed by Azusa’s enthusiasm, Asumi finally and reluctantly began their tale.
In summary, Asumi’s story was thus: About a year ago, a giant eight-forked serpent appeared deep in the mountains. The bandits, its messengers, started making demands for treasures and young women. Of course the villagers resisted at first, and the village warriors sent a subjugation squad into the mountains, but they never returned. The people who feared the curse of the Orochi serpent left the village one by one. Asumi remained to protect the shrine.
Asumi lived with his son and two granddaughters, including Funaho, but his son—Funaho’s father—never returned from the quest to vanquish the serpent. Funaho’s three-year-old sister went to stay with Funaho’s aunt and uncle. Asumi admonished her to go join her, but she insisted on staying out of concern for her grandfather, and refused to go.
Once the village was devoid of people, the serpent stopped making demands, and peaceful days continued for a while. Since Funaho was attacked, Asumi had known that this day would come. The white-feathered arrow was the signal that Orochi sought the girl of that household as a sacrifice.
Pausing, Asumi quietly hugged Funaho. On the note was written that Funaho must be offered as a sacrifice that night. The time for farewells was growing ever nigh.
“All right, I shall go and vanquish this Orochi,” Azusa proposed to the grief-stricken duo. The serpent and the bandits were space pirates here to plunder treasures and slaves from undeveloped planets. The wounds he received from Kagato were almost all healed, thanks to his Master Key’s support, although Azusa liked to think that the herb tinctures Funaho brought him worked wonders.
Asumi and Funaho, since they did not know Azusa’s origins, could only be shocked at his proposal. “Please don’t, Azusa-sama.”
“Yes, you’ll be killed by the serpent!”
“I’m well versed in the martial arts. Won’t you leave it to me?”
“I saw how powerful you were when you saved me. But…” Funaho looked upon him with tears in her eyes. She wanted to believe in Azusa, but more than that, she feared losing him. She was the kind of person who would rather sacrifice herself so that Azusa-sama would be saved. However, Azusa was resolute in his decision. The thought of his concern for her made her feel happy and sad at the same time.
A few hours later, the three of them ate a meal together as a sort of last supper. Azusa kept trying over and over to reassure the dejected Asumi and Funaho…but then suddenly became drowsy and toppled asleep onto the table. Asumi and Funaho had drugged his food to detain him.
“I’m so sorry, Azusa-sama…” A teardrop from Funaho’s eyes fell on Azusa’s cheek. Azusa felt the warmth of her hand as she wiped it away.
I feel like this has happened before… Yes… The memories were from eight years ago. He had crept into the garden to sneak out with Mitsuki, and Seto knocked him out cold. Just like with Funaho today, he heard Mitsuki’s stifled sobs and felt a warm hand on his cheek. She’s just like her…
Asumi made sure that Azusa was asleep, took the sword adorning the alcove, and looked at his beloved granddaughter. “Funaho, I will go to the serpent. Azusa-sama will wake up in about an hour. Then take him and get as far away as you can. Do you understand?”
Funaho realized that Asumi intended to die. She leapt up from Azusa’s side and clung to him. “No. Please don’t go, Grandfather! I should be the sacrifice. If I go, then…” Funaho did not get a chance to finish as Asumi stunned her with a blow. He held her close as she crumpled, laid her down beside Azusa, and brushed the hair from her face.
“I’m sorry, Funaho…” He looked at her a while, stood up, and said to the sleeping Azusa, “Azusa-sama, please look after my granddaughter…”
After Asumi quietly left, Azusa slowly opened his eyes. Drugs to induce sleep did not work on Juraian warriors. He pretended to be asleep because he felt grateful that the two cared about him, and because he felt that he, an outsider, should not interfere during the grandfather and granddaughter’s moment of farewell.