Pat pat, there was a sensation of somebody applying a compress. After that a bandage was wound on timidly as if by air. He had grown accustomed to the smell of blood, dried straw, and there was an invigorating scent of summer wind. Mysteriously if Seien imagined and lightly opened his eyes, the recollection of a non-crude ceiling was projected. 

 

Just then, (gya!) the person who was rolling the bandage jumped back. 

 

"Sanrou! (He is (regrettably)) waking up!! Shift relief, shift relief! I have work from here out, I'm going from here ya know."

 

The person leaped and went running and let in a substitute, and cheerful footsteps came and approached. The footstep's owner was also entirely without vigilance; Seien's bed on which he was sleeping- he casually came and peered in on. (The owner) of the footsteps as they were had what seemed to be a thoughtlessly optimistic face. It seemed that he didn't have the staff, but the scar on his left cheek he definitely recognized. 

 

"Yo. Are you feeling better? Can you get up? (Do you want) something to eat? There's rice porridge in the pot."

 

"...Why."

 

That was the first time Ensei heard the voice of Shousenpuu. His face was the same, it was pretty, --

 

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--but his voice completely lacked warmth. [Zukoon] and he was enclosed in a decline in influence. 

(He looks like a ghost) 

In there, he was not living.

 

"You didn't kill me."

 

He somewhat came to connect the gloomy words. Ensei, who understood the meaning, was dumbfounded.

 

"Huh? You're a fool. Don't you understand that sort of thing? If you're an idiot why don't you think a little for yourself?  If you don't get it I'll tell you."

 

The boy who looked like a ghost, raised his sullen eyebrows [offended?]. Entirely since being born he never had the experience of being called an idiot even though it seemed he was called it (now). 

 

"If I killed you, I would flare up and my physical strength would turn on, and I would (have a) temper even more. I would thoughtlessly kill almost completely. Anyway from a long time ago I came to tease and nag weak people."

 

With a whiff Ensei shut his mouth. 

 

(To whom?)

 

His face flashed the appearance of laughing and crying. The entirely forgotten precious fragments were regained in his facial expression. ...Regrettably forgotten precious fragments...? For a brief moment, Seien recalled something. 

 

"And, you, you're name is? One by one (every time) how can you be called such a long-winded name like 'Shousenpuu'"?"   

 

That moment, the opened gate once more was completely blocked off. The feeling (of somebody) merely peeking in completely vanished. Seien averted his look of numb feeling. It was a profile of rejecting everything. Of course, Ensei as well. 

 

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Ensei didn't particularly care/worry (about that). He was troubled about getting him all worked up like wounded animal would over a piglet. 

 

"No name? Well then, under these circumstances I'll assign one. How's 'Gorou'? All right, from here on out it's Gorou." {Gorou= lit. fifth son or "the fifth"}

 

Gorou!? The boy was made silent. 

 

"What a screwed up name that is."

 

"It's not screwed up. Since I already have Umetarou and Ginjirou there are missing numbers, and Aniki calls me Sanrou. Shirou is a thing like bad luck so there's Gorou. Good isn't it." {Shi = 4 which is a bad luck # in Jp}

 

"A good conclusion? Absolutely not."

 

"Gotcha. Is there a name you want or something? Then how's 'Tobigorou?'" {Tobi=leaping/flying}

 

Rather, in his own way he wanted "Tobi" rather than "Moto-kimiko-sama" {lit. master former young prince}, he thought. This sort of humiliation was just the beginning. 

 

"What makes me 'Gorou!'"

 

"Then 'Yasagure-gorou.'" {yasagure=runaway child}

 

"Quit it with Gorou!!"

 

Continuting this way Ensei proposed "Yakeppachi" {desperate}, "Kokeshi" {a wooden limbless doll}, "Moyashi-bon" {good frail-child}, "Aobyoutan" {green sick-person}, "Bou-chan" {young master}, et cetera, but from the other side they were rejected. As one would expect Ensei also came to be angry. 

 

"What a stuck up guy you are! Then, 'Takabii'.” {high-handed}

 

Seien faltered. He became self-consciousness when that jerk said that right to his face. 

 

"Sh...shut up. The main point is how do you have the right to assign me a name out of your own convenience!"

 

"You got one? As for me, instead of accepting a reward for killing you, out of it I received you." 

 

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In what would be called a moment without hesitation, Seien's attitude hardened right before his eyes. 

 

"Who would listen to your commands and such!"

 

"Huh? I don't expect that at all ya know! But if you became no less than my follower, meals and a bed will be prepared, and I'll give you treatment for your injury. Nobody's trying to interfere ya know. Now quietly/obediently lie down/go to sleep." 

 

In what seemed like bewildering silence afterwards, the appearance of suspicion and precaution was provoked. He truly seemed like a wounded beast.  

 

"...For you...what advantage exists?"

 

"Advantage? Nothing in particular. You, it's not an experience of finding a sparrow or a [ワンコロ?] or such things, right?" 

 

The thought of his youngest brother appeared to Seien, standing alone and murmuring. 

 

"...In the case of my younger brother, the experience of being found exists." 

 

"Younger brother!? Did you fail?" As expected of Buttobi-gorou. Oh well it's fine. 

 

"If anybody injured like, a wild boar piglet, would you expect from the jerk collateral or something? How expectedly harsh. If you don't worry then you'll recover and shout 'I've returned to the wild!'" 

 

--Return? To where.

 

Seien laughed at the irony. Now for certain what sort of utility value did he have himself. However he did not hold the foolishness of believing to that degree those sorts of naive words. Until now Seien had come to live like that, and after this it'd also be that way. With the matter of Seien not changing to cold-hearted silence and suspicion, he gave Ensei a glance. 

 

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"That sort of stupid explanation, do you think I would even believe(it)?"

 

"Do as you like. I'm not particularly bothered by anything. To believe or not to believe is your freedom therefore, right?" 

 

The seemingly prodded Seien realized his unpreparedness, and Ensei, grumbling, thought of a name for the time being. 

 

"A name...name, umm...a name...--Shukusei."

 

Unexpectedly one name spilled out, (that which?) a stupid voice revealed. That name was ---. A mystery. And that guy, the forgotten important matter came to mind seemingly transiently.   

 

"...You're name is 'Sei'. If it's no good you can tell me your real name. I'm Ensei. Rou Ensei."    

 

The boy named 'Sei' raised his eyebrows. Rou Ensei is it? ...Were his parents acquainted with money?

 

"Anyway for now I'll come and serve the rice porridge. Aniki is the person in charge of meals so the food is delicious."

 

Ensei came down to the cooking stove. Seien's eyes unconsciously wandered about and searched for his sword, but it wasn't anywhere. In his chest was the sensation of something hitting (him). With a quick glance (he saw) there was a small whistle hanging from his neck. 

...He had a recollection. It was the toy-like flute that resulted from a villager he killed. Somehow or other, he had a feeling like Ensei was the one wearing it. Instead of the disappeared sword, he had left (behind) that flute (with) Ensei. 

 

Previously Ensei hadn't said anything. He hadn't had one reproachful expression in his eyes. Although this flute (was taken from) Seien (like plucking a chicken) {<--I'm not sure of this meaning}, even if he had thrown it away, he had a feeling that Ensei would not have said anything. 

 

“Do as you like.”

 

He said he should think about the meaning of those words himself. 

 

The tip of his chin trembled. The reality he did not want to notice was right before his eyes. The shackles had been removed (from his legs). However, to where would he escape, 

 

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he didn't know what he might want to do. There was nothing left that remained for Seien. Not one. Not being a young nobleman himself, he couldn't find a motive to slip out from this place that was like the bottom of a ditch/gutter, because he was empty. 

 

“......I will grant you your wish!” 

 

Wish? But I myself do not know what my wish is, and you claimed to know it?

 

“What a face you're making, it looks like you're searching for the truth of the universe or something. Here, rice gruel, [あっため?] I've fixed.”

 

Seien gazed at the appearance of the bowl he was served. As for eating, it was a matter of telling him to live. In this bottom of hell. If he didn't eat, he would die in some time. 

 

“What is it, you want to rest easy? {あーんして?} It's delicious. Since you're a wounded person it's just for three days!”

 

“You're wrong! Who said such a thing!! OK, hand it over.”

 

{confusing sentence--->} To Ensei the slim/delicate, conflicted/troubled etc. and about (as much as) a speck of a consideration for nourishment, Seien abandoned fasting within merely three beats (of time).

 

The scene of the beautiful Seien eating recklessly/thoughtlessly, Ensei had admiration for.  Despite that having a bowl was also more painful than (being?) [ズタボロ= torn & ragged?], he did not display (that) behavior either. He had a stubborn perseverance that made (Ensei) admire him even more. Besides, in a way, his family also had eaten in this sort of beautiful manner. As he watched this guy, in really large drops his memories came forth.     

 

"Seconds, will you eat?"

 

In silence Seien thrust out the wooden bowl. What's with this high-handed guy. Well it's good that he's eating food so he'll have energy. 

 

"Ah, that's right. You're face has the appearance of being smart, but can you write characters? Can you write 'raincoat'?"

 

Seien tried to ignore him, but the humiliation of this jerk who seemed to be an idiot made him re-think, and he snatched away that jewel from Ensei. With the tip of a stalk making a scratching sound [garigari] he wrote on the ground.

 

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[雨合羽 (Raincoat="ame kappa")]

 

Ensei fixedly stared, many times he nodded. That's right, this is it. 雨 (Rain="ame") and 河童 (ghost="kappa") would be wrong.

 

Just as I thought he is in the smart group.

 

"Amazing. You're intelligent."

 

"A guy who can't write is a fool."

 

Seien coldly spit out (those words), and Ensei scratched his head and smiled bitterly. Just as he thought. 

 

Seien who decided to continue staying in bed out of spite and pretended not to see, after one chime segment of silence, finally asked. 

 

"You...why are you here?"

 

Ensei stroked with his fingertips the scar of his left cheek. He let out one breath, and lightly smiled. The answer was simple. 

 

"To destroy the Satsujinzoku."  

 

 

The next day Seien spoiled his stomach, and the next three days became an awkward situation of passing the time tilling a paddyfield. {This may be a way of saying he had the runs o_O} The cause was that in the summertime the rice porridge left in the pot was rotten, but Ensei and Tanmeijirou Aniki who had both lively eaten the same rice gruel alike, etc. wrung their necks over a stomach ache. On top of that, the perpetrator Ensei pitied Seien, saying “You're messed up because you're weak,” and the like; as far as (beating him up/ knocking him down) it was because of his absolute remaining stubborn determination.