Escape to the east

Afternoon. The rumbling train has just reached its last station. People began to get out of the transport one by one. Among them were the masked Saints, Chise and Lord Horikawa with his retinue. They walked along the stone street of the capital. On the way, they met many people from whom the boy was hiding behind a hat made of straw and bamboo.

 The heroes passed through the market, the square and through several houses, somewhere on the edge of the city they reached some small temple with other buildings surrounded by a fence.

Once inside, the Svyat was immediately surrounded by suspicious eyes. He and Chise stayed in the courtyard while Lord Horikawa entered the white stone building. The kid was displeased, but asked in a whisper.

— I hope we only dropped in here for 20 minutes?

Turning his head slightly.

— We're here for the rest of our trip, and judging by the fact that we left, it's for a long time.

The saint sighed. After 10 minutes, they entered the building. Lord Horikawa was waiting for them in the room. He was sitting at a table that was much lower than the kid was used to and instead of chairs they sat on pillows. A moment later, wooden dishes appeared on the table, on which there were blankets with rice, plates with soup and noodles, and also rice balls along with dishes with sauce. Chise handed the chopsticks to the Saint. He wondered how to use them.

As a result, the girl quickly explained with gestures how to use chopsticks and everyone started eating. At first, Svyat tried rice, but since he could not grasp more than one, he gave up trying and moved on to soup. It was easier with him, but still the Saint ate so quickly and greedily that it looked as if he had stolen the food. Chise watched with apprehension while Lord Horikawa watched curiously. Next, the Saint decided to eat rice balls. After trying them and finding out that there was a fish filling inside, he said.

— Your fish is raw. — but after eating everything to the end, he washed it down with soy sauce.

— And the tea is salty. — then he said softly — Ange would have liked it...

After lunch, Lord Horikawa and Chise were left alone while the Saint rested outside with a straw in his mouth. The girl was trying to justify the boy's antics.

— He just doesn't know the traditions, he ran away from his village as a child, after which he walked half the world to end up here because of his stubbornness.

Lord Horikawa laughed a little.

— Well, doesn't it remind you of anyone?

Chise frowned.

— Still, I don't think you should blame him for anything.

Suddenly, a strange sound was heard from the street. They came out and saw two guys, the first lying on the ground holding his nose, and the other arguing in Japanese with a Saint who did not understand anything himself. Chise asked loudly.

— What's going on here!?

The saint turned his head towards the girl and answered.

— It's not my fault, he came up and started muttering something in his own language and looked at me aggressively, I defended myself.

The guy helping the second one up said.

— Couldn't you say right away that you don't speak Japanese?

Svyat wanted to object again, but seeing Chise's disapproval out of the corner of his eye, he calmly said.

— Okay, sorry for my outburst, I should probably introduce myself. I – Sv...

Chise interrupted him.

— He's sorry, he's from Aquitaine, but he studied with me in Albion, and his name is Glory Lavigne.

The guy, holding his friend so that he would not fall, sighed and said.

— Well, thinking it can be considered as a misunderstanding, I'm Okouchi, and the one you introduced to your hand is Noboru.

They reluctantly bowed. The saint looked at Chisa, who also bowed and the guy sighed and followed them.

After the altercation, everyone dispersed. The Saint whispered to Chisa alone.

— I hope we won't meet them again.

Suddenly, Lord Horikawa's voice came from behind him.

— I am glad to inform you that from now on you will be trained with Okouchi and Noboru, the skill of the blade.

Holy is a little angry.

— Goddamn cliche, beetroot.

Lord Horikawa continued.

— And your first lesson begins... now.

After what seemed like a moment, Glory was already lying on the ground from Chise's blow. The girl, perplexed, said.

— It seems that you were more focused before.

The boy barely got up, sat down and spoke softly.

— Maybe so.

For the next 2 hours, they practiced hand-to-hand combat, but from a distance it seemed that the Saint was just being beaten.

In the evening, the girl took the Saint to his room for the duration of their stay. The room was not large, but due to the lack of bulky furniture, she did not touch the small one. The kid saw the prepared futon and asked.

— And what should I sleep on...?

But Chise interrupted, saying.

— Good night — and closed the door.

The kid sighed. He moved the futon closer to the wall and dragged the found furniture closer, creating something like a fortress near him. Climbing in there and opening the suitcase, sorting through things, I saw a book with the cover "The Pauper and the Prince". After re-examining the bag, Svyat nevertheless decided to read the little book, which he took by chance and so he spent the rest of the night behind it.

Night. Moonlight illuminated the temple. Svyat suddenly found himself on the street. He looked around and nervously walked around the yard. The boy was about to return, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed someone in the bushes. Coming closer, the silhouette abruptly moved towards the temple. He was moving so fast that he couldn't be seen. Running after him, the Saint tried to recall someone, shouting loudly in the courtyard, but no one answered. Before he could come to his senses, the boy saw how the temple was on fire. He fell into a stupor and did not know what to do. But suddenly a silhouette abruptly came out at him, knocked him down and immediately ran away towards the forest. The guy, trying to get up and recover, noticed that a katana somehow ended up in his hands. At that moment, the wooden part of the temple collapsed and a man began to come out of the entrance. The saint squinted, recognized Richard's bodyguard and pointed the blade at the man and spoke.

— And what are you doin..? — tomahawk flew into him at the same moment...

Morning. Svyat woke up in a sweat and nervously, looking around, jumped up and ran out into the street. He saw that everyone was doing nothing in the yard, and some even looked at Glory in disbelief. And he sat down at the door with some relief. Chise came up to him and said.

— Good morning, are you ready for morning training?

The Saint spoke in a low voice.

— Aye, aye Captain.

For the next hour, the girl taught the boy the basics of using a katana. After that, the Saint was handed a wooden blade and after spending another 30 minutes mastering it, they offered a duel with the same beginner.

The rivals bowed to each other and the duel began. Only Chise and the judge watched them, because Noboru's battle had captured the public's attention. Returning to a less enticing duel, it can be canceled that both opponents look on an equal footing. The guy attacked more, and Svyat tried to evade his attacks, only occasionally making counterattacks. Glory, who was a little tired, overlooked the blow that successfully hit the target, but at the same second the boy was able to attack with the same success.

Over time, Svyat began to take more blows and after waiting for the moment, he was seriously injured, but after grouping he was able to grab his opponent and knock him to the ground, thereby winning.

The referee confirmed the victory of the Saint and ended the fight. Chise came up to the boy and crossed her arms maliciously said.

— It's not bad the first time, but try to show more honor in battle next time, okay

The saint caught his breath and looked at the lying opponent, who was in pain. Glory helped the guy up, and he, in turn, thanked his opponent with a smile. The saint asked about it.

— What did he say?

Chise, picking up the wooden blades from the ground, replied.

— I congratulated you on your victory.

The kid, helping the opponent to walk, said.

— And thank you. — the Japanese answered something in his own language, but the Saint only spoke. — it's not goddamn clear, but it's very interesting.

At this time, Noboru won his fight, which he was very happy about, and noticing the Saint carrying a novice on his shoulder, he said with a grin.

— Hey, Paris, have you already pierced a beginner with a katana?

Glory replied sarcastically without turning around.

— No, I'm just helping the defeated.

Noboru frowned, and the audience looked at Okouchi, who was barely getting up. Then the guy talked to the whole yard.

— Well, if that's the case, then don't you want to demonstrate what they teach you in Albion besides "politeness"?

The saint sat the victim on the porch of the nearest house, made sure of the state of health and turned around and spoke.

— Come on. Just don't make a big scandal out of it, okay?

Noboru chuckled.

— In that case, tomorrow at noon, so be it, I'll give you time to prepare.

Everyone dispersed. And the inspired Glory asked Chise.

— And so how do I lose one face? — then he started scratching his chin.

Chise spoke.

— You know, I can...

— Exactly! — Svyat interrupted her sharply — You know almost everyone here. Can you find someone who is proficient with a sword and can teach me?

Chise looked at the boy with a stony face and after a short pause answered.

— Of course, but we have a long way to go...

Glory smiled.

— Okay, I'll pack my things now and let's go. — in an attempt to step over the threshold, he fell, dropping a flask and a book — well, that'll do it.

Chise sighed and our heroes went on a little trip. After walking a few streets and looking at the houses, the first stop was a large temple in the city. The girl entered the courtyard when the Saint decided to stay outside. There were hot springs on the edge of the road near the forest. Only after hearing about them did Glory say.

— Hmm... Japanese bathhouse... Then I'll have to go. — Chise said something in a whisper.

— What's serious? What did the mother give birth to? I thought we were weird... — Chise added softly.

— You're completely fu... a crackpot!? Have you thought about the children?!

Chise said nothing, she went forward faster, and the Saint rushed after her in search of an answer. So after a while they climbed a small mountain. And suddenly it started to rain a little, which over time, mixed with the wind, began to intensify. Chise, walking almost by touch, saw the cave. They took refuge in it. Soaked and sitting in a damp cave, our heroes gradually began to freeze. Chise told the Saint to find something to keep warm, and the guy just talked.

— Of the warming stuff, just this.

The boy took out a flask and drank a little, offering it to Chisa. The girl refused and, after examining the cave deeper, found old rags. Glory advised to make a fire with the help of things, and the girl slowly, but still agreed. The saint began to look for a replacement for brushwood and, remembering about the hat, took it off and tore off dry straw. With the help of a stone and a katana, they got a spark, thanks to which they lit a bonfire. The kid screamed in joy. Chise took an old stick and wound a piece of cloth and set it on fire saying.

— Can you not scream? And so there is no mood.

Chise went deeper, lighting the way with a homemade torch. The saint followed him. When they reached the end, they came across something that looked like a bed. Then the kid noticed.

— It looks like this cave is already occupied, look, some person lived or lives here..

Chise picked up some kind of scroll and added.

— And not alone.

Suddenly, a woman's voice rang out from behind him. They turned around, Chise seeing who had dropped the torch.