CHAPTER 299: JINRI

 

The highway leading to Jinri Town. The leaves on the scattered roadside trees were sparse, and a chilled mountain wind—damp with moisture—brushed across my skin.

On both sides lay farmland called ‘rice paddies,’ where a crop known as ‘rice’ was grown. Seen from the slightly elevated road, the view looked like a golden carpet rolled out to either side.

Zen, Magoroku, and I walked abreast at the front. Just behind us, Yurai walked beside Kinu, looking around. Every so often she’d sniff the air with a happy snrk, and Kinu—also smiling—would say to her, 「I wonder what it tastes like?」

Maybe they were used to scenery like this, because Zen and Magoroku kept up their conversation with calm faces.

「I’ll be with you until Jinri Town, but after that I’ll head to Amanekyo to prepare for the Shurasaki Festival.」

「Yeah. We’re going to Kunimitsu the Second’s smithy.」

Our destination lay along the same road—only our final stops differed.

That kind of journey was fine, too.

As we drew closer to Jinri Town, the air changed.

The sharp, nose-prickling stink of iron and charcoal.

――Clang.

――Clang, clang.

A dull sound echoed from afar. White smoke poured from countless chimneys, as if the whole town were breathing.

Just like I’d heard, Jinri Town really was a ‘town of fire and ash.’

Smithies lined the streets, and the heat from the forges made the ground itself seem to shiver.

The air against my skin was unmistakably hot.

「…This is insane.」

「Even in Bukyo, you won’t find many places with this many smiths gathered in one town.」

There was the faintest hint of pride in Magoroku’s voice.

On the edge of town, a workshop came into view—smaller than most.

Its walls were stained with soot, and the roof looked weathered with age.

But—what came from inside wasn’t like the others.

A steady sound, like a living heartbeat. No wavering, no deviation. Strong.

「…This is it.」

Magoroku stopped. Without any ceremony—but quietly—he opened the door.

Inside, facing the furnace, a single man sat at the forge.

Even seated, you could tell he was tall. His build was lean, with nothing wasted. He’d casually rolled up the sleeves of his kimono, and the exposed arms carried the corded muscle unique to a smith. There were threads of white in his hair, yet he didn’t feel old at all—if anything, it made it harder to guess his age.

The instant that thought crossed my mind—

「Been a while. …You still alive, Magoroku?」

Kunimitsu didn’t stop his hammering. He didn’t even turn around.

「Only reason we don’t meet is ‘cause you never leave your workshop.」

Magoroku shot back, brusquer than he’d been with us.

「Still, you’re squattin’ in a weird place like always. With your skill, you could set up shop somewhere better.」

「Don’t care. You, on the other hand—leavin’ your workshop to your apprentices so you can go for a stroll?」

「Mine are good. …More importantly, how ‘bout you raise even one apprentice already? Skill’s somethin’ you pass on.」

「That’s none of your business.」

After that, the words stopped.

They traded insults, but respect seeped through anyway.

Past or present, neither of them stepped in deeper than necessary.

It felt like a relationship that held precisely because of that.

Eventually Kunimitsu set the hammer down and finally looked our way.

「…So? What’s with the kid over there. Ain’t often you see a demi-human.」

His gaze stabbed into me—sharp.

「…A swordsman?」

「Hard to say. If you’re askin’ whether I’m a swordsman, it’s kind of a gray area,」 I answered.

Kunimitsu snorted.

「Hah. That face at your age. You’ve walked through your share of hell… Talk stupid like that and you’ll get yourself killed one day, you know?」

There was no malice in it.

But there was no restraint either.

Like whatever he felt just came out—straight from the gut.

「Relax. I’m not the type to die that easily.」

「Oh? …You’ve got a funny mouth on you, kid.」

For an instant, the corner of Kunimitsu’s mouth twisted—just a little.

That was Magoroku’s cue. He stepped forward.

「…Kunimitsu. I want you to look at this blade.」

Kunimitsu’s eyes shifted to my waist—and widened slightly.

「Hey… Don’t tell me that’s Shiranuemaru?」

「Yeah. I heard you made it, so I came here.」

And the moment I touched Shiranuemaru, Kunimitsu’s expression changed.

「Don’t touch it carelessly.」

His voice dropped low.

「If you handle it rough right now, it’ll become irreversible.」

The air tightened.

「What do you mean by— …No, fine. I don’t need the reason. Can you fix it?」

At my question, Kunimitsu closed his eyes briefly.

「If I ‘fix’ it… it’ll ‘die.’」

Then he turned back toward the furnace fire and continued.

「But… I can ‘raise it again.’」

Those words carried the forge’s heat—and landed heavy in my chest.

Since I came here ready for this, I only had one choice.

「I want you to help Shiranuemaru.」

A few seconds of silence weighed down the room. Then Kunimitsu spoke, slow.

「…There’s a condition.」

「Say it.」

「To forge it again from scratch with this blade as the core, I’ll need a special ore. …You can go get it?」

「I will.」

I had no intention of giving any other answer.

「Answerin’ without even askin’ details, huh. …Fine. But I’m keepin’ Shiranuemaru right now so I can check its condition properly. Which means you’ll be unarmed. You good with that?」

「Don’t care. Believe it or not, I’m pretty damn good at beatin’ people with my bare hands.」

Kunimitsu stared at me for a long moment.

Then he let out a short laugh.

「You’re the real deal—an honest-to-god idiot.」

There was a little exasperation in his voice—

and mixed in with it, something that sounded… amused.