KATANAGATARI 3

■　■

Marauding1 the terrain of Lake Fuyo, she was the epitome of the unwanted trash abandoned all around her, the manifestation2 of refuse discarded well before its time has come.

The Queen of Rubbish.

That was Skytron’s sobriquet.3

An inanimate object with a vendetta against humanity.

An inhuman, mechanical swordsman.

Puppet4 sword, robotic5 sword.

True, neither Togame the Schemer, the realist, nor Princess Negative, the negativist, had believed the urban legends word for word─but Skytron could indeed be found at Lake Fuyo.

In that case, what was it doing there?

What reason did it have to be there?

If it was one of the Twelve Possessed of Kiki Shikizaki─that fact alone was plenty.

This is how Togame the Schemer saw things now.

She felt for certain Princess Negative had admitted this possibility, although she never said as much. The idea of Skytron being there to protect Kiki Shikizaki’s workshop led naturally toward such a conclusion.

The conjecture hadn’t been off the mark.

In truth, however, Princess Negative had no need to weigh the possibilities─not when she knew every detail of the story.

“Hey, Princess, one more thing,” Togame had turned around and asked her.

On their way out of Mansion Negative─

“What was that in the alcove? The pair of lumpy metal things.”

“Those? Oh, they’re just a decoration,” she’d brushed off the question.

“It doesn’t seem to fit your taste. Lemme guess, a crappy present? We’re heading to Lake Fuyo, after all. I’ll toss it for you.”

“Thanks so much,” the Princess had laughed, “but I’m afraid that won’t be necessary.”

■　■

While looking nothing like a warrior, the man did wear a sword─though there was something odd about its shape.

Compared with your average katana, the blade was inordinately narrow.

Even the scabbard was little over an inch wide.

Almost like─a rapier.7

Moreover, much like the strange sword at his hip, the clothing worn by this leisurely man was somewhat strange─like ninja garb, but sleeveless.

Chains wrapped around his body.

Indeed─

“You must be one of the Twelve Bosses of the Maniwa Clan─unless my eyes deceive me, Captain of the Fish Unit, Umigame Maniwa.”

The man─Umigame Maniwa turned around.

Whereupon he saw another man who was oddly attired─in a coat and trousers, clothing that was uncommon, or rather exceedingly rare, in that era. The top part of his face was covered by a mask emblazoned with the word “NON-NINJA.” Though they were plain compared to the one worn by Umigame, he wore a pair of swords: one big, one small.

“Hm─who the heck are you? How’d you know I’m Umigame Maniwa, the coolest, snazziest, strongest, handsomest, and richest of them all?”

Giving weight, leisurely yet confidently, to every word he uttered, the ninja pressed the strange man.

“You’re correct in guessing that I’m Umigame Maniwa, the coolest, snazziest, strongest, handsomest, and richest of them all─but I’ve never seen the likes of you before, you clown.8 I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“My name is Emonzaemon Soda.” Getting the hint, the man in the mask and trousers introduced himself. “Not off─I’m glad I found the right man. Since they call you the Immortal Turtle, I’d been expecting I would find an elderly gentleman, but now that we finally meet, I’m surprised to see how young you are. Frankly, I thought I must’ve had the wrong guy─but I’m glad that’s not the case.”

“Yeah? One look and anyone can see that I’m the coolest, snazziest, strongest, handsomest, and richest of them all, but if you know my alias,9 then you must really mean business… You said your name is Emonzaemon Soda? Not sure I’ve heard of you─that’s a pretty goofy name. An obvious pseudonym10 if I’ve ever heard one.”

“It’s not a pseudonym.”

The man in mask and trousers, Emonzaemon Soda, shook his head.

“It’s my real name─or it is now.”

“Whatever floats your boat,” said Umigame.

He gauged the distance between them.

His interlocutor stood a good number of paces away─as if he, too, were wary.

“Well? You’re the one who called to me. What do you want? I’m on a journey─kind of in a rush, in fact. So please, don’t hold me up, if you don’t mind.”

“You sure know how to stroll about for someone in a rush.”

“I’m the turtle. I take my time. If you ask me, most people need to chill.”

“Unfortunately,” said Emonzaemon, “holding you up is exactly what I’m here to do.”

“…”

Sure, muttered Umigame.

The man in mask and trousers─had been hostile from the first.

Not even concealing it, he seemed downright bloodthirsty.

“I’m not exactly confident in my memory, so I’ll ask you just in case─have we met?”

“No, this is the first time─and the last.”

“Salty,”11 admitted Umigame. “Makes me wish I said it first.”

Aiming at Emonzaemon’s shod feet, he flung a shuriken that he had extracted, stealthily, from his ninja garb.

With the utmost efficiency, the lieutenant stepped back, dodging the missile.

Umigame had not been expecting that the shuriken, his way of saying howdy-doo,12 would hit its target─but the way that Emonzaemon moved perplexed him.

─Hm.

That air.

“This can’t be anything personal? I don’t peddle in the sort of shoddy work that wins you enemies13─that Schemer girl is about the only person who has it in for me. Wait, don’t tell me that she sent you. According to Hohoh, we’ve supposedly forged some kind of an alliance─”

“Not involved,” Emonzaemon quietly negated.

Negated.

“I have no relations with Madame Schemer─but I do know that she’s at Lake Fuyo in Edo, trying to capture Bito the Sundial. I’m curious to see how the Kyotoryu stands up against that deranged contraption─curious indeed.”

“…”

Not sent for by the Schemer─

And yet this man knew who she was.

And knew about the Kyotoryu, her chosen weapon on the Sword Hunt.

Above all─he knew about the Sword Hunt.

Though looking calm as ever─on the inside Umigame felt his steady nature curdle.14

Lake Fuyo in Edo.

Where, according to the tip they had received from Hohoh Maniwa, his brother in arms, they could expect to find another of the swords. Hohoh said he didn’t know what kind of katana they would find─but evidently it was Bito the Sundial.

And yet…

“Am I correct,” Emonzaemon continued, twisting the knife,15 “to assume that you, too, Umigame Maniwa, are here in Shinano in search of yet another of the Twelve Possessed?”

“Please, are you serious?”

Umigame tried to play dumb, but what was the point?

The man sounded like he knew exactly what was up.

As if to prove it, Emonzaemon dropped some additional information on Umigame, which was news to him.

“It’s true that once upon a time─Ento the Bead could be found in this land. Assuming that’s what brings you here?”

Ento the Bead.16

That name.

Umigame had no idea what it was the sword entailed─but Emonzaemon said its name like it was an old friend.

He made it clear, however─that the sword was there no more.

When this sank in, Umigame shed the last traces of his smile. That carefree air was gone entirely. His mien shifted, turning treacherous,17 as if he had donned a different mask─to glare at Emonzaemon.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Umigame─taking one step closer. “Why are you here?”

“I told you, I’m here to hold you up. Though for the most part, we’ll let you Maniwa Bosses do your thing─on account of this alliance with Madame Schemer, I’m not about to mess things up for you… You’re free to go about the Sword Hunt as you please. That said, I don’t claim to understand what Hohoh Maniwa has in mind…”

“How do you know Hohoh?”

Though Umigame had casually mentioned him earlier, Emonzaemon had spoken as if that wasn’t the first time he’d heard about the Divine Phoenix.

His delivery suggested he and Hohoh knew of one another.

But in answer to Umigame’s question─

“No reply,” he said. “It’s none of your business whether he and I are old acquaintances or strangers… As a general rule, we’d like to leave you to your own devices. As long as you don’t try and snatch Ento the Bead─”

“…?”

“Go ahead and claim any of the other Mutant Blades, but the Bead is off-limits. If you delve any deeper─you just might arrive at the Princess.”

The Princess?

That word─gave Umigame pause.

Right─he remembered.

There were two she-devils18 at the center of the bakufu─

Two women whose true origins and real names were unknown.

The first being the Whitehaired Schemer─needless to say.

The Grand Commander of Arms, with whom the Maniwa had dealt extensively.

And the second─

“Princess Negative…” muttered Umigame─stepping back just as he had stepped forward.

Princess Negative.

Inspector General of the Yanari Shogunate.

“Do you work for─Princess Negative?”

It made sense. From the way he called Togame “Madame Schemer” and spoke about her circumstances, one could be forgiven for assuming he not only knew about her, but knew her personally, in which case…

─Princess Negative.

According to Hohoh─she had made a comeback just a few months prior.

He recalled the twinge of dread he had experienced when he heard─and why? Because she had been toppled by none other than the Maniwa.

In a maneuver led by Togame the Schemer.

Well, that would explain how this man knew Hohoh. And Umigame’s alias─

“Is this some kind of a retaliation?”19 Umigame let out a little breath and asked Emonzaemon. “Is the Princess seeking vengeance20─on what happened to her last?”

“Please. Princess Negative rejects such nonsense─she wouldn’t waste her time retaliating. She’s given up on you entirely. Hence─the choice to let you do your thing. As long as you steer clear of the Bead.”

“What’s so special about that one sword? Wait a second, are you saying that the Princess has Ento the Bead in her possession? And keeping it a secret from the bakufu?”

“Well done. Leave it to a ninja.”

Umigame had not asked him with the utmost confidence─he could have seen it either way.

Yet unfortunately─his guess had been correct.

Not good.

Without realizing─he had waltzed into the lion’s mouth.21 If he had known it would be this way, he would have partnered up, like Pengin had with Hohoh. He had never meant to pick a fight with Princess Negative.

But then again, the fact that Oshidori wasn’t with him was a blessing, really. Perhaps Hohoh and Pengin─but Oshidori would have made it hard to extricate themselves from this situation.

This man would not have been tasked with an errand of this magnitude if he were merely working under Princess Negative─he had to be a close aide.

Which meant he was no pushover.

“I’m afraid,” said Emonzaemon, “you’re in over your head.”

“…”

“If you’re a ninja, be a ninja─and if you’re a pushover, play the part. You had the chance to shy away from the limelight of history, but you had to outrun all the others and almost reach the core. You got so close─if Madame Schemer and the Kyotoryu had suffered even one more unexpected interference, I doubt that I’d have caught you, and you would have been the first to arrive at the historical truth. A close call.”

“History? Historical? What are you saying? I don’t understand.”

“No need to understand─when you’re about to die. You almost made it. Just a little further─good luck in your next history.”

Stepping over the shuriken lodged at his feet, Emonzaemon approached Umigame and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard.

“Hey, wait a second. Wait!”

Umigame─

Threw both hands in the air.

“S-So I touched something untouchable, or I’ve been messing where I shouldn’t have been? Fine, fine, I apologize. It really was an accident─”

“…”

“I give up, okay? I never wanted any part of this Sword Hunt in the first place. Since everyone else was onboard, I got the sense it wasn’t the right time to stick my neck out and figured I had no choice but to join them. Or at least pretend to join them, see? I mean, I’m only here in Shinano to see the sights─I love this place, Shinano. Great spot.”

“Even if all that were true, I’ve told you too much. As far as I’m concerned, you have no right to live another day.”

“Quit sounding so scary─oh, right, I’ve got a great idea. How’s about you and me buddy up? I’m getting pretty sick of being in the Maniwa. Too many wise guys22 running around─unlike the old days. See, I may look this way, but it’s all just cosmetic,23 and I’m actually pretty old. About as old as you, I’d reckon. And yet, that Kawauso insists on making fun of me. Ah, but I guess he’s no longer with us, is he─”