568 Pointing to
In a private room at a high class Japanese inn. We're sitting cross legged on a cushion put on the tatami floor, opposite to each other over a table.
A grand feast has been put on top of this low legged table. It's the full course of Japanese meals only seen in TV. Very extravagant.
But I don't see my hope and dream, white rice anywhere. Shame, I'd like to eat tea-poured rice.
"Come, let's have a feast! This inn has the most daintily exquisite dishes. The more you eat the tastier it gets. Don't forget about the booze."
Balga poured liquor in his cup. While I had plain water.
"Hm? Are you not drinking? Fumu, there's no fun in me drinking alone. Won't you drink with me? This booze is quite surprising with its transparent color. The mellow sweetness and aroma tickle the nostril. Have a taste."
I peeked at the cup he poured the booze in, and smelled Japanese sake. This means my hope and dream, rice hasn't been dashed yet.
"Ah, I'm good with booze. But if you insist. I'll have this much."
I held out a small cup that was on the table.
My interest on the booze is piqued now. I'd like to verify if it tastes the same as Japanese sake.
I won't get my hopes up since this is fantasy after all. Can't deny the possibility of it being completely different thing despite all signs pointing to yes.
Also, even though I have come of age in this world, my mentality is still that of a Japanese.
You can drink once you're an adult in this world as well, but I just can't shake away the agreed upon 'Drinking age is 20' custom.
However, I convinced myself a sip is okay.
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Balga poured the sake in the small cup to which I sipped. A nostalgic flavor spread out in my mouth.
(Aah... It's a Japanese rice wine... Crap, I'm gonna cry...)
My mind was greatly shaken. I had given up ever tasting this again in this world.
Yet here I am drinking it. Tears ran down my throat, hot from the sake.
"What do you think? Good stuff ain't it? Oy oy, that so good you cried? Oh boy, I really can't read you, eh."
Hahaha, Balga laughed. Thus we chatted over meal.
"Let's have a proper introduction. Let me start. As you may know, I'm a gladiator of this city. The champion. I sensed something unlike anything I have ever witnessed when I first saw you, I couldn't contain my excitement. I should have done my due diligence first before contacting you earlier, but there was no stopping the urge to fight. Even forgot my introduction."
Balga laughed heartily without a hint of being apologetic.
"Now then, how about you? I get the sense you don't want to stand out. You won't talk in public will you? But us are the only two here. I hope you'd open up as your friend."
I'm mulling over it. I don't really mind telling him. My birthplace is just a normal village.
My reason being here is to tour the place during a journey I took after coming of age.
But I don't want to spell my name out.
"I come from an exceedingly ordinary village. I grew up and left the place to go on a journey. I'm here as a tourist."
I'm an irregular in this world. Hence I aim to live and die quietly.
I don't want to get my name known. Therefore I won't say it.
I'm afraid of getting cursed by someone holding a grudge on me due to this power.
Magic exists in this world. A way to curse someone with their name may too.
It's a fantasy world. Being overly cautious is nonsense. I have zero knowledge on magic. I can't just brush aside the possibility of curse existing.
"My goal is to live in a remote plot of land somewhere quietly by myself."
I like and am proud of the name I got from my parents in this world.
It's loaded with love from my father and mother who raised me.
But I had tucked away that name in the corner of my mind the day I left my village.
My parents should be the only two people who know my name in this world. They have the right. That's what I believe.
However, I do think it's inconvenient for other people if they have no idea what to call me.
I thought of using a 'nickname'.
"Fumu, you just left an ordinary village? So you must be, 15 year old...? How did you hone such power at such a young age? You're a bundle of mystery! Did you perhaps inherit a hidden generational school of sword?"
But my looks alone carry a lot of impact, hence I never felt the need for a nickname.
'Who that is' is enough. Black eyes, black hair. I haven't seen or even heard a single rumor about someone with that trait other than me.
I'm probably the only black haired black eyed guy in this world.
"I did learn a lot of things. But it's not any specific sword school really."
The 'Black Clad' depicted in Binota's research must have the same line of thinking as I do.
After all, despite all the documents pertaining Black Clad Binota had, he never once spoke of their names.
Which means none of those documents mentioned it.
That must be the reason why Binota never uttered a name.
He should have plenty of reason to distinguish between specific Black Clad.
But let's forget that, it's not the time and place to think all that.
I'm gonna focus enjoying this full course meal.
"The reason behind your strength gets curious and curiouser. Hahaha! What an enigma you are. Oh right, what about your name? I don't think I have heard it yet. I can't keep calling you, 'you', can I?"
I uttered my name in my previous life like it was only natural.
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