The eyepatch man's name is Kokuyou(克用, Ke Yong). As she could imagine from his filthy appearance, he appeared to be a traveller. Though, according to the person himself, he's a doctor–.
"Yeah, to put it simply, ;you're cursed so scram, was what I'd been told— how mean was that—"
It didn't sound mean at all. His tone reminded her of gossiping aunties – there were no bitter emotions in it whatsoever.
"I had been staying in the same place for the last couple of years. There was crop damage in the village from the locust plague last year—Because of that, the witch doctor suddenly started to cry curse—"
Kokuyou told her that he, being the newest newcomer in the village, got chased out. Doctors and witch doctors don't get along by nature. For Maomao, the idea of believing in unfounded things like curses was more stupid, but it's common sense for the general people. How irritating.
In opposed to his playful tone, his motion sickness medicine was very effective. To the point that the Rahan who couldn't let go of the pail could join in with their conversation. It could also be that it was more stable as the boat had increased in size, but Rahan was quite satisfied with it.
"Mhm. So you said that you'll be going to the capital to look for work," Rahan said.
"Yeah, I guess. Something like that—" Kokuyou affirmed.
Rahan stroked his chin in acknowledgement. It looked like he was calculating something. Maomao nudged him with her elbow.
(Don't draw him in in a weird way.)
Kokuyou is weird, but if his skill as a doctor is attested, he can probably eat fine even in the capital. He just needs to cover his pockmarks though.
I know, Rahan looked at Maomao.As he said that, he took out some paper from his breast pocket and started to write something on it.
"Come here if anything happens. I think I'll be able to help somewhat," he said.
What he had written down was a certain address of a house in the capital
Kokuyou accepted the paper and gave a carefree smile. "Ahahaha, I met nice people."
(It's not really with good intentions.)
Rahan has a calculative personality. This man only passed it over, thinking that there was some utility value, as little as there is, to it after all.
"By the way, how was last year's locust plague?" Maomao asked.
Maomao wanted to grill him about his knowledge as a doctor, but she asked this first.
"Mm–. It wasn't to the extent of eating tree roots and culling babies. Though, the children gradually got weaker from malnutrition yeah," Kokuyou said with a look of sadness.
It's easier to get sick with malnutrition. And the one who cures that would be the doctor. The village that chased out this man – how is it going now?
"I think it'll be fine if there's abundant harvest this year though—" he added.
That's not the case, were Maomao's thoughts, and it looks like this man had the same opinion.
"Until then, it'll be greaaat if everyone in the village helps out one another yeah."
The words ;helps out oneanother ;sounds good. However, there were requirements for that.
To the point of being able to help others, you'll need the liberty or something to do so. You ensure you have enough for yourself to eat and give away what you have left. The majority of help is something like this, and there's no meaning if you starve to death helping others. There are idiots who don't consider themselves and help others, but those are mere idiots who generally appear in stories.
If you think that doctors and pharmacists are saints or something, it's just an impression you get from their position. If they have no liberty, they cannot heal. It would be a total loss if you live frugally, get sick and infect everyone around you.
The village that chased out this man – even if they desired a new doctor, it would be too late.
No matter what happens, what's done has been done.
The boat journey ended a couple of days later. Maomao and the rest finally arrived in the capital. After alighting from the boat, the eyepatch man parted ways with them. He said that he had something else to do.
Rahan had tried to falsify his tipping when they got back, so they didn't lose a cent at all. Rikuson had laughed over that. Maomao really didn't understand this mild-mannered man.
When she was getting dropped off by carriage in front of the Rokushoukan, a kamuro raced up to her, mouth flapping as if she was complaining about something. It was Zuurin, the little girl who couldn't speak.
"What's wrong?" Maomao asked.
The little girl pulled Maomao's sleeves. She couldn't say anything even if she was asked. Maomao helplessly went along with her.Zuurin threw open the doors of the pharmacy. Sazen was there, diligently sorting medicinal herbs right in the middle of the scattered bundles of paper. Despite having cleaned up since then, he looked like the wanderer from the time when he just arrived in the capital. His hair had grown and was loose and dishevelled. There were heavy bags under his eyes.
As Maomao was going away for a long period of time, she had taught him simple compounding. It seems that he was doing the work properly.
Sazen looked at her with vacant eyes.
"…I." He stepped over the papers that had been scattered all over the floor, nearly stumbling, stopped in front of Maomao and grabbed her shoulders. "I didn't hear about it! That it'll get so busy!" he cried.
His appearance, nose dribbling, face gaunt, certainly told how her busy he was.
Maomao looked at the notebook that had been left on the low table.It seems there was three times more work than usual.The medicine she saved up was already used up.
"…yeah, I'm, kinda, sorry about that," Maomao said.
Sazen finally gave a look of relief and hit the floor. She lightly prodded him to see if he was still alive. She could hear the faint sounds of snoring.
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Can't be helped. She covered him with a blanket. He's in the way so she will have to carry him out later.
She took off her shoes and was about to enter the pharmacy when her back was pushed. She wondered what was up, and it turned out the brat was butting his head against Maomao's back.
"What?" she said.
"It's not ;what. You're back so late," the brat replied.
"I already told you it's far away."
It was Chou'u. The time Maomao went away, she left him for the head manservant, Ukyou, to look after him. Was he dissatisfied about something? He kept bumping his head on Maomao.
"You're in the way." Maomao grabbed his head.
"Ooo—w," Chou'u's exposed gums, the front teeth were half grown.
"By the way, what's this?" Maomao asked him to ascertain the situation.Zuurin couldn't explain, and the courtesans must be sleeping after their night work finished. The brothel was very silent.
"The old man, he slept over here, in this room— He somehow caught a cold," Chou'u explained.
"Hmm."
It was a little out of season, but that might be exactly why there wasn't enough medicine. Maomao didn't prepare that much cold medicine either.
"Then, what's this?" Maomao looked at the papers that had been scattered everywhere. They weren't notes, but letters. Here and there, tree branches accompanied them.
"Ahh, that. Half is from the usual big bro. But I don't know about the other half," Chou'u admitted.
Would the usual mean Jinshi? Certainly, the writing was familiar. And when she looked at the contents, they were things that made her tilt her head.
"Big bro is belated. To bring up weather as a topic. He normally doesn't even use that," he said.
"Did you just go and read it?" Maomao asked.
"I'm studying my words!"
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He didn't look like he was reflecting at all. Maomao lightly ground the brat's head.
However, wouldn't you send important letters more carefully? In reality, there was nothing but dry letters. Normally, he would send messages when he brought bothersome matters.
"Moreover, he brought it over despite knowing that you were away. Did you tell him the exact day you were coming back?" Chou'u asked.
Looking at the numbers of messages she picked up, he had come over at least four times.Then, speaking about the rest of the messages….
"?"
"Hahaha. It's amusing—these. It's those, right? The things you call love letters?" he said.
The branches that adorned it were seasonal flowers. The addressee's names were all different. But, looking at the contents, there was nothing but love letters.
Maomao tilted her head as she bundled the letters to the side, then started to compound what Sazen had left behind.
"I don't know who the hell they are, but it looks like they sniffed it out yeah," the madam said as she puffed her pipe. "That weirdo had come here to raise a fuss every time. Gosh."
It needn't be said who that weirdo is.It's that monocle old man.
"He yelled it out. That ;I won't give you my daughter," she added.
"…"
(Just what is this about?)
It happens to be a considerably familiar sight to have that weirdo yell out in front of the Rokushoukan. But, up until now, he only looked like a guest who got banned from entering the brothel.The weirdo tactician is famous, but the Rokushoukan madam is also famous in the pleasure districts. Even that old man who has no enemies in the imperial court got chased out by the madam. That was how it was taken as.
The madam, being who she is, seemed to have warned him against using that bothersome wording for "daughter(娘, musume. This word is normally used to mean 'daughter', but can also refer to 'a typical maiden/girl')". The old man had some way or other abided by her words faithfully, but it seems he broke that promise this time.
Speaking of the reason…
"It was truly a sight when he butted heads with the masked patron, ya know," the madam said.
The letters from Jinshi that was left in her room had been overly vague and hard to understand. It seems it was that kind of message.
"That's right. There were sparks flying–. Fufu, it was amusing–." Pairin showed up without any preamble and added to the conversation. She gave a smirk that made Maomao feel uncomfortable.
(What went awry?)
When she put the news together, she got this.
It seems Jinshi, having made some mistake, had proposed marriage to Maomao.And then, the weirdo tactician who knew of it repeatedly went to the Rokushoukan and yelled ;thatout. From that, there were rumours that there is a relative of the weirdo here.When that happened, a portion of daredevil officials who are filled with the desire for promotion caught sound of it, and in the manner of aiming for the horse first to shoot the commander, sent love letters to Maomao.
"And so, they brought letters over. They passed it to the kamuro without knowing who the daughter is. Everyone was stumped and just dumped the letters all in the room. Ah. Occasionally there were also guests who came to buy so we did something bad though," Pairin said.
"I guess so. It seems we sold two newcomer virgins for high," the madam said.
The madam was full of deception. Maomao wondered what would happen if their lies got busted, but until then, that could be training for the newcomers to chain men down skilfully.
Maomao touched her lips softly, and let go.
(What am I thinking about?)
As a certain noble's face appeared in her mind, Maomao decided to continue working.