Chapter 78: A Small Zashiki, A Great Dream

Uesugi Toru was somewhat unexpectedly stunned.

In his view, the zashiki-warashi who stayed alone in this Arakawa Village machiya to forge iron should have been eager to accept his invitation.

After all, her teacher the blacksmith had already left Arakawa Village, and the zashiki-warashi's strength was not strong either.

He gazed at the top of the girl's head—【Zashiki-warashi (One Star)】.

One-star strength was at most enough to deal with small monsters in this remote village of Arakawa Village; running into any outside yokai or hidden elite monster would spell trouble.

Not to mention she had put all her skill points into blacksmithing and forging.

If they really fought, Uesugi Toru estimated she could fight a sturdy farmer to a standstill, with either side able to win.

But Uesugi Toru took back the Universal Possession Vessel and simply asked, "Is there a reason?"

The zashiki-warashi held the hot and cold hammer, mustered her courage, and gazed into Banruo Xiansheng's eyes, saying, "If I become Banruo Xiansheng's shikigami, you will surely find a way to shelter me from wind and rain."

"Presumably my future life may be unsettled and dangerous, but I certainly won't have to live in daily fear of being abducted or killed by strangers I've never met."

She did not use a question, but a declarative tone.

"Of course."

Uesugi Toru nodded; such a rare and precious talent as the zashiki-warashi, he was unwilling to let her come to harm.

"Banruo Xiansheng has such thoughts; I am deeply moved."

Although she said that with her mouth, the zashiki-warashi shook her head: "But that won't do."

"My teacher told me that if I want to reach the pinnacle of blacksmithing and become a true master craftsman, I must not only read ten thousand books, but also travel ten thousand li."

The zashiki-warashi spoke with longing: "I will study Heian Period forging techniques in the bustling Heian-kyo, seek legendary meteoric iron in Mount Ooe, and measure this Joto Land with my own feet, visiting master craftsmen of different eras……"

"I will exchange with and learn from craftsmen more skilled than me, take the essence and discard the dross, and listen to the thoughts and suggestions of every capable person and extraordinary individual……"

The zashiki-warashi recounted her dream—no, perhaps it should be said, the things she would surely accomplish in the future.

"But Zashiki-warashi," Uesugi Toru couldn't help but ask after listening, "Joto Land is far more dangerous than you imagine."

"Of course it is, Banruo Xiansheng."

The zashiki-warashi nodded as a matter of course: "Precisely because the journey through Joto Land is full of hardships and dangers, and there are vast differences in customs and cognition between different eras, so many peerless techniques cannot circulate."

Uesugi Toru looked at the girl wordlessly.

And the girl's gaze was firm; she had experienced it, and had long known from books how perilous and strange Joto Land was.

But the zashiki-warashi was determined thus; she knew she might very well die unnoticed on this long journey.

She was willing.

"But I'm not so rash as to set off without any preparation."

The zashiki-warashi smiled, brought over a small stool, and placed the kimono and various strange props and ornaments from behind onto it.

She spread her hands, gesturing for Uesugi Toru to look.

"What's there to see in these miscellaneous little things……"

Just as Uesugi Toru was thinking this, the clothes, props, and ornaments on the small stool seemed to have some seal undone, bursting forth with a deep purple radiance almost blinding his eyes!

Epic! Epic! Still epic!

The quality of the dozen or so items on the small stool was actually all epic or above!

Uesugi Toru looked until his mouth was dry, but he soon noticed these items all shared the same effect.

——【Exclusive to Zashiki-warashi】.

This directly bound the equipment to the wearer, making it for private use only.

Could a blacksmith actually do such a thing…… No wonder they were called master craftsmen.

He raised his head, and just as he was about to speak, he discovered the zashiki-warashi was holding an exquisite small handgun aimed at him.

And on the surface of that handgun, a dazzling golden radiance suddenly burst forth!

Seeing this radiance for the first time, Uesugi Toru shifted his gaze to the quality column, only to discover this unremarkable small handgun was actually a legendary weapon of higher quality than epic.

Uesugi Toru was stunned speechless.

So this was a super-rich lady going out; what was there for him to worry about?

Wearing this set of equipment, not to mention dealing with ghost gods, but fighting an ordinary three-star demon would be more than enough.

However, Uesugi Toru believed that, for the convenience of allowing the one-star zashiki-warashi to use these high-quality equipment, every aspect of these equipment should have been weakened.

But even so, it was still terrifying.

Legendary weapon…… Uesugi Toru feared the zashiki-warashi's hand would tremble and pull the trigger, blowing him up with one shot.

"As expected, I didn't misjudge Banruo Xiansheng!" The zashiki-warashi scratched her cheek with her finger, giggling, "If it were other yokai, they definitely couldn't help but snatch them."

Then you'd blow them up with one shot, right.

Uesugi Toru shook his head: "It seems I worried too much."

"If that's the case, Banruo Xiansheng."

The zashiki-warashi pulled off the hair tie binding her braid, letting her messy bangs fall down: "Treat it as payment for strengthening Kaga Kiyomitsu; could you please help me put on this kimono?"

The girl handed over that black-red kimono: "After all, I'm also planning to leave Arakawa Village soon."

Leave Arakawa Village……

That is to say, she had been waiting for him to come all along, not wanting to leave without saying goodbye.

Uesugi Toru silently took the kimono, thinking its wearing method should be similar to the dojo's kendo uniform, and after Shizuku had helped him put it on twice, he remembered this slightly complicated way of wearing it.

Squatting down, he draped the loose black-red kimono over the zashiki-warashi's body; Uesugi Toru heard the girl sigh somewhat sadly: "After this parting today, I don't know when I'll be able to see Banruo Xiansheng you again."

Joto Land was vast, divided into dozens of eras, with countless forces, yokai, and mononoke running rampant everywhere.

The zashiki-warashi leaving Arakawa Village and entering Joto Land was truly like a drop of water falling into the sea.

After carefully tying the butterfly knot at her waist for her, Uesugi Toru said: "We will meet again."

"Mm, we will meet again."

Zashiki clenched her small fists, cheering herself on.

Next, Uesugi Toru watched her take out coal, shut down the blast furnace, seal the three large vats with specially made wooden lids, then come to the small field beside the corridor where essence grass was planted, pulling up every stalk by the roots and placing them in a small backpack that seemed never to fill up.

Finally, she left one stalk and handed it to Uesugi Toru: "Although the gift isn't valuable, such special essence grass cannot be found elsewhere."

After solemnly accepting this ordinary stalk of essence grass, Uesugi Toru followed her silently out of the Blacksmith Shop, then saw her use both hands to close the heavy door with difficulty.

Zashiki walked out without lingering toward the locked door, because she feared that if she looked even a moment longer, she would be unable to bear leaving this home where she had stayed for so very long.

That would be too much of a pity.

"Banruo Xiansheng."

Zashiki, already with her back to him, turned her head and said somewhat embarrassedly and timidly: "Could you please make me a meal of Red Bean Rice every year from now on?"

"That way, even if I die unknown and unnoticed in the future, someone will remember me."

End of Chapter