Yashiro the Blind

"..."

"kindness?"

Yashiro sat there, tilting her head in confusion, about to ask a question, when she suddenly heard a low chuckle that had been suppressed to the limit: "Pfft... Pfft..."

The woman didn't seem to have given up. She was pursing her lips tightly and covering them with one hand. The sound was almost squeezed out through her teeth, then peeked out from between her lips, letting out a barely audible whisper.

However, as the old saying goes, "Whispers among men are heard by the heavens like thunder." To Hachiro's ears, this suppressed laughter was truly like a sudden clap of thunder in mid-air, deafeningly loud.

She immediately realized why the other person was laughing, and for a moment, she hesitated to speak, then with a "plop," the towel she was holding fell into the basin.

Ripples spread out.

"Hold... I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I know I must look ridiculous right now."

"Not this time..."

“I have heard that monks do not lie.”

"...Actually, it's not that bad...I'm sorry."

You could tell that this was a rather serious practitioner, bound by precepts, and ultimately unable to utter words against his conscience. Even so, he was still trying to keep his expression tense, searching for words that were slightly less forceful and slightly more tactful.

"Really?"

"I'm so... sorry."

As it turns out, she wasn't very good at it.

"Forget it, I can't see it myself anyway, so there's no problem at all. Yeah, no problem at all!" Yashiro pouted, and in a fit of despair, was about to slap her face with her sleeve.

Taking care of others is one thing, but when it comes to herself, she prefers to be lazy whenever possible rather than properly washing her face and body with hot water. She basically adopts this simpler, more unrestrained approach, doing whatever she pleases to get by.

Anyway, no matter how beautifully she dresses up, she won't appreciate it herself, so why bother?

In a sense, this is probably an influence left over from a life of just getting by in a previous life.

However, while she was about to do whatever she wanted, someone couldn't stand it anymore. She had only raised her hand halfway when the other person pressed it down: "...If you don't mind, I'll help you."

"You can help me... Master, you mean you'll wipe my face?"

"Correct."

"Are we that close?" Yashiro asked in surprise.

The other person sounded equally bewildered: "Intimate...it's just washing my face, isn't it?"

"It's just washing my face...indeed, it's just washing my face."

After the other person asked that question, she suddenly felt that she didn't need to dwell on it. It was just washing her face, what was there to be so particular about? She wasn't some naive young girl anymore; she was over thirty or forty years old across two lifetimes. She had experienced far more extreme things than this...

I've experienced...

Having experienced...

Pass……

Oh no, it seems that she has never triggered a similar event in her past life!

Her relaxed mind suddenly snapped back to attention, but it was too late. Before Yashiro could change her mind and call for a stop, the fragrance had already approached, and amidst the splashing water, she picked up the towel.

"Come on, sit down."

It was as gentle as a school teacher speaking to a student, with an inexplicable air of authority that made it impossible to disobey. When she came to her senses, she found herself sitting obediently and motionless, letting the other person wring out a towel, sit down beside her, and gently wipe her cheeks.

It's clearly the same towel and the same basin of water, but the feeling it evokes is completely different depending on who's holding it.

Thanks to the girl's more acute senses than the average person, she could clearly feel the temperature of the other person's fingertips and their breath from a distance, even through the fabric.

The gentle pressure moved from the corner of my mouth to the tip of my nose, tickling me a little, but not the kind of tickling that makes me want to sneeze...

A strange, itchy sensation, like a subtle electric current, coursed through Yashiro's heart, making her feel inexplicably awkward. She subconsciously swayed her body, but her shoulder was immediately pressed down: "Don't move."

The voice was so close, the lingering breath brushing against her ear. She instinctively held her breath, straightened her back, and felt quite uncomfortable.

Fortunately, this "torturous" time did not last too long. No matter how carefully the woman wiped her face, her small face could not withstand the fuss for long. After a moment, she slowly exhaled, and the air flowed onto her ears, causing a small blush to spread.

"Okay, that's clean now, unlike before when it looked like a little cat with a dirty face..."

The woman started off with a laugh and a joke, but when she realized what she had said, she fell silent for a few seconds before laughing awkwardly, "Sorry, I'm used to talking to children like this, and I didn't change it right away... Please don't take it to heart."

"It's okay. After all, according to other people's opinions, I do look rather childish... Hehe." Yashiro shook her head, not taking the incident to heart at all—more than that, she actually felt a little bit of secret pleasure at being treated so gently, though of course, she would never say such a thing out loud.

"But what you mean is, do you usually take care of children like this?"

“Yes,” the woman said with a smile, “After all, from samurai to commoners, everyone sends their children to the temple to study. My fellow disciples are all rather easygoing, so I have to take care of many things and help them out. Over time, I’ve gotten used to it. So…”

As he paused, Yashiro felt a gaze pass through his shoulder and land on his hair.

The woman's gaze was intense, and she hesitated before speaking: "If you don't mind, could I..." Before she could finish her sentence, her intentions were obvious.

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "No problem... but I don't have a comb."

"Don't worry, I have it."

As soon as he finished speaking, with a flick of his wrist, the other person actually pulled out a comb from the sleeve of his monk's robe. It was unclear whether he had prepared it on purpose or had always carried it with him—if it was the latter, it was rather unsettling to think about.

"Come, sit over here... wait, let me go over there."

The footsteps echoed around, and when they sat down, they conveniently blocked the scorching sunlight from the window. The woman, rather impatiently, reached out and tidied her messy short hair.

"really……"

"really?"

"It's such beautiful hair, but it's hardly been taken care of. It's all tangled up here and here, and here too... It's such a pity!" Feeling the rough, prickly touch on her fingertips, the woman frowned, her tone full of regret—it could even be described as heartbroken.

"Is it really that exaggerated..." Yashiro said dismissively.

"Of course!"

"oh oh."

That aura of a high school teacher was back. She swallowed hard and decided it was best not to confront him directly for the time being.

Another sigh reached his ears: "What a pity..." The sincerity in those words almost made Yashiro feel a little guilty.

Fortunately, the other person didn't say anything more, just silently used a comb for a while and then wet it to style it, busy with their own things. Yashiro, on the other hand, sat upright from beginning to end, as if the time when she was daydreaming in the barbershop was being relived. Whether she talked or not, it was awkward.

Only the soft, rustling sound of the comb sliding down its sides was both soothing and tingling, stirring a slightly taut string in the darkness. Soft breaths rose and fell, and after a while, a voice rang out again: "If I remember correctly... you should be of marriageable age now, right?"

"Yes."

Eightfold response.

She was born in the autumn of 1540 AD, and is now fifteen years old, which is the age of coming of age in ancient poems.

"At fifteen, one is of marriageable age; at twenty, one marries." This is a sentence from the Book of Rites. The current marriage age in Japan is also around this stage, and due to the chaos of war, it is usually even earlier.

For example, Maeda Toshiie's wife, Matsu, married at the young age of twelve and gave birth to her eldest son the following year. From this perspective, Yagami no Masaru can be considered a rare gem among lolicon.

If a woman is still unmarried by the age of seventeen or eighteen, she is considered an unwanted old maid in the eyes of others.

Therefore, judging by age alone, Yashiro is in her prime – of course, given other options, probably no one would want to marry a blind woman, and the young woman has no intention of getting married at all.

The reason the woman behind him asked that question was certainly not to act as a matchmaker or anything like that. Although temples in the Warring States period often served as landlords, local tyrants, and powerful figures, and had many other businesses, they would never stoop so low as to steal the job of a matchmaker.

"Did my father tell you?" she paused, then asked.

"Yes and no."

The wooden comb suddenly got stuck because several strands of hair were tangled together. The woman freed her hands and patiently untangled and straightened them before continuing to comb.

He continued, “...Although Lord Tianfeng and my master are quite different in age, they share similar interests and hit it off immediately. They quickly became close friends despite their age difference. They often visit each other when they have nothing to do. I was also fortunate enough to meet Lord Tianfeng a few times and received his guidance, which greatly improved my martial arts skills.”

"You received guidance from your father, so you recognized my Tianfeng style martial arts at a glance when we were in the camp. From this, you guessed that I might know how to use the Life-Locking Needle. In order to get me to help heal Chuya, you placed the Dragon Palace Treasure Token on me... Is that right?"

"That's right. Lord Tianfeng's fighting skills are indeed superb, but what he is most praised for is his unique lightness skill, which is so wonderful and unforgettable."

The woman smiled and said, "As for the first Dragon Palace Treasure Token, although it does contain some of the thoughts you mentioned, it is mostly to repay Lord Tianfeng for his teaching kindness back then. Even if it turns out that you are not the person I am looking for, or that you are unwilling to help, you can still make a wish with the token. As long as it is within our capabilities and does not violate morality, the 'Dragon Palace Attendant' will do his best to fulfill any wish."

"certainly……"

She paused for a moment, then said, "Having a harem of three thousand beauties is... a bit too much for people."

……

Chapter Eighteen: Stamp Collecting Notes of Celebrities, Part One

"Ha, haha... Three thousand concubines in the harem? Of course, I'm just joking. Please don't take it seriously, Master."

A few days ago, a slip of the tongue he made while half-drunk was dug up again. Yashiro, who had nowhere to hide, chuckled awkwardly to cover up his embarrassment.

"That's good. After all, the expenses for three thousand people are a huge problem, and just providing daily food and water is already a major hurdle, not to mention all sorts of other trivial issues... More importantly, I don't want to force anyone; it's not certain that we can gather so many people just on a voluntary basis... Of course, I'm not questioning your charisma, it's just..."

"Stop, stop! I said it was just a joke, don't take it seriously!"

As she listened to her increasingly outrageous talk, the girl quickly called for a stop. How could this person be seriously studying the feasibility of such a thing? She wasn't some Ji Xuanyuan; even if she truly possessed three thousand beauties, she couldn't ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

What's more, three thousand women chattering and making a racket in her ear... Just imagining that scene made her head feel like it was going to explode.

Although, if she could, she would actually like to have a harem, after all, having two women on each side is the ultimate pursuit of humankind, and this romantic ideal has remained true throughout history.

As for the number, we don't need too many, two...three...five...six should be about right, or maybe seven? That would make a Big Dipper constellation...

The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea seems good too. Nine... what idioms are associated with the number nine...?

Her thoughts continued to wander as always. Yashiro's mouth was half-open as she let the other person comb her hair, trying to ignore what she was seeing, completely absorbed in her own imagination. It wasn't until a cough abruptly pulled her back to reality.

"Ahem, ahem... Enough joking, let's get back to the main topic."

She deliberately straightened her back, unleashing the speed she usually displayed when executing Iaijutsu. Suddenly, she raised her hand, wiping away the drool from her mouth with lightning speed, and put on a stern, extremely serious expression.

"...Okay, let's get back to the main topic."

After a suspicious pause, the woman sitting behind her composed herself and continued, picking up where she left off, "But it's not just that... About eight years ago, I accompanied my master to Daikegonji Temple in Nara. We stopped in Iga for a few days along the way. I was deeply grateful for the hospitality of Lord Tenfeng, who took care of all the daily chores perfectly."

“I met you once before… You were young then, so you probably don’t remember. But compared to then, your appearance hasn’t changed much, and coupled with Tianfengliu’s distinctive movement techniques, I was able to roughly deduce your identity after that.”

Did such a thing ever happen?

The girl was stunned.

Eight years ago, when she was seven years old, she had not yet awakened to the extraordinary sensitivity she has now. The whole world seemed like a fog, full of unfamiliarity and alienation.

Although all the memories are as clear as yesterday, it is difficult to immediately find the corresponding records.

Besides, these past memories weren't exactly pleasant for her. She wanted to shake her head and throw all these tangled thoughts to Java, but the wooden comb behind her head restricted her movements. Helpless, she could only quickly change the subject, "So, this isn't our first meeting, but rather a long-awaited reunion?"

"It can't be said that we've been apart for a long time. After all, just a few days ago, you were shouting and killing as soon as we met, which really startled me."

The woman chuckled softly as she spoke.

While feeling embarrassed, Yashiro didn't forget to correct him: "I didn't 'call' to fight or 'kill'."

"Indeed, I used the wrong words." The woman readily corrected herself, saying in a serious tone, "She was clearly silent, and suddenly a sword came slashing at my face."

"...Okay, I'm sorry, I'm reflecting on my actions, please forgive me."

"Very good, to admit your mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue... Hehe." The person behind him covered his mouth and chuckled, but there was no hint of blame in his tone. "Actually, I can understand. Martial arts practitioners are bound to feel the urge to use their skills for a moment, but don't make a sudden move like this next time. If it were someone with a less temper and less self-control, they might not be able to let it go so easily."

"I understand. But..."

"only?"

"I couldn't help myself."

"In that case, why not consider changing your lifestyle? A life of spiritual practice with morning bells and evening drums, accompanied by a lamp, is most helpful in eliminating the resentment in one's heart. As long as one can get rid of the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, and give up the desire to fight and compete with others, one will naturally no longer act rashly in a provocative manner."

"Hmm... I'll consider it." Yashiro had already experienced the monks' ability to try and recruit people without warning back in Nara, so she just chuckled and didn't seem to care when the woman gave a casual reply.

Perhaps this proposal itself is just a joke...who knows?

"By the way, how's Hatsugae doing?"

"She's fine, just a little tired. She changed her clothes and just fell asleep again."

"That's good……"

"But it's rare to see Hatsume so clingy."

As if thinking of something, the woman smiled slightly, "Don't be fooled by her appearance, she's actually quite shy. It takes time to let her guard down. You seem to be the first person I've met who's become this close to her so soon after meeting her."

"Is that so?" Yashiro recalled her first meeting with the girl and the few days they spent together. According to her previous life, the girl's behavior was almost exactly what one would call "socially anxious"—a social terrorist. No matter how she thought about it, it had nothing to do with the girl's description of being "shy." She couldn't help but be skeptical.

Seemingly sensing her thoughts, the woman smiled and shook her head: "It's understandable that you don't believe it now. If we meet again in the future and spend more time together, you will naturally understand..." Knowing that the girl was a wanderer and probably wouldn't stay here for long, she added the words "if we meet again in the future."