It was a cloudless, brilliantly clear day.

  “Ine, it’s time to go.”

  “…Yes.”

  Siebold had taken Ine out shopping.

  She loved looking at all the different things on display, her head turning this way and that in endless curiosity.

  Fish she had only ever seen neatly arranged on plates were displayed whole before being cut.

  Cucumbers bent like crooked smiles.

  Radishes and eggplants of every size and shape, none of them perfectly straight.

  Imported goods decorated in ways she had never seen before.

  Her eyes sparkled as she took it all in.

  “I’ll bring you again another time.”

  Pulled back by Siebold’s gentle reminder, she felt a small pang of disappointment.

  Still, she could not return alone, so she let him take her hand and began walking, glancing back over her shoulder.

  Before long—

  “Well now, Professor Siebold.”

  “Oh? Kōgyū. Fancy meeting you here.”

  The two men began speaking in a mixture of Japanese, Dutch, and German—

  a conversation few could possibly follow.

  Ine listened for a while.

  “…I don’t understand any of it…”

  Soon bored, she looked around.

  And then—

  “…A kitty.”

  A white cat sat not far away.

  Their eyes met.

  The cat blinked lazily.

  “…Kitty…!”

  Somewhere during the lively exchange, Siebold had let go of her hand.

  Drawn by curiosity, Ine padded toward the cat.

  Startled, it flinched—

  —and ran.

  “Wait!”

  She chased after it.

  But no matter how long she ran, she could not keep up.

  Eventually—

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  “…Where am I…?”

  —

  “…I think I’ve walked this road before…”

  She trudged along, her small steps soft and uncertain.

  Every street looked the same.

  Bit by bit, her chest tightened.

  Passersby hardly noticed someone so small.

  She stepped aside carefully, doing her best not to cry.

  “Well now, such a little one running errands alone?”

  Each time someone called out, she hurried past in fear.

  “Father… where did you go…?”

  —

  At yet another corner—

  “I’m sure… I turned here…”

  Then—

  A loud, all-too-familiar voice rang out.

  “I told you, I’m just here to buy sake!”

  “Ha! You also said you might as well purchase my maintenance tools while you were at it! I heard it with these very ears!”

  “You don’t even have ears!”

  “Oh? Observe!”

  From the blade sprouted a perfectly formed pair of ears.

  “…Gross.”

  “Silence!”

  As always, Tasuke and Kanekichi strolled along, bickering.

  Ine’s eyes widened.

  “…The strange big brother… and the sword…”

  She clenched her hands.

  Even strange people were better than strangers.

  Summoning her courage, she ran toward them.

  —

  “My lord, a child approaches.”

  “A kid? I don’t know any kids.”

  Panting, Ine stopped before them, faint tears clinging to her lashes.

  “Yeah, I’m the big brother. What’s wrong?

  You running after getting caught stealing something?”

  “Do not compare her to yourself.

  Child, from where do you come?”

  Kanekichi peered closer.

  “…My lord. I believe I have seen this child before.”

  “Seriously? Where?”

  “…Where indeed…”

  Ine frowned slightly.

  “…Um… Ine’s father is… Siebold…”

  ““Eh—”

  “…Ah.””

  —

  Tasuke gently took her hand as they walked.

  The fear that had filled her moments ago had vanished.

  “So you just ended up walking alone, huh? Careless little lady.”

  “…I’m not careless…”

  She gave him a small reproachful look.

  Tasuke lightly patted her head with an unusually gentle smile.

  “If we head to Dejima, Siebold will be there. I’ll take you.”

  She nodded.

  Their argument resumed soon after, looping as always.

  Ine giggled softly.

  “…I don’t understand what you’re talking about…

  but it’s fun…”

  —

  Before long, they passed a trinket shop lined with colorful toys.

  Ine stopped.

  “A poppen?”

  Tasuke nearly choked.

  “That thing costs more than cheap sake.”

  “…I was told it’s still too early for me…

  So I’ve never had one…”

  “…I see.”

  After much pointless debate—

  “How much is that poppen?”

  “Three hundred mon.”

  ““Three hundred?!””

  (At the time, a full measure of sake cost roughly one to two hundred mon.)

  “Buying it for the little one?”

  He nodded vigorously.

  “Two hundred mon will do.”

  Tasuke folded his arms.

  “…I’ve got exactly two hundred on me.”

  “What will you do, my lord? No sake tonight.”

  “A samurai does not go back on his word.”

  While they argued, a small tug pulled at his sleeve.

  “Onii-san… it’s okay. Let’s go.”

  “…Yeah. Let’s go.”

  “My apologies, child. The poppen will have to wait—”

  “Count it properly, granny.”

  “…Eh?”

  He placed two hundred mon into the old woman’s hand and handed the poppen to Ine.

  “Don’t drop it.”

  “Hey! What about the sake?! And my tools?!”

  “You’re the one who said a man shouldn’t go back on his word.”

  “…I did, but…”

  Ine smiled brightly at the poppen in her hands.

  “…Thank you.”

  She bowed politely.

  —

  Not long after, they returned to Dejima.

  Siebold nearly bent double in relief.

  “Tasuke! I don’t know how to thank you—

  and even such an expensive gift…”

  “It’s fine. Just don’t leave her alone next time.”

  “Indeed! Because of that, my sake and tools—”

  “Read the room!”

  Kōgyū chuckled.

  “Don’t get carried away, Tasuke.”

  “Why me?!”

  Soon, Siebold led Ine across the bridge back to Dejima.

  She kept waving.

  “Thank you… Tasuke onii-san.”

  —

  Later, as they walked back—

  “Today wiped me out.”

  “Indeed. No sake, no maintenance…”

  “Then I’ll treat you. Let’s buy drinks.”

  “As expected of Kōgyū!”

  “I knew you were a remarkable man!”

  “…You’re starting to sound like Tasuke, Kanekichi.”

  “Certainly not!”

  Then Kōgyū added—

  “You know, Tasuke…

  Siebold earns enough that sake money and a poppen wouldn’t trouble him at all.”

  ““Eh—”

  “…Ah.””

  —

  And that concludes today’s tale.

  Whether it was well told… is for you to decide.