Chapter 50: Kurosagi Castle: Welcome to the Ghost Banquet

What sort of house is this? A dojo?

Aldo!

Aldo! You came!

Mika, Kiyosuke! Hi there!

Well, I promised, didn't I? I always keep my word.

So you are Aldo. I've heard all about you from my children. You lent them your aid in their times of need. I must express my utmost gratitude.

Enough with the pleasantries! Come on, everyone, come on up.

Come on, Aldo, up up up!

Oh yeah! This is our babysitter, Kamome. She takes care of us. And that's Kamome's kitty, Suzume!

Hello, I am Kamome. It is nice to make your acquaintance, Heroes of the West.

Meow!

Oh, hey there. Nice to meet you too!

Hi there, you two! Nice to meet you! Huh? Wait a second... Doesn't Kamome look just like Tsubame?

Hi there, you two! Nice to meet you! Huh? Wait a second... Doesn't Kamome look just like that girl we met on the ship?

Well now, given the occasion, why don't you come inside and relax?

Oh? Well, if you insist...

I'm comin' in!

I shall remain vigilant in my intrusion!

Yes, come in, come in.

I have to express my sincerest gratitude to you. I can't quite thank you enough.

Really, we didn't do anything special. We couldn't just sit by idly while somebody was being kidnapped.

My! Such incredible mental fortitude for your age! How marvelous! Mister Aldo, I've something to ask you... Would you take my daughter's hand in marriage? It would be a good arrangement, I think.

M-Marriage?!

Aldo, a groom?!

H-Hey, wait a minute! You can't just spring that on him so suddenly, Dad! That's not fair to Aldo!

Well, it would be quite the experience, Aldo. It might even be unexpectedly good for you.

No way! He's way way way too young for that!

Ha ha ha! Maybe I was a little hasty? Sorry, sorry! Don't be angry with me. Ha ha!

Jeez, Dad!

By the way, Mister Aldo, on a more serious note, what sort of errand brought you all the way to the East? Surely, you did not come just to see the sights?

Well, to be honest, I wanted to know more about how things were in the East. I guess you could say that we came back from a long journey to find our world flipped upside down, which was pretty jarring... So I wanted to just look around and take things in, at least once.

Hm... Very well. To that end, your best option would most likely be to meet with the lord of this land, Genshin, directly.

But the castle gate is sealed shut, and it doesn't look like they're gonna let anyone from the outside in...

Lately, specter and demon activity has peaked, and the castle is on high alert. I'll write you a letter of introduction. As a man of business, I have several ties to Lord Genshin. If you approach bearing this letter of introduction, you'll be let through, no questions asked.

Is that so? Thanks for your help!

Yes. Now then, please wait here for a moment. I will finish writing this. Just relax and enjoy yourselves until then.

Aldo, let's play, let's play! Let's play the Bald Braggart of Ika! You can be the skeleton monk.

Come on, Kiyosuke! Aldo must be tired, after all. I'm sure he'd much rather have a tea party with me!

......

Now, here is your letter of introduction, Mister Aldo. You should be set as long as you have this.

Thank you!

Let's play again sometime, Aldo! Next time I'll introduce you to Jiro.

Oh, come on, like he really wants to see your mangy old cat! Come drink tea with me again sometime, Aldo! I'll be waiting!

Sure thing. Alright then, guys, see ya!

Tsubame! Why did you return?! You're a traitorous runaway ninja. If you're caught, you're going to be in big trouble!

You may not have noticed, but this world is already undergoing some serious changes. Listen to me, Kamome... We're going to have to settle things soon, don't you realize? We can't keep running from our fate forever... Sooner or later, it's going to catch up with us. On top of that, it seems that the return of the Goddess of Time is at hand.

What?! Is that true?! You wouldn't dare try to deceive me, would you?

I wouldn't lie to you about something like this! If we don't do something soon, things are going to get out of hand!

......

So Shion and Akane came to the castle too, huh? Looks like they're done talking. It should be fine for us to interrupt.

So Shion came to the castle too, huh? Looks like they're done talking. It should be fine for us to interrupt.

So Akane came to the castle too, huh? Looks like they're done talking. It should be fine for us to interrupt.

Hmm... Visitors before us? Those are the samurai siblings that rode on the boat with us. Looks like they're done talking. It should be fine for us to interrupt.

Are you Lord Genshin? It's nice to meet you. I'm Aldo, the adventurer.

Ah, yes, the heroes from the West! I trust King Miglance is in good health? I am the lord of this Land of Mi, Genshin. This is Lady Ageha.

Welcome to the Land of Mi. It is a pleasure to meet you.

The pleasure is all mine.

It's super great to meet you!

I realize this is sudden, but could I ask you something, Lord Genshin?

Oh? What could that be? Go ahead and ask. I'm not only a very generous fellow, but honest, too. I'll lend a sincere ear to any man's plea.

Okay, then. How exactly did you carry out your advance into the West? I feel like some sort of strange event or something like that might have suddenly occurred...

Oh, that... Well you see, we were suddenly asked by the Land of Shin to the north to forge an alliance with them. We then used our united powers to make the West our vassal. It was a revelation from the Goddess of Time... Although I'd hoped to move things along more discreetly... Keep things behind closed doors and the like...

Oh uh, pay that no mind! That was nothing! I was just talking to myself.

......

A revelation from the Goddess of Time...

Aha! So that Goddess of Time thing did have something to do with the Eastern Alliance pushing westward, after all.

And the origin of all of this lies to the north in the Land of Shin, it would appear.

Ahem! Lately, however, there have been stirrings once more from the Land of Shin. The empress of that place is a money-grubbing, crafty beast. You cannot be too careful around her. If you intend to head to the Land of Shin, you had best have your wits about you. They're as sly as foxes, that lot!

Heed my words, for I, Genshin, would never tell a liiie! Mua ha ha ha!

This guy seems like fun.

For the time being, you ought to spend your evening lounging about the castle. We welcome you as guests.

By all means, please do. You must be exhausted from your long journey. Please do not hesitate to relax to the fullest.

If you insist, we'll take you up on your offer for a night. Thank you.

Yippee! We're gonna have a sleepover in a castle! Score!

I am highly intrigued by the sleeping environment in the residence of a non-existent ruling class.

But I would have been quite happy stretching out beneath the starry sky...

Looks like I'll be able to get a good night's sleep... It's certainly been a long time.

Shion. You've also done well. Take a break and ease your weary bones.

Yes, Sir. Thank you.

That's right, Shion! You should take it easy every once in a while! You're so diligent, you're always over-working yourself!

However... I trust you haven't forgotten your duty?

Of course not, Sir.

For the time being, there is no rush. But keep up your guard so that you may strike when the time comes, Shion.

Understood.

Yes, my lord.

Hmph. You'll see. One day I, Genshin, will hold the whole world in the palm of my hand!

He he he! Mua ha ha ha!

Aldo? Hey, Aldo, wake up. I don't feel so good.

*yawn* What's up, Amy? What's the big idea? I was sleeping so peacefully...

Wh-Wh-What the, ?! Aldo! Y-Your...! Your f-f-face!

Huh? Do I have something in my teeth?

A-Aldo!

Aldo! Your face is...missing?!

What do you mean? My face is missing? That's ridiculous, you guys. Cut it out already. Faces don't just suddenly disa...

Huh?! Wh-What the heck is this?! My face! What happened to it? What kinda sick joke is this?!

Where'd my face go?! Did I drop it somewhere or something?!

H-How come you don't have a f-face but you're t-t-talking?!

Could he be speaking out of his ears?!

Aldo is talking out of his ears?! That's gross!

Aldo... I helped myself to your face.

What?!

You did what?!

You are all in an illusionary world of my creation... Do not think that you can reach me so easily. Heh heh... Ah ha ha ha!

Hey, wait!

A-Aldo!

Aldo?!

Darn it! Hurry, we have to find Ageha! I have to get my face back somehow!

Yes. We should wake the others and make haste in our search.

There you are! I'll be taking my face back, now!

So, you made it. It seems that you are no ordinary human. I had heard that an odd bunch had arrived from the West, but I had to find out for myself.

Then, you...You're no Lady at all?

Hmph. I shan't allow you to interfere with our plans.

Ahh!

You're a specter?!

She transformed.

Hee hee hee! Come to me, humans! I'll peel off your faces, one by one! Get ready!

Aldo!

Aldo! Thank goodness, your face is back to normal.

I know you... I most certainly do... Aldo...

There's no way...?!

Hold on a second! This one is different from the one we defeated before!

Why have you come back to the East? I won't let you get in our way this time! Remember this, and remember it well... We will not let the Goddess of Time open the doors to paradise! Never!

We shall meet again, before the darkness of time descends upon us! Hee hee hee hee! Ha ha ha ha!

What could they be scheming this time, I wonder?

Aldo?

Did you sleep well last night? The castle's accommodations are top-notch, after all. You must have slept like a log.

No, no, come now, no thanks are needed. No need whatsoever. Soon I'll take them back twofold, anyway! Mua ha ha ha!

......

How do you find the Land of Mi? I do hope that your trip will be an enjoyable one.

Thanks so much for your hospitality!

We did have a little bit of a nightmare, though...

...?

Nay, it's nothing, m'lady, we had but a bad dream.

I don't think I could take another nightmare like that... Well, anyway, we really ought to be off.

Right. Let's go, Aldo!

I'll take your thanks any time! Twofold! Mua ha ha ha!

Any time's fine! Thank me as many times as you want! Genshin never forgets a debt! Mua ha ha!

It seems that the Land of Shin in the North has a lot to do with this whole Goddess of Time thing situation. We should go look around there next.

Well then, let's head out. Let's go meet the Goddess of Time!