Ogata had no intention of killing the four drunkards.
They had merely consumed too much alcohol and temporarily lost their senses.
He rotated the uchigatana in his hand, turning the blunt back of the blade toward them.
“Allow me to help the four of you sober up.”
With his sword in one hand and the lantern in the other, Ogata advanced slowly.
* * *
The fight began without warning.
It ended just as quickly.
Less than a minute passed between the first movement and the last.
By then, Ogata had knocked all four drunkards to the ground.
He was a samurai who had practiced swordsmanship since childhood.
If he could not defeat four intoxicated farmers, he might as well commit seppuku out of shame.
He executed Sakakibara Ittō-ryū’s Dragon Tail four times, dropping one man with each sweeping blow.
Because he struck with the mune—the back of the blade—the drunkards suffered no serious wounds.
They merely curled on the road like prawns, rolling in pain from the impact.
“Now get out of here!” Ogata shouted again.
The beating finally knocked some sense into them.
They scrambled upright and fled, supporting one another as they staggered away.
Only after all four had disappeared did Ogata return his sword to its saya.
Defeating four men in quick succession had awarded him a considerable amount of Experience.
He had been too occupied with the fight to notice exactly how much he received from each opponent.
He knew only that the four victories had granted eighty Personal Experience and eighty Sakakibara Ittō-ryū Experience in total.
Current Personal Level: LV 8 (130/700).
Sakakibara Ittō-ryū Level: Rank 4 (170/700).
Once his sword was sheathed, Ogata turned toward the woman he had rescued.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded eagerly.
“I’m unharmed.”
Then she bowed deeply.
“Samurai-sama, thank you so much for saving me!”
“It was nothing.” Ogata smiled.
“I only did what little I could.”
Only now did he have an opportunity to look properly at the woman.
Fine lines marked the corners of her eyes and mouth, though her skin was carefully maintained.
She appeared to be around twenty-eight or twenty-nine.
Her features were refined.
Although she was not beautiful enough to steal one’s breath at first glance, she possessed a pleasing appearance that grew more attractive the longer one looked.
No wonder those four drunkards harassed her…
“My name is O-Saki,” the woman said by way of introduction.
“Samurai-sama, if it would not inconvenience you, may I ask your name?”
“Of course.” Ogata answered readily.
“I am Ogata—Ogata Issei.”
“Ogata-sama!”
O-Saki suddenly moved closer, startling Ogata into drawing his neck back.
Her eyes seemed to sparkle with tiny stars as she stared directly at him.
“If it is at all possible, would you please guard my izakaya?”
“…What?”
Ogata stared at her in utter confusion.
“To tell you the truth, I own an izakaya nearby called Nagareya.
It is a small establishment that opened less than a month ago.
“Ever since we began operating, drunken customers and local ruffians have caused trouble almost every day.
It has become a constant source of distress.
“I have long wanted to hire someone capable to protect the izakaya—someone who would make those drunkards and scoundrels think twice before behaving outrageously.
“But no matter how hard I searched, I could not find a suitable person.
Those with real ability refused to work as guards for an izakaya, while those willing to accept the position generally lacked the necessary skill.
“And then I met you, Ogata-sama!”
The “stars” in her eyes seemed to multiply and shine even brighter.
“I personally witnessed the graceful skill with which you defeated those four drunkards.
If someone as capable as you were present at my izakaya, no one would ever dare cause trouble again.
“Ogata-sama, would you be willing to serve as my guard? You would only need to come in the evenings.”
Ogata quietly listened until she finished.
A guard…
In other words, she wants to hire me as security.
The job sounded exhausting.
He would have to remain at the establishment throughout the evening and intervene whenever someone caused a disturbance.
It did have one advantage.
Working as an izakaya guard would probably give him many opportunities to earn Experience.
On the other hand, suppressing disturbances might make enemies.
After weighing the benefits against the risks, Ogata decided to refuse.
If he needed Experience, he could spar with his fellow disciples at the Sakakibara Dojo.
Those matches would provide plenty of Experience without dragging him into unnecessary trouble.
“I will compensate you properly. I’ll pay you every evening. It may not be much, but would this amount be—”
“Please allow me to guard the entrance of your izakaya.”
Before she could finish, Ogata had already reached out and accepted the coin purse she offered.
* * *
Ogata truly wanted a second occupation that would make his life more comfortable.
Even so, he preferred to avoid jobs that sounded overly tiring.
Serving as an izakaya’s “security guard” sounded exhausting from the very beginning, and he had fully intended to refuse O-Saki.
But the truth was simple.
She was offering far too much money.
* * *
There was no reason to wait for another day, so Ogata decided to begin immediately.
He followed closely behind O-Saki as she turned left and right along the country paths.
Before long, a small but elegant izakaya appeared ahead.
Two boldly brushed kanji decorated the sign above its entrance: Nagareya.
Ogata looked up at the calligraphy and praised it.
“Those characters are beautifully written.”
“I commissioned them from a friend skilled in shodō,” O-Saki replied with a smile.
“Come, Ogata-sama.
Let us go inside.
“My izakaya is not large. The only people working here are myself and one other waitress. She is serving the customers now. Since all of us will be companions beginning tonight, I will introduce you to each other.”
The instant O-Saki finished speaking, the crash of shattering porcelain came from inside Nagareya.
A man shouted immediately afterward.
Both Ogata’s and O-Saki’s expressions changed.
“It seems…” Ogata said with a wry smile, “that a difficult assignment is waiting on the very first night of my new job. O-Saki-san, I’ll go in ahead of you.”
Resting a hand near the daishō at his waist, he rushed inside.
Nagareya was indeed small, containing only six tables.
Of those six, only one was occupied.
Three drunkards sat there, their faces flushed crimson from alcohol.
Beside them stood a petite girl who appeared to be only fourteen years old.
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