126 5.15 Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu: The Flying Heavenly Sword Style (1/2)

Hiko-sama had placed a handguard as well as a handle that he had separated from the 5 katana that he had brought back. He placed it on my Takamura while I was in the shower earlier.

He chose the oval handguard that he deemed fit for the new katana that I had forged as well as a handle that seems to fit my two little hands. The only thing now is to find someone to craft the sheath for me.

He was thinking of getting the local Blacksmith to make one for me, but he might be thinking that the local Blacksmith might be asking too many questions on where I might have gotten the blade.

Furthermore, it was forged by me so the Blacksmith would know that the blade had just been created. So he decided to take the blade by himself to the Blacksmith so there won't be too much fuss created.

As soon as I stepped out from the shower, I saw the handguard and handle. ”Sensei, is this for the new blade?” I asked when I saw those things on my Takamura.

”Uh huh... That's the best choice I have seen from the other 5 katana. What would you call your katana?”

”Sensei, I was thinking of naming it as 'Shinrai to yujo' meaning trust and friendship. Later once it is ready I will use my blood essence to enhanced it before I perform blade washing on it.”

”It is a beautiful name, trust and friendship. Yes... Yes... A beautifully forged katana with a beautiful name. So this katana will be used together with the Kodachi I had given you?”

”Yes, Sensei, this katana is more suited for my body height and its like a big brother an odachi or nodachi for the Kodachi.”

”Yes...! Yes...! It is really a company for your Kodachi. Nodachi... Hmm, well it is slightly longer than 3 feet length and suitable for your height. Even if you outgrew the sword, at least it is something formidable since you are the one that forged it, right?”

” Yes, Sensei. Leave the blade for a while, I have other tasks to do. When I want to enter the Realm of Mind again, I will let you know. You can see the meaning of blade washing because this method is very taxing and takes 3 times longer than just to grind a katana to become sharp.”

”Sure, you just go ahead and do what you need to do. My 4 jars of sake had arrived and since my Comrades would be leaving for their expedition tomorrow, maybe I have a head start in drinking.”

”Well, I noticed you never got drunk when drinking sake. How much could you drink per night?”

”I could drink as many as I can as long there are full jars in front of me.”

”Well, don't drink too much, Sensei. Even if you never get drunk, but it might damage your liver. Just like smoking, it damages the lungs and prolongs healing and regeneration of cells in the body.”

”Haa... Haa... Haa... You talk like as if you are a physician, Himura. Ok off you go then, I heard you making compost for the backyard?”

”Yes, Sensei... I'm going to burn the grass that's in the backyard when evening comes. Evening a lot of housewives have brought in their laundry so no harm to burn these. Also, it helps to keep the mosquitoes away.”

I replied as I went outside to check my laundry which had been dried by the sun. It smelled nice and warm and it seems that most of the villagers' laundry had been brought into the house.

I folded my laundry and kept in my room. Then I took an ember from the kitchenette and torched the piles of grass that I had stacked earlier. Even though the grass was a bit damp due to the snow, it caught fire easily since they were not green.

There was a lot of white smoke emitting from the yellowish tall grass that I had placed around 17 piles throughout the backyard and soon the surroundings were blanketed with white smoke. Since it was evening time, the smell and the smoke helped to rid the gnats and mosquitoes away.

Luckily this was the 19th century Japan and no one said anything when burning vegetation behind the house. If its present day, people had little or zero tolerance towards these type of burning.

All the 17 piles of grass were smouldering and it would take some time for them to burn out. I went back to the terrace and found Hiko-sama was chugging away sake like it was some kind of soft drink.

”You want to try, kid? It's quite mild you know. And it's flavoured with dried plums. It's very nice, you should try then you should be able to know.”

Hiko-sama offered me a cup and he filled it up. I held it to my nose and I noticed that there wasn't a smell that rushes up to one's nose and when I stick my tongue into it I could taste the sweet, sourish taste of dried plums in them.

”This is not sake, Sensei... This is umeshu or plum sake. This umeshu will be a top hit if exported out to other villages as well as other parts of Japan. In my time... Ahem... I mean there has already someone marketing this brand, by the name Choya. It comes in a drink up straight bottle and not in a jar.”

”Are you sure, Himura? There's such brand as Choya that sells the same taste like this?”

”Sure Sensei, it's more catered to the ladies drink. Even at 10% proof, if one drinks too fast and too much, they will get drunk easily. But it's nice to drink it chilled.”

”Is it? Well, maybe if we put it out in the open at night to make it cool, it would taste better?”

”Yes, Sensei... The colder it is, the better.. Like putting snow inside it. But it is better to put ice inside rather than snow, as it is cleaner.”

”Haa...haa...haa...you really have so many ideas. This is the first time you drink umeshu?”

”Not really, Sensei... This is not the first time, but you should also try Strong Zero. Its a fruity mix of alcohol like umeshu but will knock out a person if he drinks two subsequently.”

”Never heard of Strong Zero before. You think we could find it in other parts of Japan?”

”Not in this world, Sensei,” I replied as I winked at him to let him know that it exists on the Realm of Mind, or frankly speaking... It is available from the late 20th century onwards.

”Go and rest first for some time, later when the yatai comes, I will go and get supper for the both of us, OK? I think we should buy something like okonomiyaki and Oden or ramen.”

”If we have okonomiyaki, we can have either Oden or ramen. OK, shoo... Shoo... Go and take some rest. Don't worry about the fires, it won't burn people's houses. Go, rest now.”

Hiko-sama knew I was tired from forging earlier for 3 hours straight. And then still complete the burning of the grass and then fold the laundry. I had not taken proper rest since and it's better for me to take some now since there won't be any activity.