The moment stretched, and Ei did not move. All she could do was stare the man. Everything seemed still for an eternity. Only when the faint sound of Tadayoshi’s hurried steps reached Ei, time moved again.

The man looked over his shoulder, stood up and ran, ignoring the petrified Ei.

Tadayoshi panted and moved his mouth, but nothing came out. Ei knew he was saying something, but to her, he had no voice. No… I’m the one who can’t hear, she thought vaguely. Only when he grabbed her hand and squeezed hard, she looked up at him and finally heard his voice. “Are you okay?”

Those black and deep eyes soothed her and she lowered her sword, her breathing slowly returning to normal. She realized her hands were numb and cold and she did nothing when he took the weapon from her.

Tadayoshi removed the scabbard from her waist, sheathed the sword and held in her front without a word. Ei accepted it, but lowered her head, too ashamed to look him in the eye. She waited for him to say something, anything. Even a joke would make her feel better.

But all he did was grab the baggage she didn’t remember dropping and leave the forest. Wiping the tears threatening to fall, she followed him without placing the scabbard on her waist.

I thought I’d got stronger. That everything would be different with a sword but… I haven’t changed anything… I’m still the same weak kid who can’t do anything, Ei thought, squeezing the scabbard.

Tadayoshi’s back seemed even bigger than last night. You should stop wasting your time with me. I’m weak, I can’t do anything… I’m just a little village girl who can only tremble when she’s afraid…

She missed her home, she missed Dai-jii, and Sumire, her cousin and all the others. And she missed her mother the most. Mom… This time Ei did nothing to stop the tears, letting them fall in silence.