Chapter 1475: Innovator, Sakai

Iwamura Castle Lord Ando Shouji?

After Kikuchi Daisuke introduced himself, Lann immediately extracted the key information.

The Demon Hunter thought silently.

Is this within the borders of Mino Country during the Warring States period?

Lann had always been an enthusiast of history, even before completing the college entrance exam.

He had also explored foreign histories, but the definition of ‘foreign’ is too broad, and so naturally he couldn’t read extensively or deeply appreciate them.

Mostly just to understand.

As for this ‘Ando Shouji’, Lann vaguely remembered that he was one of the [Three of Mino].

At first, he felt that such a middle schooler title appearing in serious records seemed like a joke.

It can only be said that the Japanese have inherited a historical tradition of being middle schoolers.

Since Kikuchi Daisuke demonstrated that Lann was not a demon, and his identity… was somewhat special.

So he directly invited Lann to the village, wanting to see under the guise of hospitality what this Ming Country person was up to.

Lann initially wanted to inquire from the locals about the extraordinary powers they were entangled with upon arriving in this world, so there was no reason to refuse.

Thus, as he followed into the village, he discreetly made a gesture to the distant Qilin and Rong Buqiu, indicating not to be nervous.

When Lann really approached the village gate, the small group of guard soldiers gathered there clearly swallowed their saliva.

After all, in this supernatural Warring States era, though the average height seemed to be around one meter sixty-seven, they only wore a thin single garment.

As Lann walked past them, whether in terms of height or weight, the Demon Hunter appeared more like a fierce war machine than a fragile fleshly body.

Walking towards the village, many people poked their heads out from the door to see what was causing such a commotion.

Most of the houses in the village were wooden sheds and straw huts, exuding a heavy smell of large livestock and manure.

According to Kikuchi Daisuke’s introduction, Thirteen Cherry Blossom Village was famous as a station where various caravans docked their cattle and horses.

For some reason, these large animals seemed to easily maintain their health and weight here.

Over time, everyone was willing to stop by here.

The whole village therefore transformed into a service-type station village, with very little arable land of its own.

The place Kikuchi Daisuke used to host Lann should be his own home.

Though this house was also a wooden hut with a straw roof, it had at least a few paper windows, showing a difference from ordinary villagers.

The room had wooden flooring, but no straw-mat tatami, only a square hole in the middle where firewood was lit and a pot hung from a rope, suspended over the fire.

Kikuchi Daisuke’s wife was a mature woman, who silently withdrew after serving two cups of tea.

And at the entrance of the house, many were still gathered, craning their necks to see something novel inside.

They were a station-type village, so logically they had seen more than those in ordinary villages.

Yet, Lann’s demeanor and appearance were beyond their imagination. Even samurai lords hadn’t seen anyone this imposing.

The instructor of Thirteen Cherry Blossom Village barely maintained composure and first invited Lann to drink tea.

He was actually worried that the other might erupt on the grounds of ‘crude tea’.

Innovator.

This was a style that could increase upper-class fame in this era but was rejected by lower-class people.

Just like during the Wei Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, many shocking ‘filial stories’ emerged because officials were selected based on ‘filial piety’.

To attain official positions from the government, fame was needed, and in Kyoto, where emperors and courtiers resided, performing eccentric acts to gain fame seemed natural.

More famous examples included carrying a tree, singing while riding a horse bare-bottomed…

And Kyoto’s trend undoubtedly was the top wave of current Japan, with the Innovator’s fashion sweeping across Japan.

Before this, Japanese helmets focused more on dignity and practicality, but in the Warring States period, the forehead decoration, or ‘front crest’, began to vary widely.

Warriors were eager to express their uniqueness, some even putting the Chinese character ‘love’ on their helmets. Others surrounded their helmets with paper tubes, which stood over two meters tall, taller than a person’s height.

What the nobles saw as romantic was not considered normal by the average person, therefore having a poor reputation.

Lann’s [Smaug] armor clearly demonstrated its undeniable practicality.

But this armor style, in Japan, would be considered ‘Innovator’.

More importantly, Lann’s self-introduction…

“What Your Excellency says is truly too bizarre.” After Lann took a sip and put down the teacup, Kikuchi Daisuke shook his coat casually before asking nonchalantly.

“You are from Ming Country, studying under Southern Barbarians, so you must have come from Sakai?”

‘Sakai’ is a place name and is currently the main commercial hub in Japan for foreign trade. Because trade is extremely prosperous, it doesn’t even have an official lord; it’s managed by large merchants who hire mercenaries for protection.

If Lann indeed learned a great deal from Southern Barbarians and is from Ming Country, this assumption naturally arises.

But Lann calmly refuted him.

“No. I came from Seed Island.” With a gentle pat from his sharp hand armor on the Alon Blade sheath placed beside him, “Headed north, I learned a bit of local swordsmanship.”

Seed Island is the first place where Spaniards and Portuguese landed in Japan. Located in the south of the Japanese Archipelago, Japanese mistakenly call Westerners Southern Barbarians, thinking they originated from the south.

Though Lann’s self-introduction was already bizarre enough, if he landed in Japan through Sakai, the rest would be deemed impossible.

Despite Japan having numerous pirates showing up overseas, legitimate swordsmanship masters usually establish their own schools locally.

If one landed directly in Sakai, there would be little chance to learn local swordsmanship. Sakai’s merchants would not train unaccomplished mercenaries; they only want ready-made ones.

However, coming all the way north from Seed Island offers more room for stories, also making verification more difficult.

Facing Lann’s unblemished response, Kikuchi Daisuke opened his mouth but ended up merely smacking his lips before closing it again.

This warrior with the moon-shaped shaved hairstyle had half of his hair already white.

Older in age, yet never encountered someone like Lann, someone who seamlessly mixes Ming Country, Southern Barbarians, and local traits?

Meanwhile, not only did many villagers gather outside Kikuchi Daisuke’s door to watch the spectacle, but some resting at the station joined too.

Most had triangular sweat towels wrapped around their heads, holding grain and vegetable rice balls and leaned by the door to peek in.

These people usually exclaimed twice—first upon seeing Lann’s side profile, and second upon realizing the stark contrast between his physique and an average person from that profile.

“Lord Lann’s demeanor is extraordinary.” After a long pause, this was the compliment Kikuchi Daisuke, the warrior, finally thought up, saying it with stammering words, “But curious, have you come to Thirteen Cherry Blossom Village…?”

“I just happened to lose my way.” Lann naturally replied, “But I heard there’s an extraordinary cherry blossom tree here, so I wanted to see it.”

“Cherry blossom viewing… huh?”

Kikuchi Daisuke pondered but didn’t find it strange; their village regularly worshipped the cherry blossom tree as a deity, along with Thirteen Cherry Blossom Village being a hub for information exchange.

It’s completely normal for someone to visit driven by reputation.

In this weather, usually, how would any cherry blossoms bloom magnificently?

“Just treat me as a passing traveler.” Lann spoke courteously and tactfully, “This village is actually a large station, isn’t it? I’m not someone who freeloads.”

Saying this, a Temerian Oren Coin appeared between Lann’s fingers, producing a euphonious metallic sound upon his flick.

Thus, Kikuchi Daisuke’s eyebrows had almost completely relaxed.

Though currently, times were turbulent with wars and deaths everywhere, wars created more bandits, turning into mountain thieves and brigands.

Most villages were wary of outsiders, fearing these mountain thieves’ informants would sneak in, learn the situation, and collude inside-out, pillaging and burning the village to the ground.

But someone like the person before could stroll through Kyoto streets, and by the next day, a court position could be appointed.

Why resort to banditry?

And one might think he relies on his good looks to swindle and dine, yet he himself holds gold, albeit in a currency looking like Southern Barbarian money; gold remains gold.

Not much risk, and potential profitability—why not?

Kikuchi Daisuke immediately intended to straighten up and comply with Lann’s request.

But first, a commotion arose outside the room.

“The village chief is here!”

An old man, dressed in simple Shinto priest attire, walked over from the crowd.

Appearing unpretentious, he nods humbly with his black gauze cap, cheerfully greeting those around.

Kikuchi Daisuke stood up, first introducing Lann and the village chief to each other, then recounted the Demon Hunter’s words.

The village chief seemed to have no objections, merely marveling before exchanging greetings with Lann, and then fulfilling Kikuchi Daisuke’s interrupted promise.