Touken Ranbu Novel Anthology

[rikoren]

A Very Tiny Repayment
by Nana Mizusawa

On the battlefield, a split-second's decision could mean the difference between life and death.
Otegine understood this fact quite well, having experienced it quite a few times.
What he was looking at as he thought this, was the figure of Sayo Samonji leading the vanguard.
Not matching his petite and dainty appearance, his battle ability was surprisingly high. Even now, without a horse for the day, he seemed almost to have grown wings, so lightly did he dance through the air as he annihilated his enemies.
However, there was a shadow of danger to the Sayo Samonji reflected in Otegine's eyes.
"Hey, don't go too overboard. Our battle isn't an individual match. It's a group battle, you know?"
That voice came out unconsciously, as he raced to catch up.
"...It's not really any of your concern. I'm just driving away the black mist before me..."
So Sayo Samonji replied in a subdued voice, barely turning his head, before turning once more to the enemy.
"...Sheesh. Back to overdoing it again, huh..."
Otegine muttered as he thrust down his swarming opponents one after another with his long spear.
As he was doing so, Doudanuki Masakuni - who was fighting beside him - called out to him.
"You sure got a lotta free time on your hands, if you can stand there talkin' to yourself in the middle of a battle."
"I could say the same to you - is it okay for you not to wear your helmet? That red helmet's nothing more than a decoration at this point."
At those words, Doudanuki Masakuni let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahah! I'm already covered in scars, you think there's still anythin' left to protect? Well, I wouldn't want my head cracked open at least. Awright! Let's get to finishin' one more job. Kieeeaaah!"
As he watched Doudanuki Masakuni's horse charge away, Otegine tilted his head slightly.
"Hmm. They may both be pessimists, but it takes them in totally different directions. Ah well, I should get going too."
Otegine, having defeated all the enemies nearby, struck his horse's bottom to send it into a trot.
"There, good boy. You're the only one who can run while carrying a long spear-wielder like me."
While speaking gently to the horse, he struck down more enemies at random.
As he was doing so, he noticed something wrong with Sayo Samonji, who was fighting as if dancing up ahead. He'd been jumping up high at regular intervals to take down his enemies, but for an instant, it looked as if time had stopped.
"...Sheesh. Looks like his leg got done in."
Otegine gave a tiny nod, then focused his attention back on the fight.
On the way home from a victorious battle, Otegine searched for his target among the rank and file. Sayo Samonji.
Sure enough, it seemed his right leg had been injured somehow; it was dragging slightly. Otegine hurried after that tiny figure, and lifted him up with one hand.
"Are you sure you've been eating? You're way too light. You're not even half as heavy as my scabbard, huh?"
Sayo Samonji's hair bristled like a cat who'd just been caught by the neck.
"Let go. Don't touch me without permission!"
He began to struggle desperately in an attempt to get away from Otegine's hand.
"Your leg's injured, isn't it? You can ride my horse."
"I don't need it. Let go...I don't know what I'll do if you don't."
"It's not like I'm gonna capture an' eat you. I'm just giving you a ride on a horse. Anyway, isn't this hat kinda in the way? It looks like it could strangle you."
Otegine moved to pull of Sayo Samonji's hat, only for his hand to get violently shaken off.
"Don't touch me without asking!"
Then, making his escape from Otegine's hands, Sayo Samonji escaped into the shrubbery down a side street.
Looking for him further would probably be difficult.
"Aah, guess I got on his bad side..."
Otegine looked at his brushed-off hand with a wry smile.
"Yo! Hey, what's on your hand that's got you all grinning?"
The one who'd spoken up was Yagen Toushirou.
"Oh, perfect timing. Can I ask you a little favor?"

本丸帰還後。
御手杵が厩のそばで槍の手入れをしていると、薬研藤四郎がツカツカと歩み寄ってきた。
「いたいた。こんなとこにいたのか。捜したぜ」
薬研藤四郎の顔を見た御手杵は、思わず目を丸くした。
「どうしたんだ、その顔？」
薬研藤四郎は、かすかに表情をくもらせた。
「どうって、まあ見ての通りだ。あんたに頼まれたから面倒みてやったってのに、大暴れで大変だったんだぜ。なんか人に慣れない野生動物みたいだな、あのチビッコ」
どうやら、小夜左文字にやられたらしい。
「そりゃー悪かったな。で、手当ては済んだのかい？」
「まぁな。江雪と宗三の旦那を運れてきて大将んとこ行かせたから、半日もありゃ完治すんだろ」
「ありがとな」
「いいってことよ！けど、恩義に感じたなら、今度馬番でも替わってくれよな」
俠気溢れる笑顔を残し、薬研藤四郎は去っていった。

その晩。御手杵が縁側で夜風に当たっていると、頭上から何かの気配を感じた。
「……ん！？なんだなんだ？」
思わず身横え両手で受け止めると、それは柿の実だった。まだ旬には早いというのに、それはほどよく熟している。
御手杵の知る限り、柿が好物で、美味しい柿のなる場所をしっていそうな人物は一人だけだ。なので御手杵は、ありがたくその柿をいただくことにした。
服の袖で軽く擦ってから齧ると、かすかな渋味と甘味が口の中にふわりと広がる。
「んー、うまい。……ごちそうさん。思ったより嫌われてないってことでいいのかな？」
屋根に向かってそう声をかけたが、返事はなかった。

終