Kazuho stepped into the courtyard of the building. Before him was one of the taller buildings of the place, and inside an event was there. A place for the merchants to connect with each other, whether they were old, young, new and experienced. The only measure of success was their wealth and sales. That was all that mattered. It didn’t matter whether they were male or female, foreign or a native.

He came here on his own, with only Masami as his companion. She was dressed in a simple dark blue kimono, the same for him. Even as the display of wealth was lined beneath the kimono. One which was how merchants always showed their wealth. More so in recent times where thieves used clothing as a sign, and it was easier to obscure the intricacy but also flaunting it. To any who could spent the time observing the patterns.

Not needing anyone else in this time, as he had merely wanted to ask about the pendant. And figured that the best chances was with a gathering of jewelers or artisans. Which happened to be available, even as he brought Masami along. They exchanged a look before stepping in.

“May I know who you are?”

He took out a piece of paper, the invitation which it was printed and written on. They looked at it, in an attempt to find any sign of forgery. As almost anyone would have wanted to enter such a sight. A chance to know some of the best people, and form a relationship with them. Nothing was found, thus they opened the door for them.

Inside, there were many tables. All of which were occupied as well as many choosing to stand. His entry was not met with strangeness. Allowing him to make his way through. Looking for someone who might be willing to talk to them. It was not flocking to any person in particular. it would be strange given that he knew almost no one here but waiting for someone to speak to him.

“Nagisa.” Masami who was now talking to a woman. He turned around to see her. The woman was dressed, with plenty of hairpins. The only way for them to really show off, necklaces and pendants had few uses and were easy targets. While earrings from what he could see where rare, and perhaps only among those who were foreign or had foreign blood. But the hairpins was something which was noticeable, glittering in the sun after being carefully arranged.

“Masami.” She gave a smile. “And you are?”

“Kazuho. We’re a pair of siblings who came from Fukusei and have been selling mostly jewelery and accessories.” He took out his pocket watch, one where many could agree that it was finely carved. One of the best in the entire country.

She took a chance to look at it. Anyone could tell that it was not something the normal could afford. The plating had been in gold, an unusual choice. But it told them Kazuho and Masami had belonged here despite their youth. Even as she

“It’s a gift from my father.” And in times of need could be sold and melted down to have some emergency cash. Masami’s hair was still in a braid, except that it was piled up using hairpins. One was a bira-bira, one which hung from the top and the flowers of the white chrysanthemum. The other was a comb but in the colors of black.

She closed it before handing it back to them. “What brings you to Okiban?”

“A little business and also catching up with a client before my father’s death.” Leaving it at that because he had not known her enough and asking her of something would have been strange.

“Yes. I can see that, so I assume she’s of Samurai birth?”

He gave a shrug. “Perhaps, perhaps not. These days there are more merchants pretending to be them and more Samurai who became merchants out of necessity. And that we have been settling everything and this is the last, having almost forgotten about the existence of this and that no letter has been received to inquire about it.”

“Indeed. It has become harder, even as I associate Fukusei with the former and Okiban with the latter.

“Even as the pendant we were supposed to gift her had been made out of gold, and we received word to come here. So we might as well see what the city has to offer while we look for her.” Not suggesting that she take a look, which would have been a telltale sign of desperation. Or rather something stranger.

“I see. Perhaps I might know who it is.” She had kept a small smile. He took out the pendant, which had been something far more unique in its making. The pocket watch was merely to affirm that this was not unusual to be in his possession, as it would be if he had simply presented one made of nickel. As it suggested that the maker was a great craftsman and more than capable of something like this.

“The design here is indeed excellent. Although the style seems to be a fusion. This is more akin to a wedding present, an engagement gift. Unusual too, as pendants are uncommon as gifts unless the bride was foreign. Or the woman is marrying abroad.”

“So, you think she might have left for marriage abroad?” He asked. Clearly knowing that it was not the case, but he knew it was best to play along. But to request something as exquisite as this and forgetting it was uncommon.

“Possibly.” Even as she focused deep into pendant itself. As though there was something more. Something which Masami and Kazuho held themselves back from looking, it was before them. Just as he saw her reaching for her dagger, perhaps as a precaution. In case she was going to run with it. Which had been why he took Masami as opposed to Shinrou. It was less flashy and less strange for them to be here.

“There is an inscription in the pendant. It’s a small one, but is the name of the Kobayashi family.” He had been surprised, Kazuho spent many a day looking at it perhaps for any clue long before he took the ship here. And yet he had not noticed it. “It’s unclear, melded. But is often a clue as to who commissioned it. And there is another which doesn’t make any sense either, the alphabets are just strange.”

In which he read it, and knew that it was mostly because she had not known the language. But to him, it didn’t matter. The name Kobayashi meant the name of the family Rin’s father came from, and a clue to helping him figure out where to head next. “It’s probably nothing. Since even if it isn’t the right one, I would find the owner as long as I seek them out.”

“Indeed, happy to be of help to you. Come by my shop anytime, I sell and make almost all types of jewelry.” Even as she had given them her business card and in a whirlwind she had been gone. Even as it included a copious amount of details about imitations, funeral accessories and also selling precious jewelry.

They kept it. Even as he had looked at the position which she had pointed at, and noticed the fine kanji characters next to the mostly incomprehensible string of letters. He closed it and placed it into his pocket.

“So, are we going to take her word?”

“She’s right about that. Even as she was trying to make a sale with us. Or hopefully, we’ll sell it to her if we can’t find her.”

“What does the incomprehensible letters say?”

“It’s Blavatsky and I most certainly do not want to be finding that in Severya as opposed to Kobayashi in here.”

“Is it because of the bears?”

“You do know that if we wanted to go and hunt bears, we could have just went for Kaisei, there are a lot of bears there. And you’ll also get the chance to understand how cold it is. And if I ever wanted to improve my marksmanship. I certainly would not want to do it in Severya where it is freezing and is mostly speaking a language I barely understand.”

“Did you need to do that? Because I certainly don’t need the speech, since my first rule is to never enter a place where I barely know the language and you also don’t speak it well.”

He took a deep breath knowing that it had been a little too much. “Actually, there is someone who can speak the language well. It’s Shinrou.”

“Oh. But still I don’t want to be hunting bears in the middle of nowhere. So yeah, I’m preferring we look for the Kobayashi clan and Shinrou told me that she was still here. Guess that was just a stupid question.” Even as he knew that Masami learned that this was somewhat of a sore spot for him, where he winds up talking about the bears and unrelated things. “What does bear meat taste like?”

“I have no idea. I have eaten horse meat, and all sorts of things but bear meat never ranked high.”

She shrugged. “I’ll just ask Shinrou then.”

“Or we can have it? I remember that Okiban had a couple of these places, since the Ezo can settle comfortably here as opposed to Keito.”

“I’m pretty sure that we can.”

Even as they had left, going back to their house. With a clear idea where they needed to go next. The Kobayashi clan.