Reiji got woken up by a sharp pain on his cheek.
He quickly sat up, looking around in confusion.
He noticed Lord Fujioka standing next to the table he was sleeping on, putting a glove on his right hand.
He saw that he already had a glove on his left hand.
"Did you just slap me?"
Asked Reiji Kurozuma.
"Why yes, you need to be taught the basics of a proper life."
"I got lost, genius."
"Then you need to remember the way to your room. Clean up after yourself. After that we'll go to your room where you'll perform basic hygiene."
Reiji got up from the table, put his top on and put the candles back onto the table.
They then walked through the maze of hallways to his room where Reiji brushed his teeth and did quick warm up exercises.
Lord Fujioka led him outside into the training temple.
Kurotaka and Reiji had light sparring with real swords the whole day.
Of course, Reiji didn't win a single match against him. The sword master was too skilled.
They were currently outside, sitting on the snow as the sun started to set.
"You smell terrible."
Said Kurotaka to Reiji.
"It wasn't that bad in the morning."
Answered Reiji. After a moment he asked Kurotaka a question.
"I don't know if I asked this before, but what is your deal anyway?"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I mean, how good are you with swords?"
"Better than you."
Answered Kurotaka in an arrogant tone.
Reiji sighed, knowing he was going to be difficult.
"...Are you better than the average swordsman?"
"Pff, I'm better than ten."
Kurotaka answered as if the question itself was an insult.
"Are you better than twenty?"
"I'm better than a hundred."
Reiji smirked at the answer.
"What are you doing here then? Shouldn't you be in some kind of tournament to decide the world's best swordsman?"
"I know I'm the best already. Why would I need to prove it to others?"
Kurotaka asked a rhetorical question.
"Yeah, I get that."
Reiji sympathized with the swordsman.
Kurotaka stood up and started to walk back towards the temple as the sun was setting.
"Where are you going?"
Reiji asked.
"I told you all you need to know."
Those were Kurotaka's last words before he went into the temple.
Reiji stood up and walked back to the mansion where he met Lord Fujioka.
"My, what an awful stench."
"You don't need to tell me. Can I get a day off tomorrow and a guide to my room?"
"Well…I suppose that it'll be more talking than fighting when we meet the king."
"How will that go down anyway?"
"It'll take place in a court room with the king and many powerful people from our country. You'll be very important as you are the only man we know of that has come face to face with these…creatures."
"...Great, I'm excited to talk."
Reiji said in an annoyed tone, walking past Lord Fujioka.
The two of them walked through the mansion to Reiji's room.
Before he could enter the general walked out of her room, looking at him with a surprised look before covering her nose.
"Ugh, since when are you here?"
"Two days ago I think."
The general looked way more beautiful when she didn't wear anything formal.
Reiji stole a glance before going inside his own room without saying a word.
As the door closed behind Reiji, the general and Lord Fujioka started talking.
"My Lord, why was I not informed about this?"
"...I already knew you would protest against him merely being in the mansion so I thought that you could maybe…try socializing."
"I'm no child. Is it that much of a problem to move him somewhere else? I suggest he lives among the horses."
"Absolutely not and that is final."
Lord Fujioka firmly puts an end to their conversation and leaves.
Reiji takes a shower and steps out naked, water dripping onto the floor.
"I need new clothes and a damn suit doesn't count."
He walked over to his window and looked out at the night sky, water still dripping from his body.
After Reiji had finally realized that he should dry himself off, since he was so used to being wet and cold, the room's floor was already soaked.
"Geez."
Reiji walked back and dried himself off, staring at the wet floor.
"I'm such a dumbass."
Reiji dried the floor, got clothed and went to eat dinner where he talked to Lord Fujioka about his clothing problem.
Both of them agreed to just copy the measurements of his blood stained kimono and pants to make a new one.
This one would be coloured crimson with black edges and a black obi.
They also decided that Reiji's old shoes would get repaired.
He had winter shoes that went higher than his ankles.
On Reiji's day off, the same tailor took the measurements of his kimono, pants and also gave Reiji his proper, tailored suit.
His old shoes went into repair as he relaxed for the day.
Before Reiji knew it, the time to leave for the capital, where the meeting with the king would take place, was already here.
They loaded up the carriage and made their way.
Reiji was wearing his suit and tie with formal shoes and so was Lord Fujioka.
They sat opposite to each other in the carriage with two guards.
Reiji held his katana in his hand by the scabbard, having it in between his legs.
They even had his new crimson kimono and pants packed just in case.
"So, how long will this take?"
Reiji asked as they started moving.
"Days, Mister Kurozuma, days."
"...I better get comfortable."
Reiji said as he moved slightly forward in his seat and leaned back, getting into a more comfortable position to sleep.
It took hours of travel, tortures sitting during the day and not so comfortable camping near the parked carriage at night.
Their food and water lasted until they reached the capital three days later.
As the carriage moved down a dirt road, its side was positioned in view of the capital.
They saw a big, no, gigantic castle in the distance, presumably in the middle of the capital.
It was larger and taller than anything Reiji had ever seen.
"Just to clarify, humans built that…right?"
Reiji asked Lord Fujioka, staring out the window of the carriage.
"And who else? This is a new world for you. A world that holds a different type of danger."
"...Yeah, I can't wait."
Reiji said in a sarcastic way.