AHN – Chapter 19 Africans’ lives threatened

“So, are those black guys still in the cell?”

The burly red-haired man in a fur coat snapped a branch in his hand and threw it into the hearth. The flames caught quickly, casting a red-black glow on the man’s face. His movements were surly.

“It seems they’re not there anymore. Someone let them out. The villagers suspect it’s those women living in the outlying hut.”

Jiroza, sitting by the hearth, looked up at the man. The man snorted.

“Those ‘Outsiders’ from the village outskirts, huh? Letting people like them roam free is why disasters keep happening. I’ve been saying this from the start.”

“Exactly,” Jiroza nodded in agreement, keeping his inner thought—’Aren’t you an outsider too?’—to himself.

“This is all because that incompetent chief, Kalheka, can’t control things. He always has to consult the elders for everything, and that’s why there’s no order. He can’t even decide the fate of a couple of prisoners on his own. What’s a ‘Hawukase’ anyway? A coward who just stood by and let the hero Shakushain be killed.”

He spat the words out. Jiroza glanced at the gray walls covered with tree bark.

“You’ve always said so, Samaykachi-san. Well, the elder has governed the river region for a long time, so I suppose it’s unavoidable. And it’s not like we can just tell him to leave.”

He carefully made the last statement sound casual, so it could be easily denied if challenged. But Samaykachi glanced up, thinking, and turned to the side.

“Right… if only he were gone,” he muttered.

Jiroza lifted his face as if just remembering something.

“Oh, by the way, those black men were asking around the village about where the elder lives before they were caught.”

Samaykachi’s eyes darted to the side.

“Is that true?”

“Yes,” Jiroza nodded nonchalantly. Samaykachi placed a hand on his chin, eyes shifting as he considered.

“Nobody knows why they want to see the elder, right? So it’s not unreasonable to think they might be planning to kill him.”

He looked at Jiroza’s face.

Got him, Jiroza thought, but outwardly he widened his eyes in feigned surprise.

“Well, yes. They’re bear hunters after all… It’s not impossible.”

Samaykachi leaned in slightly.

“If there’s someone aiming to kill the elder, we can’t just let them live, can we?”

He smiled slyly.

“And when I take them down, it could happen after they’ve already made their move against the elder.”

Jiroza tried not to laugh at how easily Samaykachi was playing into his hands.

“Yes, that might work… but will it really?”

“We need men,” Samaykachi said, looking at Jiroza.

“The villagers are too loose-lipped to rely on. Can you gather some men, Jironza?”

Pretending to think for a moment, Jiroza then clapped his hands as if just recalling something.

“Well, I heard there are some outlanders by the river mouth, gathered by the Matsumae clan. If they work for money, I could arrange something.”

Of course, he couldn’t mention that these men had been pre-arranged through Daimyo Jimbyo and the clan merchants.

“Good,” Samaykachi grinned.

“The elder gets killed, and Kalheka loses his position due to the failure. The one who avenges the elder should be the next chief. That means me.”

“More followers will rally to you.”

“We’ll drive out the Matsumae clan and gather weapons… The time has come for me to become the second Shakushain. I will be the hero who saves Ishikari.”

He laughed in amusement.

Jiroza was laughing inwardly for a different reason.

You fool. Once Kalheka and Hawukase are gone, you’ll be useless. I’ll have the Matsumae clan brand you as a rebel and have you executed. Then it will be my turn.

It will be the turn of Jiroza-sama.

“When you become the chief, please favor me.”

Contrary to his thoughts, he bowed his head. Unaware of the treachery, Samaykachi nodded magnanimously.

“Move immediately. Those escaped blacks will aim for the elder’s place. Kill them. And the foreign women too. Blame it all on them, and there will be no issue.”