left, I poured myself a cup of tea and quietly nursed my drink, listening to the murmur of voices around us.
“They say Oni no Mikoto has appeared again,” the man at the table behind us muttered.
“The Demon Prince?” said his companion. “Kami preserve us. Where was he seen this time?”
“Omachi, on the bridge outside town. Two ronin were traveling together, and he challenged the stronger of them to a duel.” A pause, and then he added in a hushed voice, “The survivor said he’d never seen anyone move so fast.”
“That’s because Oni no Mikoto isn’t a man,” said his companion gravely. “Well, this will stir up a hornet’s nest, as all the fools who think they’re warriors will be off looking for a fight, hoping the Demon Prince finds them worthy enough to challenge. Baka.” The man snorted. “Worthy enough to kill, more likely.”
The waitress returned, setting a tray before us. It held an assortment of dishes: cooked meat, vegetables and three bowls of rice. “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked, as the ronin immediately grabbed a chicken strip with his chopsticks and shoved it into his mouth. Politely, she didn’t seem to notice.
“I have a question,” Yumeko said, as the ronin continued to pick food off the tray. “Who is Oni no Mikoto? Is he really a prince of demons? I have trouble believing there is an oni wandering around the valley, challenging people to duels. Wouldn’t people notice that?”
So, she had been listening, too. Somehow, I wasn’t surprised. The waitress’s eyes widened a bit, and she dropped her voice. “Oni no Mikoto?” she whispered in a dramatic voice, as if this was not the first time she had spoken about him. “He’s become our most famous local legend. They say on moonlit nights, a lone swordsman will sometimes appear on the bridges around the area, blocking the way forward. He had the body of an angel and the face of a demon, and will not allow anyone to cross the bridge unless they defeat him in a duel. But he shows himself only to those he finds worthy—the strongest and most skilled warriors in the land. Apparently, his legend has grown beyond the valley, because now we have swordsmen traveling here from all over, hoping to meet Oni no Mikoto on the roads. But in the three years since the Demon Prince first appeared, no one has been able to defeat him.
“So,” she finished, as Yumeko listened in rapt fascination, “if you are traveling through the valley, and you happen to meet a single swordsman on a lonely, moonlit bridge, first count yourself both lucky and cursed—you are among the few worthy of Oni no Mikoto’s attention. Then turn around and walk away. Oni no Mikoto is not a man. He is a demon with a sword, and he will take your head for a prize as he has done to the countless warriors who came before.”
“Ha.” The ronin snorted with his mouth full. “If it was me, I’d just shoot him.”
The waitress looked affronted. “You cannot just shoot Oni no Mikoto!”
“Nande? Why not?”
“Because,” the waitress sputtered. “It’s...dishonorable!”
“Bah, I’m no samurai. I don’t follow that code of honor anymore.” The ronin picked up a squid and stuffed the whole thing in his mouth. “Some stranger wants to kill me for trying to cross a bridge, he’s getting shot between the eyes.”
I reached for my rice bowl but paused, a faint shiver going through my veins. A black paper crane sat on a corner of the tray, almost invisible against the lacquered surface. My heart sank, but I couldn’t leave it there. As the waitress sputtered again, I quickly palmed the folded crane and slipped it into my sleeve.
The waitress still seemed at a loss for words. “You cannot... That is... How barbaric.” She stepped back, giving the ronin a look of distaste. “Well, you won’t even see Oni no Mikoto,” she said loftily. “Someone like you isn’t worthy of his attention.”
“I hope not,” was the reply. “I’d lose all respect for this Demon Prince if he showed up to challenge a filthy ronin dog.”
“Excuse me.” I rose, causing all three to look my way. The ronin frowned, one cheek bulging like a squirrel.
“Where you going, Kage?”
“I must take care of a small matter. I’ll return shortly.” Without waiting for an answer, I walked away, feeling Yumeko’s eyes on my back as I left. The ronin grunted, muttered something about “Toilets,” and continued eating as