The Samurai and the Long-Nosed Devils by Lensey Namioka

Gion Festival is tomorrow, and I don’t want to miss that.”
    Opposition to Zenta’s proposed visit came from still another source. As the gate of the Portuguese residence closed behind him, Zenta saw one of Lady Yuki’s attendants waiting for him in the street. “If you please, my lady would like to see you in her reception hall,” she said, bowing deeply.
    Astonished, Zenta followed her into Lord Fujikawa’s residence. When he had seen Lady Yuki last, she had looked furious. He thought that she would still hold him responsible for diverting suspicion away from the Portuguese towards a member of her household.
    Lady Yuki’s manner was conciliatory. Breaking into his murmured greeting she said, “This morning I was rude and my thoughts were confused by shock, but now I’m convinced that you were sincerely trying to find my father’s murderer.”
    Judging from the scene at Kiyomizu Temple, Zenta suspected that there had been little affection between father and daughter. Lady Yuki was not pretending a sorrow she did not feel, and he respected her for that. He bowed and waited for her to continue.
    Lady Yuki’s slender fingers pulled restlessly at one of the two locks of hair that framed her face. The rest of her hair, left uncut, was gathered into a thick, shiny black rope going all the way down her back. She raised her eyes. “I want you to look for Kotaro.”
    Zenta felt his jaw drop with surprise. Then he cleared his throat. “Kagemasa’s men are combing the city for him, and no doubt Nobunaga’s men are joining the hunt as well. Why do you think my help will be of any use?” “If they find him, he will resist arrest and they will kill him,” said Lady Yuki. “But if you find him, you can persuade him to come and see me first.”
    From the moment Zenta had first seen Lady Yuki, he had been trying to resist the attraction of this spoiled and beautiful girl. Now, to his fury, he found himself jealous on hearing her concern for Kotaro.
    She must have read the expression on his face. A gleam of amusement showed for a moment in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by annoyance. “I’m not worried about Kotaro because I’m fond of him,” she snapped. “I want to see him because he may have been a witness to my father’s murder. He will tell me things that he is afraid to tell anyone else.”
    The fact that Kotaro might be a witness had occurred to Zenta as well. “Then you don’t think he murdered Lord Fujikawa?”
    â€œOf course not! I know Kotaro. If he had killed my father, he would make a dramatic confession to me and then commit hara-kiri in front of a large audience. He wouldn’t hide himself like this.”
    Despite himself, Zenta felt pleased at hearing the contempt for Kotaro in Lady Yuki’s voice. “I still don’t understand why you think I’ll be more successful than Kagemasa’s men in finding Kotaro,” he said.
    â€œBecause you don’t have to look for Kotaro,” said Lady Yuki. “He will be coming to you. After you cut off his topknot, he swore to kill you. If you place yourself in public view, he will rush from his hiding place to attack you. Then you can disarm him and bring him to me.”
    She seemed to think that he could accomplish this easily. “It really sounds quite simple when you put it like that,” Zenta said, grinning.
    Lady Yuki smiled back, but there was an angry sparkle in her eyes. “The murderer is using Kotaro to divert attention from himself. He thinks he can manipulate us for his own convenience. I refuse to stand for this!” Zenta could sympathize with Lady Yuki because he had exactly the same feeling, that someone was making use of him. But his plans did not coincide with hers. “I’m sorry, Lady Yuki. What you propose would take far too long. I’m going to Mt. Hiei.”
    â€œGoing to Mt.