Nagato Kagutsuchi: The Dawn
Ch. 151 - Kuri Village
After Emi saw the warrior members of the Fuyumi Clan including Nagato and Litha arrive at the port of Daruma City, slowly the ice that spanned the length of forming a ruined road vanished unceremoniously mixed with sea water.
Along the way through the streets of Daruma City which is crowded with residents from outside the city, they are all so respectful of the figure of Emi. There is no mayor for Daruma City. All the interests of the government of Daruma City joined the Fuyumi Clan.
Nagato was already wearing his white fox mask, the carvings and shapes that only someone from the Kagutsuchi Clan had made Emi even more curious about the identity of the young man walking beside her grandson.
Iris glanced at Nagato and smiled sweetly at him, seeing that Nagato's eyes widened and stared at Iris sharply from behind her white fox mask.
"Don't smile like that, because it bothers me so much." hearing Nagato's cynical words, Iris's hand reflexes pinched the young man who was wearing a white fox mask to cover his good looks.
Iris felt sorry for trying to care for Nagato. Meanwhile Emi had the others rest for a while in the Winter Ice Flower Residence which was a magnificent residence belonging to the Fuyumi Clan. Emi wants to take the others to breakfast before they continue their journey to Mikazuchi City which is the Capital of the Western Province and the closest to Daifuzen Capital.
Iris walked in front of Nagato. The long black hair looked straight as the beautiful girl's back in Nagato's eyes. Slowly Nagato stepped foot into the Winter Ice Flower Residence. Snowflakes fell on their own when Nagato was near Shirayuki and Iris.
The aura of his body was enveloping and he himself had the element of fire, all of which made Nagato not cold, not how long Emi explained to them the safest and fastest route to reach Daifuzen Capital.
Nagato took off the white fox mask he wore while in the room, then carefully he listened to explain Emi's explanation.
The Western Province was the place they were going to now, a province different from the Northern Province would be the first experience for Nagato to clearly see the condition of the Kai Empire.
Before continuing on, Emi had everyone who would go along with her go to the Tiger Kai Tournament to eat first. Considering they were all breakfast yet, and Emi wanted the representative young swordsman from the Fuyumi Clan to stay healthy.
Nagato only ate enough, he was not as usual who was very fond of spicy food. His hand only took two loaves of bread to prop his stomach, but the coercion of the beautiful girl caused him to melt. Iris's hand holding the chopsticks deliberately fed Nagato. Nagato opened his mouth and accepted Iris' bribe.
Seeing that the most shocked was Emi. Just the first time she saw her granddaughter behave like that, Iris was her favorite granddaughter. In fact Emi has not explained to Shirayuki and Yuki that the two of them are not siblings. Yuki is the daughter of Emi's friend who has died, since the baby Yuki cared for Emi until she grew up before marrying Emperor Hizen.
After eating Nagato put on his white fox mask and walked out of the room of the Winter Ice Flower Residence. Nagato casually sat down on a bench to enjoy the atmosphere, in his mind Nagato asked himself about the meaning of freedom. Asha died before she knew freedom, and it made Nagato want to find an answer about freedom.
A few minutes later Emi came out with Shirayuki, Ichiba and Oichi. Meanwhile, Iris, Litha, Hika and Tika just came out of the Winter Ice Flower Residence.
They continue the journey again, to keep their physical and stamina awake, Emi deliberately traveled without riding a horse. Emi wanted to train the physique of five young warriors representing the Fuyumi Clan in the Kai Tiger Tournament.
Nagato was very lucky to be part of such a respected clan in the Kai Empire. A clan that became the dream of men to find a soul mate there, the Fuyumi Clan had thousands of members who were beautiful and sweet.
The main residence of the Fuyumi Clan on Maru Island was once entered by a man named Hiryuu. At that time Emi invited Hiryuu into Maru Island to see an ancient inscription engraved on a stone like a light blue crystal, a rock just like in Weeping Mountain College to convey a message to the future.
Neither Emi nor Namida knew clearly about their ancestors who had anything to do with the Kagutsuchi Clan. A story of the past that will pass down the determination to future generations, in all parts of the world there are still four heirs besides the Kagutsuchi Clan.
It did not feel like three days had passed since Nagato left Samui Island. In those three days, Nagato and the others simply stayed overnight and rested in the forest or shady place. Nagato and Litha did not complain too much because they were used to it, today Emi intends to spend the night in a village close to the Western Province and arguably the village is the border boundary of the Western Province and the Northern Province.
The safest and fastest route Emi planned turned out to make them get to the destination faster, without any obstacles. On the way while resting occasionally Nagato asked Shirayuki about how to manipulate the aura and change the aura. However Nagato was arguably proficient for a child his age, but all of that was still far from being proficient for him who had seen the strength of the members of the Disaster and Bhishma Organization.
Shirayuki happily explained all of that to Nagato. About manipulating the aura and changing the aura, even Shirayuki also explained more to Nagato. The one-childed woman who has the nickname snow princess and is the dream of the men explained to Nagato about the development of the aura, both strengthening the aura, widening the aura, and concentrating the aura. Meanwhile Emi feels that Nagato is a descendant of Kagutsuchi Sura. Just looking at it, Emi could already guess it but she did not want to jump to conclusions.
Nagato was amazed to see that Shirayuki who looked like she was flying did not step on the ground, even her daughter was the same as her. Nagato's eyes showed his admiration for the same Iris as Shirayuki. Slowly he deliberately slowed his pace to see Iris running.
Feeling herself constantly being stared at from behind, Iris deliberately exhaled her breath from her mouth towards Nagato. Her thin and petite lips smiled at Nagato who was accelerating his footsteps, not how long Nagato had been by his side and turned towards himself with a sharp gaze from behind the white fox mask.
"Did you call me?" Nagato innocently asked Iris. The misunderstanding occurred because Nagato saw Iris' hand that was in her mouth when the girl exhaled her cold breath.
"Dragon. I feel like you're always looking at me from behind." Iris replied with a hint of cynicism as she turned to look at Nagato's face covered in a white fox mask.
"I'm just amazed to see you. Am I bothering you?" nagato replied while feeling a little guilty for staring at Iris from earlier. Nagato knows best what it feels like to be stared at continuously until it makes him feel uncomfortable with the gaze of people.
"I'm amazed by you too. I feel uncomfortable when people look at me sharply, but.." Iris's voice was restrained and in an instant her face was red, seen if Iris was unconscious when near Nagato, he was always open to Nagato even his own feelings.
"But?" Nagato raised his eyebrows curiously from behind the white fox mask he was wearing, while Iris who heard Nagato's voice blushed in embarrassment.
"I'm not uncomfortable .. when you .. are looking at me.." Iris's embarrassed voice - embarrassed to make Nagato realize that he also asked me something Iris did not want to say.
It was not long before the two of them just kept quiet and stopped talking when they reached the entrance of a border village of the Western Province and the Northern Province. Iris turned her head to look at Nagato and approached the young man.
"It's called Kuri Village." Iris' voice broke Nagato's daydream who was still embarrassed talking to Iris.
"Iris..." Nagato called out the name of the girl standing beside him, Nagato blushed his face from feeling embarrassed to ask, it was fortunate that he was wearing a white fox mask, so that only his cold eyes were visible.
"What's the Dragon?" Iris stepped on her tiptoes and looked at Nagato up close, her thin lips clearly visible in Nagato's eyes.
"I just wanted to apologize, that night I let you kiss your lips" Nagato said, stalled because he realized he was going to ask a shameful question, but these days she always remembers how her first kiss was lost when she was with Iris.
"I should be the one apologizing, but I have no regrets. Precisely because of you" Iris's voice was restrained and her face was crimson from remembering her first kiss, Iris tried to forget about it but she did not expect Nagato to still remember it even though the young man was acting so ordinary.
Nagato and Iris alike - similarly turning their faces to the side, Nagato and Iris were unaware if they were still so innocent. But they are both aware of the feelings of their hearts.
"Naagato! Iris! You two are taking too long!" litha's shout spread the shame of Nagato and Iris who were still at the entrance of Kuri Village.
Nagato saw that Litha and the others had entered the village, while all he had left was with Iris beside him.
Nagato let out a long sigh, the sound of his breath coming from behind his white fox mask. Iris looked down shyly at the small rocks on the ground, while her right hand held a ribbon of blue-covered butterflies that adorned her fine hair.
"Iris. Forget what I said." Nagato walked slowly and bit his lower lip from feeling very embarrassed, but there was a feeling of pleasure in his heart.
Iris just kept quiet and followed Nagato who was walking in front of her, Iris herself did not expect to be so open to Nagato and instead Nagato was also open to Iris. Nagato has yet to reveal his past and identity to Iris.