The blade is curved

[Yaoquizque]

A mid-forty man was sitting Agura-style on a middle sized audience room. On his left, Ryoma, his sabre wielder, sighed discretely.
He affected to ignore him, concentrating on the screen integrated to the writing case in front of him.

As Ryoma was about to speak, a voice could be heard coming from the other side of the shōji "Master... Your son has arrived."
The man raised his head "Very well then."

He sighed and talked to himself "Will that son disappoint me like the others did?"
Ryoma smiled softly "Only time will tell, my master. But the young lord is indeed young." He chuckled without making any noise "I even heard the young lord never experienced the various pleasures of the flesh..."

The man raised his voice "Enough, puppet!" He turned his head and stared at Ryoma, wrathful "One day you will end with my blade on your belly. I don't even know why i should spare your life today"

Ryoma bowed with humility. However the smile on his face was subtly contradicting his current attitude "That's because my master knows i would rather die than fail him or see Gamo honour sullied"
He looked at Ryoma who was still bowing "I see... That's why you made that scene during the last meeting on Tosa?"

Ryoma raised slowly and an intelligent smile appeared on his face. He then quickly bowed back "My lord. That treacherous odawara was alluding to the honour of your lady, and i simply couldn't let him walk away"
"Right... And this has nothing to do with the fact you and him loved the same woman?"
Ryoma remained bowed "Of course not"

The man sighed "Keep your snake tongue inside your mouth, wielder"

They then heard the voice of the page, coming from outside "My lord..."
"Yes." He glanced at Ryoma who quickly assumed back a strict Seiza while holding the No-dashi of his master "Let him come in"

Ujisato entered in the room and bowed in front of his father. He then slowly assumed Seiza, looking down "Father... I'm glad to see you're in good health"
"Yes... The years pass... And the blue ocean remains the same" said Ryoma.

"My son" He glanced at Ujisato "How is your life in the Enryaku-ji?"
Ujisato quickly looked at him, surprised "Fine, my father."
"Good. This is over"
He looked at his father, confused
"Excuse me, father... What do you mean?"
"I mean you will leave that temple and join the warriors of our Emperor"

Ujisato hesitated during a few seconds and bowed "Yes father. Will a join my brother?"
He raised and looked at his father. He was puzzled by his expression "Will i join Ujimasa?"

He looked severely at this son "You shall not say his name again"
Ujisato glanced at his father, perplexed. He then bowed once again "Yes, father"

His father raised his arm "You heard my words. So shall it be"
Ujisato bowed and stood up. He then slowly left the room...

Ujisato entered in his small quarters inside of Myoko. Three weeks he joined the naval forces.
During these murky days, there was little time to teach extensively new recruits.

He sighed and sat on the only chair of the small room. The members of his wing called him "rotten luck".
He wasn't a warrior. He never was taught to.

The comm of his quarters suddenly rang.

"Ujisato-san? The Rikugun Taisa would like to meet you. Please appear in his office in ten minutes."

He sighed. He would surely lecture him about the last Chimaera he lost...

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