Chapter 24: Land Of The Rising Sun

Amidst the crackling thunder and heavy rain, the small plank I’m holding onto is nothing more than a candle in the wind. That tornado just now was all too sudden. I hope that the two of them are fine, but getting sucked into it like that… they would need a miracle to get out unscathed. Ugh, how much time has passed since that? It couldn’t have been that long, but my arms are already losing grip. I feel cold, too… Shit, and now my eyes are getting hard to stay open…

A flash of light catches my attention as soon as my eyes are about to give up on me completely. Immediately turning to the direction where it came from, strength and warmth return to my body as I spot a small cargo ship making its way through the rain and wind, with its small but resilient hurricane lamp serving as the sole guide for the ship’s journey.

“Hey! Over here! Help!” I muster all of my remaining strength to raise my arm as high as I can and wave towards the ship, shouting as loud as my lungs can at the moment. Through the sound of rain and thunder, my voice would be nothing more than a small buzzing sound of a fly, but I have to take whatever chance I can get. And this time, fortune hasn’t left my side.

“Look! There’s a girl on the sea!” A voice sounds from the ship, in a language I haven’t heard before, as it soon makes a turn in my direction. “Hold on, we’re coming!”

As they make it to where I’m at, a ladder is dropped down, and a middle-aged man descends with it, offering me his hand. “Grab on!” He gestures. I may not know the meaning of his words, but at least I can tell from his actions that I’m saved for now. I grab onto his hand with everything I have left, and immediately, the ladder holding the two of us is pulled right back onto the ship.

“Here. Dry yourself with this.” One of the men onboard offers me a towel as everyone gathers in the nearest cabin from the main deck. Now that I have time to calm myself and take a close look, these men don’t have the same complexion as anyone else I’ve seen, but it’s not so radically different like a tan. Their builds are quite small, too, unlike normal sailors, but their muscles are still present, and plenty strong if I have to guess.

“Thank you.” I nod to show my gratitude, although I can only guess their intention from their gestures. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

As I express my thanks, the same crewmember that brought me to the ship, finally realizing something, answers finally in the kind of French that I can understand. “What are you doing in the middle of the sea like this, so far away from your home?”

“My home? … Oh, right, I guess the language kind of gives it away,” it takes a brief moment for me to answer. “Well… it’s a long story, but I guess the main part is that my ship was destroyed in that storm.”

“That’s some tough luck,” the man comments. “Nowadays, there are few that can get itself blown away by a storm, even something like this small vessel.”

I let out a sigh as an answer. “A part of the ship was struck by lightning and broke off. I only managed to get a hold of it by sheer luck, to be honest.”

“Must be rough, lass.” The man shakes his head to show his sympathy. “Well, unfortunately, our ship is on a return trip right now, so I’m afraid we can’t make a detour for you back to France, but you’re welcome to come along with us until we can find a way for you to get back.”

“Oh, I’m not going back to France anyway,” I wave my hand to deny his claim. “My ship was meant to go to England. And I want to see if my friends are okay, too.”

“You’re really not having a good day, then,” the man shakes his head once more. “We’re not passing England, either.”

“Then where are you going?” I ask.

“Back to our home, of course,” the man answers. “One of the few island nations in the world, the land of the rising sun. Japan.”

“Japan…” I mumble to myself. That explains the weird words they were speaking before, but this is not a good situation for me. I’m glad that at least there’s no danger for me at the moment, and the men all seem nice enough, but then how am I getting to England if I’m stuck across the ocean?

The man, seemingly noticing my troubled expression, quickly gives some words of encouragement. “Don’t worry about it too much. As soon as we return, I’ll make contact with Foreign Affairs. They’ll be able to get you back in a flash.”

“Foreign Affairs?” I ask with a confused look. I know I’m not the one to boast about my knowledge, but in all of my years in France, not once have I heard of anything like it. Are they something that’s only in Japan?

The man, meanwhile, doesn’t look taken aback at all seeing my reaction. Instead, still with a calm demeanor, he explains. “Foreign Affairs is a special task force in Japan. They’re mostly comprised of Angels, and they’re in charge of all of our foreign-related issues, from trading routes to international relations. Visitors to Japan also have to go through them to be recognized into the country.”

“Did you say… Angels?” Cold sweat starts to form on my hands and forehead, even though just a few minutes ago I was still soaked in seawater.

“Yeah,” the man answers, letting out a sigh. Guess he’s also not a fan of this Foreign Affairs. “Control in Japan is much stricter than you guys in Europe. Lord Michael himself has a say in almost every matter across the continent, so much that here, the Emperor is basically just a puppet figure for him to pull the strings… However, that’s only worth worrying about if you’re a bad person, right? If you haven’t done anything wrong, then there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah… haha…” Letting out an awkward smile, I exclaim while trying to think of a way to get out of the situation. “Well, it’s been a long night, and I’m pretty tired after the storm and all. Thank you, again…” I nod once more, but it’s this moment that I realize none of us has actually made an introduction about ourselves.

Realizing the situation, the man lets out a warm smile and answers. “Musashibou Yoshitsune, but people usually call me Ushiwaka.”

“Thank you, Ushiwaka,” I let out a smile in return. “I’m Petra. Petra Romeé.”

“Petra it is, then.” Ushiwaka gives a satisfying nod as he signals the rest of the crew to get out of the room, waving goodbye as he leaves the premises. “A fine name, I’d say. Well, good night.”

 

The journey to their homeland is smooth-sailing afterwards, as the storm has mostly cleared itself by the time morning comes. However, even with the wind on our side, we still have to take two weeks to actually reach our destination. But nonetheless, as the island slowly turns visible behind the morning mist and the rising sun dyes the sea in a glittering red, an unspeakable joy can be felt among all of the crewmembers, even affecting me somewhat as I can’t help but form a smile in awe of the scenery in front of me.

“This scene is what makes the job all worth it, don’t you think, lass?” From behind me, I can hear the hoarse, but elated, voice of the man called Ushiwaka.

“This certainly is something that I’d like to see again.” I let out a nod in return, still not taking my eyes off the shining sea. However, my joy is soon interrupted by Ushiwaka’s hand raising before me, as his tone turns to a more serious note:

“Now, before you enter this country, you’ll have to do something first. That necklace on you… can you hand it over?”

Necklace? Does he mean the cross on my neck? When did he see it? From when he saved me? No, wait, why would he ask for this? Does he know what it actually is? Land is already nearby, should I use my powers and make an escape? Do they have any countermeasures for my powers?

My fingers curl and open repeatedly, unsure of what to do. If there’s any chance of escaping, now would be the best to do it. But what if I’m wrong, and they don’t know anything after all? Wouldn’t that just be announcing my presence to the entire nation? Damn it, think, Petra! There has to be a way to get out of this situation!

“Don’t worry. We won’t do anything with it,” the man answers, patting my shoulder to ease my worries. Judging by his words, it seems like he’s only thinking that I’m nervous because I thought they might steal my valuables. “Foreign Affairs always check on visitors’ personal belongings in case there’s something dangerous to them. So, it’s best for you to just leave your things to us to save you from all the trouble. Who knows how long things might take should they find anything on you.”

However, my guess is entirely wrong, as when the two of us cross the main deck to prepare for the ship’s anchor, he leans close to me and whispers, avoiding the eyes of the rest of the crew:

“I’m on your side, don’t worry. Just act natural and pass the cross to me, I’ll return it right after they’re done checking you.”

His words send a chill down my spine. He knows after all? But does he truly mean what he said? Can I trust him? What if he’s working with those angels from the start?

“You can count on me. I mean it.” The man continues to reassure me, still keeping his voice down as much as possible. “I’ll explain everything as soon as the check is over. All I need you to do is to trust me on this.”

Ugh. You’re not making it any easier. I can see the genuine look in your eyes, but I’ve been through that once. That guy was even more genuine back then. It’s not that easy to place your trust in someone, old man. And you’re telling me to give up on my sole protection, even if it’s just for a moment?

“For if you do, it means you’ve forgotten yourself.”

The words echo in my mind once more. Of course. How could I forget? I’ve learned to have hope in people again. I don’t want to always live in doubt and hate again. It’s different this time. I know it. I believe in my judgment. I trust the ones around me.

“Alright,” taking off the cross and passing it to Ushiwaka, I nod. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” The man lets out a kind and serene smile as if he’s a convict just relieved of every crime he has committed. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect it with my life.”

“We’re here!” The sound of a crewmate signals our arrival to the new land. As the ship anchors itself at the harbor, we also set our foot down onto the island nation, with the men carrying most of the crates packed with various goods back to their storage – the proof of their successful trade. However, the sight of the sailors isn’t what surprised me the most, but rather the other people standing around the harbor.

It's like the entire area is dyed in white, both from the robes and from the feathered wings. Angels roam the earth and the sky, constantly watching everything around them like a band of hawks waiting for their prey to appear. All of them are armed with some kind of weapons – some kind of metal tube for the airborne and a weird spear with a bladed edge for the ones on the ground. To think that there would be actual visitors to this place is beyond me, considering that this is supposed to be the first thing that catches their eyes as soon as they lay their feet on this land.

“Hey, you over there!” An angel voices towards us in the land’s native language, signaling us to follow him into a large building nearby.

“Yes, Sir!” The crew answer at once and follow suit, with Ushiwaka lightly pulling my hand to show me where to go. As we approach the building, he then whispers once more to remind me of my predicament:

“Remember to act natural. They will ask for your name and how you got here first. In this part, you can tell them the truth, although I’d say a fake name would be better for you. And be sure to deny having any items in your possession. They will ask for you to prove it; just show that you have no pockets and wear no kinds of jewelry, they won’t pester any further than that.”

“Okay.” Letting out a quiet nod, I follow the angel into the building.

While the crew is taken to somewhere else, I’m following the angel to a separate room. Inside is only a small table, two chairs, and a candle. There isn’t even a single window to get some fresh air, so the candle is already almost out as soon as it is lit.

The angel is the first to take his seat, purposely dragging his chair onto the ground to make a sound, in an attempt to shake my mind. He then gestures towards the opposing seat, telling me to sit down as well. As I take my seat, the questioning begins.

“Name?” The angel asks. At least he’s decent enough to say in English, but with my limited knowledge of the language thanks to only listening in to those two, I don’t have the faintest of clues of what he’s talking about. Thankfully, with the information I got beforehand, I know the contents of his question. Although… a fake name, huh? I’m not that good with names…

You are reading story Peters’ Crosses at novel35.com

“What’s your name?” The angel asks once more, seemingly noticing the fact that he got the wrong language. This time, it’s at least in somewhat understandable French, and it’s at the exact moment when I decided on my alias.

“Jeanne de Lorraine,” I answer without a hitch. The name of the ancestor I heard so much about, and the name of my old hometown. It’s the best I can think of in this situation, and it seems like that’s enough to not warrant any other question from the angel.

“Why are you here?”

“I was caught in a storm and was rescued by the kind men you saw just now,” I answer the truth as discussed before with Ushiwaka. “They said that since their ship can’t make a detour back to France, they’re bringing me here instead.”

“I see. Then, I assume you’re planning to leave this place soon?”

“I don’t know. Probably.” I shake my head. “The men said that as soon as they have a trip to France, they would inform me.”

“Fair enough. Now, for the final question.” The angel then taps his hand on the table and asks in a demanding voice. “Take out everything in your possession.”

“Got nothing except these clothes.” Waiting for the moment, I quickly answer while pointing to the ends of my ragged dress. “And look, no pockets. See?”

“Hmm…” The angel squints his eyes, checking my neck for any semblance of a hidden item. It’s the only part where I could possibly hide anything out of sight since the rags I’m wearing right now perfectly shows up to my wrists and ankles.

“Alright then, you’re clear.” The angel gives out a nod, and, with a borderline creepy change of attitude, he sends me off with a smile, even waving his hand to say goodbye. “I hope you enjoy your stay here.”

 

As we get away from the building and go onto the streets, the sight of carriages pulled by men is certainly a surprising sight for me. Signaling for a couple of them to stop, the crew then hop on board, ready for a ride.

“Feels different from what you’ve ridden before, right?” Ushiwaka lets out a heartful laugh for the first time since I’ve met him. And to be honest, this look suits him more than his concerned look when he saved my life or his nervous gaze as he stepped into the questioning building.

“We have ours in France, too, but this is the first time I’ve ridden one.” I let out a smile of my own. “What do you call these?”

“They’re jinrikisha,” Ushiwaka answers with a big grin. “We have regular horse carriages too, but these are more suited for regular folks like us, isn’t that right, lass?”

“Jinrikisha, huh… Definitely.” I nod in answer. “And it sounds better than vinaigrette, I’d say.”

“Bwahaha, for sure!” With another laugh, Ushiwaka answers with joy. However, as soon the crew separates and the two of us continue on, his smile disappears as quick as it showed up.

After what feels like an hour of traveling, the two of us finally arrive at our destination. On the top of a rather short hill lies a large manor – taking the space of almost three or four regular houses I spotted on the streets before. The size of it combined with its crimson roof almost makes me mistake it for an Eastern-style castle in this town.

“That’s quite a big manor you have there,” I glance towards the man next to me. Surprisingly, the only reply I receive is a rather melancholic, bitter, almost, smile on Ushiwaka’s face:

“Most of the work doesn’t come from me, actually.”

“Work? You mean the money used to build it?”

“You can say that,” letting out a sigh, the hardened man briefly answers, before throwing me back the item that was entrusted to him back when we first arrived:

“Anyway, here you go. Still in one piece.”

“Thanks.” I take back the cross and wear it on my neck again, trying to check to see if his words were actually true.

“You almost gave me a heart attack there!” The annoying dragon in my cross finally sounds for once. “How could you just give me away without asking for my permission first?”

“I didn’t give you though, did I?” I ask back. “It’s only for a bit. And also, where were you for the past half a month? I tried to make contact but you never answered my questions.”

“Do you think I’m a mouthful like Balam? I’m only answering the kind of information that involves us!”

“Yeah, yeah. Then go away, now.” As soon as the words leave his mouth, I dismiss our conversation immediately, then turn back to the one I’m currently having in the outside world:

“I’ve been wondering, but you willingly helped me get through the questioning, and you had a reaction when you saw this cross… Ushiwaka, what do you know?”

“… Let’s go inside first, shall we?” The man actively avoids my eyes as he invites me into his house, which makes the action even more suspicious than it is. However, since he returned my cross back to me, I can at least assume that he’s not going to betray me or anything for now.

As we approach the door, as if prepared for our arrival, it’s opened already from the inside. Emerging from the hall is a beautiful girl with silky long black hair and crimson eyes that sparkle like rubies, although her black suit covers most of her feminine features. Upon seeing us, she’s taken aback for just a second, before regaining her composure and lightly bows:

“Welcome home, Master. And who’s the fair lady that accompanies you?”

“This is Petra. For now, treat her as a regular guest in the house.”

“Will do. This way, then, Lady Petra.” The girl gestures. Seeing my slight confusion, however, Ushiwaka quickly corrects:

“Oh, she doesn’t speak Japanese. Do you know French by any chance?”

“Of course. Is this to your liking, Lady Petra?” As soon as she notices, the girl then speaks in the most impressive French I’ve heard so far, only second to our perfect communication between the crosses.

“I’m rather surprised,” I answer with a smile. “I didn’t know there was someone this fluent outside of France, Miss…”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, however, her face darkens like a stormy sky – a sign of visible anger mixed with annoyance. As I wonder the reason, Ushiwaka, seeing the situation, realizes his mistake and quickly corrects me:

“This is Katsu, my… butler.”

“Butler? Wait, so that means you’re a…”

Not letting me finish my sentence, the butler, now Katsu, answers with what I would say the fakest attempt of a smile I’ve ever seen. “A boy, yes. Now, would you like some tea, dear guest?”

“Uh… sorry for that.” I can only scratch my nose in embarrassment. “But sure.”

As Ushiwaka and I station ourselves at the table in the guest room, each with our own cup of tea while Katsu still stands at the side, the middle-aged man then asks:

“Where’s Petoro, Katsu?”

“The young master is currently at school. It is still early in the day, after all.”

“I see… then I guess this is a good time, then.” With a sigh, Ushiwaka exclaims. “Katsu, can you bring me the painting in my room?”

“Master, you mean…”

“Yes. That one.”

“… Understood.” Katsu quickly leaves the premise, and, after a while, returns with a rather large painting. It’s a family portrait of four, and just from a quick glance, I can tell that the man is Ushiwaka, while the young, feminine-looking boy is Katsu. The shorter boy on his left should be the one called Petoro. Then that leaves the woman… Ushiwaka’s wife, perhaps? Where is she now, then?... Is what Ushiwaka is telling me related to this woman?

It doesn’t take long for my suspicion to be confirmed, as the man in question points towards the neck of the woman, where an emerald-green cross seemingly glimmers even inside a painting, and finally starts his story:

“I guess there’s a lot that I need to explain to you, lass; about my knowledge of your situation, as well as my reasoning for helping you.”

You can find story with these keywords: Peters’ Crosses, Read Peters’ Crosses, Peters’ Crosses novel, Peters’ Crosses book, Peters’ Crosses story, Peters’ Crosses full, Peters’ Crosses Latest Chapter