"What's a young tamer like you doing alone in this place? You're quite far from the capital," the innkeeper remarked, prying into Yoichi's identity and the reason which had led him to move.

"I'm looking for someone. He was Emperor Tatsui's best blacksmith. His name is Shusaku," Yoichi affirmed, without mentioning the village of Oakenfair. In that way, the young tamer wanted to compare Takamori's version with that of those unknown people, should they ever have known the blacksmith.

​​

"The Emperor's blacksmith is no longer in the capital? Well, that's odd," one of the men at the counter replied. Giggling with one of his companions, he swallowed another sip of cold beer.

"Emperor Shinzo exiled him after his father died. Many were Tatsui's men exiled from Goldhaven when his son inherited the Empire," Yoichi explained. "By the way. I had never seen a statue depicting the current Emperor's father with his Oracle. I thought they were all destroyed," he continued.

"Indeed, the law says this," the innkeeper answered, polishing the back of the wooden bar.

"Shinzo is a disrespectful son of a bitch", a man from the tables at the back of the room grunted.

"Yeah, I hope he rots in hell," one of his colleagues added, making a disgusting noise with his throat and spitting something into a kind of vase on the floor.

Oh my... Ryutaro and Takamori told me about people hating the Emperor, but I didn't think they did it in such a transparent way. I'm sure if I had been one of his men, the innkeeper would have actually poisoned my breakfast, Yoichi reflected, smiling and playing dumb.

"The Emperor's men searched all of Goldhaven County and the adjacent provinces. However, when that happened, the only path to get here to Grimbrook was through the Boneside Swamp," the innkeeper explained, preparing breakfast for Yoichi. "Our village was indeed isolated from the rest of the world, and evidently, even the imperial guards just forgot to check on it," he added.

"Since then, Grimbrook has become a kind of refuge for all those who hate Emperor Shinzo. We welcome anyone who follows our ideal and kick out those who think otherwise!" another tavern patron yelled, raising his half-full mug and bragging about those words with his comrades.

"Um... do you mean to say that there are alternative paths to the swamp to travel north?" Yoichi inquired. His words were almost whispered as the shame of not knowing that information assailed him.

"Of course, boy!" the innkeeper chuckled, jerking the baby tuft on his head. "Across the Bronzeforest, you come to a path that allows you to climb down from the plateau and gets into the valley. It leads further north than here, so most people are almost unaware of the existence of our village."

The man with the dagger turned his face toward Yoichi, crossing his gaze with him. A large scar covered one of his eyes, and the young tamer couldn't help but stare at it.

"Why? Did you really cross the Boneside Swamp to get here?" the man asked. The room was shrouded in awkward silence, and all those present waited for their visitor's answer.

"Um... well... yes", Yoichi sp0ke, continuing to smile to hide his embarrassment.

"Hahahaha!" the innkeeper laughed with the men sitting at the counter that followed him in chorus. For a few seconds, everyone in the tavern giggled as if after a joke.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" a voiceover interrupted. After those words, the creak of the saloon's folding door echoed through the inn. The old man with the pipe who, until a few minutes before, had been sitting in the rocking chair next to the doorway had just spoken.

As the old man shuffled on his tired legs toward the bar, all the men in the place fell silent, as if an authority was speaking.

His shoulders were hunched forward in a stubborn hump, and, with both hands wrinkled and crossed behind his back, he took a step every two seconds. The hat on his head was so large that it covered his entire face and hid his appearance.

The only thing coming out of that wide visor was the smoke from the pipe, which carried with it a stench of stale tobacco.

"None of you ugly mugs have ever dared to walk through the Boneside Swamp. And I bet nobody knows what you're talking about," the old man scolded, moving the long pipe with his tongue to the other side of his mouth.

"What can I get you to drink today, wise Gempachi?" the innkeeper asked smiling, serving breakfast to Yoichi and turning to the old man. On a large ceramic plate, steaming ramen was accompanied by grilled meat fillets and sweet and sour vegetables. The smell was so inviting that it drew Yoichi's face toward the plate.

"A glass of sakè will be more than enough to ease the pain of my creaky old back," the old man in the hat replied before continuing his speech. "The Boneside Swamp got its name about a hundred years ago when hundreds of human bones and rotting corpses were discovered within it. Only the bravest tamers manage to avoid being devoured by the ravenous veil demons that populate that hellish place," Gempachi explained.

"I will assume then that although you are the age of the youngest of my grandchildren, you are not a novice tamer. Right?" with the round visor of his hat pointed at the young tamer, the old man was speaking to Yoichi.

"Um... let's say yes, Senpai. I'm trying to get stronger and stronger," Yoichi replied, stepping down from the barstool and bowing his head in a sign of respect. Cleverly, Yoichi didn't need any further confirmation to realize that the old Gempachi was the village headman.

"This is precisely the reason that pushed me beyond the walls of Goldhaven. I need a weapon that can meet my needs, and only Shusaku can help me out."

"Shusaku? Why that stingy old man of all people? Even here in Grimbrook, there are blacksmiths who, for a reasonable fee, would be willing to help you," the old man replied. "Besides, my eyes aren't as good as they used to be, but good enough to recognize a good katana when they see it," Gempachi added, looking at Ryutaro's katana from under his hat.