Rosa turned and went back inside the tavern. In the meantime, the whirlwind there had settled. She returned to the table where she had first sat. Of course, she did not sit. Instead, she went to the two people seated at the table behind it. Putting her right hand inside her clothes, she spoke.
“Find my little sister.”
Gene and Tahyang had just called a waiter, to have another drink as they had said a little earlier. They did not intend to eat a chair leg with it, but there was no need to change places merely because a disturbance had occurred. Disturbances always occurred, and however big this one had been, with a table and chairs left, they could still eat and drink something. Only the present situation was unexpected. Gene raised his head and looked at Rosa. Their eyes met.
“Just now…”
Gene had only begun speaking when Rosa took her hand from her clothes and tossed a purse onto the table. From the sound as it fell, it was quite full.
“That is half. I will give the rest when you find her.”
Gene spoke to the waiter behind Rosa.
“Two glasses of wine.”
“There is no time for that.”
Rosa answered instead of the waiter. Gene frowned a little. Lately, whenever Gene wore such an expression, hardly anyone could keep looking him in the eye. Even the rare few who did could not hide their tension. Yet Rosa looked straight at Gene, and even lowered her gaze toward the purse, telling him to pick it up. Slowly, he felt incredulous. This young lady seemed to be treating Gene and Tahyang, practically the princes of Delphinad’s back alleys, as mere mercenaries.
The people who had drawn away began edging closer again. They were cruelly curious to see when Gene would draw his blade and cut off this insolent woman’s wrist, or send her head flying. In truth, Gene was not such a man. He had merely let such dreadful rumors stand because sometimes they were convenient. But if he wished to keep that reputation now, he could not simply say, “You have the wrong people, young lady. Farewell,” and leave the tavern.
He was not particularly attached to that sort of peace. He merely thought that since it was not his alone, he ought not decide alone either. Yet when he turned toward Tahyang, his friend looked unexpectedly amused. Of course, Rosa could not tell.
Why had this young lady singled out the two of them? Because she had seen the scene a little earlier, or because she had not? Suddenly Gene realized that this woman had abruptly offered a large sum without knowing who she was dealing with.
This young lady still did not know what Gene and Tahyang were in Delphinad. It was precisely because she did not know that she treated them so boldly. Yet she had clearly grasped that the two had the skill to find her sister. If all the money in that purse was Serapion gold, it was enough to have even a senator’s throat cut. It was fortunate she had thrown it onto Gene and Tahyang’s table. Had she offered it carelessly on the street, it would not have been strange for her to appear as a corpse in the canal the next morning. In other words, it was excessive payment for finding one person. Perhaps she was a foreigner who did not know the going rate?
But if those she meant to hire were the “ShadowHawk’s twin swords”?
Perhaps, knowing nothing, this young lady had instead correctly read their worth.
Only then did Gene study Rosa’s face closely. A cold face of northern origin, with a sharply cut mouth on which a sneer would have sat well. In the south where Gene was born, pale-faced women were considered delicate, but Rosa gave no such impression. She was neither lovely nor coarse. Nor did she seem two-faced, as though concealing something. It was almost as though she had trained not to show her thoughts on her face. If there was one thing he felt clearly, it was coldness. This woman came from a cold region. There was no doubt.
Then the waiter brought the wine. Gene took one cup, sipped, and spoke.
“I understand your hurry, but you have not bought my time yet.”
He had merely meant to discover her reaction. Rosa looked at Gene with an unreadable face, then blinked several times.
“I would like to give you more, but that is half the money I have.”
Gene was taking another sip, then stopped and stared at Rosa.
“Do you mean you would give all the money you have now?”
“If you hurry.”
Tahyang, who had said nothing until then, shook his head and struck the table.
“No. That will not do.”
People’s gazes turned to Tahyang. Guessing what Tahyang was thinking, Gene chuckled. Originally, Gene had not smiled much, but he had changed since coming to live in Delphinad. Laughter, after all, came from having room in one’s heart.
Gene looked at Tahyang. Sending a question with his eyes, he was understood at once.
“If it is all right with you.”
“Why?”
“A little sister is important.”
The onlookers were disconcerted by so mild an answer, but Gene raised one corner of his mouth, then looked at Rosa again.
“Your request has been accepted by the ‘left-hand sword.’”
Gene reached out, pushed the purse before Tahyang, and rose.
“But the twin swords help each other.”
Tahyang rose too. Since from beginning to end he had seemed to be wearing a tiger mask, Rosa could not quite understand what kindness he had shown her. Tahyang asked,
“Your name?”
“Rosa.”
“I am Tahyang. This is Gene. Wait here.”
Tahyang took the purse, drew out one gold coin, and tossed it to the waiter. When the waiter caught it, Tahyang spoke.
“Give this lady a room and dinner.”
Gene and Tahyang went toward the entrance. Just as they were about to step out into the noisy street, someone came and stood beside them. Looking aside, Gene narrowed one eye.
“Why did you follow?”
Rosa had just put up and tied her disordered hair. She answered.
“Because you are going to find my little sister.”
“Since you have entrusted her to us, waiting would be more helpful.”
“I don’t think so.”
Tahyang looked back at Rosa. Then he grinned. Of course, Rosa could not recognize it.
“The boldest thing I have heard today.”
Tahyang took out a small horn pipe and blew. A low note, difficult to make out at first, rang through it. Then a white shape leaped from behind the tavern. It was Tahyang’s snowlion, Huka. Rosa was no especially bold young lady, but the instant she saw Huka, her body stiffened, and every hair at the nape of her neck stood on end. Rosa had never seen a lion, let alone heard of a snowlion.
Slowly hunching its back before Rosa, the snowlion resembled a white tiger most closely among the beasts she knew. Yet a long mane framed its face, and a black stripe ran from the top of its head along its spine. Seeing Rosa clench her teeth, Tahyang spoke.
“Do not be afraid. Huka is my brother.”
Indeed, apart from walking on four legs, it might have been called his brother. Gene, who had appeared on horseback before they knew it, chuckled at the two, then held out a hand to Rosa.
“Give up any hope of riding Huka. Even I have failed until now.”
When Rosa mounted behind Gene, Tahyang climbed onto Huka too. As Tahyang led them out into the street, Gene followed at a little distance, because his horse too was afraid of Huka. After they had gone a few steps, Gene called out.
“Lime liquor?”
“Good.”
Tahyang raised one hand in reply. The street was crowded. People pouring out from the arena, where the match had just ended, flowed like a broad river. The three went upstream.
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