Five Thousand Gold Bars

Life, Organisation Association

Carefully, making sure not to overcompensate and drop off into the pit below, Maxim traversed the series of catwalks beneath Old Ōuchi Manor. In defiance of his size, the Knight Commander's sabatons moved lightly on the swaying catwalks. At no point did he risk losing his balance.   Soon he was across, and Nagasone Kotetsu was looking up at him with an expression of surprise. It was late, she suggested, almost midnight, in a location that was supposed to be secret. She hadn't really expected to meet Maxim again at such a time and place.

In response, the knight offered that somebody of her skills probably wouldn't be asleep at this time. Kotetsu just huffed. She couldn't do that thing some did, thriving on their ki energy to the point of not really needing to sleep. The only reason she happened to be up now is because this was an important project, and she didn't want to leave it half-done. In that sense, he was lucky that she wasn't in bed.   Still, regardless of the reasons, the two had met. Maxim produced the letter of recommendation and, with a sense of satisfaction, finally presented it to Nagasone Kotetsu. The smith accepted and opened it immediately. Peering at the parchment in her hands, she squinted and furrowed her brow. According to her, this was an archaic script that anyone would have trouble reading. The only reason Kotetsu could is because she'd worked with the scribes at the Imperial Archives to look up some ancient designs in the past. Just who had written it?   When Maxim said, with a straight face, that it was Empress Genmei's penmanship, Kotetsu obviously had trouble holding back a laugh. Empress Genmei? Did he know how ridiculous he sounded? Maxim insisted, but the smith found the notion too difficult to believe. Someone, she said, was probably having a joke at his expense.   Genmei herself had warned Maxim of this. After so many centuries, there were scant few who knew that she was still alive and active. Indeed, only Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, her* closest allies, and now Maxim himself could be counted among that number. Rather than attempting to convince Kotetsu, he decided on a different approach. He stated it simply: he needed her in order to aid The Wolfpack in their future plans.   Maxim's declaration was so earnest and so forthright that Kotetsu couldn't help but find it a bit endearing. She relented. The Wolfpack would have its smith, but first, they needed to talk payment. Her rate was simple: five thousand koku, plus a portion of his daily provincial income. Maxim blinked. Five thousand koku? Sure, he still wasn't completely used to the economic system in Japan, but by his estimation, a koku must be about the same as a gold bar. This woman wanted five thousand gold bars to come work for him? That was a king's ransom!   There was no way Maxim could pay that amount with his current resources, so he did what any good Hashinara general would in the situation. He called for help. Fortunately Harukor was still up despite the late hour and happy to hear from his new lord. The mercantile bear was able to put Maxim's doubts to rest. Five thousand koku would be a fortune for a peasant. Enough to keep them fed for five thousand years. But for a provincial lord... Well, Maxim might not even notice such a sum was gone.   His fears allayed, Maxim was about to give his consent to Kotetsu's price. But, he wanted to make sure first. Was that cost for all of her work, or would she charge by the item as well. Kotetsu laughed. It would be the latter. Five thousand was only the price for her to move to Ago and set up shop there. That wouldn't be nearly enough to cover her work itself, even with the portion of income thrown in. Maxim mulled it over, but accepted all the same.   So it was settled. Of course, Kotetsu couldn't truly join him until this job was done. The reforging of Asteria Talos was high-priority and high-paying. So, Maxim offered, they should meet after his tournament match the following morning. Then they could hash out any details. The good knight even offered to send a runner to pick her up when his match was about to begin, for which Kotetsu was grateful. That meant that she could keep working right up until. They promised to speak more later and bid each other farewell. Even if Aphrodite Ourania was busy, it seemed Maxim would get a date the next day after all.   When he crossed back over the catwalks, Maxim took his time and didn't attempt anything fancy. It cost him a few more minutes, but soon he was back on solid ground and rejoining his party. That is, his two companions, Shishikura Makiko and Kitsuno, along with their guide, Arges.   Indeed, it was with Arges that Maxim wanted a few more words before he left the manor. First, he warned her that he'd be sending a runner the next day to pick up Kotetsu for his match. For that, he asked Makiko and she agreed. That would make it easier on the keeper of the manor, as she'd know who to expect. Arges suggested that such an arrangement would be no problem.   Then, Maxim delved a bit more into the nature of their uncommon guide. She'd created this entire chasm by magic, right? Kotetsu had said that they wouldn't need anything so extravagant unless he planned on making giant metal women of his own, but... Just in case, did Arges have the designs? The tanned cyclops had to admit that she did not. Designs, blueprints, these things were after her time. She knew all of her projects by memorization and through work with her sisters.   That made sense, in its own way. Maxim nodded. Would she too, like Aphrodite, be leaving tomorrow then? This time, Arges answered in the negative. She'd only be returning to Alexandria and her sisters after this project was finished. At the moment, they weren't sure when that would be. It was certainly, Maxim admitted, an impressive job. Perhaps if they'd met under other circumstances, he and Arges could have worked together quite well. To this, the cyclops only smiled. He was, with no offense meant, far below her usual caliber of client.   No offense was taken. Still, Maxim suggested, if and when Arges came back to Japan, perhaps she'd find Maxim in a more favorable situation.   Then, he was off, back onto the moonlit bluff outside the manor. The heavy door slid closed and locked behind him, leaving Maxim alone with his two companions. High overhead, the moon was at its zenith. Midnight had arrived.