The underground harbor Bird Sea Maru entered resembled a lake at the bottom of a vast cavern. Sherlock guessed that the multicolored lights on the walls were magical effects.
"Strangers, halt. Please present..."
A muffled voice spoke. Sherlock had to lower his head to look. A humanoid creature shorter than a twelve-year-old child stood there, and its height reminded Sherlock of Professor Flitwick at Hogwarts.
"Strangers, halt. Please present..."
"What?" The creature had green skin, turtle-shell-like adornments, and a round bald head. Sherlock recognized it at once as a kappa from ancient Japanese mythology. He had not expected Japan to employ kappa as staff.
Yet the kappa had held out its hand to Sherlock twice, and Sherlock had no idea what it wanted.
"Here..." Yuriko took a small booklet bearing a wand and cherry blossom design from her pocket and showed it to the kappa. After one look, the kappa bowed, respectfully returned it, and said in awe, "So it is Lady Yuriko. My apologies, my apologies!"
With the kappa no longer blocking their path, Sherlock and Yuriko were able to continue onward.
"You actually recruit kappa to work for you. They should be native intelligent creatures of Japan, right? I've never seen or even heard of them in Europe. Do kappa serve the role of house-elves here?"
Sherlock asked curiously.
"Not at all. House-elves in Japan have more or less the same status as they do in Europe—they are slaves. Kappa are different. They are aquatic yokai by nature and immensely strong. The Great Way Academy Shogunate employs kappa in all kinds of places, including river and harbor departments, both to keep them from causing trouble outside and because even unloading cargo weighing over a ton is no trouble for five or six kappa."
As Yuriko finished speaking, Sherlock