The sky was dim, and dusk sang its evening song.
The streets were clearly less lively at night than during the day. Most shops had already closed, and the evening breeze made the place feel somewhat desolate.
After asking an attendant for directions, Enkō headed straight to an izakaya just two streets away from the inn.
An izakaya, as the name suggested, was a place to drink. More than a dozen tables stood in the first-floor hall, with quite a few customers scattered among them.
Enkō entered the hall, swept his gaze around casually, then walked straight to a table and pulled out a chair to sit down.
An attendant immediately stepped forward with a bow. "Sir, would you like something to drink?"
Enkō removed a wine gourd from his waist and gave it a shake. "No need. I brought my own."
The attendant's expression turned awkward for a moment, but he still said warmly, "All right. If you need anything, just call for me."
With that, he went to attend to the other customers.
The white-clad man sitting across from Enkō could not help teasing him. "Lord Enkō, as far as I know, you're still underage, aren't you? Is it really all right for you to be drinking like this?"
Enkō placed the wine gourd on the table. "You don't look very old either, yet you chose to meet me at an izakaya."
The man spread his hands. "Can't be helped. My father died early, so I had no choice but to shoulder the family's burden. Honestly, I envy you. You have two older brothers above you, so there are people to share the burden when something happens. Unlike me, all alone, with my father gone. When something comes up, I don't even know who to talk to."
Enkō