The two stepped out from behind the pillar, their faces brimming with the confidence of people who had already come up with a perfect plan.
Uesugi Koshi walked over to Erii, cleared her throat, and said in the gentlest yet still authoritative tone she could manage, "Erii, Dad will go with you. I won't feel at ease with you going somewhere so far away alone."
Erii glanced at her. There was no surprise or gratitude in those eyes, only the calm of someone who had long known she would say that. She nodded.
Minamoto Chisaki returned the wooden sword to its rack, then turned to the others in the dojo. "Get ready. We're going to China."
Sakurai Kogure and Sakura set down their shogi pieces and exchanged a glance. Neither spoke, but they had already begun packing. Crow and Yasha both stopped chewing their fried noodles, their eyes shifting from the kimonos to Minamoto Chisaki.
Crow swallowed his mouthful of noodles, wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, and asked, "Boss, what are we going to China for?"
Minamoto Chisaki put on his coat and fastened the buttons. The black suit was exquisitely tailored, its shoulder lines crisp and straight. Once he put it on, he looked like he had been sheathed in a sword scabbard—the killing intent from sword practice had been tucked away.
"Depends on the situation." He paused, slipping his fingers through the last buttonhole. "But most likely, we're going to teach some brat who doesn't know his place a lesson."
The words had barely left his mouth.
He suddenly felt as though someone were stuffing ice cubes down his collar, sending a chill up his back. He shuddered and stiffly turned his neck around.
Erii stood less than two steps behind him, staring at