"Mrs. Kie, may I come inside now?"
Su Mu stood in the sunlight, his voice gentle and his gaze friendly.
Yet the man who looked so gentle made Kie Kamado tremble involuntarily. She wanted desperately to refuse. How could she dare let a demon into her home?
But facing a demon, a cruel demon, how could she find the courage to refuse? She could only step aside, place her small hands over her lower abdomen, and bow respectfully. "M-my lord, please come in."
Though the woman was terrified, her manners were proper and composed.
Su Mu smiled and nodded. He was not used to the local custom of bowing at every turn, so naturally, he did not bow to her. He simply walked past Kie Kamado and headed inside.
It looked like a thatched hut, rather low and small. Being fairly tall, he had to bend over with some effort.
He lifted the heavy curtain woven from straw and stepped inside.
Just inside the entrance was a main room. Near the window stood a stone-lined hearth with a small pot over it. The floor was bare earth, but it had been packed firm underfoot and was very dry.
In the middle of the living room lay a woven straw mat, with several low wooden tables on it.
Su Mu naturally took the seat of honor. Kie Kamado followed him inside, but kept her head lowered and knelt on the earthen floor near the door.
Su Mu glanced at her. Having spent so long in this world, he naturally knew about its customs. There seemed to be something called a "doza" and a "doma." Roughly speaking, people of high standing sat on the "doza," while those of low standing had to kneel on the bare earth, the "doma."
The distinction between