They chatted idly for a while. Nothing important came up.
It was already getting late. They had returned to the Hammer Hut that afternoon and left the brothers waiting for half the day. After talking for a while, it was time for dinner.
Tetsu no Sosuke took Kanae by the hand, with Kiyo Terauchi following behind. The Tokito Brothers brought up the rear, along with Big Hammer, who padded beside them with his head and tail swaying.
Together, they looked like quite a crowd.
Dinner was already waiting in the dining hall. Knowing important guests had arrived, Shinjiro and Koizumi Reiko had asked the kitchen to prepare plenty of dishes.
For Yuichiro and Muichiro, it was the best meal they had eaten since leaving home.
The brothers tucked in with gusto. They were too embarrassed to ask for more rice, but Kanae kept it coming until they had eaten their fill.
By the end, they were patting their stomachs, unable to manage another bite. It felt as though anyone who looked into their mouths would see rice all the way up to their throats.
Tetsu no Sosuke gave them an amused look. "Just this once. Don't eat this much at night again. A big breakfast is fine, but eat until you're about eighty percent full at lunch and fifty or sixty percent at dinner. Keep yourselves in good condition... and don't pick up strange eating habits from certain strange Pillars."
Kanae covered her mouth and giggled.
Yuichiro and Muichiro agreed, though both wondered which strange Pillar he meant.
Tetsu no Sosuke had no intention of satisfying their curiosity. He waved a hand. "All right. It's been a long journey. Now that you've eaten, go get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll officially begin..."
He hesitated, then turned to Kanae. "Should we ask