Kin'emon led Kozuki Oden and the others through the jungle following his somewhat hazy memories. But this area had changed so much that he could barely recognize it anymore.
"Are you sure it's this way, Kin'emon?" Kikunojo asked softly.
In his eyes, the road here was virtually indistinguishable from a wild animal trail. The others were also starting to suspect that Kin'emon had gotten the location wrong.
"It should be right..." Kin'emon was losing confidence himself.
His memory was actually correct. It was just that this area had been practically abandoned since O-Tsuru left.
The only teahouse that once provided a place to rest had closed down, so naturally few travelers bothered coming this way anymore.
Not to mention that trade between the districts had been sluggish these past few years. Traffic had long since dwindled.
"Found it!"
Just as Kin'emon was about to give up, he spotted a wooden house nestled among the bushes in the distance.
"Great, we didn't go the wrong way!" Kin'emon brightened up.
The thought of seeing his childhood friend after so many years lifted his spirits.
"O-Tsuru! O-Tsuru!"
He called out several times but received no response. His heart skipped a beat.
"That's strange. O-Tsuru wouldn't normally leave this place." Kin'emon had never known O-Tsuru to abandon her teahouse unattended.
"But it feels like no one has been here for a very long time."
Oden's wife walked closer and noticed thick cobwebs covering the teahouse's windows. The windows themselves had grown rickety from the wind and rain.
Even the house itself showed obvious signs of advanced age and neglect.
"The paths are all overgrown with weeds. No one has been here for a long time." Kanjuro observed before speaking.
Kin'emon's expression turned grim. Thinking about the situation in Wano Country, he worried that something had happened to O-Tsuru.
"Don't worry just yet, Kin'emon." Oden's wife comforted him.
She had peered through a gap in the window and found the interior relatively tidy. It didn't look like the result of an accident, but rather as though the owner had left of their own accord.
"Let's go inside and take a look," Oden said. He crushed the lock on the door with his bare hands and pulled it open.
The old shoji door wobbled and stuck. It jammed when opened just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.
Oden was careful not to tear the door off its frame, so he didn't force it further and simply slipped in sideways.
"So much dust."
The moment someone stepped inside, the dust seemed to come alive, swirling through the air.
The room was filled with a damp, musty smell. Kin'emon and the others filed in after.
This sent the small creatures that had taken over the nearly abandoned house into a flurry, rustling sounds echoing from every corner.
"Be careful, my lady."
The more attentive Kikunojo and Izou positioned themselves protectively around Oden's wife and children. What worried them were the poisonous insects or nesting snakes that might be lurking inside.
Kin'emon anxiously rummaged through the house, searching for any clues. Sure enough, he found a yellowed letter inside a box.
"For Kin'emon's eyes only..." Denjiro peeked at the envelope, then quickly withdrew his head under Kin'emon's glare.
[Dear Kin'emon, I've decided to close the teahouse here and move to Kuri.]
[Yukiko-sama in Kuri really loves the three-color dango I make, and she's invited me to settle there. Yukiko-sama has already prepared many things for me.]
[Being able to relocate to Kuri right now is no easy feat. So please don't worry about me.]
[I feel like Kin'emon, following Lord Oden, probably won't be living such a wandering life anymore.]
[But then again, this is Kin'emon we're talking about, who's better at causing trouble than getting things done. Maybe one day you'll come slinking back.]
[So, if there ever comes a day when you have nowhere else to go, you can live here.]
The letter wasn't long, but after reading it, Kin'emon felt as though O-Tsuru's voice still echoed in his ears. This man who was no longer young found himself unable to hold back his tears.
"O-Tsuru, I can't believe even now I'm still making you worry..."
Denjiro was about to comfort him, but Kin'emon had already pulled himself together.
He wiped away his tears and snot in one fierce motion, then turned to Oden.
"Lord Oden, the house is a bit old and dusty, but with some minor repairs it's still livable. Let the madam, Lord Momonosuke, and Lady Hiyori stay here."
Oden didn't refuse. He simply said, "Kin'emon, do you want to take some time to go to Kuri and see her?"
Becoming a husband and father had changed Kozuki Oden's heart in many ways.
But Kin'emon shook his head.
"Better to let O-Tsuru stay in Kuri. With that person there, it's very safe."
Then, as if remembering something, he started rummaging through the teahouse again. Before long, a dust-covered Kin'emon emerged clutching another box.
"Found it! I knew it!"
He happily opened the box, which surprisingly contained a considerable amount of money.
"O-Tsuru didn't mention it in the letter, but I figured she'd leave some money behind for me. I just didn't expect this much."
"With this, we're set for daily expenses for now. Once we've settled the madam, let's go find Hyogoro in secret!"
Denjiro was also pleased. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen any money.
Back on the Roger Pirates' ship, they never got much of a share. And even if they had some savings, there was no way to spend it in Wano Country. Now that they had this money, at least they wouldn't have to worry for the time being.
"No, we need to move fast. I think we should start preparing to contact Hyogoro right now."
Kin'emon shook his head.
"The news of Captain Roger disbanding the pirate crew could leak at any time. Once it does, Kaido will guess we've returned to the country. We have to move quickly!"
"I think we should stay here and fix up the house first. Let Raizo infiltrate the Flower Capital and visit Hyogoro to tell him the news of Lord Oden's return."
Hearing Kin'emon's plan, everyone nodded in agreement.
Kin'emon might not have Denjiro's gift for cunning strategy, but he could at least come up with a decent ordinary plan.
And so, when night fell, Raizo, his head wrapped in a massive scarf, set off secretly toward the Flower Capital.
...
Meanwhile, Ren had temporarily stayed behind in Kuri.
Ayame approached Ren carrying an intelligence report from their informant, briefing him on Oden's group's movements.
"O-Tsuru?" Ren suddenly recalled. This woman seemed to have been brought overseas by Yukiko several years ago.
Later on, she had apparently gotten together with Shutenmaru.
Sure enough, the childhood friend couldn't beat the sudden new arrival. And the current Kin'emon was still a blonde to boot.
[
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