Aragane Station was one of the larger city stations along the railway. In terms of city size, it was considered second-tier, with a sizable population. The station was under the leadership of the Yomogawa family, who controlled the station through their six captains, overseeing all of Aragane Station.
Behind Aragane Station, past Shitori Station, lay the stronghold station Iwato Station. And behind Iwato Station was Kongoukaku, the largest station in Japan, ho to the Shogun.
The train had traveled nonstop because most of the stations along the way had fallen to the Kabane. So stations, however, hadn't fallen due to the Kabane but rather because of human treachery.
The mastermind behind these betrayals was none other than the son of the Shogun, Amatori Biba, a pink-haired man who led Mui and the others. Soon, Amatori Biba would betray Aragane Station as well.
Altair had landed not far from Aragane Station, and it was early in the morning. After boarding the train, it took less than an hour for the train to reach its destination.
The city was surrounded by towering walls, with nurous samurai patrolling the walls, ard with steam rifles. Outside the walls, there was a deep moat for added protection. This era had used every available defensive asure to prevent the Kabane from climbing the walls.
All of the city's gates were connected to the railway outside by drawbridges. When there was no train arriving, the drawbridges were raised to keep the Kabane out. When a train was approaching, the bridges were lowered to allow it in.
As the massive train approached the drawbridge, it stopped. The train had arrived early. According to the schedule, it should have reached Aragane Station the next morning, but since the stations along the way had all fallen, the train didn't need to stop and arrived a day early. The samurai on the walls hadn't been notified, so the drawbridge hadn't been lowered.
After confirming that the train was safe, the drawbridge was lowered, and the giant train began to slowly enter the station.
When the train stopped, Altair stood up from the haystack and moved to a small window on the side of the carriage to observe the tall walls outside.
"We've arrived. I'll open the door shortly."
Shimon, who was also peering through the gap, confird the situation outside and then turned to speak to the girl on the haystack.
"Yeah, I'll leave the eting with those guys to you. I'm heading into the city."
Mui sprang up from the haystack, doing a swift kip-up as she stood, and casually pulled out a kendama1 from beneath the haystack, tossing it up and down in her hand.
"Got it."
Shimon nodded, and after the train docked, he opened the side door of the carriage. Mui peeked outside, saw no one was paying attention, and jumped out. Altair followed closely behind, landing right after her.
At that mont, everyone's attention at the station was on the inspection car. No one noticed Mui.
The so-called inspection car was a special carriage connected to the exits of the train. Everyone getting off the train had to enter it, strip off their clothes, and allow the station's staff to check their bodies for Kabane bites or scratches. If any wounds were found, even if they weren't from the Kabane, the person would be quarantined for three days. Only if they didn't transform within those three days would they be released.
Altair followed Mui toward the station's exit. Along the way, he spotted the main character of this world... Ikoma, a green-haired steam worker from Aragane Station. He was 17 years old, and as soon as he saw Mui, his eyes widened. This was the first eting between the main male and female lead, just like in the original story.
However, Mui was soon spotted by the nearby samurai, and her plans to explore the city were quickly thwarted.
Altair wasn't interested in Ikoma or Mui. After glancing at them briefly, he ignored them and walked past the samurai who had stopped Mui, quickly leaving the station. Once outside, he finally saw the full view of Aragane Station.
The station was visibly divided into two sections; a slum filled with shanties and a nobility district with well-planned buildings. At the center of the noble district stood a tall castle, designed in a Japanese style, though not as extravagant as a tenshukaku1. After all, not just anyone could live in a tenshukaku.
The noble district belonged to the six captains under Yomogawa. They represented the nobles and controlled most of the land in Aragane Station. The tall castle belonged to the leader of the city, the Yomogawa family.
Altair's destination was that towering castle. Aragane Station seed like a nice place, and he decided it would be his territory.
The current head of the Yomogawa family was nad Yomogawa Kenshou. From the limited information Altair had, he seed like a reasonable person, not overly stubborn.
At that mont, Yomogawa Kenshou was also at the station, but Altair had no intention of eting him just yet. Before dealing with Yomogawa Kenshou, he had other matters to handle... naly, the six captains.
After leaving the station, Altair made his way to the slum, where he found a man carrying cargo. He tapped the man on the shoulder.
"Hey. Can I ask for directions?"
"Who's calling ? Can't you see I'm busy?"
The man, who had a sack on his shoulder, turned around impatiently, but when he saw Altair, he imdiately dropped the sack and bowed his head.
"My lord, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't an any disrespect."
It seed the man had mistaken him for a noble. And why not? With Altair dressed in armor, a giant sword strapped to his back, and his handso looks, he certainly didn't look like an ordinary person. In the rigid class-based society, he was clearly part of the nobility. Commoners had to be deferential to nobles, or they risked being cut down by samurai.
"No worries, don't mind it. I'm new to Aragane Station and just need to ask for directions."
"Please, ask away. I've lived here all my life, so I know this place very well."
The man crouched slightly, looking up at Altair with a fawning smile.
"Do you know where my good friend Yomogawa Kenshou's six captains live?"
Yomogawa Kenshou... that was the na of the lord of the city. Referring to him by na and even calling him a good friend made it clear that Altair was no ordinary noble.
"I know! During the day, the six captains are usually at their residences. I know where they live. Let guide you, my lord!"
"Oh, that'd be great. Lead the way."
Altair's face was full of genuine warmth as he smiled.
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Kendama is Japanese toy in the form of a hollow ball tied by a string to a bar that looks like a hamr.
Castle Tower.
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