"Young man, give back to us that Geisha." One of the hidden guards told Julianna once they had reached the mountain.
She just smirked at them.
"You want Senior Sister back? I am sorry I can't. She still needs to accompany me tonight."
Then she pulled Dojigiri out. She was hyped. Ah, ilang araw na ba since the last time that she fought with her katana?
"Be careful." Kimiha warned her.
"Don't worry. This Junior Brother will show you how much my skills have grown these past few days. Just stand there, okay." She even winked at the lady and started attacking the hidden guards.
Sound of swords clashing was very vivid in their ears that night. Fortunately, Julianna had brought them at the mountains. This way, walang mga civilian ang madadamay sa labanan nila.
Anyway, she was very much enjoying the fight.
These Hidden Guards were indeed the upgraded version of those soldiers from High Kingdom. They are more skilled and fiercer.
But Julianna could still handle them well.
In fact, she really surprised Kimiha who was watching behind her.
***
Kimiha was wide-eyed habang pinapanood na ang binata na labanan ang mga hidden guards.
He was right.
His skills really improved a lot.
But what more shocking was he copied her wind blades and used it against the hidden guards.
"What do you say, Senior Sister? I have observed your wind blades and successfully copied it. Ain't I great?" The lad had playful smile. Obviously he was enjoying the fight.
Kimiha sighed and finally, she let herself to produce a smile.
The energy of this lad was very infectious.
"Oh, Senior Sister should always smile. You are very beautiful."
Kimiha almost blushed but she just stopped herself before getting totally carried away.
Anyway, dahil nakaharap sa kanya ang binata, one of the hidden guards sneaked an attack behind him.
She pulled out her small katana from her thigh and attacked that hidden guard.
When the lad saw that, his lips hooked up then he joined the lady na nag-enjoy na rin sa pakikipaglaban.
***
"Senior Sister is great. I have learned a technique again." Julianna had a huge grin on her face.
The two of them had long been finished the fight between them and the hidden guards. But they remained on the mountain and sat on the ground.
Nagliliwanag na din ang kalangitan but the two of them seemed to have no plans to go yet.
"You're the great one. I have never met anyone who learned that fast just by seeing twice the technique."
Kimiha looked at Julianna and on that bead na nasa katana nito. Dalawa ang naroroon. One was surely from Julianna's master and the other...
"Is Old Man Masamune fine?"
Julianna was surprised be her question.
"How does Senior Sister knew that old man? Could he be your master?"
Kimiha simply nodded.
Julianna was totally stunned. She thought the man was just a swordsmith. Hindi niya inaasahang may apprentice din pala ito.
"The old man is still strong as a carabao and heavy as boulder. Do you know that he makes me carry him up to the mountain? I was so dead tired because of how heavy he was."
Kimiha silently laughed. "Yeah, that's really how that old man is. Since he gives you that bead, ibig sabihin, he really admires your skill. You can use that bead to request a katana from him."
"Really? Igagawa niya ako ng bago if I use the bead?" Kulang na lang ay magsparkle ang mga mata ni Julianna after hearing that.
That old man... He was clearly playing tsundere at them. Kunyari pa siyang bugnot na bugnot sa kanila. He even kicked them out of his house sabay bato sa kanila ng tatlong beads.
Of course, they picked the beads. They had one from Master Tatsujin. Kaya naman they also put the beads from the old man sa katana nila. As for Lancelot, he made a necklace out of it.
"That's right."
"Tch... That pretentious old man..."
Kimiha saw how happy Julianna after finding out about having new sword. She watched her and let her eyes feast with how gorgeous this person before her.
Then eventually, she started to feel complicated. In actuality, this lad was her enemy. But from then up to now, he had never treated her as one.
"I work for High Kingdom, you know that." She muttered quietly but Julianna still heard that.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. I don't blame you. You are employed by them so you have to be dutiful towards them."
"I might end up hurting you someday."
Julianna smiled the Kimiha.
"If you hurt me, then let it be. I am prepared to get hurt with this war. I have already conditioned my mind.
"That's just it, though. Hurting is hurting. It is acceptable but not losing. So I am telling you now, Senior Sister, this Junior Brother will be the victor of this in the end."
Napailing na lang si Kimiha with a small smile on her lips. This Junior Brother was surely different. His confidence was in different level. Ganun lang siguro ang mga royalty talaga.
Since he made her comfortable, Kimiha suddenly changed her tactic. She stood up and sat beside Julianna. She even leaned a bit until their bodies would just be inches away from each other.
Then she batted her eyes seductively.
"Won't you be asking me about my job in Geisha House?" Kimiha whispered that on the latter's ears. Her warm breath touched the other's cheeks.
She did this to test the lad. But she ended up being startled ng biglang lumingon sa kanya ito and their lips even almost met. Siya ang unang napaatras. Her heartbeat was suddenly racing too.
Ah, this is bad...
Her eyes looked again at the lad before her. To her disappointment, mukha namang hindi apektado ito. He didn't even flinched at all.
"If you want to tell me, I do not mind listening. But if you do not want to, I am not judging, Senior Sister. I believe you have your reason. I still respect you very much. Mabibilang lang sa mga kamay ko ang kakilala kong mga Samurai and you are one of them. I definitely do not want to be enemies with anyone of you."
Kimiha was stunned.
She slowly sat properly beside him and couldn't help laughing.
Really different...
In Geisha house, she was the top female. Every male customers wanted her.
She purposely seduced this lad before her. But it turned out, he simply respected her because she was also a Samurai and he happened to only know a few of them.
Ai-yo... Did she lose her touch as a Geisha recently? She couldn't even seduce a lad like him anymore.
Julianna, on the other hand, let Kimiha just laughed beside her. She herself actually had a small smile on her lips.
Too unfortunate...
If one of them happened to be a guy, she might end up doing everything to be with this Senior Sister.
***