| abstract | - [Inside the castle]
* Saizo: It's been a few days since Lord Ryoma left for his vacation. I am glad that we earned his praise for helping him win that ticket. But it's been unnerving to be separated from the lord that I am sworn to protect.
* Kagero: Saizo—I bring a message from Lord Ryoma.
* Saizo: What?! How did it reach here without ME hearing about it first?
* Kagero: Just listen—it was delivered by a merchant known as Anna. He entrusted her with a letter and a picture of himself at the island.
* Saizo: I suppose you opened it already?
* Kagero: Absolutely not, and I resent you for saying so, Saizo. We won that ticket together, so we should open this together.
* Saizo: Understood. I stand corrected. Now, let's open at once...What the?!
* Kagero: Lord Ryoma! What have you gotten yourself into?! [CG image]
* Saizo: What's Lord Ryoma doing? Drowning? No—diving.
* Kagero: It seems so. Let's read his letter..."Loyal retainers, I was informed that swimming in the sea is relaxing. But one minute into waves, and I find it all too dull. But I made the most of it. Thus, this." Well, it seems that our Lord Ryoma is keeping up with is combat training.
* Saizo: Amazing. He's seized four fishes with his bare hands.
* Kagero: A slippery challenge. Especially when you consider that fish are very aware creatures. You could sooner catch dandelion seeds in the wind than fish. And yet our lord snatches fish by the fistful.
* Saizo: Lord Ryoma...what I wouldn't give to have seen this in action. Only you could teach schools of fish a lesson in sea combat. But, Kagero—I fear he has failed in his mission to find relaxation.
* Kagero: Wait. There is more to his letter. He writes that after he emerged victorious from the wave...he collapses in exhaustion on the beach and finds it a day well spent. Ah! Then Lord Ryoma lies there until night and marvels at the stars! He writes of it as "relaxing as relaxing can be."
* Saizo: Good to hear it.
* Kagero: Oh! He adds that he is having those fish dried to bring back to us. He writes "That way, you can have a taste of my tropical victories."
* Saizo: What?! He wrote that? I am not worthy of my lord's favor. But I will accept it, of course. We are blessed to serve him.
* Kagero: Yes. I agree. This dried fish is such frank expression of his favor.
* Saizo: Hey Kagero—don't let this get to your head. Now, what do you say we double our training until Lord Ryoma returns?
* Kagero: Hmm. You never cease to be disagreeable, do you? And I propose that we triple our training. We must be ready to serve our lord the moment he returns.
* Saizo: Shall we get started?
* Kagero: Yes! While Lord Ryoma relaxes, we will sharpen our steel. Though I am sure as we speak, he is making the sea his battlefield.
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