Wang Zhi's Residence

Led by Tagawa's subordinates, Raquel's group soon arrives at the residence. It is about a two-hour walk away. The residence where Wang Zhi once fled and lived in Hirado stands on a western hill across a small inlet from the elevated residence where they had their audience with Takanobu. Adjacent to the residence, there is also a small temple. While gazing at the temple, Raquel's group rests their bodies for a while inside the residence. Diego frowns at the unfamiliar Japanese house. On the other hand, Rodrigo cannot hide his curiosity. Raquel says nothing, simply sits down and waits for Tagawa's arrival.

Tagawa soon appears on horseback. He dismounts in front of the residence with several subordinates following him. He passes by the front of the temple and walks up to Raquel. Tagawa is quite tall for a man of this country. He is slightly taller than Raquel but shorter than Diego. Though extremely slender, his bones are not weak twigs. One can keenly sense that they possess the hardness and weight of oak hardwood. The pair of swords at his waist—even to Raquel, who is still unfamiliar with the people of this country—clearly show that they have already merged with the man's blood and flesh, becoming one with him. Tagawa begins to speak in a voice that is neither small nor large, but carries weight, speaking deliberately. His Portuguese, though heavily accented, is grammatically almost perfect. This eloquently demonstrates that this man's intelligence is far from ordinary.

According to Tagawa's explanation, this temple was a Christian church when the Portuguese were permitted to spread Christianity in this land. Raquel is seized by an impulse to immediately ask in detail why Tagawa received Christian baptism and then came to apostatize. However, he must not rush. First, he must become accustomed to living in this Japanese-style residence without chairs or beds. And soon he must treat the sick and injured who will be brought here as much as possible, and gain their trust. Raquel murmurs this to himself.

It was at that moment. Tagawa suddenly utters something astonishing.

"You are not Christians, are you?"

The moment he turns around, a shock like being slashed diagonally across the back with a sharp blade penetrates through Raquel's body. Why? How were they found out? And in such a short time since landing in Japan. The color drains from Diego's face as well. Still, he desperately hides his agitation, trying not to let anything be perceived from his expression.

However, Rodrigo is terribly flustered, cannot even breathe properly, coughs violently, and sobs. It cannot be helped. He is still a child. No matter how much Raquel tries to smooth over the situation, Rodrigo's panic will give Tagawa nothing but certainty. Still, Raquel strives to maintain composure and squeezes out words.

"Lord Tagawa. Why do you say such a thing? We are traders and doctors, but before that, we are devout Christians."

Tagawa does not answer directly but continues speaking.

"While you and I were having an audience with Lord Takanobu, I had my subordinates inspect your ship. Every corner of it. It was Lord Takanobu's order. Naturally so. We had accepted a foreign ship, after all. There they found candlesticks hidden under the floor. The construction of the hidden hold was magnificent. I also saw it earlier. Ordinary people would never notice it. However, our shipwright noticed it. He is a man passionate about research. When Portuguese ships used to come and go in the past, he studied their construction well."

To think that hidden hold would be so easily discovered. It is not that they were negligent in their precautions. They had always paid the utmost attention so that even if inspected by Christians, it would not be discovered. Nevertheless, it was found easily in such a short time. Is this because that shipwright is someone special? Or do the Japanese people as a race possess some strange powers of observation? To know the answer to that, first they must somehow get through this sudden predicament that has befallen them.

"Lord Tagawa. Those candlesticks are merely..."

Interrupting Raquel's words, Tagawa continues.

"Those are probably candlesticks for celebrating Jewish holidays. They had nine legs. Such candlesticks were not used among the Christians. The Portuguese merchants and those Jesuit fellows often said when drunk in the past that the Jewish people light candles on nine-legged candlesticks to celebrate winter festivals. Those people will eventually drift to this land as well. If anyone appears hiding such candlesticks, report them to the Jesuits immediately. The reward will be generous, they said."

Hearing Tagawa's words, Raquel realizes that it is now difficult to hide. Under these circumstances, continuing to play the role of Christians would bring more danger than safety. Raquel intuits this.

"And if we were those Jewish people, what would happen?"

Rodrigo, listening to Raquel's question beside him, is already pale and looks ready to faint at any moment. After risking their lives to flee to the ends of the earth, would everything turn to foam in a single instant? While watching Rodrigo's expression, Raquel himself realizes that a turning point in his own life has suddenly come before him.

"Nothing would happen, probably."

Tagawa responds so matter-of-factly and without changing expression that it is anticlimactic.

"You must have felt it when you had an audience with Lord Takanobu. His lordship is wary of Christianity. I too once became a Christian, but that was by Lord Takanobu's command. And that I have already apostatized is likewise by Lord Takanobu's command. Therefore, you whom the Christians call enemies should actually be easier for Lord Takanobu to handle. However, if you wish to spread that Jewish teaching in place of Christian teaching in this land and convert Japanese people, that would be a different matter. That would go against Lord Takanobu's intentions."

Raquel responds immediately to those words.

"I swear we have no such intentions. Our faith is a humble ethnic faith inherited from our ancestors thousands of years ago. We merely wish to continue as a clan to keep the covenant our ancestors made with God. The concept of proselytizing does not exist in our faith."

Tagawa nods lightly in silence.

"What your faith is like, I shall hear about gradually. In any case, I must inform his lordship that you are not Christians. However, that will probably not force the closure of your clinic or trade. If you are Jewish people being pursued by Christians, seeking protection from the Hirado Matsura family was probably not a bad choice. This too may be Wang Zhi's guidance. If you had gone to Nagasaki, you would probably have been captured by the Jesuits by now."

Raquel can no longer keep up mentally with the weight of meaning contained in each of Tagawa's words. However, Tagawa's words are consistent with everything they have seen and heard so far. For now, there is probably no choice but to entrust their fate entirely to this man's judgment. Raquel makes this decision.

"Lord Tagawa. Please convey to Lord Matsura that we humbly request lenient treatment."

Tagawa does not answer those words. His feet are already heading toward the outside of the residence, and Raquel can only watch that slender, long back that nevertheless exudes certain dignity.

"You must first and foremost prepare to treat the sick and injured at this residence. That is what you must do."

Tagawa quickly mounts his horse and calls out in a loud voice from horseback. Then he rides away toward Takanobu's residence on the high ground. That is exactly right. First they must establish a clinic in this land and gain the trust not only of the ruling class like Takanobu and Tagawa, but also of the common people. Everything comes after that. Making this resolution, Raquel quickly stands up and speaks to Diego and Rodrigo, who are still bewildered. Deliberately laughing, making it sound like a joke.

"Well, what a surprise! To be found out so easily. However, depending on how things go, being found out might turn out for the better. At least, I don't think things will go in a bad direction. That being decided, what we can do is simple. Open the clinic as soon as possible, treat the injured and sick, and fit into this land."

In response to this, Diego finally opens his mouth.

"That Tagawa fellow is quite sharp. He's not just an interpreter. Even if that hidden hold hadn't been discovered, he probably would have figured it out eventually. I have that feeling."

Rodrigo, listening beside them, still cannot speak. He can only tremble.

"Rodrigo. You were scared, weren't you? It can't be helped. Your soul is still soft and delicate like a quail's egg. You're admirable just for not completely losing composure."

Raquel's words slightly relax Rodrigo's expression. He tries to say something but cannot make a sound. Diego raises his voice as if to dispel such heavy atmosphere.

"Well then. If that's how it is, first we must make this residence a place where we can live. We must also gather medicinal herbs and prepare them for compounding. Our pirate business is on hold for a while!"