SHIGEKO'S DOSSIER: Kaiu Shinya is not a social butterfly - but then. who would expect a member of his clan to be? He is a skilled weaponsmith and cares little about city politics; these two facts in concert keep him in the good graces of the nobles, even if he is taciturn by nature.
In this city of merchants, schemers and politicians, Shinya is one of the few who has known battle; he left his right leg, below the knee, in the Shadowlands. He now favors elaborate artificial legs and is rarely seen without an ornate walking stick. He honors his battle injury, and for that I should respect him.
Somehow, I cannot. Kaiu Shinya has never been other than respectful and helpful to me, but I do not like him. There is something in his glance that makes my teeth ache and my fingers itch for a sword. I have not found the slightest indication that he is a criminal; but I fear in my heart that he is evil.
"MEMOIRS OF AN OPIUM EATER": Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Haniel XXXVIII, Twenty-Sixth Day, Month of the Dog
Just last month, a wedding was announced between Kimi (P3) and Michikane (P15). Today a much less important wedding has been announced, but it is still a sweet one.
I had met Kaiu Shinya only once before, and he had made a singular impression. For the most part he is unremarkable; a heavy man with a red nose and a moustache whose style was much in fashion two years ago. Most remarkable was his right leg, which was apparently cut off under the knee while he was in the Shadowlands. (No one knows just how, though there is much speculation.) He apparently amuses himself by building elaborate replacements. Not content with a simple peg. the leg he wore when first we met had an arrangement of springs to cushion his weight while he walked. Furthermore, it was elaborately decorated with a spiderweb motif, and with each step, a mechanical spider would crawl through the webs of his leg. It looked frightfully clever, but I did not want to look too closely.
In any event, today he announced that he had arranged a marriage with a young woman of the Sparrow clan, who is expected in town within a week. He received many congratulations; today his leg was an elaborate birdcage with a live bird singing inside.
"MEMOIRS OF AN OPIUM EATER": Twentieth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Thirteenth Day, Month of the Ox
Kaiu Shinya has caused much comment by marrying his intended after a courtship of not even three months. Considering the year that Kimi and Michikane are taking, he appears unfashionably hasty. Yet his explanation - "I feel that every day I delay our marriage is one I regret remaining unmarried," struck me as terribly sweet and sincere.
I must say I don't think much of her; she's named Sakyo, and she seems as shy and timid as a little mouse. Also, sadly, as drab. I met her only once, when she first arrived, and nothing she did gave the impression that she would kindle such passion in the armored breast of a Crab. But who can comprehend the mystery of love?