Kyuden Shika

Murato was asking a servant about the availability of food for the day, while he stood at the threshold between the main area and the garden. He was feeling a bit peckish and wanted to resolve that.

Yuzu returned to the inn so he could have a decent meal and go out for the day. Noticing someone nearby stealing the servant's attention, he simply waits a tad longer for his order to get processed.

Noticing the attention of the Seppun on him and the servant, and doing the math about a young Seppun, he redirects the servant to him acquiescing to propriety so that the Imperial could order soonest and get their food first. He was not a savage, even if he sometimes spoke irreverently. But being capable of both respect and irreverence was part of a bard's charm.

He waited until the Seppun placed his own order before introducing himself. "I am Kitsu Murato, and it is an honor to meet you Seppun Yuzu-sama." He offered a respectful bow, a bit different from what he might normally offer. He knew the way expected of a Lion and the way one would expect in the Imperial City. This was the latter, signaling that he was familiar with Imperial protocol.

Yuzu doesn't show, but he does appreciate the deference by not squinting his eyes too much. After ordering a hearty soba with broth, he looks to the Lion and provides a seated bow. "Kitsu-san, I am humbled you know my name. Please, join me for the meal."

Then, he produces his own chopsticks from within his sleeve.

Murato moves to join him. "Of course Seppun-sama. I learned of your attendance from my father. He keeps a list of all active government persons of note in Otosan Uchi, and he notified me that the Chisei District Governor would be present here. Congratulations on your recent appointment as well," he replies with a nod.

He nods to the Lion, saying a rather not too confident, "Thank you." A moment to further read the Kitsu's features, trying to associate him with anyone he might have known in Otosan Uchi, but no memory comes to mind. Yuzu says, "I hope Inari-kami has been kind to you. I also hope your father is well."

"Thank you, I have been blessed," he says, the sentiment retuned in tone. "And I hope that you have been blessed the same as well. My father has told and taught me much about life in the Imperial city. He was an Imperial Bureaucrat there until his marriage into the Kitsu. He was called Otomo Raigo before then. He now handles a great deal of Imperial documentation for the family and makes a trip to Otosan Uchi once a year."

Yuzu's expression softens as Murato explains his connections, also saying, "An Otomo that married into the Kitsu Family. That's odd, and interesting. My father studied with the Otomo, so I might be familiar with the work your own might have to deal with at the Imperial Capital."

"I t was a match arranged by the Deer, at a miai like this one," he said with a nod. "Certainly not standard, but also not unheard of."

"Depending on how things work out here, I may end up performing similar duties to him in the future. If I don't marry into another clan." The idea doesn't seem either good or bad to Murato, just a simple fact of the situation.

"Was your father also a bureaucrat?" He was relatively informed but didn't know if Yuzu had inherited the position from a parent or if he had been appointed independent of family ties to the position.

"That is nice to hear. The Deer have a good track record, after all." He nods as the servant arrives with their food. He provides a prayer, "Itadakimasu," and slurps some noodles before saying, "Father is part of the Sentaku Tribunal. So, yes, he deals with bureaucracy a lot."