“That fool Saito apparently owed men a lot of coin,” Ishawari shook his head at Jin, clenching his teeth. “He’s hiding back at our house.”

“There’s more of them?” A villager panicked. 

Ishawari then told everyone about the situation, how there were three more left unconscious on the road. He then began delegating volunteers, telling them to round the big man up in a cart and scoop the rest from the road, while someone fetches the local constable to meet them there. Seven men immediately offered to help and broke off to do as they were instructed. He glanced over to Jin and Hotaru. 

“We should get going.” 

Ishawari, Jin, and Hotaru made their way down the road, escorted by four volunteers. Three of them kept an eye on the big man tied up on the horse-pulled cart while the other navigated it forward. Ishawari noted the anxiousness of the driver, who kept looking over his shoulder to make sure the big man was still incapacitated. Looking ahead, two villagers had rounded up the three downed vagrants and upon closer inspection, another one was tied up. Saito. The portly man and the smaller one were groggily aware of their surroundings, but the man with the hawk-like features was awake and furious. 

“Let us go bastards!” The hawk spat, glaring at Saito, who was also struggling to get out of his bonds. “You damn piece of shit thief! I’ll kill you!” 

“Hey, I told you I’d pay you back! You didn’t have to come here and make a mess of things!” Saito yelped. 

“Quiet!” One of the villagers drove a stick into both men’s guts to cease their squabbling.

When Ishawari approached with the group, the hawk man shot daggers in his direction. 

“You coward! Catching us off guard like that. Won’t happen again!” He threatened. 

The villager jammed his staff end into the hawk man’s gut again, eying Saito with anger. Ishawari was unfazed by his threat. He was more focused on Saito, who was too ashamed to look him in the eye.

“Saito approached us when we were rounding these three up. Damn idiot! I hope they throw you in the same cage as these bastards. That’s the least you deserve for how much of a mess you’ve caused!” 

“Wait here for the constable.” Ishawari told the four men who came with them, then glanced back at Jin and Han. Especially Han. He didn’t have the chance to comfort the young boy, and hoped he was handling the situation okay. 

“Let’s go home.”