“In other words, you are saying that her intent excuses some of her actions,” the Yama summarizes your position.
“In essence, yes,” you nod, feeling that your explanation is weak. Then again, nearly anything you might have said would seem weak in face of her sharp, unemotional gaze. You cannot begin to fathom what it is she is thinking in her heart of hearts.
“It is true that she was not subordinated to you and chose to accompany you of her own free will,” Lady Shiki recapitulates. “This, however, does not make impropriety acceptable.”
“I understand that,” you simply say, feeling that trying to argue details would simply diminish your position.
“…” the judge says nothing else. She continues to read from the notebook. You don’t even have a leg to stand on when it comes to claiming you attempted to reign in the shinigami’s excesses. Familiarity clearly won out.
The woman central to the discussion eventually comes back with more to drink. Lady Shiki thanks her. Komachi makes an excuse right away that she would like to get fresh air as she’s maybe drunk a little more than expected. The Yama accepts the excuse at face value, taking a sip of her drink while continuing to read.
When Lady Shiki speaks to you again, it is about one of your encounters. “Was an ambush necessary? Would approaching openly and with conviction not been the more proper course of action? The way it’s framed here it seems like yet another unnecessary indulgence of your companion.”
“In retrospect, given their reaction, they may have well scattered before I could speak to them,” you say.
It is a weak excuse and the Yama is right to imply that it was conduct unbecoming someone from the ministry. She does not need to belabor the point. “This kappa you caught,” she instead continues, “seemed to be in distress throughout.”
“She did not understand that I merely wished to speak, Enma. There was a preoccupation with the exchange of valuables of one sort or another.”
“So I see,” she carefully analyzes a page of your notes, running her finger along the paper and tapping gently on things that you imagine she thinks insightful. Without daring to interrupt the process you drink some more, calming nerves with sake. Though far from being outright inebriated, you worry that you may say something unfortunate so you keep quiet as the Yama reads. Finally, she repeats, “I see.”
“Is there anything the matter, Enma?” you ask, perhaps foolishly.
Lady Shiki takes another drink from her cup, emptying it. A thought occurs: she is not acting in an official capacity. Else you would not be in the human village, much less drinking together. This thought drips heavily with hope.
“Though clumsy at times, there is an attempt to extract information and learn here,” she says, “the over-reliance on others to intervene notwithstanding. However, I believe you forgot something key.”
“What would that be, Enma?” you try to contain developing feelings of despair.
“
Judgment,” she states. Her blue eyes seem to stare directly into yours and you feel utterly exposed. “You assessed this kappa to be living according to her values and that she would manage well because of it. That is a facile conclusion. This lack of trust she showed, an inherent disbelief in people, it is sinful.”
As if by habit, she places her hand on the rod but does not raise it. You are mesmerized by her intransigent stare, subsumed by her commanding aura that harbors no doubt. There is no world beyond her, the casual conversation in the pub made by other patrons does not exist as far as you are concerned. You say nothing as she continues, “To not use the opportunity to help others better themselves, to find the correct path, is unbecoming for the yama. The work we do does not begin nor does it end in formal trial. Is that understood?”
“It is, Enma,” you nod as a marionette whose strings have been pulled. There is no other acceptable reply.
“Is there anything else you wish to add before we move on?” she asks.
In official capacity or not, your own trial continues.
[] There was nothing else.
[] If there was anything overlooked with your approach.
Time remaining: :: Timer ended at: 2020/03/28 (Sat) 12:30