The Rumble in Ryoko
- Yasuki Nobuko came to Ichiro with a sponsorship deal. One of her merchant vassals, Whisper, had created a new food product designed for maximum performance: PowerPeak. She sought to get Ichiro's endorsement of it and how it helps to give him the "Strength of the Mountains!" He accepted a case of the product, but declined to officially endorse it until after the conclusion of the fight.
- A pair of conspicuously well-dressed men claiming to be sumai enthusiasts wanted to speak to Ichiro about the fight. They expressed concern that Bayushi Isamu might feel hurt if beaten too easily. They also highlighted the increased drama if the fight was won in the third round, instead of the second. Something that they and their friends would look on favorably. Ichiro thanked them for the advice. Describing the encounter to Kasuga, he was able to identify them as likely members of the Firemen of Daikoku's Garden. With the event itself taking place in the portion of the garden where they typically conduct much of their business.
- On the morning of the match Bayushi Isamu and Bayushi Korechika came by with a bottle of premium sake to share a friendly toast and wish both competitors well. Though they had brought some cups to drink from, Ichiro fell back on local custom and brought out his personal cup given to him by the governor on his arrival in the city. Kasuga joined in the second round of drinks and later found that his hand had become swollen and irritated in a fashion consistent with urushiol-induced contact dermatitis. A few days later when Kasuga brought this up with Korechika he attested to having had the same problem, blaming an incompetent lacquerer that he had seen flogged over the matter.
- In the fight itself Ichiro came out to a strong start, winning the first round. Though Isamu was able to win the second, he finished strong with a dramatic and powerful victory as Isamu was decisively slammed to the ground.
On the Waterfront
- Korechika was seen at the dock used by the Merenaen Trading Consortium supervising a shipment of exotic birds. He and Aloisio Silva appeared to be on friendly terms, laughing and chatting amiably.
- Kasuga was able to arrange an inspection of the docks with Aloisio, to take place after hours in several days. While in his office he noticed that he keeps the preserved heads of those he has defeated in duels on display in jars.
- Eyebrows has found a significant amount of copper in the muddy bootprints from the robbery. There are a number of mines, both active and abandoned, in the mountains northeast of the city. Taking the Gate of Increasing Fortune out of town and following the Road Once Hidden east from leads in that direction.
Returning Hiccup
- Genki's infirm father is the only one left at home. She said she was going to pay her respects at her mother's grave on the evening of the day the magistrates took Hiccup, but has not been seen since.
A Token of Appreciation
- The sumai enthusiasts return with a gift for Ichiro to show how much they appreciated his dramatic victory in the match: a small, finely-crafted chest containing 20 koku.
- Ichiro donates the money giving 10 koku to the Temple of Daikoku and 10 to the Temple of Osano-Wo. While leaving the temple he encounters a massive, muscular man who jabs him in the chest and bellows at him to "clean my house!" He insists that he is Osano-Wo and clarifies that's he's not referring to his "house in the city." Tamori Gojinka suspects that he may be referring to the main Temple of Osano-Wo on the Plains of Thunder.
A Village Like Any Other
- Rice has been being dropped off periodically
- The most recent time, a peasant saw it delivered by a man with a scar over his eye matching the general description of Saburo. He was carrying a daisho with a mon that matches that of Hiruma Hayato. The date is consistent with that of the robbery.
Previously, In Otosan Uchi
- Akodo and Mirumoto encounter members of the Kenjingumi.