To see the previous installments, click on the following links: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8

Rodrigo remembers the days when he first met the craftswoman at the Tsutsumi kiln. Her skill with the brush, her subtlety in decorating each piece and the way her eyes sparkled when she told him about the ancient techniques of porcelain decoration. The echo of her voice still resonates in his mind..."Porcelain came to Japan thanks to the influence of Chinese and Korean ceramists"...

In these thoughts, he sees the kiln manager enter the room, a man with an austere countenance, who bows slightly to the judges and, speaking carefully, he says:

“I am in charge of the Tsutsumi kiln and I deeply regret that our pieces have been used for illicit acts. We don't know how they got into the hands of this foreigner, but we are willing to cooperate to find out the truth.”

Rodrigo notices a subtle smile on the administrator's face, a barely perceptible gesture that confirms his suspicion: this man is deliberately framing him. But there is something else, the administrator seems to enjoy the spectacle.

Rodrigo takes a deep breath, bows his head slightly and replies, “These pieces don't belong to me. I've never seen them before.”

He knows that his words will not convince everyone, but he cannot betray the craftswoman, nor risk making the situation worse.

One of the judges declares:

“The court considers this evidence sufficient to continue the investigation. Rodrigo Tanaka, until your connection to this act is clarified, you will remain in custody. And we will send emissaries to Tsutsumi's oven to get more answers.”

Merry Christmas to all of you

To be continued

Header Image:

Crispin and Scapin by Honoré Daumier. Source: Wikipedia