Chapter 221: Hm? A Cat?
Kamisato Estate, on the same familiar cliffside.
Kamisato Ayato was half-reclined in a wooden chair that had been prepared in advance, his face pale and weary.
He gazed across the strait toward Inazuma City and the Tenshukaku, feeling as though even lifting his hand was a luxury he could no longer afford.
"Kobayashi... I think I dropped my Haran Geppaku Futsu in the grass…"
His voice was so faint, it seemed to drain the last of his strength just to speak that single sentence.
"My lord, please rest. I'll retrieve it for you right away. Tomorrow— no, I'll go request help from Lady Yae at the Grand Narukami Shrine. She'll surely be able to heal you!"
The ninja named Kobayashi, a member of the Shuumatsuban, looked full of guilt and remorse.
To the Shuumatsuban, the head of the clan is everything.
He should have risked his life to stop the clan head from trying that thing in the first place!
"No need to trouble the Guuji for something like this… Any news on Sayu?"
Compared to all that, Ayato seemed more concerned about Sayu.
She was the last heir of the Yoohoo Art. If something were to happen to her…
"Reporting, my lord—we've tracked Sayu down. She's confirmed to be alive, but…"
Kobayashi hesitated. He wasn't sure whether to tell Ayato the full truth, worried his lord might not be able to bear it in his current condition.
"Speak."
Of course Ayato could tell what he was thinking. As the youngest clan head in the Kamisato family's history, he had more than enough composure to handle such things.
"Yes! Once we realized Sayu had likely been kidnapped, we focused our efforts on the Resistance camps, as they were the most likely culprits. We infiltrated them in secret."
Infiltrated in the truest sense—using real ninjutsu to sneak into enemy territory.
Due to recent traitor incidents, the Resistance had tightened their vetting of new members, making infiltration much more difficult than before.
"Inside the Resistance camp, we spotted Sayu. At the time… she was standing next to a masked man in red. His appearance strongly resembles the one known in rumors as Battousai."
Kamisato Ayato fell silent.
Battousai, huh?
He had personally witnessed the rise of the man who would come to bear that title.
He'd even taken a cut from the man's blade.
If not for Lady Yae intervening in time, he and his sister might have been forever separated.
That strike had been absolutely ruthless.
But if Sayu was by his side, then maybe… it wasn't such a bad thing.
In Ayato's memory, that so-called Battousai—aside from injuring the Shogun with a single slash—hadn't really done anything else unforgivable.
In fact, considering the way he had rescued Kaedehara Kazuha, the man might even be a righteous swordsman.
As for why he'd joined the Resistance, Ayato wasn't surprised at all.
After offending the Shogun, there was nowhere else in Inazuma for him to go. The Resistance was the only place left that would take him in.
And given his strength, they would certainly welcome him.
"My lord, shall we rescue Sayu from Battousai's grasp?"
Kobayashi asked cautiously.
In a head-on confrontation, the Shuumatsuban might not be able to defeat Battousai.
But in terms of assassination and intelligence gathering... aside from that Ausbilder in the Fatui, they feared no one.
"No. Avoid alarming him at all costs. For Sayu, staying by his side may actually be the safest place for her right now. Just assign two people to quietly observe their movements. As for the rest… focus on compiling a complete report on the situation in Yashiori Island. I'll be submitting it soon."
Based on his subordinate's description, Sayu seemed to be getting along with Battousai fairly well.
Perhaps… this was also their chance, as the Commission of Civilian Affairs, to get closer to this mysterious man.
"But… will the Tenryou Commission really let this report reach the Shogun? They've been known to cover things up before."
Kobayashi voiced his concern over the clan head's plan.
If he were part of the Tenryou Commission, he certainly wouldn't let something like that get to the Shogun.
"Who said I was giving it to the Shogun? Lady Yae over at Yae Publishing House has been short on material lately. What's wrong with giving her a little fictional inspiration?"
Though Ayato still looked weak sitting in his chair, his calm smile and confident tone made him seem all the more charismatic.
"Right. As for that special milk tea… send a batch to Thoma too. Consider it a reward. After all, he's been working hard over on Ritou day and night."
"Ah—yes! Understood!"
. . . . . . . . .
What is deep sleep, really?
Sayu had always considered herself a champion of naps. But after what happened last night, she realized what true deep sleep felt like.
It was… magical.
When she woke up, she vaguely remembered Bai Luo wanting her to listen to some music. But the content of the performance? She couldn't recall a single note.
She just felt like she blinked once—and the entire night had passed.
Now she felt refreshed—even the mood swings caused by staying too long on Yashiori Island under the influence of the Tatarigami seemed to have faded.
Was the song that good?
Probably…?
But she couldn't explain it properly, since she'd forgotten everything.
Strangely though, whenever she thought about asking Bai Luo to play it again, her body would refuse to speak up, as if instinctively holding her back.
Weird...
. . . . . . . . .
After passing through Nazuchi Beach, Bai Luo switched back to [Hei], as it was a far more appropriate identity when moving through Shogunate-controlled areas.
It was a return to his true identity.
As for Sayu, she was once again being carried under his arm, dozing off as usual, occasionally making soft smacking sounds with her lips.
Bai Luo had long noticed that someone was tailing him.
But once he saw their Shuumatsuban attire, he decided to ignore them. They were clearly here for the little tanuki in his grasp.
Still, Bai Luo didn't switch back to Hei in front of them. Only after shaking them off completely did he change his class.
Then, carrying Sayu, he activated invisibility and vanished from their sight.
Only after ensuring he had fully shaken the trackers did he deactivate the stealth.
But just as he reappeared—
"MROWWWRRR!!"
A terrified cat scream burst out next to him.
Was itSayu?
Nope. Sayu might look like a tanuki, but she couldn't make that kind of noise.
Looking down, Bai Luo saw a snow-white cat crouching at his feet, its fur standing on end like a puffball.
Its sapphire-like eyes were filled not just with shock and fear, but also… a touch of indignation?
"Hm? Could it be… you?"
Seeing the cat, a long-forgotten memory resurfaced from the depths of Bai Luo's mind.
Ah—this was the cat he forgot at the training grounds that one time—
HOLY CRAP—it's still alive?!
. . . . .
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