After a long while, the courtesan parade finally came to an end. The crowds in the Flower Capital began to disperse, though everyone was still talking about Komurasaki.
Some were scheming to save enough money to drink with her, while others even dreamed of redeeming her freedom—ready to spend their entire fortunes if that's what it took!
Shops along the streets reopened, and the townsfolk once again busied themselves with the struggle for daily bread.
"An! Come quick—there's oden here!" Yamato's eyes lit up as she spotted the steaming stall, excitedly calling An over.
"You've got a sharp eye, miss! My oden uses a secret family recipe—everyone who's ever tried it says it's the best they've ever had! Care to taste some?" The stall owner, seeing the two approach, hurriedly began his pitch.
Yamato picked up a skewer and took a bite.
"How is it, Yamato? Tasty?" An asked, watching her closely.
"It's so good! Boss, I'll take everything you've got!" Yamato exclaimed with sparkling eyes. It had been ages since she'd eaten oden this delicious!
"All of it? Of course! Right away!" The vendor beamed with joy—he hadn't expected to sell out all at once!
Moments later, Yamato and An were each carrying a large tub of oden, wandering down the street while eating.
Meanwhile, back at Yuuin Courtyard, Komurasaki had just returned when Kyoshiro arrived to report.
"I've found out who fought Kaido today—it was a man named Karl. A very powerful figure, someone on the same level as the Four Emperors. But he came to do business with Kaido, trading in Seastone. Someone like him won't be helping our cause." Kyoshiro's tone carried disappointment.
He'd easily obtained the information from Kurozumi Orochi, but it did nothing to aid their plan to restore Wano.
"I see… By the way, earlier today I saw a woman with horns just like Kaido's. There was a younger girl with her. Can you find out who they are? I think they're still in the Flower Capital. If possible, I'd like to meet them," Komurasaki said softly.
"Horns like Kaido's? Understood—I'll look into it right away." Kyoshiro's eyes narrowed as he recalled the little horned girl who had once followed Kaido years ago.
"An, I heard that Komurasaki stays at Yuuin Courtyard. Should we go take a look?" Yamato suggested between bites of oden.
"Why would we go there? Besides, we don't have any money left. You just spent it all on that oden," An replied dryly. The food they were eating had been paid for with her money—and now it was all gone.
An rarely carried money herself. Usually, whatever she wanted was bought by one of her aunts or by Karl.
This time, since she was out with Yamato, she'd asked Karl for some spending money—but it was gone now, thanks to Yamato's bottomless appetite.
"Hahaha… well, I didn't mean to be broke," Yamato said sheepishly.
"Are you two trying to see Lady Komurasaki? I might be able to help," a deep voice came from behind them.
Kyoshiro had been following them for a while, waiting for the right moment to step in—but when he heard they had no money, he had no choice but to reveal himself.
"Uncle, you've been tailing us, haven't you?" An said flatly. She had sensed his presence long ago.
"Eh? Really? Uncle, were you following us?" Yamato asked, surprised. She'd been too relaxed to notice anything with her Observation Haki.
"Ahaha, you caught me. You're sharp, young lady. Actually, I work at Yuuin Courtyard. So if you want to meet Komurasaki, I can take you there," Kyoshiro explained with a grin, though inwardly he was shocked by how sharp the small girl's perception was.
"Really? You'll take us in?" Yamato asked eagerly—after all, they were broke.
"Of course! I'm someone of importance at Yuuin Courtyard," Kyoshiro said proudly. He found the horned girl easy to talk to, though the smaller one clearly didn't trust him.
"An, let's go! I've never been to Yuuin before," Yamato said excitedly.
"Fine. Let's go have a look." An shrugged. With their strength, it didn't matter if the man had ulterior motives—they could handle anything. The skilled fear nothing.
Kyoshiro blinked in surprise—the girl named An had actually agreed? He'd been sure she would refuse.
"Then please, follow me. I'll make sure you meet Komurasaki," he said with exaggerated politeness. He had no intention of revealing his true identity yet.
What he didn't realize was that both Yamato and An already knew he wasn't an ordinary man—their Observation Haki had told them plenty.
An and Yamato exchanged a look and instantly understood each other: Komurasaki wants to see us.
An thought silently, Since when did Yamato get good at reading my mind?
Yamato, meanwhile, recalled what An had said earlier—that Komurasaki might know her. Now that she thought about it, maybe An was right.
So the two followed Kyoshiro to Yuuin Courtyard.
As soon as they arrived, a thick, perfumed air of the pleasure quarters greeted them, making both girls a bit uncomfortable.
"Ladies, this is Komurasaki's residence. I'll leave you here," Kyoshiro said before taking his leave.
Yamato looked at An as if to ask, Are we just going to barge in like this?
An's expression said, We came all this way—why turn back now?
Taking the hint, Yamato pushed the door open and stepped inside.
They found Komurasaki kneeling gracefully at a low table. There was tea on the table—not sake.
"Komurasaki, the man who brought us here works for you, doesn't he?" An asked directly, wasting no time.
Komurasaki froze for a second. Shouldn't they at least exchange pleasantries before jumping straight to business?
"That's right," she admitted, "though more precisely, I asked to meet this lady." Her eyes turned toward Yamato.
"Me? An told me you might know who I am, but I don't recognize you. Do you really know me?" Yamato asked curiously. She truly had no memory of this woman.
"Please, have some tea first. It's the finest blend I have," Komurasaki said, gesturing for them to sit.
Yamato and An accepted and knelt on the cushions she'd prepared.
"I can't say I know you," Komurasaki began, "but I believe I saw you once—eleven years ago, beside Lord Kaido."
She studied Yamato's face intently, hoping for a flicker of recognition.
"Eleven years ago? I've been confined to Onigashima for exactly eleven years," Yamato said, meeting her gaze.
Komurasaki's heart skipped a beat. So she really was connected to Kaido—and deeply so.
"Eleven years ago…" An interjected. "Wasn't that when Kozuki Oden was boiled alive by Kaido?"
When she'd first arrived in Wano, Karl had told her the story. If Komurasaki had really seen Yamato, that would have been the day of Oden's execution.
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