Chapter Text
To serve the Kamisato Clan, one should maintain an excellent physical condition. That was not in the job description; it was just common sense. Unlike the Kujou and Hiiragi Estates, located at the heart of Inazuma’s two most vibrant cities, the Kamisato Estate was set by a cliffside in the far eastern side of Narukami, surrounded by steep mountains in a zone infested by nobushi and ruin machines, kilometers away from the nearest villages. Getting there was not for the faint of heart.
Which only made the smile on your face as you approached the building more noteworthy. The terribly tight shoes selected specifically for that job interview made you want to cut your feet off and your legs throbbed from the hiking, but at last you had made it. The goal was clear ahead of you, shining under the sunlight like a painting.
You toned down the smile as you got closer to the two samurai standing guard – wouldn’t want to look like a maniac on your first day. Their eyes followed you, but their posture remained relaxed. Like there was no need to waste their energy worrying about an apparently unarmed and Vision-less person. You bowed your head in greeting.
“Good morning, officials. I got wind that the Kamisato Clan was in need of a maid? I came to apply for the job.”
The two samurai exchanged an unfazed look.
“Thoma is the one dealing with that, right?” the samurai on the right asked his partner. Obtaining confirmation, he added, “Follow me, miss. I will take you to him.”
With another bow of gratitude, you walked behind the samurai into the estate.
The courtyard was mostly empty, except for a few servants moving around as they did their chores. The estate had a spacious garden that probably required quite some work to tend to. Its design was simple yet elegant, with a small fountain and shrine in the corner bringing a sense of freshness to the air. But you hardly noticed any of that. Your attention was fixed on the blond man sweeping the floors next to the main door. His outfit was a clear mix of Inazuman and foreign styles, reds and blacks mixing with gold details. A black metal headband with horns adorned his head and a Pyro Vision hung proudly on his belt. You knew immediately that was Thoma. The Mondstadter who climbed up the ladder within the Kamisato Clan and became Inazuma’s most notorious fixer. His reputation preceded him in many different ways. One of them was regarding his alertness.
Despite the apparent concentration with which he carried on the sweeping, Thoma’s eyes had been discreetly following the two of you as soon as you passed through the gates. Once you were close enough, Thoma rested the broom against the wall and waved a hand.
“Hello there! How can I help you today?” His bright smile and overly chirpy tone almost made he seem more like a server at a teashop than the retainer of one of Inazuma’s most important families. You were sure you had not imagined the annoyed groan the samurai let out. Instead of returning the greeting, he only gestured to you and started walking back to the gate. You took the hint.
“Good morning, Master Thoma. It is an honor to meet you,” you began with another bow. The well-rehearsed speech flowed effortlessly from your lips. “My name is Shigurai Hitomi. I would respectfully like to apply to the position of maid within the Yashiro Commission.”
You expected to then be inquired about your origins, your qualifications, your availability to start. You were already taking the recommendation letters out of your inner pocket when you saw the expression on Thoma’s face. It was a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
“Oh by the Archons… I’m so sorry, I thought the news had reached everyone. That position isn’t available anymore.”
You blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
Thoma scratched the back of his neck. “You see, the position was filled just two days ago, when we hired Mitsue.” He gestured to a short brown-haired woman watering the garden a few meters away.
It was as though the ground underneath you had shattered. Two days. You had gotten there as fast as you could and still missed it by two days.
No. That was unacceptable. There must be a way to still salvage the situation.
“Perhaps you need assistance with something else? I can handle a variety of tasks, I-I have worked for other noble families outside of Inazuma. Serving the Kamisato Clan would be an immense honor.” You emphasized the last part, hoping a bit of flattery would work on your favor. Disappointment hit again.
“I’m really sorry, I’m afraid that we don’t have anything else at the moment… I hope you didn’t go through much trouble to get here.” Like he did not know how physically isolated the Kamisato estate was. “If you want, I can try to help you find another job in the city! Oh, are those recommendation letters? They would be a great help. Mind if I have a look?”
You handed out the letters in an automatic gesture. Your mind was still processing that bit of information. The position was not supposed to have been filled.
“Do you live in Inazuma City? I can do some research on available opportunities and find you there.”
Thoma’s offer pulled you back to reality. Things were not going as expected and the last thing you needed was to be indebted to the fixer. You needed time to think and consider your options.
“Thank you very much, Master Thoma, but that will not be necessary. I’ve seen other openings around the city, I am sure I can find something around there.”
“Still, if I hear anything, I’ll be sure to let you know, Miss Hitomi,” the ever so-helpful retainer insisted. “Would you like someone to escort you back?”
“No, please, there is no need. I actually have a friend waiting at the Great Narukami Shrine.”
“Okay then. Sorry again for the trouble, but I hope something good comes your way soon!”
“I’m sure it will.”
There was no other option, after all.
You walked out as quickly as decorum would allow you, hoping no one would notice how strained your smile was.
It was always night at Chinju Forest. It wasn’t that the canopy of the trees was so thick to block out the sunlight. In fact, one could see the sky from many different spots. Rather, it was as though nature itself knew that a place inhabited by mischievous bake-danuki could only thrive under the cover of darkness. It made for a good ambiance. And a good hiding spot.
Once you confirmed you had not been followed and no one else was around, you pulled out the bag you had concealed inside a tree trunk. Recalling your training, you breathed in and out. One. Two. Three. And then-
“Hot diggity fuck!”
The sound of your screams was almost muffled by the crack of the wood when your foot collided against the tree trunk. You immediately held the throbbing foot while jumping on the other, colorful curses soaring through your mind. That had been a poorly planned reaction. So you chose the next targets better, snapping tree branches and stabbing the trunks with a dagger hidden in your sleeve.
Everyone knew that job was going to be complex. That it would take months. That you no longer had sufficiently reliable connections in Inazuma, due to the country’s years of isolation. Baptiste had stressed that several times. Which was why you had to resort to something he usually loathed: depending on the clients’ assistance to carry out the infiltration. Of course that was a recipe for disaster.
You had crafted the perfect cover story. Sylvain had even found records of an Inazuman girl who had died on the crossing to Fontaine many years ago and would have been about your age, so that you could use her name and identity. Elke had had no trouble producing the identity and travel documents or falsifying the recommendation letters. Together with Karina, you had prepared an extensive report on significant political figures in Inazuma and other actors of interest – a surprisingly thorough job considering the that Inazuma had just left a significant period of isolation. Even the twins had done their part, playing around the neighborhoods most heavily populated with the Inazuman diaspora in Fontaine City and relaying back what they had heard. Such an enormous effort in such a short period of time. All the clients had to do was to ensure that the Kamisatos would be looking to hire someone for their housekeeping staff by the time you arrived.
While the details of that part of the plan had not been shared with you, you knew that it was supposed to be solid. Baptiste himself reviewed them. According to him, getting into the Kamisato Estate was going to be the easy part.
And yet. You had never had a job go south so quickly.
“Archons-fucking-damn it!”
You needed to think. To reorganize everything, come up with a new plan. You had done that before – on a smaller scale, against minor setbacks, but still. You had watched Baptiste do that so many times before. Even Sylvain. It could not be that hard. You would do it. As soon as you finished beating up that shrubbery.
When you finally stopped taking your anger out on the plant life, a thin layer of sweat was coating your forehead. The disheveled bush looked like it was begging for mercy and you pretended it was the Kamisato’s chief retainer’s face. Sorry for your trouble – oh, if he only knew how much trouble he had caused, you would make him feel sorry. Perhaps a small payback when the job was done. Nothing too flashy; the clients had insisted on utmost secrecy after all.
“Well, well, well… Guess it is my lucky day.”
You winced. Maybe throwing a tantrum in the woods had not been very secretive of you. Nobushi usually kept away from Chinju Forest, but they had many camps nearby. This one must have heard your screams and decided to see if you had anything of value. Elke would have scolded you for your carelessness.
You turned around with your hands up. There was no point in hiding the dagger, the man had already seen it. Moreover, his long katana gave him the advantage in direct combat. Though a takuhatsugasa obscured most of his face, you could see a gleam in his eyes. You bit your lip, whimpering.
“Please. I have nothing of value. Please, just leave me alone.”
The man laughed and you averted your gaze. “I will be the judge of that. Now drop the weapon.” You released the dagger, which fell on the grass with a soft thud. “Good girl. Now stay put.”
Confident that a lone and now unarmed woman was no danger to him, the nobushi relaxed the grip on his sword and started bending down to pick up the dagger. He must have been new to this vagrant business. Too quick to forget that any self-respecting person always carried two daggers.
A flash of silver came out of your left sleeve and you slashed across the side of the nobushi’s torso. He gasped in surprise, trying to regain his balance, but you were already swiping a leg to trip him. He had barely landed on the ground when you kicked his sword away and stabbed the dagger deeper into the cut you had made. You managed to hit the artery you had intended to and blood began to spurt faster, drenching the grass.
You stomped the nobushi’s sword-wielding arm, causing him to cry out. You hoped those shoes were bring him as much pain as they had to you. With a swift movement, you brought the dagger up against the man’s neck. Even though he was already finding it hard to breathe, you would not lower your guard – just look at where that had gotten him.
“P-please, I didn’t mean any harm,” the man stuttered. “I will leave you alone. I’ll even give you the money have!”
You rolled your eyes. So you had attracted an amateur. You sighed.
“I really wish I could, pal. But my job is complicated enough as it is, and now you’ve seen me.”
You hated when these kinds of situations arose. But the work must be done, and it must be done perfectly. In a world where information is currency, reputation is everything. So Baptiste had always told you. “Whatever happens, ma puce, leave no loose ends.”
The nobushi made a strangled sound as the dagger slashed across his neck. You kept holding him in place until you were sure he breathed no more. One could never be too careful in that line of business.
Now. Back to planning an infiltration.