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Chapter Text

🌸Author's Note🌸

Hello there, my little Genshin fans and Ayato fans and lovers.

Before we get to the story, I would like to give you guys a heads-up about this fanfiction.

   1. English is not my first language and I've been struggling with some of the sentences which you may find hard to understand, but I made sure those phrases are some not-so-important aspects of the story.

   2. These are some headcanons of my own that I thought it made sense for the fanfiction, and I will present some of them now so that I don't receive hate comments about them like: "This is not how it is, haven't you read the lore?!" I do read the lore, I just added some things up.

       > The Kamisato Estate is bigger: bigger mansion, a lot of gardens, stables, training grounds for the guards and the horses and so on. And the Kamisato family also has an estate in the Inazuma city, but it's smaller.

       > People with Visions (Allogenes) can teleport via the teleport waypoints (I'll just call them telepoints) and they also can teleport objects or people as long as they touch them or/and they are surrounded by the elemental power of the Vision bearer.

       > Ayato and Ayaka have other family members, although they have different family/clan names, like cousins, aunts and so on. It was typical for noble clans back in ancient Japan to have at least two or three children, either because the parents could afford it or for political relationships.

       > I added other villages and forests and so on. Since the estate is bigger, Inazuma is bigger too in my mind.

       > I made up the clans that answer to the Kamisato clan and I also divided the Yashiro Comission in cultural branches, including visual arts, crafts and different industries. There are about 20 minor clans; Ayato's mother also comes from one of these 20 families.

       > Speaking about backgrounds, I made up a historical background for the Shuumatsuban and established it's hierarchy, since we don't have many information about it in the game. I also established some details about the members following the feudal Japan ninja style, their clothes, weapons, training methods and so on.

       > It is said that Ayato is not trained in the Shuumatsuban style, but he can find Sayu with ease, compering to the other Shuumatsuban members. In this fanfiction, he was trained as a Shuumatsuban, because it makes sense to me, since he is the leader. Also, considering his protective side towards Ayaka, Ayaka didn't learn the Shuumatsuban training, since it's very difficult and Ayato doesn't want his sister to have anything to do with the games behind the scenes. That being said, she is more trained and very knowledgeable in the samurai style of wielding weapons, as well as Ayato. She is not weaker, she just has another affinity for another fighting style, she takes the path of honorable and elegant samurais.

If I left something out regarding the headcanons that seems important, I will update it later.

   3. I've tried to come up with political battles. If something doesn't make sense... please, just leave it be.

   4. I made up a lot of things. A LOT. But that's why this is a fanfiction.

   5. The first chapters might be boring.

With that being said, it's a pretty long way with this one and, honestly, I have no idea where this is going. I'm just having fun and I hope you will enjoy it.^^

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Chapter 1 ~ The Princess and the Lord

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       Caiome was never the type of person to not know when she needs certain resources. In all the years that she has traveled by herself from one end to another in this world she always made sure that she had everything that she needed, from warm clothes, until well-wrapped food, to not let the smell spread and to attract wild beasts.

       But the most important thing when she hits the road to another village, or harbor to go to another nation to sell these little things, was a big box of matches. Only with the help of the matches she could start a fire to cook something. It was the middle of spring, and the night was still cold. Moreover, even if she didn't need the warmth, she needed the light and a fire to cook.

       But the matches were nowhere to be found, which made her curse out loud.

       The night caught her in the middle of the Chinju forest. She could not see anything, but the trees and the peak of the mount Yougou. Moreover, here was colder than in a closed space and so dark that she couldn't even find a road to get out of the woods. 

       She sighs as if she was losing hope, feeling her stomach growl. She managed to have launch, but then she hit the road to the Narukami shrine. Then she got lost even with the map in her hands, and now it was too dark to find the road.

       She put a hand on her hip and one on her forehead, and then she traced it through her grey wavy hair. Her strands were messy, feeling them tangled, but this was the last thing that she could think of. 

       She tried to encourage herself. She has to find a cave for now, or a shelter in case it would rain, because, as much as she could see, the sky was cloudy, especially above the forest, and the moon was hidden somewhere behind the clouds. After finding a shelter, she will look closer for the matches and light up a fire. Then cook something.

       She prepared to make a step, but a short girl scream stopped her. It wasn't like a fear scream, but one provoked by a hit. Caiome looked left and right, trying to see what was surrounding her. The girl's voice was heard again, and this time Caiome didn't hesitate and went that way, now being sure from which direction was coming from.

       She ran, tripping on other roots and nearly hit a tree, but after one minute she saw some flames coming from some torches placed in a narrow valley. The girl's voice became a rather painful cough and a jerky breathing, something that, from the distance where Caiome was, you couldn't hear, but those sounds were carried by the wind to her, this being the reason for which she could find out the direction from the girl's voice was coming from.

       Caiome ran again, and a turquoise light started to glow at the waist of her trousers when she jumped and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword that she carried it at her hip. From up above, she could see all the men that were holding the torches and the girl that was attacked. The turquoise light sparkled more powerful when she curled in the air, going down with a great strength in the middle of the attackers and throwing each one of them on their backs.

       Caiome got up from her kneeling position, facing the attackers that were getting up as well, growling in pain. Almost everyone should've hit their head, considering the gravel under their feet and just the little weeds from place to place. The men were dressed casually, with large trousers and shirts, some of them with hats on their head, and most of them with a scarf covering their mouths and noses. Most of them were cursing, while others succeeded to lift their gaze toward the one that ambushed them.

       "Don't you think you are a little bit too far away from your hidden place?" Caiome asked with a smile, taking a step closer to the men, but not enough to let an opening to the girl behind her. "I thought that the treasure hoarders cherished their belongings more than assaulting a woman."

       "Do you think you can take all of us down?" the most muscular of them asked, taking a step forward as well. This one was looking just a little bit surprised by Caiome's appearance, and there was no scratch on his body. "Even though you have a Vision, while you were making your big entrance, one of my boys already went after reinforcement. You can fight, but you can't beat us all if we are bigger in number."

       Caiome sighed, then she rolled her eyes. "Can you lend me some fire?" she said instead, causing some confusing looks.

       She turned to the girl behind her and she was somehow surprised to see her. She wasn't an ordinary girl like she thought, considering that she couldn't see her very well until now, with all those men around her. She was very beautiful, with a light colored hair and some big and sparkling eyes, like silver. She was wearing blue colored clothes and somehow expensive, because Caiome ever saw this kind of clothes wearing by the girls who were coming from noble families. She was ruffled and dirty, and one of her lip was split. Although, she was trying to stand on her feet, looking at her attackers with resentful, and at Caiome like she was her savior.

       "You don't have to worry," Caiome tried to reassure her, smiling. "We will get out of here soon enough."

       "So do you intend to run away with our prey?" the big guy asked, and Caiome glared at him. "You don't look from around here, so you probably don't know who stands behind you," he laughed.

       "Does it matter?" Caiome answered. "All I know is that you don't look after your own business. So I will take this lady from you, since you don't exactly need her."

       "She is the daughter of the Kamisato Clan, Shirasagi Himegimi, Kamisato Ayaka. A diamond, indeed. We will not let you take her from us."

       "Shime - how now?" Caiome crooked.

       "Excuse me, miss," the girl behind her talked. "But you shouldn't bother with me, please. I am a Vision bearer as well, so I can handle this."

       "Really?" Caiome said sarcastically. "I guess you're right. Your wounds really show me that you can handle it."

       "I suggest you to leave this place before the reinforcements arrive. I thank you for your concern, but I created this mess, so I should get out of it by myself as well."

       Caiome blinked toward the girl and the girl's frown. She had nothing on her, really, not even a weapon. Then she sighed, spinning her sword through her fingers.

       "I don't know if I should consider you brave and altruistic, or naïve enough to not ask for help, since that you are coming from a good family and you are obviously in need for help. Stay behind me, Your Highness," Caiome mocked her. "I was actually bored and got lost on these roads. Maybe they are kind enough to help me find the way back to the village, considering they are so talkative."

       "But-"

       Caiome acted before Ayaka could finish talking. She pushed herself from the ground and she went pass the treasure hoarders in the blink of an eye, rotating her sword. She didn't wound someone enough to kill him, but that didn't mean that she didn't cut through their clothes. Caiome cut them on their thighs and abdomen, not to deep, but enough to put them down, and blood was spilled on her clothes and face. Some of them rushed toward her, so Caiome pushed herself again into the ground, going up and down again, letting behind her some trace of wind that hit the attackers.

       Before she got up, she heard other voices and she saw the hoarders' reinforcements that were rushing toward her with their weapons in their hands. Caiome heard Ayaka uttering, trying to stand on her trembling feet, but she didn't forget about the light up torches surrounding her. She didn't actually need them, but the fact that she lost her matches was making her so frustrated that she wanted to play a little bit with fire as well.

       She turned the sword in her hand and she spun, taking with her the wind and the torches fire, and then throwing it with her blade toward the other hoarders. The grass lit up, as long with their clothes, and since there wasn't any source of water, they didn't have a choice but to run away screaming in pain, searching something to help them put out the fire and their burning skin.

       Caiome laughed, then another pale of wind hit from top-down the burning grass and fire put out, leaving behind it just burned ground. She rotated her sword and put it back into its sheath. Only after that she realized that she put out the entire fire.

       "There isn't any chance to have a match on you, is it?" she asked Ayaka.

       "No," the girl answered like it was a great shame that she didn't carry such a thing. "I apologize."

      "It's fine, it's fine, there is no need anyway." She stepped closer to her but she stopped as soon as Ayaka bowed so much that Caiome thought that she will fall and hit her head.

      "I offer you my sincere thanks for helping me."

      "Uhh... Yeah... Sure."

      "If there is something I can do for you to repay your good that you did to me, something that I can offer you as well, just ask and I will give it to you if it stands in my power."

       "C'mon, don't do that," Caiome smiled, coming closer to her and putting her hands on her shoulders, getting her up. "You're from a noble family, yes? I don't think you should bow like that in front of anyone."

       "But-"

       "You're hurt," Caiome said, kneeling in front of her.

       She opened her backpack and pulled out some pieces of clean cloth made from cotton and a cream in a glass box. She opened the box, taking a little bit of cream, and applied it on Ayaka's wounds on her knees, then bandaging everything.

       "They are not exactly medicinal," Caiome said gentle, "but it's all I have. The cream cleans the wounds too, so you don't have to get scared. Can you walk?"

        Ayaka nodded, but when she stepped forward, her knee went numb and she almost fell, but Caiome caught her before she could lend on the ground. Caiome laughed a little bit.

       "Come on, I will take you to your camp. Do you know where it is?"

       "Uh... Yes."

        Caiome turned her back on Ayaka and bend, sending her a sign to climb on her back. Ayaka hesitated, and Caiome frowned and sighed.

        "I just want to know you're safe, okay? And as a reward I can accept a box of matches and maybe some soup, if it's so important for you to reward me."

       Ayaka kept quiet for a second, and then she climbed on Caiome's back. Caiome caught her thighs and got up. Ayaka was rather light, but again, Caiome was used to carry sometimes even a boar or to pull after her a deer or a stag that she would chop it into pieces and sell the meat in the squares to make some money.

       "Which way?" Caiome asked, and Ayaka pointed with her finger the opposite direction from which the hoarders came. Caiome went that way silently, trying to pay attention on her steps.

       "What's your name?" Ayaka asked out of nowhere.

       "I don't think you will remember me even if I tell you," Caiome laughed instead.

       "I think it's perfectly normal to know the name of the one who saved me, even if it's possible to not remember it after some time."

       "Thanks, princess," Caiome mumbled, and Ayaka laughed a little bit.

       "I'm just teasing you, I didn't mean to be rude. Anyway, it is rude of me to ask you about your name when I didn't introduce myself properly either. My name is Kamisato Ayaka, the daughter of the Kamisato Clan, the Head Clan of the Yashiro Commission. I thank you once again for saving me."

       "Well, if that's the case..." Caiome sigh. "My name is Caiome, I'm a sort of... adventurer."

       "You look rather mysterious," Ayaka said, and Caiome throw her the kind of look that usually make people go silent. "Rest assured, I am not going to ask you more than that," she said. "I am grateful just because you helped me."

       "Well, it wasn't like I was going to leave you there, right? I usually travel alone, but that doesn't mean I hate people."

       Ayaka laughed nervous. "It's not like I have ever said that."

       "I don't get it though," Caiome said jumping over a small hole and seeing a couple of dancing flames. "You said that you are a Vision bearer, and the way the wind moves around you, cutting through it, I presume you have a Cryo Vision, no?"

       "You're very smart."

       "Thanks," Caiome said. "Then why didn't you fight those maniacs from the beginning? It wasn't so hard to beat their asses."

       Ayaka laughed silently. "That is because I don't have my Vision right now."

       Caiome stopped. "What? How can a Vision bearer not bear his Vision?"

       Ayaka hide her gaze, looking to the right, like she didn't want to confront Caiome. "Well, I just wanted to go for a walk without it when I was assaulted by the hoarders."

       "Without the Vision," Caiome said like she didn't hear well.

       "I'm not wearing it always tied on my clothes. For example, when I change into my night gown."

       "Your clothes don't seem to me like the type of clothes to sleep in, princess."

       "Please, don't call me princess," Ayaka said. "Moreover, I just forgot it in the palanquin, that's all."

       "I thought no Vision bearer could actually live without their Vision."

       While they were speaking, the lights were becoming more intense and the voices carried by the wind were reaching Caiome's ears. All of them were desperate and were receiving orders and the only thing that Caiome could hear were strong running steps, hitting the ground.

       "I'm not so depended on it, whereas my main activity is not battle. Consider that my Vision is just another layer of protection, that is all."

       "Fine, fine, but don't you ever tell that you can handle some louts just because you have a Vision when you don't even have it on you."

       "I was just trying to save you from them," Ayaka laughed, making Caiome frown.

       "I wonder which one of us needed help?" She sighed lightly. "Even if I don't know you, I'm glad you're ok. I don't usually stand by and watch someone get hurt, so please stop being so careless and keep your Vision close, ok? That's on the reward list."

       In a couple of minutes, they arrived at the so-called camp which in fact it wasn't a camp at all. There were couple of soldiers running from side to another and a tent in the middle of them. Caiome saw a beautiful palanquin that was seated on the ground, probably Ayaka's.

       The first group of people was a group of soldiers that were screamed at. A taller and more muscle man, old enough to be Caiome's father, with dark hair bun and a full armor was standing in front of them, finishing his speech with a strict order, telling the soldiers to continue their searching. At his right was a shorter boy with blonde hair tied in a tail and dressed in mostly red clothes. At his waist, a Pyro Vision was shining.

       When Caiome stopped, thinking about if to approach them or not, Ayaka got down from her back.

       "Thoma," she said, and the blonde boy, and the soldier, returned to her and Caiome.

       Looking at them with those big green eyes, Thoma smiled and approached Ayaka instantly. He almost wanted to hug her, but he stopped. Although, Caiome couldn't ignore the boy's hidden desire and the way he felt at ease while putting his hands on Ayaka's shoulder, studying her.

       "My lady, are you alright?" he said. "Of course you are not alright, look at yourself. What happened? Where have you been and what happened to you? Please, tell me that you just fell, otherwise it will be bad for all of us."

       Ayaka laughed a little bit, putting her hand on Thoma's wrist, as a sign of reassure.

      "I'm all right, really. I wanted to take a walk while we were taking a break, but I was ambushed by some treasure hoarders. While I was running away from them, it is true, I did fell and I cannot say they were peaceful."

      Her innocent smile seemed very sweet and convincing, but that didn't stop Thoma from frowning in disbelief and the soldier in front of them to call some guardians and give them some short, concrete orders through which all the treasure hoarders were to be immediately found and captured and brought to the lord Kamisato, which had to be Ayaka's father.

      "But I was lucky," Ayaka continued. "This is Caiome," she introduced her and Thoma's and the soldier's, or rather captain's, gazes were on her, looking at her with curiosity. "She was around and she saved me from the treasure hoarders, then she brought me here. She took good care of me. She cleaned and bound my wounds."

      She pointed to her knees and Thoma sighted, still standing with her hand on her shoulders.

      "My lady, you will give me a heart attack one day. I've told you so many times to not go wandering around without the soldiers, especially if you don't have your Vision." Thoma stood back from Ayaka, looking at Caiome, and then bowed like Ayaka did before. The captain did the same. "Thank you in the name of the Kamisato family for what you did for my lady, lady Caiome. If you wouldn't have been around, lady Ayaka would've been in a greater danger. We are truly grateful. Ask for anything as a reward, and we will make everything in our power to properly reward you."

        "Uhh... Honestly, why does everyone who has affiliations with a rich family does that? It's fine, I just wanted to bring her back because she needed help. You should take care of her to not ever leave her Vision behind. And please, don't talk with me with honorifics," she laughed. "We're probably the same age."

        "Oh, uhh... alright. Got it. As you wish."

       "Moreover, Caiome asked for a box of matches and a bowl of soup, which we can offer to her once we get home," Ayaka said.

       "Home?" Caiome asked. "Speaking of which, this doesn't seem like a camp at all," she mumbled.

       "Because it isn't," Thoma said. "We were just coming back from an event hold in Konda village, when we had to stop because one of our soldiers spread his ankle. Lady Ayaka insisted to stop and wait for a doctor coming from the estate, but then she disappeared. We looked for her for some time and the evening came, and now we are late."

       "I see," said Caiome.

       "Is there something wrong?" Ayaka asked.

       "No, it's just that... I wouldn't like to accompany you. I would only mess up your business' and I'm a stranger, so I don't see any reason for you to welcome me with open arms. If you want to repay me, you can give me just a box of matches and show me where the road to the village is. I was heading for the temple initially for blessings, but it's late, so I'll just go back to the village."

       "Wait a second," Ayaka said grabbing her hand in a gentle tight. "You helped me in such a dangerous situation with no obligations. I could not let you on the roads at this hour. What kind of repayment would be to send you off with just a box of matches? Plus, I promised you a warm meal as well-"

       "A bowl of soup," Caiome said.

       "Moreover, I will offer you a place to sleep this night as well, and tomorrow you can go to the temple, considering that it is closer to my home than to the village."

       Caiome went silent in front of Ayaka insisting. Her silver eyes shined because of the determination that she had to take Caiome to her place. Maybe it was typical to the rich people to pick up homeless people off the streets to repay them if they helped them with something.

       But, in the same time, considering that Thoma said that this lady Ayaka stopped the entire group because of a single wounded soldier, she looked like she really wanted to help Caiome in her return. Besides, it really was late, she couldn't guide herself after the stars, she was hungry and even cold, now that she was not moving and didn't carry Ayaka anymore... And what would have happened if she would get lost again on the road?

       She could enjoy herself with a nice meal and a warm bed for the night, right? At least once.

       "Uhh, alright then," she finally said and Ayaka smiled happily.

       "Would you like to ride the palanquin with me?" she asked.

       "No," Caiome answered almost immediately.

       The captain of the soldiers coughed and turned to Ayaka.

       "My lady, we should set off. You need to receive medical assistance, and because of the doctor didn't arrive from the estate, we might meet him on the road. It would be much faster like this, and your ladyship wouldn't have to force yourself. Please."

       "I see," Ayaka said. "Thoma, could you keep Caiome some company, please? You could find out what kind of food she likes, and the chef can make them once we arrive at the estate."

       "But it's not necessary-"

       "Then I'll return to my palanquin."

       The soldiers immediately packed up the tent, in which Caiome learned from Thoma that Ayaka had left her Vision. Captain Hirotatsu walked ahead with two of his most trusted soldiers, presumed Caiome, and they immediately set off as the palanquin was lifted onto the shoulders of four other soldiers.

       Soon, Caiome caught a glimpse of the bright lights of the residence from the corner of her eye, she turned her gaze towards it. She didn't realize how quickly time had passed and how much distance they had covered. Or it was possible that they weren't actually that far from the Ayaka's residence as she had thought, and the journey had been a short one.

       The group of soldiers stopped as they climbed the last few steps, and they set the palanquin down. As Ayaka stepped out, Caiome stared at the size of the residence. It wasn't the largest she had seen in her life, but it seemed somehow special. It seemed warm and welcoming, as if it embraced you with open arms. Caiome thought she should feel embarrassed about entering the Ayaka's house, but she was hungry and cold. And she would probably ask Ayaka for two matchboxes just to be sure she doesn't run out.

       The entrance flanked by two bright pillars opened into a garden, and in the center was a massive platform supporting a table and a few seats where you could sit and enjoy a cup of tea. Several guards stood at their posts, while two others came out of the courtyard to welcome the group, Thoma, and Ayaka. Captain Hirotatsu immediately requested a doctor, which seemed odd to Caiome. Weren't they supposed to meet one on the way, the one called for the soldier with the broken ankle who was now being transported in a cart?

       Ayaka came towards Caiome and took her by the arm, pulling her inside the garden. "Come. You have to tell me what you want to eat, and while you take a hot bath, our chef will take care of everything."

       "Shouldn't you see a doctor?" Caiome asked her.

       "I'm fine, really. I don't even feel the wounds anymore, probably thanks to the ointment you applied and the bandages."

       "Still, you should sit down."

       "And you should just enjoy the bath," Ayaka said, calling a maid.

       She was young and pretty, with beautiful brown hair tied up in a bun so as not to interfere with her household chores. She wore a cute uniform typical of a young girl, with light-colored pants and a short shirt, and she wore traditional sandals. In her hair, she had a simple wooden hairpin with a lilac flower. When she reached Ayaka, she made a short bow.

       "This is Chizuru," Ayaka said. "She is my personal maid, and she will be yours as long as you stay here. Chizuru, this is lady Caiome, a special guest who saved me from an unfavorable situation. Treat her exactly as you treat me."

       "I'm glad to meet you, my lady," Chizuru said, bowing towards her.

       "Call me Caiome, it's fine," she said, waving her hand in front of the girl who couldn't be more than sixteen. She seemed close in age to Ayaka, perhaps one of the reasons why she was her personal servant.

       "As you wish," Chizuru said, but as she bowed, her black eyes fell on Ayaka's knees. "My lady, by all the gods, what happened to your knees?"

       "Uh, the unfavorable situation," Ayaka replied.

       "You went off on your own again, who knows where?" Chizuru sighed. "I've asked you so many times not to do that. One day, you will cause my death, my lady."

       "Don't speak like an old woman, Chizuru," Ayaka said affectionately, "and prepare a bath for Caiome. She's probably cold and most likely hungry."

       "Understood, my lady," Chizuru sighed, then smiled at Caiome. "Follow me," she said, and turned back towards the entrance of the house.

      Caiome followed Chizuru without much comment. After all, what could she say? She was in Ayaka's house - if it could be called that - and she was about to receive a bath, a warm meal, and a bed to sleep in before continuing her journey to the temple. Staying quiet was probably the best thing she could do in the given situation, so she didn't say anything as Chizuru opened the doors of the residence and led her inside.

       Following a wide hallway, Chizuru turned right, and Caiome came across a straight flight of black wooden stairs. Chizuru climbed up, and Caiome followed silently.

       "This is where the guest rooms are," Chizuru said. "Do you have any preference regarding the view?"

       "No, any view is fine," she replied.

       "Very well," Chizuru said.

       If the guests rooms were here, then the family rooms should be on the other side, right? From the information Caiome managed to gather from various nations, the rooms of family members usually occupied the eastern side, although she didn't necessarily know the reason. At the same time, perhaps the customs were different.

       Chizuru stopped in front of a door, which she opened, inviting Caiome to enter. Caiome remained almost speechless. The room was quite large and pleasant, warm. It surpassed by far the jacket she was wearing, which she now noticed had a cut around the elbow area. There was a bed, a wardrobe for clothes, two low tables, pillows on the floor, two chairs in a corner, and a bookshelf with replicas of famous books from various fields, all placed on tatami mats.

       Three-quarters of the room was occupied by a four-panel folding screen depicting a budding cherry tree and some flowers about to bloom, while behind them were painted immense, green mountains. On a ripple of water, there was a simple painting of a fisherman, without many details, standing on his long boat.

       "Behind the folding screen is the bathtub," Chizuru said. "Just give me a few minutes to prepare it for you. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable."

       "Okay," Caiome said and stepped into the room, studying everything in more detail: the paintings, the books, and the woodwork.

       Chizuru prepared the bath for her in just a few minutes. Caiome thanked her and stayed in the water for almost half an hour before getting up.

       She dried herself with the towel hanging on the folding screen prepared by Chizuru, then walked towards the bed where clean clothes were laid out, seemingly in her style. A pair of dark pants, a tank top, and a short, loose shirt with lilac-colored clouds painted on a clear sky. Caiome dressed, put on her now-clean boots, and was led by Chizuru downstairs to what seemed like the place where the family members ate.

       At a long, dark-colored table, Ayaka sat on one side and Thoma on the other, while the head of the table remained empty. When Caiome appeared in front of them, Ayaka stood up and displayed a cute smile.

       "I expected you to take longer to bathe," Ayaka said, laughing, and Caiome smiled back, sitting next to Ayaka.

       "I can't say I lack hot water so much that it takes me an eternity to get out of a bathtub."

       She looked at the table, sensing the smell of food. In front of her, it was more like a feast than a meal, but looking along the table, not all the guests were present. The empty seat at the head of the table had a set of dishes in front of it.

       "Come on, eat," Ayaka urged her. "I am sure you are very hungry."

       Caiome nodded and started to eat, from chicken with rice to sushi with soy sauce, pieces of grilled salmon and crab. All the dishes were exceptionally delicious, and Caiome would have eaten them until she burst because she couldn't get enough of the taste that lingered on her tongue. Ayaka didn't eat much, probably because she was accustomed to such delicacies every day. Thoma had a bigger appetite but remained reserved. However, Caiome could tell that the absence of the person at the head of the table bothered her more.

       She occasionally noticed Ayaka glancing at the empty seat, but she didn't ask anything. For a moment, a shadow passed over her gaze, then she returned to the polite conversation between them.

       Ayaka and Thoma asked her about her travels, and Caiome focused more on stories from Natlan, as it had been an extremely challenging period for her due to the excessive heat. She then mentioned that the most interesting area in all of Teyvat for her was the chasm in Liyue, considering its geography and the secrets hidden beneath the ground, just as the ruins in Sumeru's desert area. Ayaka and Thoma were very curious, asking various questions to which Caiome tried to respond briefly and concisely, only delving into a few details that piqued their interest.

       But during the conversation, she heard footsteps on the tatami floor. Caiome was the only one who reacted, as Thoma's and Ayaka's ears probably didn't pick up any sound. She divided her attention between the two of them and the footsteps. The steps were light, quite large, but slow, as if the person wanted to make an entrance. Following the steps, it seemed to be a tall, slim man with a weight that matched his height. A faint jingling sound could be heard, similar to the sound Caiome's Vision made when it hit something. Considering the muffled sound of the steps, the man must have been wearing soft-soled, comfortable shoes.

       Caiome already looked towards the folding screen when the intruder she sensed appeared in her field of view. They made eye contact, and Caiome felt the same sensation she felt a few hours ago when she got lost in darkness with no way out-an imminent danger, but subtle, something that could easily be avoided by stepping cautiously.

       Ayaka stood up to get his attention.

       "Brother," she said as a greeting. "I'm glad you're here."

       "I'm glad I could make it," came his response.

       "This is Caiome, my guest for tonight."

       Caiome put down her chopsticks, starting to study him as the man looked at her again. Well, she would be lying if she said that in front of her wasn't one of the most handsome men she had ever met, and his stature perfectly matched the mental image she had created when she heard his footsteps: tall, well-built, comfortable shoes, and his mere presence exuded incredible elegance.

       His hair was slightly long, the color of a clear sky, somewhere between the shade of the sea on a summer day and the ice on mountain peaks. He had beautiful, defined, and elegant features. The color of his eyes seemed unusual because they were not just purple; shades of lilac covered certain areas where the light struck more intensely. His eyelashes were long and black, the kind any girl would envy, and on his lower lip, on the left side, there was a mole that didn't stand out too much.

       Even his mole was elegant.

       "Caiome, this is my brother, Kamisato Ayato, the head of the Kamisato Clan and of the Yashiro Commission."

       Caiome suddenly remembered that she was standing in front of a member of a wealthy family in Inazuma and was about to get up to greet him, but Ayato stopped her.

       "It is all right, you don't have to stand up," he said, displaying a small smile. "You must be tired."

       He had a calm and playful voice at the same time, along with his strangely scrutinizing gaze. At first, Caiome didn't dare to say anything because his attention towards her felt sharp.

       "Thank you for having me," Caiome finally said, almost humbly.

       Ayato nodded, like noble men would do to show their respect, and then he walked behind her. His light steps felt heavy this time, or maybe it was just his oppressive presence in the room, and he sat at the head of the table.

       "You don't have to mention that," he said. "I've heard about the great help you provided to my younger sister, so you are more than welcome to spend the night here. Besides, if you ever need any assistance, we would be glad to offer our support."

       Caiome did not respond, but simply nodded silently. She had nothing to say. Nevertheless, she thought about what Ayaka had just said. He was her brother and the leader of the clan. Did that mean their father was dead? Well, it was a stupid question, considering his status, so she kept quiet. She knew from experience that it was better not to bring up deceased people, especially loved ones.

       Instead, Ayaka began to tell in detail how she and Caiome had met, how Caiome had driven away the hunters with her Vision, using the fire around her, which elicited a few laughs from the two of them, but also some admonishing words that Ayaka humbly received and promised not to leave without her Vision again.

       "I believe you received your Vision at a young age to be able to use it so well," Ayato said to Caiome, adopting a polite tone. He didn't address her with honorifics, but it seemed he asn't far from it. "You are quite young, probably the type of person always on guard, considering you brought your sword to the table."

       "I could say the same about you, my lord," Caiome replied, stirring the bowl of rice and shrimp with her chopsticks. She wasn't very skilled at eating with them, so she tried to pick out only the shrimps. "You seem young, but definitely with a lot of experience. You give off the air of a perfect gentleman. I see that you also have a Vision."

       "It's not as important to me," he said.

       "Well, it is to me," Caiome retorted, briefly adopting an arrogant air. "After all, your sister was injured precisely because she didn't carry her Vision."

       Ayato didn't speak much to her afterward and responded rather curtly to his sister's storytelling, but it was clear that he listened attentively. Instead, he glanced at Caiome. Some curious, others searching, like earlier, and some simply because he seemed to enjoy catching her red ruby eyes in his. Which made Caiome wonder if there was something wrong with her eyes or her gray hair, a terribly awful shade that always drew everyone's attention.

       That's why many called her "the rat," because she looked exactly like one.

       "Well, who would have expected a traveler with just one bag to appear out of nowhere?" Thoma said.

       "I didn't exactly come out of nowhere," Caiome said, a hint of pride in her voice, as she ate some rice. "I'm not a spirit who can appear wherever I want. Although, if I had stayed in that forest longer, I probably would have become one."

       "Our spirits don't usually wander aimlessly in the forest either," Ayato said, placing some food on his plate.

       Even his movements were calculated and light, like floating feathers. He didn't make any sudden gestures or move too slowly; they were just right and pleasing to the eye. Probably, even Caiome couldn't be as delicate in her soundless shoes.

       "Most of the time, they're planned. So, as I heard, you travel?" Ayato asked.

       "Something like that," she replied. "I've been to many places, but not that many. I've been to Inazuma once before, two years ago, in a spring like this, when I managed to visit the Narukami Shrine, but I couldn't stay more than a few hours. And now I've come back with the hope of staying there for a few days before heading to Liyue to participate in an archaeological research open to the public."

       "I see," Ayato said without losing his smile. "The research must be quite interesting if it managed to catch your attention, a simple traveler, as Thoma mentioned, with just one bag and not many clothes at hand."

       Caiome frowned slightly, then controlled her expressions. His words had been simple but heavy at the same time.

       "Liyue often supports such researches. Of course, under strict leadership and based on a contract, a protocol, and a self-declaration. That's why I hope to get there in time."

       "In that case," Ayaka said, "perhaps you'll visit us again before you leave. I would be delighted to offer you a cup of tea and hear more about your travels before you leave, if possible."

       Caiome smiled at her. "Of course. I would be delighted."

       "Well then," Ayato suddenly stood up from the table, even though it hadn't been more than twenty minutes since he sat down, "I'll leave you, my ladies, to your privacy. I noticed that a friendship is forming between the two of you, and I don't want to be the one to interrupt it. Also, I need to take a bath."

       "Speaking of which," Ayaka said thoughtfully, "does anyone else smell the scent of wet leaves and grass? I could swear it was present throughout dinner."

       "Did you also notice, milady?" Thoma said. "I thought I was the only one, so I didn't say anything."

       "Well," said Ayato, "we could ask lady Caiome where she thinks the perfume is coming from."

       "It's from... the shampoo that Chizuru gave me," she quickly replied. "I had to choose between that and lavender and I couldn't resist the fresh smell of rain. I'm particularly drawn to the scent of wet earth."

       "Indeed, it's a suitable choice," Ayato responded. "Well, I'll take my leave now. Good night to you all."

       And with that, he left before the others could bid their goodnights.

       "Well," said Caiome, "your brother is very... hardworking, I suppose."

       Ayaka sighed. "Sometimes too hardworking."

       Then the conversation about Ayato ended, as Ayaka changed the subject to Caiome's travels in Sumeru. That hadn't been a great period either, apart from the profit gained through trickery.

       Afterward, Ayaka led Caiome back to her room, wished her goodnight, and Caiome responded in kind. She closed the door behind her and turned to her clean yet patched clothes. The bed seemed so comfortable, with soft pillows and sheets, as fragrant as her hair, though not as subtle. Now that she thought about it, Caiome really wondered how Ayato, who hadn't even been close to her for long, could smell the scent of her hair.

      She threw herself onto the bed, gazing at the ceiling, then closed her eyes.

Chapter Text

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       The silence of the forest was even more oppressive this time, but safer, and darkness enveloped her as Caiome followed her path among the trees that rose like phantoms before her. She waited for the moon to emerge from behind the clouds, and then Caiome decided to dress, to take everything of value she could find in Ayaka's room, and to run, jumping out of her room's window, which opened directly into the backyard.

       She sneaked past the guards like a deepened ghost in the darkness of the night, hiding from the moonlight among the flesh-colored shadows of the residence, then jumped over the huge fence and headed into the forest, towards the west, along the violet tree road. Her bag hung heavily on her hip, but Caiome could move as easily as always. She could hear the jingling of the jewelry, a very faint sound, all placed in a spacious wooden box that could contain them all.

       It hadn't been difficult to find them. In a way, she was even disgusted and dissatisfied with how the wealthy families guarded their precious belongings. It had been easy to find Ayaka's room and gather all the pairs of earrings, gold brooches, and hairpins made of gold, silver, adorned with precious stones, which, though small, were even more valuable. However, the most beautiful piece had been a silver hairpin encrusted with sapphire flowers, a wonderful combination of colors that together created lilac hues. The flower petals were twisted in a way that made you believe you were in a whirlwind of colors and hallucinations.

       It was such a beautiful piece, found in Ayaka's room, wrapped in a handkerchief made of silk, that Caiome wondered whether to keep it for herself or to sell it. She would have made a lot of money from it, and anyway, she wouldn't be able to take care of such a piece of jewelry in her travels, so yes, it might have been better to sell it on the Black Market. There, no one asked any questions about the objects bought or sold, and Caiome didn't get too involved in their affairs, she just went, did her job, and left. No questions, just transactions.

       And such a beautiful piece, so neglected. That's how these rich people were. They never looked twice, never cared more. They left the job to someone else, thinking that nothing bad could happen to them, that they had good protection... Sure. Caiome entered and exited the residence without any problem, taking all of Ayaka's jewelry with her. She didn't bother wasting time searching through more personal rooms, so she took a few trinkets made of gold from the living rooms and left.

       She walked for a few hours, getting closer to the edge of the forest, already dreaming of being surrounded by the money she would get from the jeweler when she saw a light in the distance. She hid behind the trunk of a tree, looking more carefully at the flickering light. They could be other bandits, other treasure hunters.

       But when the light approached, Caiome breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a middle-aged man climbing up the hill.

       Then Caiome froze.

       What the hell was a middle-aged man doing out at this late hour? It was freezing, and Caiome was sure she hadn't headed towards any village. She had studied the map very well before leaving the Kamisato family residence.

       "You seem puzzled," a voice sounded, and Caiome immediately jumped a few meters back, her hand on the sword's hilt at her side, ready to draw it for defense. "Let me help you find your way, what do you say?"

      In the moon-pierced sky, Caiome could see Kamisato Ayato leaning against the tree trunk where he had hidden. He held his arms over his chest and seemed quite relaxed, with a mischievous smile on his face. He looked as if he knew exactly where he was and that he was supposed to be here. He looked like he knew what he was doing and that he had a purpose, while Caiome had none of those: she didn't know exactly where she was, she didn't know what she was supposed to do at this moment, and she didn't know exactly what her purpose should be — considering whether to run away from Ayato or cut his throat on the spot. The second option was tempting, she couldn't deny it.

       Caiome took a few steps back, assuming a defensive and offensive position at the same time. She turned with the side where she had the backpack on her back, to protect it from the clan leader's gaze and his attempts to take it from her, while the other side faced him, ready to draw her sword if necessary. Her Anemo Vision on her belt began to glow softly.

       "Have you been following me?" she asked with a smile. "You couldn't take your eyes off me during dinner, so you couldn't resist following me either. How scandalous for a clan leader," she laughed. "How will you be seen after this?"

       Ayato also smiled and straightened up, now standing on both feet. As her Vision began to shine, so did his: a blue Vision with the emblem of waves.

       Of course, Caiome thought to herself. It couldn't be that Ayaka had a Vision and the head of the family didn't. That would have been foolish and completely unnecessary.

       "Not very well," he responded instead, and his eyelids fell like a fox's whiskers, showing not only cunning, but also great slyness. "That is, of course, if it's discovered. For that, I shouldn't let you escape, am I right?"

       Caiome rolled her eyes. "You're making very cliché and foolish threats," she said. "Besides, pardon me for disappointing you, but I have never been caught after stealing something."

       "And what exactly have you stolen from my house?" he asked, taking a step closer.

       Caiome took a step back, searching for a good spot to jump from. "Various things," she shrugged.

       "Marvelous," Ayato said, stopping. "Then I will catch you and take my things back, if you don't mind."

       Caiome grinned. "But for that, you'll actually have to catch me first. Don't think for a second that I don't know you came here accompanied by your little guards, hoping they'd somehow help you."

       Because, despite Ayato being in front of her and her taking small steps back, trying to move away from him while finding a strategic position, her ears were not covered. She could hear the steps of the armored guards, heavy steps sinking into the grass and crushing twigs, the clashing of steel plates, and the men's breaths holding spears.

       "You've brought quite a few puppies," Caiome commented.

       Ayato didn't seem particularly surprised, as he probably already knew about this talent from his sister. But he was impressed that Caiome managed to approximate the number of soldiers he brought with him and call them "many."

       "Of course," he replied. "After all, you've stolen things that belong to me, and unfortunately, I can't easily give them up. Probably if you had only stolen, let's say, a golden cup or a silver plate from the offering table, I would have let you go. But I'm afraid there's something more valuable than that."

       Caiome scoffed mockingly. "Your sister's jewels?"

       "Exactly," he said with a smile. "Now, if you were kind enough to give them all back to me... we wouldn't have any dispute." He tilted his head slightly. "I'm afraid I don't like to get involved in such trivial matters as theft, considering how many other things I have to deal with. In short, you're just a child play I don't have time for." He extended a gloved hand towards her. "Please," he said.

       Caiome snorted, hearing the sounds of men approaching her. "Sorry, doll, but I won't give up my backpack so easily. You can try to take it though."

       Ayato seemed to sigh, allowing a few blue strands to fall onto his forehead. "I have no choice then."

       His Vision shone brighter, but Caiome already raised her hands, and when she lowered them, two powerful gusts of wind pushed him back, as well as the soldiers emerging from between the trees. Caiome pushed off with her foot, and the wind carried her onto a tree branch, then onto many others.

       She looked back to make sure she wasn't being pursued, and there was nothing there but the darkness of the night and the shapes of the trees. However, when she turned to look ahead, Caiome narrowly dodged something that passed just an inch from her forehead. Closing her eyes, she lost her balance and couldn't find a branch under her foot, so she lost focus for a second and fell into the void.

       She managed to soften her fall, rolling twice and immediately getting back on her feet. She ran her hand over her forehead, feeling something cold tickling the curve of her nose. Looking carefully into the darkness and sensing the smell of iron, she realized she had just been cut.

       She concentrated, listening to the sounds of the forest, and dodged to the left when the same sword that grazed her forehead came toward her. Ayato followed the sword, but his gaze was locked with hers, everything moving in slow motion. Caiome stepped back and drew her own sword, as the gentleman in front of her insisted on crossing weapons.

       She jumped and climbed again towards a tree, but Ayato followed her in the same manner, spinning small whirlpools of water on the tips of his toes. Caiome jumped and twirled, and Ayato followed, dancing in the air and on the tree branches, never touching the ground. Their swords occasionally clashed, creating not only loud noises but also sparks that floated down to the earth. They approached each other, collided, and then moved apart, only to collide again.

       But everything looked much more elegant than that. The two of them, chasing each other, with Kamisato Ayato trying to catch her and Caiome trying to dodge, it was as if they were dancing. The waves of wind rustled the leaves and carried the fresh, cool scent of water, while these whirlpools of water cast blue shimmering lights in the moonlight that filtered through the branches.

       Caiome pressed her feet against the tree trunk, then pushed off and launched herself towards Ayato, who was coming up from below. Ayato dodged her sword and caught her ankle, ready to pull her towards him and strike her to the ground, but Caiome twisted in his grip and came right above him. She attempted to strike him with her heel, but Ayato evaded. However, he had to let go of Caiome.

       Caiome settled on a branch and wiped her eyes. The blood still flowing from her forehead blurred her vision, causing her to lose sight more and more. In such a moment, she let herself fall to one side, and Ayato seized the opportunity and struck her with a blade of water.

       Caiome fell backward, hitting the ground, but quickly got up just as Ayato was about to grab her bag. Caiome lowered herself down onto one hand, lifted herself up, and kicked him in the jaw, then moved away from him. She took advantage of the opportunity to escape, all the while wiping her forehead with her wet clothes from Ayato's attack.

       However, one blow was not enough to stop the clan leader, so he pursued her.

       "Oh, come on now!" Caiome shouted loudly and evaded him.

       Nevertheless, Ayato approached her with the sword forward and managed to cut a bit of the backpack Caiome was carrying. In the first instance, Caiome didn't notice this, so when Ayato sent another wave of water towards her, she turned around and struck the water wave with a gust of wind. The contact between the two forces caused the point of impact to explode. As a result, both Caiome and Ayato were pushed back.

       During the fall, Caiome saw several things from the now cut backpack starting to spill out, but none of the jewelry caught her attention, not even Ayaka's beautiful hairpin. What drew her attention the most was a gray stone placed in a golden frame, shining brightly. Looking at it and thinking of grabbing it before anyone could see, Caiome failed to pay attention when Ayato tackled her and slammed her head and stomach into the ground.

       The first thing Ayato did was snatch Caiome's Vision from her belt, while she began to struggle beneath him.

       "Let go of me!" she growled at Ayato, who was now sitting on her thighs, holding her hands behind her back.

       Ayato pulled on her hands a little, causing Caiome to wince in pain.

       "Well, well," he said as soldiers approached and formed a tight circle around Caiome, their spears pointed at her. "I caught you. To be honest, with such abilities, I'm surprised no one else has caught you by now. Or was that just another attempt to deceive me?"

       "If you don't get off—"

       "If I don't get off, what then?" Ayato laughed.

       "Next time I get rid of you, I might not leave with just a few trinkets. Maybe I'll leave with your head impaled on a stick. I'll sell it as a stuffed animal or a talisman that keeps evil spirits away."

       Ayato, on the other hand, chuckled playfully. "You're not much better than me at making threats," he said, and one of the soldiers approached Caiome and clasped handcuffs around her wrists.

       Finally, Ayato got up from her and sat on his knees in front of her, tossing and catching her Anemo Vision. He had that smile on his face that Caiome despised because it looked arrogant just because he managed to put her in handcuffs. Well, she couldn't complain that much considering she had the same kind of smile when she succeeded in stealing something. But she still hated it when she saw it on Ayato's face.

       "Now, how about we negotiate a bit?" he said. "I'll take you back to my residence, and we'll discuss more there."

       "How about you give me my Vision back?" Caiome said. "I thought it was illegal, especially lately, to steal someone else's Vision, no matter who they are."

       "Not for me," Ayato said, and Caiome lunged at him, but the captain of the guards pinned her to the ground, pressing her back. "And if you want your Vision back, you'll have to be obedient and come with us, without any tricks or escape attempts. Otherwise, you won't get this," he pointed to the Vision, "nor your precious backpack. Do we understand each other?"

       Caiome only squinted her eyes at him, fuming with anger, and Ayato got up and started making his way back to the residence.

Chapter Text

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       Caiome felt like the journey lasted an eternity. They only entered the courtyard of the residence and ascended to the wooden terrace in its center. Ayato went first, followed by Caiome pushed by the captain, and then the other guards who carried her belongings as best they could, considering her bag was cut and the jewelry was falling out of it between their fingers onto the ground. 

       Caiome was pushed and fell to her knees, her hands tied behind her back, disheveled and scratched on her face and forehead, where Ayato had cut her to disrupt her focus. She was dirty on her face, barely able to look ahead, keeping one eye closed and barely being able to see with the other. However, she managed to see Ayaka and Thoma kneeling on one side of the platform, and Ayato took a sit at a small, empty table placed right in the middle.

       Their expressions were, of course, rigid and unpleasant. They had a thief in front of them, whom they had taken into their home, and she had fled with their youngest daughter's valuable belongings, taking advantage of her kindness.

       Ayaka turned her face away, holding a light blue fan in her hand. She held her chin up, displaying an atrocious dignity, ready to pass judgment. Thoma, on the other hand, seemed to be facing a more personal situation. Caiome rolled her eyes. Of course he didn't back down. Someone who had such adoration for his lady rarely run away from a confrontation.

       However, he wasn't the judge here. He wasn't in a position to even utter a word.

       When Ayato sat at the table, the guard who carried her bag of goods, a young boy with trembling steps, placed the stolen items in front of him.

       "So," he said, looking towards Caiome's loot and running his fingers over them, "is this all you stole, or do you have something hidden in your pockets?"

       At Ayato's nod, the guard emptied the bag at his urging, and Ayato began placing everything on the table as if that was its purpose: to serve as a presentation platter. All those hair accessories were lined up, followed by jewelry, earrings, brooches, necklaces, all made of gold, silver, white gold, or rose gold, and precious gemstones.

       "Why don't you come looking for it?" Caiome replied with a smile, which brought a frown from Ayaka and a laugh from Ayato. "I don't bite."

       "No, you just bark," Ayato said, then turned to his sister. "Is this everything you were missing?" he asked, and Ayaka nodded.

        "It is," she spoke slowly, calculated, and coldly.

        "Was there anything else missing from the residence?" Ayato asked no one in particular, but fixing his gaze on Caiome. His eyes were dangerously sharp and deep, as if they wanted to search something within her mind.

       "No, milord," replied an older servant, probably responsible for the entire residence, compared to Chizuru. "Apparently, everything that went missing was only Miss Ayaka's belongings."

       "You should have given me more time," Caiome commented discontentedly. "I could have taken your silverware too if the kitchen wasn't so far away from my room."

       "Did you enjoy the tour of my house?" Ayato asked her.

       "Interesting, actually," she replied. "Again, maybe if I had more time, I would have found out where those hidden tunnels behind the cellars lead. Maybe they're escape routes?" She pretended not to know, adopting a thoughtful expression. "From what I've heard and seen, every wealthy house has something like that, especially when it comes to political figures. You know, for safety."

       "In that case, why didn't you use the tunnels to escape? Why did you go into the forest?"

       "The tunnels smelled of sea salt, and there was a breeze," she replied. "I would probably have ended up in an area under your control where your people were. And as it seems, I'm a stranger. Why would I come through your noble tunnels without the noble family? You can't say I wouldn't look suspicious," she laughed.

       "Probably the very reason you were caught when I saw you for the first time," Ayato said.

       "Hmph," she scoffed. "But it seems that your sister didn't. And besides," she continued playfully, "these are just half of your guards." She looked around, as if studying. "You probably sent the other half into the tunnels in case I tried to escape that way. You have to admit, maybe you realized that I didn't come to your house with good intentions," she laughed, "but you didn't realize where I was going."

       "I figured out enough to know where to meet you."

       "It was just luck," she told him. "If those on the other side of the tunnel had seen you going to them, they would have thought something bad had happened. Something that," she shrugged, sighing, "would have caused even more panic, and the word would have spread all over Inazuma. You're not a man who acts impulsively without thinking about the consequences, are you now?"

       "Something that can't be said about you."

       Caiome lowered her gaze slightly. "That's possible."

       But Caiome was right. During the time she had sat at the table with Lord Kamisato Ayato, she had been able to get a sense of him. He was a serious man, hardworking, intelligent, with an excellent sense of observation. In a way, Caiome wasn't surprised that they had ended up in this situation. On the contrary, she would have been disappointed if she could have escaped without being caught. That was the reason she couldn't take this whole trial seriously.

       "I should apologize to you, brother," Ayaka spoke, looking towards the jewelry table, her gaze lingering on the silver hairpin adorned with sapphires. "You warned me about her, that we shouldn't let her into our home, and yet I didn't listen to you."

       "Oh, please," Caiome scoffed, rolling her eyes and causing Ayaka to turn her gaze towards her almost instantly, just like everyone else. "You brought a stranger into your house, what do you think could happen? Seriously, don't you know that you shouldn't talk to strangers? You should have taught her better," she said, scolding Ayato.

       "Don't you understand the position you're in right now?" Thoma said, speaking for the first time. "How can you still have this attitude towards Lady Ayaka after stealing her most precious possessions?"

       "If her most precious possessions is a piece of jewelry," she muttered, "then you should worry about where you two stand, seriously."

       "Don't you have any shame?"

       "Do you think I do?" Caiome straightened her back. "You couldn't be more wrong, my dear infatuated one."

       Thoma opened his mouth to say something, but Ayato raised his hand, interrupting him with a gesture.

       "It's alright, Thoma," he told him. "Fine, then. You have no shame. Not even stealing..."

       "You should consider yourselves lucky that I only stopped at stealing," she rolled her eyes.

       "... not even saying that you're sorry."

       "I would have if I genuinely felt sorry," she shrugged. "And yet, here I am. The princess should keep her things closer if she doesn't want to lose them."

       "Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if we actually stripped you off of all your clothes, in case you're hiding something without us realizing it."

       Ayato reached for his coat sleeve and pulled out Caiome's Vision, which was currently emitting a very weak light, indicating that its owner was still alive, perhaps nearby, but not in possession of it, therefore unable to use its full power. He showed it to Caiome, holding it between his fingers in a somewhat reckless manner. Not that it could break if it fell from his hand, but still.

       "I have this thanks to you—"

       "Keep it," Caiome spat.

       "I'm thinking that maybe you have some other hidden surprises on you."

       Ayato signaled the guards, and two more middle-aged ones began searching Caiome, checking the pockets of her jacket and pants, removing her shoes and inspecting her boots and waist, even her hair, while she struggled.

       "I don't know what to say, maybe I could actually like it," Caiome grinned, causing one of the guards to stop.

       "She's just joking," the other one said, then continued the search. "Nothing here," he announced.

       Ayato glanced at Caiome for a moment, then rose from the table and approached her, standing three steps away. Caiome remained on her knees, without anyone offering her a cloth to wipe her face so she could look at him properly. But she had the same ridiculous smile, as if everything had been just a joke and she couldn't help but laugh to avoid spoiling the climax.

       "You're an interesting villain," he finally said. "I've encountered crazies like you before, who believed that reality is a joke."

       "Believe me, you haven't met anyone like me," Caiome replied, looking up at him. "And I have to admit, you're among the few people who truly find me fascinating. Others simply think that I'm a criminal."

       "Oh, you are," Ayato chuckled. "Just slightly dumber than the rest, so what's interesting to me is the way your brain works. Could you show us your boots?"

       "Do you want a pair too?" she joked.

       "Why not?" Ayato said as the guards took each boot in their hands and searched all over. "It's an interesting invention," he said, placing his hands behind his back. "Check the soles," he finally instructed the guards.

       "You won't find anything of yours there."

       One of the guards indeed found nothing, shrugging his shoulders. However, the other one, the one who had reservations earlier regarding Caiome, looked more closely at the sole around the heel, which was a bit peculiar. It wasn't sewn the same way as the other one; instead, it seemed to come off more easily. He pulled it a bit harder, revealing a hidden compartment, and inside the heel was a round piece of jewelry with golden edges.

       "Hey!" Caiome shouted. "It's not nice to look into a ladies' boots."

       The guard took out the object and handed it to Ayato, who held it up in the lamplight, showing it to everyone. Even Ayaka and Thoma stood up curiously to see that in Ayato's hand was the case of a Vision, and inside it was a round stone, without light, extinguished and lifeless. The case had the same shape as the Visions received in Liyue, including Caiome's.

        "Now, this is an interesting piece," Ayato murmured. "What's the point of having a Vision without a wielder if you already have a Vision bestowed by the gods? Did you steal this one as well, and now you're trying to find a purpose for it? I've heard that dead Visions are sought after on the Black Market."

       "If I told you I didn't steal it, would you believe me?" Caiome chuckled.

       "Probably not," Ayato said. "But judging by the way you look at it, I suspect it holds some importance to you. There are two options regarding this shell. Either you plan to sell it on the Black Market but have some reservations, or it holds some significance to you in one way or another."

       Ayato turned on his heels, holding the lifeless Vision in his hand. As Caiome attempted to rise, captain Hirotatsu who had brought her here pushed her to the ground, slamming her face against the terrace floor. Caiome let out a muffled groan and struggled beneath him, but the captain's muscular build, the weight of his body, and particularly the absence of her own Vision, made her somewhat helpless. She could only wriggle and inflict more bruises upon herself.

       "So, I was right," Ayato sat back at the table again. "It is important to you."

       Caiome let out a strained laugh, feeling the armored foot of the captain pressing between her shoulder blades, crushing her chest against the floor. The air grew heavier with each inhale and exhale.

       "That makes me ponder your true principles," Ayato said.

       "Principles?" Caiome sighed. "Where I come from, principles don't exist."

       "Where you come from, there might be more than just principles," Ayato countered.

       "Nor do you have any principles, my dear lord. But because of who you are," she took a deep breath, "I suppose you'll do what is moral and throw me in jail? I can't complain; I'd love to visit the Tenryou Commission's cells. I've heard they serve lavender melons there. Believe it or not, I've never eaten one."

       Ayato fell silent for a few seconds, squinting his eyes as he looked at Caiome and her attempts to free herself from under the immense body of the captain. He had to admit, he rarely saw such determination in someone to keep trying to escape. But he suspected that was inherent to any thief or rogue; they didn't want to be caught and would do everything to prevent that. Even criminals sometimes had the decency to end their own lives as a sign of escape, and in a strange way, Ayato believed that suicide was rather a sign of bravery — to give up life and plunge into the unknown required courage.

       What he saw in common thieves, however, was nothing but pathetic behavior.

       Yet, something told him that Caiome was not just an ordinary thief, and this pathos was not at all what Ayato had imagined. He felt like he was mistaken somewhere. He felt that, just as he had been right about her intentions, there were indeed many mistakes he had made regarding her.

       "How did you become a thief?" he eventually asked. He placed the lifeless Vision next to Caiome's and began tapping his gloved fingers on the wooden surface. "Were you orphaned? Did your parents abandon you? Were you caught in a vicious cycle? Blackmailed?"

       "Why does everyone think that every criminal has a dramatic backstory that would make you cry?" she laughed, and the captain loosened his grip slightly to let her speak freely. "That's just because I'm being asked by Lord Kamisato. Maybe I'm just a kleptomaniac. Maybe I find pleasure in others' suffering, or perhaps I simply want to get rich."

       Ayato didn't believe that. In a way, he knew that it was true that Caiome had traveled extensively, which wasn't possible if she were merely someone seeking wealth. Traveling came with costs. No person who merely wanted to be rich would have run from one place to another, living day by day, relying on matches in the woods with just a small bag of clothes. There were many possibilities that crossed his mind based on this theory, but he didn't share them with anyone, neither the ideas, nor the theory.

       "How old are you?" he asked instead.

       "Thousands of years. Actually, I am a goddess. You should treat me a little better; otherwise, your entire clan and all the smaller clans under your command might die," she sarcastically replied. "You wouldn't want that, would you?"

       "And I suppose there hasn't been an honest day in your entire life, has there?"

       "I haven't worked a single day in all the days I've had," Caiome admitted.

       Ayato knew it wasn't over with her.

       "Alright," he finally said. "It seems you'd like to go to the authorities and try their lavender melon. Just let me test you." He nodded to the captain, who released his grip on Caiome. "I'll offer you an advantage that could get you out of the authority cell if you wish." He pointed to the Visions on the table. "I'll give you one of these two, your choice, of course."

       "Brother..." Ayaka said, but Ayato raised his hand.

       "If you manage to escape and come back to take the other one from me, along with anything else you want from the house, I'll let you go."

       "My lord, you can't be serious," Thoma said, but Ayato paid no attention to him.

       His eyes met Caiome's reddish eyes, which, under the night lamps, resembled autumn leaves. He awaited her answer, and in a way, Caiome knew what kind of response Ayato expected from her. The question was whether to comply or not.

       It took several seconds until she gave any response, seconds in which Ayato didn't weaken his gaze, and neither did Caiome. Indeed, Ayato wasn't someone she had encountered before because no one had ever behaved like that towards her. First of all, no one had ever caught her attention like he did, but there was something about this man, something extra, that helped him capture her, understand her intentions, and figure out who she was and why she had come to his house. Had she ever met him before? Impossible, Caiome would have remembered his face. Just as she had thought when she saw him at the table that evening, Ayato was a handsome man whom you couldn't simply forget.

       But Caiome could say that she was also not someone Ayato had faced before. She didn't know in what way she was different, but she could see it in Ayato's words, in his gestures. He had been confident until Caiome was brought before him, and from there it was as if he was playing multiple games on different boards. Ayato expected a certain response from Caiome, but only because he suspected it could be the best option, not because he knew for sure. That's what made Caiome smile before giving her answer. She had only known him for a few hours, but it wasn't hard to realize that Ayato was a master of minds. But when you had a feeling as light as hers, you could see that sometimes even masters were at the mercy of fate when they encountered another kind of master.

       "I would like mine, please," she politely requested.

       Ayato nodded, and Caiome couldn't tell if he was playing along or not, then he took her Vision and threw it near her knees. Not close enough to touch it and use its power, but not too far either.

       "I changed my mind in the meantime," he announced. "You can keep your Vision."

       Caiome raised an inquisitive eyebrow, while Ayato took the lifeless Vision in his hand.

       "And I will keep this one for a while."

       Caiome burst into laughter. "And what will you do with a dead Vision? Are you planning to sell it on the Black Market as well? Or display it in a showcase. Do you realize that if you gave me the Vision, I could fight against you and take it back, right?"

       "You would lose," Ayato told her.

       "I wouldn't lose," she replied, this time sharper. "I don't have to worry about the bag anymore. The three of you may have Visions, and I know there are two other Vision bearers somewhere around here, but that doesn't mean you can beat me."

       "Perhaps," Ayato said, "but the dead Vision is still with me."

       "You can't destroy it."

       "I have no intention of trying, I know that." Ayato stood up from the table, still standing behind it. "But I intend to make it disappear if you don't listen carefully. From now on, you will work for me."

       Caiome frowned. "Excuse me?"

       Murmurs began to arise among the guards and the maids, and even Ayaka and Thoma had an almost shocked expression on their faces. Caiome had to admit, she didn't expect this.

       "You will work for me as a housekeeper, under Thoma's guidance and the other maids, and in your free time, you will assist the guards with whatever they need. You will be, in a way, the servant of the servants and the guards. You will keep your Vision—"

       "With which I could escape from everyone," Caiome told him.

       "And if you do that, I'll make sure you never get this back," he pointed to the dead Vision.

       "And what if I don't want it back? What if I simply leave without it? You're not even sure it's an object you can blackmail me with."

       That was true, Ayato didn't know for sure.

       "And after all, isn't blackmail illegal?" she asked playfully.

       "Do you really think it matters when it's about another criminal?" he chuckled, a chilling and malicious laughter. "And if you want to leave without it, you're my guest. Take her to one of the empty rooms of the servants," he told the guard, then looked at her again, playing with the dead Vision in his hand. "Tomorrow, she will wake up early so that Thoma can present the estate to her and help her assume her new position."

       The guard grabbed her by the elbow and pushed her towards the entrance of the residence, leading her through the corridors to the back rooms near the kitchen. There were three rooms, and they weren't exactly the servants' rooms as they didn't sleep there but only changed or placed personal belongings like spare shoes, dresses, and others. In one of them, the farthest from the kitchen, the guard  untied Caiome and threw the Vision into her arms.

       Once the Vision made contact with her palms, it emitted a slightly stronger light, illuminating the room alongside a few candles placed in metal holders. The guard didn't say anything more as he left and closed the door behind him. Caiome immediately walked towards the door and tried it, and it opened. The guard had already taken a few steps down the long corridor and didn't stop even when he heard the door opening, then closing after Caiome made sure it was indeed open.

       She looked behind, and the window was slightly open, letting in a gentle breeze into the room. Caiome closed the window and sighed heavily. The door was open, the window was open, leading somewhere behind the mansion. She could actually leave. Ayato could actually let her leave if she wanted to.

       She looked around, trying to find something suspicious. There was a long cabinet with smaller compartments, each with a plaque bearing the names of the maids inserted into glass holders. There were two tables placed in each corner and three wooden chairs. Although it was just the maids' room, the wood was of good quality, and the floor was covered with a bamboo mat. There was no smell of mold, and there was not a speck of dust inside, not even on the cabinet.

       Caiome searched through each compartment, but they were all empty. She opened the door again... No one was there. She opened the window... No one. She climbed out the window and used the Vision now attached to her belt to reach the lowest rooftop, in case there was a spy there, but there was nothing. She climbed up to the top of the rooftop in steps, looking down at the empty wooden terrace, with only the night guards wandering around, but no one else near her so-called room.

       She went back into the room. Did Ayato really give her the option to leave? That easily?

       She closed the window forcefully, almost slamming it. But what was the point of leaving? The case of the dead Vision was with him. She approached the cabinets, looking at each name separately. She had nowhere to go without the case. She couldn't leave without the case. And she didn't want to. It was her case; she had to take it back. Yes, Ayato was right, it was an important shell for various reasons known only to her.

       She opened the cabinet doors again and slammed them shut, and the sound of wood hitting wood made her curse and her nerves flare up, causing her to forcefully hit one of the cabinet doors. Her Vision released a particle of Anemo power, causing the wood to crack and shatter in the middle, creating a hole in the door.

       "Go to hell!" she shouted in the room, even though she knew no one could hear her. There was no one around the room, not even the maids, not even a miserable guard.

       She had to find the Vision. She had to leave here with the dead Vision, with or without the bag. She tried to move, but her body felt heavy, so she only managed to fall down on the floor. Her muscles ached, and her chest stung. The captain had pressed her vital points, and the overwhelming nerves couldn't calm her state.

       "If he thinks I'm going to sleep in this cursed house," she shouted as if Ayato could hear her, "he's wrong. I don't intend to sleep for even a second!"

Chapter Text

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       Thoma put his hands over his chest, a frown forming between his blonde eyebrows, lookinf at Caiome, who not only slept soundly with her limbs stretched out and legs apart but also snored gently through slightly parted lips, while her face was pressed against the mattress. The snoring stopped for a moment, then resumed, and Thoma finally rolled his eyes.

       He lifted his foot and gave Caiome a strong hit in the ribs, making her startle and jump on all fours in the middle of the bed. One of her hands instinctively went to her sword, grabbing the unprotected hilt and pulling it a few inches from its sheath.

       "Who goes there?" she asked, only to see Thoma standing in front of her, ready to defend himself. "Oh," she said when she saw Thoma through the strands of her hair strewn over her forehead, eyes, and cheeks. "It's just you." She put the sword back in its sheath, turning her back to him and closing her eyes.

       "What are you doing?" Thoma asked.

       "Can't you see?" Caiome mumbled disdainfully. "I'm trying to go back to sleep."

       Thoma resumed his initial position, looking at her with displeasure. "Unfortunately," he said with a particular sarcasm, "I can't let you do that. It's morning, and you have work to do."

       Caiome didn't respond.

       "Work that requires you to wake up, and I'm responsible for your probationary period."

       This time, Caiome snorted, adjusting herself better with her head on the pillow and covering her eyes, where the light was coming through the window.

       "Probationary period? And what happens if I don't obey you or your master's orders? Or what if I don't pass the probationary period? Will Ayato kick me out?" she laughed.

       Thoma blinked in confusion. It was impossible for this... creature to be so stubborn, indifferent, and disobedient, especially considering that Lord Kamisato held something over her, not the other way around. In fact, Lord Kamisato had control over more than just a shell with a dead Vision; however, this girl seemed oblivious to that fact.

       "Maybe then you won't get your shell back," Thoma suggested.

       Caiome waved her hand dismissively, as if she didn't care at all.

       "And also," Thoma continued, "he might hand you over to the police for theft."

       This time, Caiome laughed even louder, mocking him and his master, turning onto her back. She finally opened her eyes, putting her arms under her head, and looked at Thoma with that intense, slightly bloody red iris' that formed a strange contrast—dangerous and sickly—with her hair, which was neither gray, nor silver, but somewhere in between.

       Thoma had to admit, he had been warned about her personality. He had witnessed her madness the previous evening, and after Lord Kamisato appointed him as her caretaker, he pulled him aside to warn him about how Caiome might present herself.

       "If she refuses, just insist,"  Lord Kamisato had said. "That girl won't give up on the Vision's shell."

       And perhaps that was true; maybe she wouldn't give up on it. But judging by her current behavior, it seemed like she didn't even care either. That's why Thoma had asked Lord Kamisato the night before why he didn't simply hand her over to the authorities, why he decided to keep her as a servant in his house, and especially why he left the Anemo Vision with Caiome when she could very well harm someone.

       "Don't question my decisions," Lord Kamisato said, shaking his head gently. 

       His tone was calm, but his words were cutting. Thoma did it anyway, as it had become a habit for him to question the strange decisions Lord Kamisato made, and not just him. Often, both Thoma and Ayaka tried to understand the reasons behind Lord Kamisato's actions. Yet, none of them could find a suitable answer.

       "She's just interesting, don't you think?" Lord Kamisato continued.

       Thoma had said nothing then, but no, Caiome didn't seem interesting to him. In fact, he didn't want her here, she was the reason Lady Ayaka had been so desperate the night before and he didn't like seeing her this way. He hated it. Very much. Caiome had stolen valuable items that mattered to Lady Ayaka, and she took them from the house without caring, just as she was doing now. Thoma especially regretted thanking her, bowing to her, inviting her to dine with them, and Caiome repaid everything by trying to steal from them.

       Thoma understood that thieves, bandits, treasure hoarders were greedy. If Caiome wanted money as a reward for saving Ayaka, she could have asked; Ayaka would have given it to her. Before this thief ran off with precious items, Ayaka spent time with her, enchanted by the stories Caiome told about her travels. Ayaka, especially because of the responsibilities she had taken on to help her brother, who was already working too hard, could never leave Inazuma just because she wanted to. But probably those journeys weren't true; they were lies that Caiome used because Ayaka seemed drawn to them.

       Thoma regretted being so kind to Caiome, and inside him, a strong sense of contempt revolted because she deceived Lady Ayaka with her venomous words, only to betray her afterward. How could there be souls so wicked that they wanted to manipulate and harm such pure souls?

       "Hand me over to the authorities?" Caiome said. "You clearly aren't as smart as your master, seriously. Ayato would never put me in jail. If he wanted to, he would have done it last night."

       Thoma frowned. "And how do you know what Lord Kamisato would or wouldn't do? How could you possibly know better than me?"

       "Thoma," she said, standing up, letting herself lean on her elbows, "how close do you think you are to your master?"

       Thoma clenched his teeth. 

       "You talk about him as if you know everything that goes on in his head," she continued, getting out of bed, with a smile that clearly showed superiority over Thoma. She turned to him, seemingly relaxed. "Given your reactions last night, and his sister's too, I'd say neither of you really understands what he does and doesn't do. Therefore, you see, I doubt any of us has the right to speak about Ayato, but at least I know he won't hand me over to the police."

       "Why do you think he wouldn't?" Thoma asked because, no, he really didn't know why Lord Kamisato wouldn't do that and why he did many other things instead.

       Caiome finally got out of bed abruptly, passing by Thoma and hitting his shoulder, heading towards the room's door.

       "Because he wants to keep an eye on me," she shrugged. "Because if he hands me over to the police, and they put me in a cell, Ayato knows I'd escape in less than ten minutes if I wanted to. Coming?" she asked, leaving the room, and Thoma followed her.

       Just a few minutes ago, she didn't want to hear him talking about getting to work, and now she was the one hurrying him. He didn't like it at all, especially her tone and her strange, fox-like smile. He followed her, and Caiome was already taking one of the hallways.

       "He still has your Vision," Thoma said, "the empty shell. If you would have escaped from the police, you should've come back for it if you want it back. If you didn't want to retrieve it, you wouldn't have been here; you would have left; you had every opportunity. Lord Kamisato knows it's important to you."

       "Maybe," Caiome said. "I would have come for the shell. But, given how your master is, so calculated and... strategic, I guess he doesn't like to be uncertain about my presence on his property. As I said, I could escape from the cell in ten minutes, but that doesn't mean I'd come immediately to retrieve my shell," she shrugged with a smirk. "I could do it right after those ten minutes, after a few hours, days, or even weeks. Tell me, little beggar, do you think Ayato could keep an eye on his estate all the time? Let's assume he always carries the shell with him," she said quickly when Thoma opened his mouth to respond. "Do you think he wouldn't have enough problems without always being attentive to me, continuously in danger that I might rob him? Ayato brought me back last night because I had obstacles. The fact that he has my shell means I could even kill him, and his annoying sister too."

       Thoma grabbed Caiome's arm and pulled her back, forcibly turning her towards him. His eyes seemed to ignite, his lips pressed together, and his eyebrows lowered into a dark expression. Even his Pyro Vision started to sparkle in little flames, which Caiome saw and she rather grinned, while Thoma's skin was rather hot than warm. The thought that this guy was about to burn her to ashes right there, in the middle of the mansion, made Caiome rather excited. She had been frustrated the whole night, she wanted to relieve herself, and a fight was even better.

       "You should be careful with those words," he warned.

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, matching it with her smile. "Do you know what will always set you apart from your master? Your expressions and reactions," she shook her head. "You don't know how to hide your weaknesses, and that could cost you."

       She grabbed his arm, clenched it, and released her wrist, turning her back on him.

       "Where are we going first?" she asked.

       Thoma almost felt like giving up on his role as her guide, but he couldn't. He had received an order from Lord Kamisato as the head of the house.

       As they left the room, they turned left, mainly because Caiome had taken the lead without giving Thoma a chance to say anything, considering her talkative nature.

       "Considering you complained so vehemently about not knowing the house well enough to steal anything," he said, looking at her with disdain, "Lord Kamisato asked me to give you a complete tour since you'll be working as a servant here."

       "'Servant' is a bit harsh of a term," she muttered.

       "Servant," Thoma insisted, "just as Lord Kamisato instructed me to refer to you. These are the servant quarters for those who need to stay overnight," he said, pointing to three doors at the end of the hallway that turned right.

       "Servant quarters? Then where was I taken to sleep?"

       "A storage room," Thoma replied with a smirk.

       "A storage room with a bed?" Caiome rolled her eyes. "And a wardrobe?"

       "That's not a bed; it's a box with a mattress for servants to sit on when putting on their shoes."

       Caiome expected that. She had slept in worse places; she couldn't complain about the conditions, given the situation. She might have stowed herself in a storage room too if she were in Ayato's shoes. She would have taken her Vision too. 

       "The next two smaller rooms are the maids' storage and the cleaning supplies room. I don't think I need to explain what and how. That door leads to the north courtyard, and here is the door to the pantry and the food storage room. Logically, the next door is the kitchen."

       "Ah, so this is the corner of the slaves, understood," Caiome said.

       "We're not slaves," Thoma muttered back, turning his back to her. "We're not lowly beings, especially compared to a thief."

       "Really?" Caiome said. "Because a few minutes ago, you insisted quite strongly that I'm just a simple servant. Especially given your tone."

       "In any case," he tried to ignore her, "this way is the dojo. It has three entrances. It needs to be cleaned every day, the floor and windows scrubbed along with the weapons."

       "Dojo?" Caiome looked at the closed doors.

       "The dojo is a room where you trai—"

       "I know what a dojo is," she interrupted with a frown, then opened the doors.

       She was greeted by a platform spanning a large garden, along with two others from the right and left, all three leading to another hall in the middle of the garden. In the gardens, the grass was neatly trimmed, flower shrubs were styled, butterflies flew among the wooden arches, and a twenty meters ahead there was another pair of doors. Caiome headed towards them, with Thoma following, and opened them.

       The dojo hall was large, almost the length of six servant rooms and three or four in width, which was surprising. It was relatively empty, surrounded by windows overlooking the gardens, and the only wall without entry had a pair of wide-open doors to allow for ventilation. At the end, there was another terrace parallel to the hall, connecting two wings of the mansion from left to right. On stands and shelves were wooden swords and long sticks with names unknown to Caiome, a few spare uniforms, and clean white towels that spread a pleasant fragrance around the room.

       "It's... big," Caiome said.

       "Just right, as the dojo will be one of the rooms you have to take care of," Thoma told her.

       "No, thanks," she said and closed the dojo doors, turning back towards the terrace she crossed to return to the mansion.

       "I don't think you have a choice."

       "We'll see," Caiome shrugged.

       They turned right again and exited through a door leading to the main building, where Caiome had already been, as Ayaka had received her here. Thoma showed her the dining hall where they all had dinner the night before and the living room, looking at her quite disdainfully, considering she had been properly received here.

       They crossed the main building, and Caiome saw three doors on the right side— two leading to long terraces extending to the back building, while one, serving the same purpose as the small terraces, led to a corridor connecting the two buildings. Thoma led her through it, showing her  Ayato's office, then a room with collectible weapons and other valuable items—a big mistake to tell Caiome this— some other rooms with different purposes; and at the end of the mansion, the most faraway room from the main entrance and secluded, after they turn on many halls that made the room to seem abandoned, was the funeral room.

       "Funeral room?" she said, but Thoma turned his back instead of opening the doors.

       "I told you what's in that room, but you won't be in charge of it. I informed you about all of this only because of Lord Kamisato's order; you won't be dealing with any of them."

       It was strange that Thoma mentioned that she wouldn't be dealing with any of these rooms only after she curiously asked about the funeral room.

       "And will I not be dealing with the funeral room based on his order?"

       "No," Thoma said. "That was at Lady Ayaka's order."

       "Aha," Caiome said, but she didn't ask any questions.

       To be honest, she wouldn't let anyone get close to an important room either, and she didn't mean Ayato's office—which was a good option to find that shell—nor the other rooms, but because of the funeral room. As soon as Caiome saw Ayato coming to dinner the night before, she realized that only the son and daughter were left in their family, so there must be some kind of shrine made for their parents and their ancestors. And since Caiome did what she did, trying to steal from them, it's no wonder Ayaka opposed letting her into that room.

       Who knows what she could have stolen from the dead.

       Finally, Thoma led her to the first floor, where Ayato's room, Ayaka's room—whom she already knew—their parents' room, the library and archives, and some balconies were located. The second floor housed guest rooms, where Chizuru had taken Caiome before, along with a library for guests, a relaxation lounge, and Lady Kamisato's lounge, whoever she was or was going to be. However, given that Ayato didn't wear a wedding ring, he probably wasn't married.

       In the end, Thoma led her outside to show her the gardens and the courtyard. As soon as they stepped outside, Caiome came face to face with all the staff missing from the house. She had heard voices throughout the tour, and as it was early in the morning, the kitchen staff was already busy preparing breakfast for the Kamisato family. Other maids who had started cleaning didn't pay much attention to her, probably because they hadn't been on the night shift, so none of them knew who Caiome was. They would find out soon enough.

       But when they stepped into the courtyard, things had changed, as many of the guards present now had been there the previous night, as well as many of the maids. The gardener, as indicated by the one staring at her while raking, seemed to know her too. Caiome probably hadn't faced so many hostile glances all at once ever in her life, but what could she do? She had been caught, and she knew she would receive this kind of attention.

       Thoma showed her the front courtyard, where Caiome's judgment had taken place, then turned left, leading them to the east courtyard and then the narrower but longer north courtyard, all interconnected. Finally, they reached the west courtyard, the largest of all, with stables at one end and an opposite storage room containing the guards' armours, clothes, and weapons. Everything was clean, well-maintained, surrounded by thick, old shady trees, small pavilions, koi fish ponds, and stone pathways, resembling a randomly splashed painting but still impressive. Behind were the training grounds for horses and for the guards.

       Overall, the estate looked like a typical home of a wealthy family. A very, very, very wealthy family.

       "As Lord Kamisato mentioned," Thoma continued while Caiome attracted more curious looks, "you'll be doing the tasks any servant does, all under my supervision. And after you are done with the task I give you, you will be assisting the other servants. Some sort of a servant to the servants."

       "You must be thrilled that you're stuck with me," she said with a sly smile. Or rather, an arrogant one.

       "I cannot oppose my master's orders."

       "Gods forbid," she rolled her eyes.

       Thoma raised his voice, signalling the end of unnecessary banter.

       "Since we take care of the house maintenance, we won't approach Lord Kamisato's and Lady Ayaka's rooms; they have personal attendants for that. And as you've already seen, the maids who started their work when we began the tour will focus mainly indoors. Well, your work will be primarily outdoors. We'll start with cleaning the front terrace, a place so dear to you." Caiome shot him a scowl, following him from behind, "then dusting the wooden scaffolding. We'll continue with the platforms around the house and garden. We'll trim the bushes, weed the gardens, and then I'll show you the guards' clothes and boots that need washing. As for the salary, servants are normally paid every two weeks, with the monthly income divided in half. However, considering the circumstances of how you ended up working here, you won't work for money; you'll work for meals. For now, we'll skip the breakfast since I replaced it with the residence tour. But at 1 PM and 7 PM, you'll have lunch and dinner. Personally, I wouldn't have let you work for even that much, but Lord Kamisato is not a cruel person. Now, let's return to the front courtyard, and then you'll have to bring me a bucket of water and two mops, along with rags and—"

       But when Thoma looked back, Caiome was no longer there.

Chapter Text

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       Caiome rolled her eyes, watching Thoma from the highest roof of the house as he looked left and right, then began running around the courtyard like a headless chicken, asking everyone if they had seen a girl with strange clothes, gray hair, and red eyes. Caiome rested her cheek in her palm and her elbow on her knee, looking at the show for another two minutes before she decided to act. Probably Thoma would search the entire residence and then go to Ayato to report her disappearance.

       Let him. If they didn't find her in a few hours, everyone would think she had left the estate. This would mean she had truly left her Vision's shell behind, and everything Ayato believed would prove false. If she could find the shell without being caught or seen, she wouldn't have a problem. The issue was where to find it.

       She finally stood up and jumped, grabbing the edge of the roof and passing through an open window, landing on the top floor corridor just as the maid attending the guest room disappeared from view. She made a rough plan of some more significant and potentially hiding-worthy rooms, but that didn't mean she should ignore the other rooms. The shell could just as easily be hidden in the stables or the guards' storage room; you never knew.

       So she began searching in guest rooms, the library, Lady Kamisato's lounge. It was relatively easy to avoid the maids, given there was only one on the entire floor, which she found excessive for a single maid, but what did she know? Maybe this middle-aged woman had enough stamina to handle the cleaning on her own. Since these were guest rooms, they weren't used very often. All were empty.

       The only problem was that Caiome wasn't about to clean up after herself once she found the shell, so she needed to get rid of the maids before one could raise the alarm to the guards, claiming someone tried to rob the residence. If someone found the unconscious maid before, Caiome would be the obvious suspect. Her plan was a bit more delicate than that. Where to hide the maid? She looked left and right and eventually decided to leave her on the bed. The dusting powder didn't have a strong effect, so if someone threw a bit of water on her face and shook her a few times, she'd probably wake up. 

       With a bit of luck, if someone found her, they'd assume she had fallen asleep on the job. The powders weren't meant to confuse or make someone lose their memory, only to make them very tired. Instantly tired. Too instantly.

       She didn't have to rush, Caiome told herself. After all, Ayato wanted to keep her here for a longer time, so the shell wouldn't go anywhere. She went out again through the window and jumped into the backyard, settling on the highest branch of the oldest, thickest tree in the middle. Hidden among the leaves and branches, people walked beneath her, but no one could see her, and no one thought to look up. So, Caiome made herself comfortable. Even though a few hours had passed since she woke up, she wasn't particularly hungry, as she was used to skipping meals and only eating in the evening.

       "Do you really think you're so funny and clever?" she heard a voice probably an hour later when her body began to stiffen, sitting with her eyes closed, relaxing this time in the shade.

       She smiled without looking at Ayato, who stood at the base of the tree, gazing up at her. 

       "Don't you have anything else to do, like keeping the Vision's shell away from me?" she retorted, then glanced down through the multitude of leaves and branches. Ayato stood with his hand behind his back, as a true gentleman, smiling at her in a somewhat mocking way, as if he were making fun of her. On one side of his jaw he had a black bruise covered as much as possible with makeup, the bruise that Caiome made for him last night, when she kicked him in the face with her foot. "Or maybe managing the responsibilities of a lord with such a reputation and influence as you?"

       "We all should fulfill our duties," he replied.

       "I told you," she leaned, resting her elbow on one knee, "I don't work."

       "Not even for the Vision's shell? Have you searched for it?"

       "Not at all," Caiome shrugged, then laid down again. "It's a big house with many people wandering around. I'll wait until nightfall so I can slip away easily after finding it. I don't know why you doubt me so much. I know you were looking for me. I watched your staff running around here like headless chickens, even though I'm sure they saw the things I left in my lovely room this morning. Where do you think I would have gone without them? Your staff isn't too bright," she scoffed, hearing Ayato chuckle.

       "In that case, consider that the reason I had you work for me is precisely to have an intelligent person by my side, like you."

       "Your flattery won't help," she muttered, looking down at him. The daylight offered Ayato a strange image. Until that moment, Caiome had seen him only in the candlelight of the house, in the dining room, then in the forest, in almost total darkness. In all those places, there hadn't been a hint of sunlight resembling the light of the sun, and now, seeing him in the courtyard, Ayato seemed much... brighter – that was probably the right word.

       He had fair skin, sparkling eyes, and strands of hair of a blue similar to the clear sky, flowing down his shoulder, covered by a light-colored jacket, very elegant, even though he, from what she saw, had stayed inside the house. He was probably getting ready to go somewhere.

       "Maybe not," he said. "But not you either, to get what you want faster."

       Caiome rolled her eyes.

       "You can do as you please," he shrugged finally, turning on his heels. "You can hide in this tree all day if you want. I just need to warn you that if you try to secretly steal food, you won't succeed since everything is locked. And if you force a door, I'll know. Once I find out, your Vision's shell will be thrown away and lost forever. Any harm done to my employees will have the same consequence, just like any other action of yours that brings disadvantages to any object in my house. You wouldn't want to play with that, right? So you have a choice. Leave without your case or stay and do as you're told."

       Caiome stuck out her tongue, letting Ayato leave without giving him any response.

       She had understood the rules of this game from the beginning. The shell would stay hidden until Ayato decided to give it back. If Caiome managed to find it and leave, well then, good. If not, Ayato wouldn't give it back. He had let her keep her Anemo Vision, but there were conditions. Violating them would lead to the permanent loss of the case. If she vandalized or hurt someone, caused any loss to the Kamisato family, their residence, or any object belonging to them, or if she sabotaged something out of pure revenge, the consequences would be the same. It wasn't difficult to figure all this out.

       And yes, she truly believed that if she made a wrong move against Ayato, her shell would be lost. Why? Because the case wasn't important to Ayato at all; it was just an object for blackmailing. He had no reason to sell it since this man had more money than anyone could dream of. He was among the most influential personalities in the entire nation, popular enough not to boast about something as lowly as a dead Vision that only meant someone had a Vision at some point, and that person had died. People die every day. So, no, the shell wasn't important enough for him. This meant there was another reason he wanted to keep Caiome here, but she couldn't figure out what it might be.

       Anyway, it's not like he could force her to stay here and do whatever he wanted.

       So, she stayed in the tree for a few more minutes, and when the backyard cleared up a bit, Caiome took her leave. She didn't feel like sitting on a branch all day. Ayato's employees were starting to bore her, and even Thoma's infuriated expression had become a thing of the past. With so many people wandering around the house trying to find her, Caiome couldn't search for the case in peace. Especially considering that Ayato, according to her investigation, had indeed left the residence and likely took the shell with him to be sure. But if Caiome had really killed him, as she had told Thoma she could, and the shell wasn't with him, she might not find it.

       She didn't go into the city; instead, she went to Ritou Harbor. She still had money on her, enough for a few days of food if she got hungry and couldn't rely on the Kamisato family's kitchen. Because she had no intention of playing a servant for them just for some bread and a bowl of soup or whatever the servants ate during meal breaks. And if she ran out of money, it wasn't a big deal to start stealing from the wealthier people's pockets. She had done that her whole life, and doing it now, especially with her own Vision, was so easy.

       So she went, strolled around the port, ate at a small restaurant, and spent her afternoon at the docks. She had been to Inazuma once before, but only for a short time, and she left just before the borders closed. And everything had been in a rush; she didn't have time to see anything that the nation of eternity, or whatever the locals called it, had to offer.

       And, to be honest, nothing seemed impressive. It looked like any other new place Caiome saw until she got used to it. People with new faces, new clothing styles, new dishes at restaurants, and new drinks. Because she couldn't resist ordering a bottle of sake just for herself. And it wasn't strong at all; it was even sweet and went very well with grilled meat.

       But it hadn't been an unproductive day because it was so easy to sneak aboard cargo ships and take something. In general, it was textiles, materials for crafting, wood, construction tools, and similar items. But Caiome hit the jackpot when a shipment of papyrus scrolls from Sumeru docked in the port. They weren't exceptionally expensive, but they were definitely of high quality, so she took some for herself. She planned to sell them later that week.

       Then she gathered some information. She took another bottle of sake, sat at different tables, and, using one of her many approaches, listened to as many rumors as possible about Lord Kamisato Ayato.

       "A prominent figure," some said.

       "Extraordinarily talented," others said.

       "An impressive leader."

       "Have you seen what he did last month?"

       "Impeccable thinking."

       "Nothing escapes him."

       "Of course," someone replied. "And so knowledgeable."

       She returned quite late to the Kamisato family residence after promising the group of men that they would meet for a glass of sake – something Caiome might have considered, because, leaving aside discussions about the lordly families, the people were actually amusing. She had managed to sneak through the backyard garden quite well, but the interior of the residence was full of guards.

       Of course, Caiome sighed to herself. She had been untraceable, and now Ayato probably thought she would indeed search for the shell tonight... or any night. Which had been her intention. But there were probably guards everywhere. Sneaking around, she discovered that the residence was indeed swarming with employees. But at least maybe the shell was really inside the residence, given how guarded it was, right?

       Nevertheless, Caiome managed to make her presence felt, even though she had no intention of searching for the shell that night. She stealthily obtained some pieces of paper and charcoal from the kitchen, taken from the barely used fireplace. She also moved quietly enough to leave the same message wherever she could with simple words: I'm going to bed, you can stay awake all night if you want.

       Then she went to her small storage room and lay down after making sure that at least some ground-floor guards found the pieces of paper, utterly confused about what to do next. But that brought satisfaction to her.

       The next morning, Caiome was awakened by the same poke in the ribs as the day before, grabbing the sword handle again, almost jumping at Thoma's throat before realizing. Then she let herself fall back into bed.

       "No," she said, wrapping herself in the blanket she had taken from the servants' rooms at the end of the hallway.

       "Yes," Thoma said, tugging at it.

       "No," Caiome said, pulling the blanket back.

       "Setting aside your little escape yesterday, this time I'll keep an eye only on you. You don't have the right to run away anymore."

       "Uh, correction," Caiome said lifting a finger of hers. "Your master gave me permission that, as long as I don't harm anyone or anything that belongs to him, I can do whatever I want." She pulled the blanket until Thoma let go, turning her back to him. "You can ask him yourself if you want."

       Thoma, on the other hand, frowned, looking at her as if he couldn't believe it. "When did you talk to Lord Kamisato?"

       "While you, brainless birds, were looking for me everywhere except in the only tree in the middle of the garden that could hide someone. You were pathetic, seriously. Now, if you have nothing else to say, I suggest you go complain to your master, not to me."

        Thoma took a deep breath, then turned and left the room. Caiome slept a few more hours, then did exactly what she did yesterday: she went to the port. She met the group from the night before and gathered a few more gossips about the Kamisato family, as much as was brought up in conversation because she didn't want to mention them again to avoid suspicion. Then she slipped her hand into their pockets, took the few coins they had, and, after paying for her drinks and food, withdrew before the group realized they were out of money. Caiome left them just enough to pay for their consumables. They wouldn't be suspected of anything; people usually paid attention to how much they had to pay, not how much they had or didn't remember at least. If they cared so much about money, they wouldn't come here every night to spend it, right?

       She heard a few things about events organized by the Commission Ayato led and some dramas between the families also led by Ayato's family. Apparently, the Yamamoto family opposed some high taxes after the war, and Ayato had to take action. The group didn't go into many details, considering it was already a old and known topic. But from what Caiome managed to put together, the Yamamoto family decided to gain independence from Ayato, which almost brought them to the brink of bankruptcy. Ayato's Commission dealt with the culture that shaped the nation, and if the branches of culture were divided, a single type of culture couldn't exist individually. Yamamoto, along with two other families, dealt with papermaking. It was a popular industry, considering everyone needed paper, but who would leave two families and the entire Commission just to buy from a simple family without much influence and which, to ensure profit, had to raise its prices? Caiome might be a thief, but she knew how the market worked, and the Yamamoto family had made a big mistake.

       Now, the family head had begged Ayato to take the family back into the Commission, but only in exchange for the entire business he had tried to build on his own. This led the Yamamoto family to bankruptcy, and all its members now worked as employees for the Commission and the other two families, no longer having their own business within the Yashiro Commission. So, there were now only two families that made paper, not very obedient ones, but at least not foolish.

       Then she heard about some relationships being built between the three existing Commissions, but each kept its secrets, and the one trying to lead these relationships wasn't only Ayato but also Ayaka. But apart from Ayaka being like a princess to everyone, Caiome couldn't gather much useful information about her. And even if she had cared, Ayaka wasn't the one keeping the shell hidden from her; it was Ayato. Ayato was the ultimate monster here. So, Caiome tried to gather something, anything, with which she could blackmail Ayato back into giving her the shell.

       But, whether it was for good or bad, everyone already knew everything there was to know about him. Because Ayato, as much as he hid, also let things be seen. And due to some past events through which he found the criminals and punished them himself, mercilessly, no matter how much she looked, Caiome couldn't do anything against him. There could have been the solution of rumors, but rumors about big families, whether good or bad, always popped up out of nowhere and quickly faded precisely because of the family's influence. And regardless of whether Ayato had clean methods or not, nothing was heard on the streets about him, even though Caiome had spent eight days in both the port and the city, walking the streets and trying to listen to any information.

       But after eight long days, she had already grown bored of this whole charade. So, she only resorted to walking, eating sweets, and talking to people who, although trying to be polite, couldn't help but give her strange looks when they accidentally met her gaze. Their reaction was at first to stare at her hair, then at the contrasting eyes. Caiome usually ignored it because she had learned a long time ago not to fight those who gave her ugly looks because of her rat-like hair and rabid animal eyes.

       Ten days had passed when Caiome woke up one morning. She dressed in her day clothes and walked through the hallway, passing by servants, chefs, and guards. At first, everyone stared at her and whispered, and Caiome usually avoided them. But over time, she didn't bother, and the servants didn't bother to talk to her either. From a jewel thief, she had become just a useless girl who slept in the residence's storage room but didn't touch anything else, neither objects nor food. Some saw her when she left the residence, and almost no one saw her when she returned, and it was the same every day. No one spoke to her, which was all the better, although Caiome could have adopted another strategy.

       She could have tried to gather information about Ayato; maybe she would have found a clue about where the case could be hidden. But most of them didn't even respond when she said "good morning," which was fair, considering these people probably didn't know anything about it anyway. Why? Because Caiome didn't see Ayato either. The last time she saw him was three days ago when he went out the gate at the same time as her... only Ayato actually went out the gate, flanked by guards and mounted on a white horse, while Caiome jumped over the walls. Since then, he hadn't returned, and she hadn't heard anything about him.

       The only ones close to Ayato would be Thoma and Ayaka, but they were out of the discussion from the start. Thoma came in the morning, woke her up, Caiome refused to go with him, then he left. She sometimes saw him washing floors or arranging flowers in bright colors, but she didn't talk to him. She teased him from time to time, then they passed each other. As long as Caiome didn't break anything in the house, no one cared where she went. Some guards followed her from time to time, but nothing spectacular. And Ayaka didn't even look in her direction if they accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway. She kept her head high and her back straight, coming and going or taking care of household chores when a guest had to visit the residence.

       Although Caiome liked the way Ayaka sometimes sat on her toes, as if even the esteemed guest who visited her and brought gifts could leave with some of her hairpins.

       Another close person to Ayato was his personal servant... who was mute and, every time she saw Caiome, she lowered her head with a fierce look and left. So, Caiome didn't have too many options. 

       Instead, she spent her day in the forest. She brought her sword and began to train. She had learned from a young age to use a weapon, considering she needed it, and an hour a day was dedicated to exercises. When she wasn't in the market stealing or selling, when she wasn't at bars having fun, and when she wasn't involved in illegal activities with gangs full of other thieves or treasure hoarders, she devoted a few hours to her sword. And since there was an entire dojo in the residence where she slept, and since she didn't cause havoc anyway and didn't damage anything, her sword enjoyed some extra care when she used the Kamisato family's blade cleaning products. The sword now gleamed and reflected the sunlight in the small stream where she trained, performing balancing exercises on the stones placed in its center.

       Next to any running water, the air became different. Colder, sharper, and keener. There was something in the water droplets that touched her skin and something in the way the small waves broke the air that made her muscles tremble. Caiome had been at sea during storms, but a storm was always chaos. The wind was strong but vulgar. By the river, the wind was elegant, and the air was cold, fresh, embedded in a forest of pines and firs that covered the sky.

       And her blade, her sword, fit perfectly in her hand as she swung it through the drops hitting the stones and cutting through the air. The handle was black and had no guard, it was square and thin, too thin to even be called a handle. It was as if the sword's blade was wrapped in a sheet of black wood. And maybe that's exactly what it was.

       She rose gently on the tip of one foot and turned, spinning slowly. She didn't use a Vision, aiming to maintain her balance without the help of the air. And in fact, balance didn't need to be maintained with the air, but against it. The wind helped her reach where she wanted, but it depended on her body how to position itself and how to maintain itself. So yes, balance exercises were crucial for her, just like posture, just like what she wore. Tight-fitting clothes that wouldn't drag her down when the wind blew, usually a tank top and a pair of pants she pulled up to her knees when near water or in a meadow with healthy green grass.

       She heard footsteps approaching. Even in the rush of the stream touching her bare feet, the wind still carried the sounds to her—footsteps, breathing, and the heartbeat sounds from a living chest. She extended the blade, having a perfect arm position towards the direction of the river's flow, then cut through the air and water droplets in the opposite direction.

       And even more, her eyes were closed. Because sight played a role in balance, and for Caiome to maintain her balance without seeing meant she could keep it in total darkness as well. It meant she could fight without seeing, and you never knew when a person might go blind.

       "You have a very interesting technique," a voice chuckled, and Caiome laughed to herself when she heard Ayato speaking to her.

       Still with her arm extended, Caiome turned again, stretching her leg, and then stepped on another boulder with an uncommon ease and elegance for someone wielding a sword.

       "Are you admiring me now?" she asked with a smile on her lips. "You should be careful, my lord, your passionate fans might see you and develop a terrible jealousy against me. I wouldn't want to be killed in your house with a kitchen knife by a madwoman who constantly stalks you."

       "I don't think that will be the case. And yes, I do admire your technique."

       "I learned it in Liyue," she said, making another turn on the wet stones. "In the mountains, where the adepti live, from a group of bandits who used only swords."

       "And which is truth and which is a lie?" Ayato asked in return.

       Caiome opened her eyes, looking at him from the corners of them, without a smile and without amusement in her gaze. Ayato really seemed like the type of person to wear light-colored clothes, and now he wore a suit as elegant as the others, but instead of the palette of colors formed by white and lilac, this time there was a light green in his accessories and shirt, while his Hydro Vision pulsed slowly at his hip. And from his look, he knew there was a lie somewhere.

       "I learned it in Liyue," she said again, lowering her leg and placing the sword next to her hip. "In the mountains, where adepti live, from a sword dancer."

       "As I said, I admire an interesting and wonderful technique. Not used for battle, but for elegance and balance," he continued.

       "I don't get it, are you supposed to be here and praise me?" she twirled her sword in the air, and with a sharp move that cut through the air, she placed the sword back in the thin sheath at her hip.

       "I am supposed to be here, but not to praise you."

       His tone now had a sly touch, and Caiome smiled to herself as she stood up, picking up her leather jacket from the ground to put it on.

       "Do you have nothing else to do? I'm sure more renegade families need to beg at your feet."

       "I see you've been busy in the city," he said, and Caiome shrugged.

       "You have no idea how bored I can get. And I like to hear the suffering of others, whether it's theirs or yours. Preferably yours," she smiled broadly, and Ayato straightened his voice a bit, placing his hands behind his back.

       "I came because I have something to discuss with you, and Captain Hirotatsu told me I could find you here, where you've been for the past ten days as well."

       "Your captain is very perceptive," she said sarcastically, tying her boot laces. "If you try a little harder, you can see me from the gates of your estate. So," jumping to her feet, picking up her leather jacket from the ground to put it on, she asked, "what do you want to discuss with me? Have you decided to finally give me back my Vision case, considering my stubbornness to submit to you and wipe the shoes of everyone in that house?"

       "Don't overestimate yourself," Ayato said. "I can be as persistent as you."

       Caiome sat with her arms over her chest in front of him, smiling and frowning at the same time. "I doubt it," she said.

       Ayato turned to the side, then made a hand gesture and half-bowed, inviting Caiome to walk with him. Caiome listened, following him, but Ayato didn't lead her towards the residence; they crossed the road and headed towards the edge of the cliff, towards the sea.

       "From what my employees told me," Ayato began, "you haven't stayed in the residence too much. In fact, you woke up whenever you wanted, left, and returned too late and too discreetly for anyone to see you. Which means, not only did you neglect your duties, but you also tried to entertain yourself, playing pranks on my guards."

        Caiome shook her head amused as Ayato pulled several rolled-up papers from his wide sleeve, which he unfolded and handed to Caiome. There were the papers she wrote with charcoal on the first night, then got so bored that she started leaving improvised maps with "real" clues, and the guards sometimes roamed around the gardens. Or she took chicken legs from the trash bins and, before leaving, left traces in sand patterns made in the courtyard, only to later watch all the maids chase after chickens that weren't actually in the front yard.

       "Classic," she said. "You should let your employees out more into the world; they might learn something. All of them look like thoughtless ghosts within those walls."

       Ayato took the papers back, rolling them up and hiding them in his sleeve. He didn't look very pleased; his eyes had a more malevolent glint than an empathetic one, and his words were certainly more than just words. Step by step, they got closer and closer to the edge of the rock.

       "Do you know how you break a wild horse, Lady Caiome?" he asked.

        It was somewhat mocking in the way he addressed her with honorifics, and Caiome couldn't tell if he did it because good manners required it in that rich household or if he was just making fun of her. Maybe both, but his voice wasn't made for mocking while using honorifics. From him, those honorifics sounded too sincere, too polite, so Caiome couldn't feel offended by the way he addressed her.

       "Unfortunately for you," she said, inhaling the wind coming from the sea and the waves crashing against the edge of the cliff, "I like horses too much to try to break them."

       And she genuinely loved horses. They seemed like powerful, majestic beings to her. She hadn't ridden many times in her life because she usually preferred holding horses rather than riding them, but she was impressed by how much she loved horses, creatures more magnificent than dogs, cats, or any fluffy animal. While others found comfort in small animals that could sit on their chests, Caiome found strength in the presence of horses.

        Ayato showed a rather indifferent smile.

       "You tame them. Next question," he said, and Caiome frowned. "How do you tame a wild horse?"

        Ayato stopped at the edge of the cliff, and Caiome placed her hands over her chest, turning towards him. She knew she would regret it.

        "How?" she asked.

       Ayato took a square-shaped jewel from the inner pocket of his coat. Caiome raised an eyebrow when Ayato presented the empty case with a dead Vision in its center. Then she laughed.

        "So, in the end, you give me the shell just for me to leave?"

        "No," he said. "I'm just showing you that I don't like someone playing with me."

        Caiome frowned even more and reached for the shell. However, Ayato let it slip from his hand. Over the edge of the cliff. Hitting the rocks, the empty shell sank into the water.

        "Ups," he said.

       "You idiot!" she shouted, looking at the waves crashing against the rocks, trying to figure out exactly where the casing had fallen. "You mother fucking idiot!"

       She quickly took off her boots, jacket, and the sword at her hip, but just as she was about to jump into the sea, Ayato grabbed her wrist, lifting her arm, and pulled her back with a force that Caiome wouldn't have believed possible for him. He pulled her abruptly close to him, just to hold her firmly in place, because Caiome was trying to pull away, but no matter how muscular her body was, and no matter how elegant and light she seemed in her sword movements, Ayato was taller, more muscular, stronger, and certainly had a stronger grip than her attempts to free herself. In the end, how many times had she had the chance to try to escape if no one had caught her until now? And Ayato used that information; otherwise, he wouldn't have come alone.

       "Let me go," she said, pulling again, looking towards the overwhelming waves.

       "I have more reasons to advise you not to throw yourself headfirst from a cliff," he said with a calm totally contrary to the way he held Caiome, forcing her to occasionally hit her shoulder against his torso or her hip against his hip. "Firstly, although you can't see, there are more rocks there than you can count on all your fingers. You'd hit your head directly on one of them if the impact between you and the water from this height doesn't crush your chest first. Secondly," he said when Caiome tried to pull away again, but she ended up just giving him a terrifying look that even surprised herself, "even if the rocks or the impact don't kill you, the lack of air would. And if that doesn't, the place where that shell ended up has too much pressure for your brain to withstand it."

        Caiome snorted. "So what? Have you seen that I'm making too much fun of you, so you've decided to throw away the only thing that, besides keeping me here, was also the reason your precious employees didn't end up split in half with their heads at their feet?"

       He just smiled, using the same calmness contrary to his strength, although Caiome began to understand that she would die for one reason or another if she jumped into the water from that height.

       "I may not control the entire ocean," he said, "but I can create small bubbles of water that contain something and remain at the bottom of it. As long as I live," he added with a smile, "your case is safe... in the sea, at far too many fathoms for you to find or even see it. And since you've been so stubborn these ten days, I had no choice but to force your hand. So, the rules change, milady. You work for me for as long as I require, without neglecting your duties, keeping things as quiet as possible within my estate, and I will return the case to you when I see fit."

       "Bullshit!" she yelled at him and pulled her hand away again, but Ayato pulled her back, chest hitting chest. Their expressions were scowling, furious, but Ayato hid it better under a mask of strategic calmness he displayed, compared to Caiome, who, by her nature, was more impulsive, more fiery. "You'd keep me here for a lifetime without giving me back my Vision shell."

       "Do you want to leave and never come back for it? That can be one of the options if you wish."

       "I could hire divers to find it," she countered.

       "I could bring it to the surface, and you wouldn't even know," Ayato replied.

       Caiome took a deep breath, and her breath collided with his. From up close, the shade of his eyes wasn't just a lavender hue. It also had a hint of blue and deep purple. And a touch of silvery, a light shade, like light reflected in a diamond. That glimmer was almost deadly, certainly dangerous. His lashes were long, casting shadows on his cheekbones. And his smile was ridiculously annoying.

       "Therefore, you can't find the shell on your own, and you can't kill me either. So how about you accept my terms without creating a scene too humiliating even for you?" he said.

       Caiome gritted her teeth. She knew she couldn't leave, she knew she couldn't kill him, she knew she couldn't do anything but accept his conditions. One wrong move, and her case would be lost. She couldn't afford to lose it. She didn't want to lose it. That case was too important for her, far too important to let it remain at the bottom of the sea forever. But if she killed Ayato, would she then go after the shell? It would take some time, but she could retrieve it. The only problem was she didn't know where the shell was right now. If Ayato kept it among rocks and she killed him, the shell would stay among the rocks forever. And the rocks and sea currents were too dangerous even for divers to reach.

       "Give me a period of time, then," she said. "A period after which you promise to give me back the shell if... if..."

       Damn, it was so hard to get those words out. Ayato smiled when he saw the difficulty she faced due to her pride, the freedom she had to give up for what? For an empty shell.

       He leaned in more, as if he wanted to whisper something, as if he wanted to offer her a secret, and the same smile declaring his victory over her stayed on his lips. Caiome was an unbeatable loser who put herself in this situation due to her own foolishness. Ayato took a deep breath.

       "I must admit, I enjoy seeing people struggling too. Especially if it's you."

       Caiome almost snapped at him when he heard him sing her own words against her.

       "So, Lady Caiome, I ask again. How do you tame a wild horse?"

       He slowly let go of her hand, but Caiome didn't move immediately. She was too infuriated, too frustrated, with Ayato, with the situation, with herself, with the present and past and future, and that cursed shell now at the bottom of the sea, and all of Ayato's crappy rules and conditions.

       She grabbed him by the collar, clenching the shirt in her fist, gritting her teeth, but she knew she couldn't do anything now.

       "You have no idea what you've done," she said.

       "Oh, but I do," he whispered to her. "I always do. But rest assured, I won't keep you with me for a lifetime."

       He took a deep breath, and the scent of rain and wet earth came from her hair again. Caiome slowly let him go, and Ayato walked past her, leaving her alone to curse the day she decided to steal from his house, thinking that Lord Kamisato Ayato wouldn't retaliate against the one who tried to defile his home.

       "I'll kill him," Caiome whispered, collapsing onto her knees, clenching her fists. "I swear I'll kill him."

Chapter Text

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       Caiome couldn't manage to fall asleep that night until the early morning. The situation had changed drastically, following the same rules as before, yet they were now enhanced rules. In short, she was not allowed to deviate from Ayato's word in any way; otherwise, she could bid farewell to the case now lying somewhere at the bottom of the ocean, with no chance of even being brought ashore. And if she did indeed kill Ayato, she really could say goodbye forever to the case. She pondered for hours on whether it was really worth staying here, working as a servant in this immense house for an undetermined period, all for the sake of that absurd case. However, each time Caiome returned to the same answer – yes, it was worth it, despite her reluctance to admit it, no matter how much she wished to let it rot there and leave, letting Ayato be surprised to find her gone.

       She had fallen asleep on her back, so when Thoma struck her, she sat up instantly, drew her sword from its sheath, and placed it as a barrier between them. It was then that Caiome realized Thoma had stepped back, just as he did every morning, to avoid getting hit. Caiome grumbled irritably. She had just managed to put an end to her thoughts, only to be confronted shortly after with a new problem.

       She sheathed her sword again before Thoma could rush to Ayato, accusing her of drawing a weapon on him.

        "Can't you drop the attitude?" Thoma teased, putting his hands on his hips.

        "Go to hell," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

        Thoma's smile disappeared, replaced by a serious expression. It was then that Caiome felt something placed at her feet, on the box covered with a mattress and a blanket taken from the other rooms. Thoma had placed some packed clothes on the mattress along with a pair of leather shoes or whatever they were.

       "Change, and then we can leave. I'll wait for you outside," he said.

       However, Caiome had already picked up the clothes, studying them. They were maid's clothes, with long robes tight at the waist, and the shoes looked like they could slip off if she moved too much in them.

       "No, thanks," she said. "I prefer to stay in my own clothes."

       "Your clothes stink," Thoma commented. "Just like you."

       Caiome shot him a furious look, then got up from the bed. She rolled up the clothes Thoma had brought, tossed them at him, and he barely caught them. Caiome took satisfaction in seeing the shoes fall through his fingers and hit the floor.

        "I agreed to be a servant in this house, not to wear... those," she said.

        "We need to maintain an image," Thoma replied, extending the clothes back to her.

        "Ayato didn't mention anything about me dressing like a doll."

        "Not to you," he said, "but to me. He told me to make you blend in with the others, and that's exactly what I intend to do."

        "I'd rather lose a hand than wear those," she muttered, pushing the clothes back, and walked past him. "I'll do a great job as I am. And if your master doesn't like it, he can get me other clothes, but not those," she pointed at the pile in Thoma's arms. "Besides, you don't dress like the other men working here, so why should I?"

        Thoma clenched his teeth, and his green eyes seemed to darken. "Because you're a wretch."

       "Maybe," Caiome shrugged. "It's still a better option than those shoes."

       "Do you know what happens if you don't follow orders?" he suddenly grinned, a somewhat malevolent expression, like a fox-faced dog.

        "Orders given by Ayato, not you. My order was for you to be my guide and help me with anything related to work in this house, not to dress me as you please. Now put them down; we'll finish our work, and then let me wash my clothes so they don't stink anymore," she smiled, patting his arm. "Alright?"

       Thoma had to take a deep breath, then he put the clothes back on the bed and followed a confused Caiome, who had no idea what to do or where to go. So Thoma led her outside, and they started with the first task that Caiome had to do with Thoma from the very first day – cleaning the terrace in the front yard.

        They carried buckets of water, knelt down, and wiped the terrace and small bridges until they sparkled. Thoma had made her clean them three times because, as he claimed, Caiome didn't seem to put in enough effort. But Caiome did her best, that's how she cleaned things. Anyway, no one should expect too much from someone who had spent more time in nature, wearing clothes caked with dust.

       And once she managed to clean the floors as required, so Thoma wouldn't comment, standing with his hands on his hips and glaring at her, there was always someone passing right through the middle of the terrace, even though there was enough space to walk around. Even if only two or three people from the staff crossed the terrace in the center of the courtyard, there were others patrolling every two minutes on the small bridges. And because the floor got dirty, Thoma made her clean it again. It was worse when the guards did it, dragging their muddy boots through the garden dust and leaving mud stains on the terrace.

        "Hey!" Caiome exclaimed when a shoe passed in front of her, right over the spot she had cleaned not even ten seconds ago. "I just washed there."

        She looked up, and the guard, a relatively young man with a silly face, accompanied by his slightly older friend who patrolled with him, started laughing.

        "You missed a spot," he mocked, then walked away along the residence walls.

        Caiome clenched the cloth in her fist, ready to throw it directly at the guard's head, but Thoma stopped her.

        "I should inform you of the new conditions Lord Kamisato has imposed," he said. "They're not orders, so you might want to consider these. With each violation, you lose a bit of your right to one meal a day. Three deviations, and you lose an entire meal. If you miss a third meal, you'll lose your case. Of course, violations also depend on the severity of the situation. The first violation was the clothes. If you throw that cloth, considering it incites violence, let's say it's worth two violations. I'm sure you wouldn't want to lose a meal already, right?"

        Caiome frowned. She was pretty sure Thoma came up with all these on the spot. She could risk getting those nine violations and disappearing, but if Thoma wasn't lying and all these were indeed imposed by Ayato, her case would be gone forever.

        "You didn't tell me this when you came to my room this morning," she said, and Thoma shrugged.

        "You said you'd rather lose a hand than wear them," he made himself innocent. "I thought it couldn't compare to a small violation, so there was no need to tell you anything. And if you don't believe me, you can ask Lord Kamisato yourself."

        Caiome pulled her hand away from his grip. "Go back to staring at me if that's all you can do."

       Because Thoma wouldn't turn his back on her, knowing she could easily disappear. However, disappearing would also mean a violation. Caiome didn't want to accumulate violations just for the sake of disappearing. If she was going to lose meals, she might as well make it more interesting, like sticking that wet cloth down the throat of the guards. And the servants.

        Because everyone was now staring at her, openly or discreetly, laughing with the other servants. Caiome had been the thief who dared to try to steal from the Kamisato family, then she was just a ghost who came and went as she pleased, and now she was kneeling in front of Thoma and the others, scrubbing the floors until her hands turned red, nearly stepped on by the guards passing by just when she thought she had finished cleaning the floor. And Caiome, for once in her life, wished not to hear the voices carrying by the wind and the laughter of the others.

       She sighed for herself, starting to scrub the floor again. Well, she didn't care. She had done more humiliating things in her life that were supposed to elicit the same reactions from people, only no one had seen her then, and now they did. She didn't like to be in everyone's sight; that's why she ran and hid wherever she could, away from people. A few nights out partying in bars didn't determine her entire life. She went to have fun, relax, then returned to her solitary life where she was just a ghost among others. Now she felt like she was wearing lights on her head in the middle of the night.

        Whatever, she thought when two more girls about her age started laughing, passing by her in a hurry. Caiome gave them a furious look, and their smiles disappeared, hurrying their pace.

        "No nasty looks," Thoma told her, hitting her shoulder with the toe of his boot.

       "I didn't do anything," Caiome replied. "I just looked at them. It's their fault for being scaredy-cats who get intimidated so easily."

         By lunchtime, Caiome couldn't feel her hands from all the floor scrubbing, not only on the terraces in the front yard, but also in the other courtyards. This included the little bridges that crossed over ponds with koi fish and ducks happily paddling their tails. Caiome looked at them several times as if she intended to turn them into a roast. The ducks seemed to understand her thoughts, fleeing in the opposite direction of the pond, until they completely emerged from the water and started strolling among the bushes, peacefully eating and standing with their tails up, as if even they were teasing Caiome.

        Somewhere around one o'clock, a gong resounded throughout the courtyard, taking Caiome by surprise. All the servants started retreating towards the mansion. Only then did she realize that it was the gong calling everyone to the meal for half an hour before they returned to their tasks. But Caiome didn't get up from her knees, still standing on the bridge while guards passed by her, and others stayed behind to ensure the courtyard wasn't left unguarded.

        "Come on," Thoma said, pushing her with his knee in the back. "It's time to eat."

        "I'm not hungry," she muttered, starting to pack the wet cloth.

        "Well, I am, so come on. I don't feel like waiting for you just because you're being picky. If you don't want to eat, fine, but I do."

       Caiome didn't even look at him, seeming to completely ignore him.

       Thoma grabbed her arm and pulled her up, but Caiome quickly pulled back, standing on the edge of the bridge. One more step, and she would have fallen into the pond.

       "Don't touch me," she said, raising her arm as if Thoma was trying to hit her, and she was just defending herself. "I'm not hungry, I'm not coming," she insisted. "You don't have to follow me around; I'm not going anywhere. I don't want to waste my breaks on this. Besides, there are guards in the courtyard. I'll clean this bridge again, just leave me alone."

        Thoma looked at her crossly as she sat back on the wooden pieces, put the cloth in the bucket, squeezed it, and then began to clean the plank right in front of his feet. He almost burst into laughter, but he just shrugged his shoulders and hands.

        "Do as you wish," he said, turned around, and walked towards the mansion.

        Caiome wiped the wooden planks for a few more seconds, looked after Thoma, who had just disappeared around the corner of the building, then leaned to the side, sitting on her haunches. She ran her hand over her forehead, with the cold skin from the water, then took a long breath. Finally, after a whole morning where all she had in her head was his breathing and the voices of others, she had some peace. Certainly, she didn't want to go into a room where others would stare at her and hear their comments and whispers.

        She tied her hair in a ponytail and wiped her neck with a dry cloth. She took off her own boots, pulled up the cuffs of her pants to her knees, then sat on the edge of the small bridge, high enough not to wet her soles, but just to touch the water's surface with the tips of her fingers, creating small ripples in the water, making the koi fish swim away. Theoretically, she wasn't doing anything wrong. After all, except for the guards patrolling the courtyard, and they were only three or four, everyone else had a break. And if she preferred not to eat but just sit on the small bridge, it was perfectly fine. She didn't deviate from any rules.

       She tilted her head back, taking a deep breath, and the Anemo Vision at her waist pulsed. She closed her eyes, listening. Somewhere behind her, the waves crashed against the cliffs, then the foam rolled back and went out to sea, along with the furious currents. The breeze passed through the trees with reddish and dark green leaves, rustling, branches bending and stretching back toward the sky. With each touch of the pond water, the fish swam, and even their small fins against the water made a sound, subtle but present, when they moved through the greenery caught between rocks and boulders. Somewhere in front of her, she could hear the hustle of the mountains and pebbles hitting other rocks as they fell into the valleys. She tried to block out the sounds coming from the mansion, from the servants' table, focusing only on what was around her.

       Why did it have to be so quiet here, considering how many people were in the mansion, probably gossiping about her? If she had to play the servant, at least to do it in peace. Anyway, all of this would eventually fade away. People wouldn't spend the whole day staring at her and whispering unless they start spreading rumors.

       Some time later, Caiome heard the gong again, and Thoma returned a few minutes after that. Caiome washed what was left of the bridge, and then Thoma led her to the dojo, one of the rooms she had to take care of. Although, with so many responsibilities, she doubted she could do them all daily. Thoma showed her where the cleaning supplies for the room were, the mop, cleaning solutions, the clean cloths used only in the dojo. Then he showed her how to wipe not only the floor but also the walls, to ventilate properly, how to gather the tatami mats and lay them outside until the floor dried, and then how to clean the swords and long wooden staffs.

       "I guess this means that at some point, you'll leave me alone, right?" she asked, putting a staff back in its stand. "Admit it, you can't spend the whole day after me; you have other things to do. So either Ayato hired a nanny for me," she shrugged with a laugh, "or I'll have to be left to my own pace."

       "You're not the center of the world, sorry to tell you," Thoma said sarcastically.

       "If I really believed I was the center of the world, believe me, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have met you at all."

       "Where would our luck have been?" he muttered, grabbing the cleaning solutions and taking them back to the storage room, with Caiome following him. 

       They laid the tatami mats back on the edges of the walls, the resting place for those who were just spectators, then they went to the living room where they were greeted by a middle-aged lady, hair tied in a bun, dressed in those ugly clothes Caiome ran away from that morning.

       "This is Lady Nakamura Satomi," Thoma introduced, bowing his head towards the lady, and Lady Nakamura bowing in return. "She is the head servant. She has been working for the Kamisato family for over twenty years. She's not the oldest employee, but certainly very talented in what she does."

       Caiome looked at her strangely. For a mere servant, she held her back straight and her chin up, hands clasped in front of her abdomen, looking down at Caiome as if she were a bug that needed to be crushed.

       "As you said yourself, if I can't watch over you, she will. And since I do have other things to do, she will accompany you daily to the second floor. You'll have two guest rooms to clean and the guest lounge."

       "Sure," Caiome grimaced.

       "Well, Lady Nakamura, I'll leave you now. Are you sure you can handle it?" Thoma asked politely, displaying a smile that Caiome only saw on the first night when she met Ayaka in the forest.

        "Go, young man," she said in a calm, stern tone, not necessarily malicious, maintaining eye contact with Caiome, who was about the same height. "It's not like something bad will happen right now, and especially because of her."

       Thoma threw skeptical glances from Lady Nakamura to Caiome and back, then sighed.  "Whatever happens, call a guard if needed."

       "Mind your own business and take care of Lady Ayaka."

       Thoma bowed, gave one last glance to Caiome, and then disappeared from the living room.

       Caiome clasped her hands and displayed a mischievous smile, while Lady Nakamura maintained her cold expression, looking directly into her eyes. She had wrinkles around her dark-colored eyes, and her ash-brown hair was tied in a bun fixed with a wooden and silver hairpin, probably the most precious thing she owned.

       "How do you know I couldn't harm you in any way?" Caiome asked, but Lady Nakamura just turned towards the stairs leading to the upper floor.

       "I am quite aware, like everyone else here, of the limits Lord Kamisato has imposed on you," she spoke calmly, as if she were too old to even try to be arrogant. "And everyone knows the reason why you suddenly became so obedient."

       Caiome jumped beside her, climbing the stairs shoulder to shoulder, trying to look at her face, even if it had any expression, but her face remained impassive.

       "Probably someone else in your place would have already started making fun of me and laughing," she said.

       Lady Nakamura just threw a sidelong glance, a serious look, not playful at all, which Caiome found boring. What was the point of being around someone who didn't even allow herself to be provoked? Maybe she would have liked to spend more time with Thoma.

       "Or throwing me nasty looks and words. After all," she said with a smile on her face, shrugging her shoulders and hands, more like laughing, "I tried to steal from the precious Kamisato family, important things for Lady Ayaka, right?"

       "And just because we know that, and we also know what Lord Kamisato does with you, most of the people here will try to provoke you. Everyone wants you thrown out."

       "Believe me, if it were that simple, I would leave willingly."

       Reaching the second floor, Lady Nakamura showed her the two rooms Caiome had to clean: sweep, dust, arrange the bedding, and ventilate. It wasn't necessarily a tiring job, considering that no one had been there, so she actually finished quite quickly. But it was boring, as Lady Nakamura didn't speak to her even once except to give her instructions on what and how to do everything perfectly, even though Caiome tried to provoke her. Lady Nakamura just looked down at her handwork hidden in her sleeve, crocheting with a very thin silk thread.

       The guest lounge was a bit harder to clean, considering there were many more items Caiome had to take care of, but she gathered her courage and did everything as dictated.

       "You don't have very skillful hands for this," commented Lady Nakamura at one point when it seemed she had finished her crocheted embroidery. "I think you're more suited to be a thief than a servant."

       "That's what I've been telling myself all day," Caiome laughed because finally Lady Nakamura uttered a few words other than cleaning instructions. "What makes you say that?" she asked, but Caiome didn't receive any more answers, which made her click her tongue and roll her eyes.

        Being only five in the afternoon, two hours before dinner, Lady Nakamura led Caiome to the backyard where, as she said, she would pass her on to someone else. Her duty was limited to sweeping the terrace floors, cleaning the dojo, the two guest rooms, and the lounge, occasionally joining other servants if they had nothing else to do. And after finishing the household chores, she had to take care of the equipment of the guards.

        The armory and other equipment storage were on a side of the building where no one ever reached, and rightly so. Crossing the garden, Lady Nakamura stopped by a small storage room, signaling Caiome to go ahead through the slightly open door. But instead, Caiome stepped back as the door suddenly opened, and a boy dressed half in armor with about five or six swords in his arms and two spears under his armpits came out.

       "Lady Nakamura," he said, seeing the old lady first, even though Caiome was the one who was almost hit and even stabbed by those spears if she hadn't dodged.

       Only then did the boy see Caiome, who put her arms over her chest.

       "Can't you look where you're going?" she yelled. She was tired, and she really didn't feel like dealing with kids.

       The boy looked confused at her, a bit taken aback by her tone, then realized who was in front of him. He raised his chin and gave her an arrogant look, trying to mimic the attitude that Lady Nakamura had given her, but it was clear from a mile away that this boy was just making a fool of himself.

       "I don't have to apologize to a thief," he said. "I guess you're here for armor cleaning instructions, aren't you? Well, I have to take these back to their place, and then I'll be back."

       "Just hurry up, Mizuki," Lady Nakamura told him.

       Mizuki tightened his grip on the swords and spears, then took his leave. He returned a few minutes later with half of the armor worn a bit awkwardly. Maybe Caiome wasn't from Inazuma, and maybe she had never worn Inazuma-specific armor, but she was sure that the shirt or pants shouldn't be tied that way.

       Mizuki straightened up, and his sharp features became even more pronounced. He was young, perhaps even younger than Caiome. He was just a little bit taller than her, and his dark hair fell in a few arched curls. His blue eyes sparkled as he lifted his gaze, trying to appear superior to Caiome, but her reaction was just a grimace when the boy pushed his chest forward.

        "This way," he said.

       Caiome exchanged some glances with Lady Nakamura before the latter sighed, turned around, and left without saying a word. Caiome shook her head and entered the storage room, greeted by a very well-organized space despite the chaotic sounds from earlier.

       "Just so you know," he turned towards her, making Caiome look at him suddenly, as if Mizuki wanted to throw himself at her, "I'm not afraid of you, and I don't intend to treat you any differently than you deserve."

       "Aha," Caiome said skeptically, raising an eyebrow and standing with her hands on her hips. "And what is that, exactly?" she teased.

       "A thief," he said. "Thieves must be punished, and this is your punishment, so I won't be nice to you. I'll show you what to do, and I expect you to complete everything properly."

       Caiome pressed her lips against eachother, then burst into laughter. Mizuki blinked at her, confused. "Of course, of course," she waved her hand.

       "I'm serious," he insisted.

       "I didn't say anything," she shrugged, turning her back to him.

       Mizuki stood in front of her, blocking her way. Then, as if it was something he remember to do, he put his hands on his hips, trying to appear authoritative. Caiome, on the other hand, felt like she was looking at a child.

       "I won't allow you to take me lightly, miss— I mean, thief."

       "How old are you?" Caiome asked, starting to inspect the room.

       The reserve armors were arranged on mannequins, some of which were empty as they were already worn by the guards on duty. Spears were positioned standing on one side, leaning on wooden supports with holes made precisely to keep them straight, only slightly inclined towards a horizontal wooden bar. Long swords were placed horizontally in dozens of holders, including those for reserves. In the center was a long table, and behind it, on shelves that extended from top to bottom, were pairs of clean or less clean boots. Some short daggers were placed on tables in front of the room's window, and tall candle holders were placed along the walls, ready to be lit at night.

       "Uhh," Mizuki exclaimed, then seemed to snap back to reality. "I have no reason to offer you personal information."

        Caiome looked at him and rolled her eyes, starting to run her hand over the still uncleaned daggers, probably kept for herself to learn how to clean them.

       "So you might be younger than me," she concluded. "I won't give you more than eighteen years; you look like a ragged chicken."

       "Eighteen?" Mizuki said as if he had just been offended. "I'm almost twenty."

       "So you are indeed younger than me."

       Mizuki almost fumed.

       "Don't touch anything," he said and pushed Caiome's hands away from the daggers.

       "Don't touch anything?" she said. "But that's what I'm supposed to do here, right? Clean all of this?"

       Mizuki grimaced. "Of course," he immediately said. "But not... the daggers, come here," he quickly said, barely breathing, took Caiome by the arms and pushed her to the other side of the room, to some closed cabinets. "Here are all the cleaning products, from cotton and solutions to brushes that need to be used with great care, got it?"

       Was it a good time to tell Mizuki that she already knew all this since she had come here to clean her sword with these products? Although she had never seen Mizuki around. Maybe she just got lucky.

       "The spears will be my responsibility," Mizuki said. "The same goes for daggers."

       "Then what do I do?" Caiome asked, not that she necessarily wanted to receive something to do.

       "You'll clean the swords," he said with his chin up. "Then the armors and boots."

       Mizuki opened the cabinet with products, starting to show each one separately and explaining what they were for. Caiome only half-listened to him, or not even that, starting to clean her nails. At every "do you understand?" question Mizuki asked, Caiome just mumbled an "uh-huh," then moved on.

       Mizuki took a bottle of cleaning solution and some cotton balls, then placed them on the table. He took a sword and handed it to Caiome, who found herself with it in front of her out of nowhere. She had no idea what was happening or why Mizuki handed her a sword until she saw that he had one too. Maybe he wanted to fight. But Mizuki sat at the table and unsheathed the sword. He looked up at it, admiring it, then sighed.

        "What a beauty," he said, placing it on a vertical stand that held the sword by the handle and tip of the blade. "What do you know about caring for swords?" he asked Caiome, who also sat in a chair.

       "Just enough," she said. "But I guess you have your maintenance techniques."

       "The best," he said. "This is a recently developed solution," he said almost proudly, as if he had invented it. "It cleans the blade without leaving traces, strengthens the steel, and leaves the surface shiny. A wonder indeed," he said excitedly, and Caiome tilted her head, watching him.

       Mizuki took two chopsticks, grabbed a cotton ball, dipped it only very slightly in the solution placed in a porcelain bowl, then began to gently tap one of the sides of the sword blade.

       "With slow and careful movements," he said, very focused on the sword and the movements, starting from the handle, going down to the tip. "Don't press too hard, but not too soft, don't stretch, just dab. And if you feel like you've put too much pressure, turn the cotton ball and dab gently, from top to bottom and back, understand?"

      Mizuki stammered a bit when Caiome raised her eyebrows at him, seeming amused.

       "Uhh...," he said. "I don't accept mistakes," he said as if trying to imitate someone intimidating.

       "Okay," Caiome said with a mockery smile. "Calm down before you send me to the wolves," she teased him, and Mizuki just made a "hmph," turning back to his sword. When he finished, he put it back in the sheath.

       "Let me see yours now."

        Caiome took the sword out of the sheath and placed it on the stand.

       "Higher," Mizuki immediately said as the sword made contact with the stand. "Higher," he said after Caiome actually placed it higher. "Higher."

       "What's with these demands?" she suddenly said. "The sword stays on the stand; it doesn't have to be higher or lower."

       "It must have the perfect balance."

       "Sure," she said, rolling her eyes, "because the cleanliness of a sword depends on the balance it has on a wooden stand."

       Mizuki glanced at her, and Caiome sighed and moved the sword slightly higher. After Mizuki reluctantly gave his approval, Caiome took the chopsticks, wrapped a piece of cotton around them, dipped it gently in the solution, and began to dab the sword. Mizuki approached her, leaning over her shoulder to see the work better. She leaned in so much that Caiome couldn't even move her left hand, her dominant hand.

       "Do you mind giving me some space?" she almost shouted at him, and Mizuki straightened up, taking a step back, visibly startled.

       "Sorry," he said, then moved to the other side, to her right hand. Caiome resumed her work, and the more she worked, the more Mizuki leaned in, until his breath touched the skin of her hand.

        "Seriously, I'll smack you if you continue to stay so close," she turned abruptly towards him.

        "I'm just trying to point out your mistakes," he defended himself.

        "And are there any mistakes?" she asked mockingly

        "Well... you're holding your elbow too high," Mizuki muttered as if he knew he might get hit if he raised his voice too much. "And your fingers are too close to the cotton, see..."

       He slowly approached Caiome's hand holding the cotton balls, then pulled back slightly when she looked at him like a furious dragon. Then he approached again, shifting her fingers a bit higher on the two chopsticks. It was harder for her to hold them that way, but not impossible.

        "Anything else?" she asked, seeming patient, but with the sweet smile of a woman before turning into a spider and biting your entire head off.

        "No," Mizuki quickly stepped back, rubbing his neck. "Just—"

        "What now?" Caiome, who was about to clean the sword again, interrupted.

        "Nothing," he said quickly, sitting back in his chair and placing another sword in its stand. They stood in silence for a few seconds, then he looked at Caiome's hand again. "Slower," he said, and Caiome grumbled.

        "You have no idea how hard I'm trying not to strangle you right now," she said with an unusual calm, whether she deviated or not. "And I'll do it slowly, very slowly."

        "It's my duty to teach you," Mizuki said, gathering some courage.

       "And my duty to myself is to ignore you. Or throw you into the pond if you annoy me again. I'm not having the best day."

        "You'll get a violation," he proudly declared.

        "Do you want to see if I care?" she said, looking at him through her lashes.

        Mizuki lowered his head, starting to clean the sword further. When he finished, he placed it back in the sheath, as did Caiome. They both took another sword each. Mizuki didn't correct her much after that, and two hours later, when the gong signaled mealtime, they had finished all the swords. Caiome didn't move from her seat, waiting for Mizuki to be the one to leave. However, he remained on his chair, taking a spear to start cleaning it.

        "Are you not going to eat?" she asked.

        "I was about to ask you the same thing," he muttered a bit uncertain, paying attention to the spear with three blades.

       "I'm not hungry," she said.

       "Neither am I," he replied.

       Caiome frowned, starting to sway in her chair. Mizuki didn't tell her to stop or to start cleaning the used boots and armor. And Caiome didn't ask him why he wasn't going to eat. Probably, anyway, he was going to leave soon, considering that after meals, besides the guards, the maids began to withdraw, except for the personal ones of the family members, who either had additional tasks to do or had not finished their previous chores. Nevertheless, when the gong rang again, Caiome stuck her head out the door. Only the guards had returned; everyone else had left. There was no hustle and bustle in the house.

         Caiome went back into the room, grabbing two boots and a sponge, starting to clean them while standing. Soon, Thoma would probably come to check on her, of course. It was spring, and at seven in the evening, the sun had just set, and some guards gathered in the courtyard, alongside Captain Hirotatsu. They lined up and began to do some exercises, catching Caiome's eye.

         "What are they doing?" she asked. Mizuki didn't even look up.

        "They always train after the evening meal," he said. "Well, especially the beginners, but the older guards join in from time to time, just like that, to teach them a lesson. Sometimes they even have duels."

        "Ah," said Caiome. "Why don't you go?" she asked, and Mizuki gave her a glance, starting to laugh nervously, as if he were hiding something.

        "Why would I do that?"

        "Aren't you a beginner guard?"

       "Uh... not really. I mean, yes, I am, but..."

       "Ah," Caiome said. "Let me guess. You're terrible, so you prefer to stay here and clean all the equipment."

       Mizuki lowered his face, his cheeks turning red. He got up from the chair and began to light the candles to provide more light than they already had from the setting sun. Then he sat back down and quietly continued cleaning his spears. When he finished, the guards had already finished their training long ago, and the beginners, who never stood guard at night being inexperienced, had gone home. Caiome also finished cleaning the dirty boots, then polished the others and cleaned the armor used by the guards who started laughing when they not only saw her, but also Mizuki.

       They left the armor randomly and left. It was probably around eleven o'clock when she finished cleaning the armor, and Mizuki almost fell asleep with his head on the table, holding a dagger in his hand. Caiome stretched, yawning tiredly, then handed Mizuki a push, causing him to fall off the chair, narrowly avoiding poking his eye with the blade purely by luck.

       "What? What's happening?"

       "The guard of the year," mumbled Caiome sarcastically. "I finished the armor. Can I go now?"

       "Huh? Uh... yes, sure," he said, waking up. "I should leave too."

        He put the dagger back on the table, then extinguished all the candles, bumping into Caiome on the way out when he suddenly turned into complete darkness. Both of them headed towards the front courtyard, and Mizuki half-heartedly wished her a good night, heading towards the residence gates.

       Caiome entered the mansion, and her feet hurt from sitting too long, as did her back, arms, fingers, and hands from rubbing, cleaning, arranging, and holding those stupid sticks for so many hours. She crawled on the floor to the living room until she mustered the courage to stand up, only to drag her boots on the floor that she wasn't supposed to clean anyway. She rubbed her eyes, turning the corner of the entrance, only to come face to face with an Ayato who stood very nicely leaning against the wall, hands on his chest, with a sly smile on his face.

       "How was your first day of work?" he said.

       But Caiome just raised her hand, showed him the middle finger, which seemed to make him laugh given the mocking chuckle, and passed by him without saying anything else. Only later did she realize that Ayato was still dressed in day clothes, elegant clothes for going out even, but she didn't bother too much with that. Her stomach started making noises, but she didn't have the energy to go to the kitchen. Besides, she had no idea if, in case she took at least a piece of bread, itwould be seen as a violation.

       She stopped in the middle of the hallway. Go to the kitchen? Go to bed? She didn't even do her daily exercises that day, just stood and stared at the guards moving like bears, so sluggish. There was a long list of reasons why Caiome didn't go to challenge them to a duel, at least to get them moving. But the safest option was to clean those boots, sitting on a chair or on the floor, lying on her stomach or on her back. That way, she avoided a few boots in her face, and Mizuki chuckled. And Caiome sent a gust of wind towards the chair, making him fall to the floor, hitting his butt on the ground.

       They hadn't spoken much, but Mizuki certainly talked quite a bit to himself, or well... with the weapons he was cleaning.

       The stomach growled again, and Caiome groaned. She entered the kitchen, found a piece of bread hidden under a piece of cotton fabric, tore it into two pieces, and began to chew on the way to her room. She collapsed on the bed and fell asleep still wearing the boots and with a half a bread in her hand.

Chapter Text

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       The next day was identical to the first. Thoma woke her up, threw some clothes at her, which Caiome threw back, refusing to change into them. Although Thoma was right in a way. The clothes she wore did smell, no matter how much she tried to air them out, standing with the other pair of clothes she had. Caiome never had to think about such things. She had a change of clothes, and that was it. When she didn't need them anymore or they were too torn or smelly, she just stole others, and the worn ones were thrown away. But now she had nowhere to steal from, and the way things were going, she couldn't even go to the city or the Konda village.

       Because someone always had an eye on her, whether it was Thoma, Mrs. Nakamura, or Mizuki. She was left alone only when everyone withdrew to eat, and then Caiome tried to relax on her own, standing on her little bridge in the garden, under the watchful eyes of the guards who either looked at her from a distance or ignored her. 

       Every day, at the same time, Caiome sat on her little bridge, touching the water of the pond with the tips of her toes, listening to the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees and over the expanse of water, and the waves crashing against the rocks in the distance and gently touching the sandy shore. She sat back, swinging her legs, scaring the koi fish. Then she started cleaning the dojo, tidying up the two rooms and the salon supervised by Mrs. Nakamura, who was crocheting her wor quickly and steadily, becoming larger and larger until Caiome wondered what was supposed to become. She asked, but Mrs. Nakamura didn't answer. She never answered and never spoke more than necessary.

       Then she met Mizuki, who was somewhat more flexible. Every day, at five in the afternoon, Mizuki raised his chin and puffed out his chest, trying to treat Caiome as if she were a criminal of the lowest kind, but the attitude was gone a few minutes later when Mizuki either jumped back frightened by her or started talking about weapon cleaning techniques until her head hurt. When the gong sounded, Mizuki went to the have something to eat or sometimes ate outside on the terrace, opening a small package. Then the free guards gathered in the backyard and did their exercises, while Caiome cleaned dirty boots, and Mizuki cleaned daggers, looking occasionally out of the window or, if the weather was nice, both sat on the terrace and minded their own business.

       But he never joined them, and the others didn't invite him to train with them either. And Caiome didn't even ask why he didn't go.

       Every night she finished around the same time, eleven or twelve o'clock. And from her first night on, she didn't see Ayato standing in the halls like a ghost. She went once out of curiosity to the end of the mansion, but the light in his office was off, so Caiome thought he had gone to bed. Not that she had anything to tell him, and Ayato didn't seem to seek her out to tease her about something, like he did after her first day of work.

        Five days had passed.

       Since then, Caiome hadn't seen Ayato anywhere. She sometimes roamed the mansion, and when she cleaned the terraces, she could look into the courtyard. She occasionally saw Ayaka walking around at noon when she cleaned the dojo or saw her from the guest lounge upstairs, but they completely ignored each other. The most polite thing Ayaka did to her was to make eye contact. And the most polite thing Caiome did was to smirk at her.

       And the servants treated her the same way. They laughed at her, gossiped about her, standing close enough to be heard, walked where she had cleaned, and she had to clean again. And the most delightful thing was that they came straight from the gardens, bringing mud on their shoes. Caiome could only grit her teeth.

       "That's what she deserves," she heard them say.

       "Who does she think she is coming into this house?"

       "I can't believe people like that exist, taking advantage of Lady Ayaka's kindness and then..."

       Caiome sent a gust of wind towards the gossipers, making their washed clothes jump out of their hands and spread on the ground, getting dirty again. Let them see how it feels. Thoma looked at her with a disapproving look, and Caiome innocently smiled at him.

       "What?" she asked.

       "No powers."

       "But I didn't do anything," she said. "It's not my fault that they can't hold onto some clothes." She rolled her eyes, and Thoma couldn't comment since there was no evidence that she had sent the gust of wind, although Thoma was sure of it, and Caiome didn't hide the sarcasm in her words.

       As for meals, Caiome didn't gather with the others. She preferred to sit alone, and in the evening, before bed, she took a few pieces of bread and cheese, some dried meat, sat at the kitchen table, and ate alone in the light of a candle, chewing quietly, then threw herself into bed and fell asleep in the next second.

       "Why don't you want to tell me what should come out of your crochet?" Caiome asked at some point while cleaning the wooden tables in the living room, and Mrs. Nakamura sat in a chair with her handiwork in her lap, paying close attention to the patterns she was sewing.

       They were like flower petals, leaves, and branches all twisted and curled, a pattern that began to resemble the paintings Caiome saw around the house while cleaning. The embroidery was mainly white, and the only colors were a pale pink for the flower petals and black for the branches, all connected by white thread. Caiome occasionally looked at it, trying to figure out how those patterns came out, but she never caught on.

       "Because it's none of your business," came Mrs. Nakamura's stern but honest reply.

       "Should it be some kind of curtain?"

       "No," she said. "Have you finished dusting?"

       Caiome nodded, placing her hands on her chest and leaning against the table. "Should it be some kind of bedsheet? You know, the one used as decoration."

       "No."

       "Decoration for furniture?"

       "No."

       "Decoration for pillows?"

       "No."

       "Then what is it?" she asked, clapping her hands in frustration, and a nearly mocking smile appeared on Mrs. Nakamura's thin lips.

       "You'd like to know, wouldn't you?"

       "A cape," Caiome said as if she didn't hear Mrs. Nakamura speaking.

       The latter stood up, gathering her handiwork and putting it into a wide sleeve.

       "If you're done with your complaints, go clean the armor."

       Caiome huffed, pushing some strands of hair away from her face, while Mrs. Nakamura left the living room, returning to her own tasks, such as checking if the other servants had fulfilled their duties.

       It was already the sixth day Caiome took refuge with Mizuki. She took some of the swords and went outside, sitting on the small porch. Leaving the swords beside her, she took one of them, drew it from its sheath, took the chopsticks and the piece of cotton and began to clean it using the solution. Probably, that was the most enjoyable part of the day. The gossiping maids didn't work in the backyard. Usually, there were only gardeners checking the flower bushes and watering the pond, feeding the fish, guards standing too far from Caiome to even try to gossip about her, and only a few women who didn't feel like talking would hang out clothes, beat carpets. Stablemen took care of the neighing horses. So many times Caiome wanted to go and see them, but the guards always stopped her from entering, and when one of the horses was led outside, and Caiome stared at it too much, a few maids pushed her on the shoulder.

       But the horses were so magnificent. Large, powerful, perfect for someone with power like theirs to ride them. Many of them were dark-colored. There was only one pure white that she saw twice, once four days ago and once when Ayato came out of the courtyard.

       Caiome didn't even hope to get close to the stallion; the guards wouldn't let her, and she would create a scene... Maybe she was the one who chose not to eat with the others, but violations were violations. She couldn't lose the Vision shell just because she wanted to see a horse up close.

       So she sat quietly on the bridge, looking at the sky in the reflection of the blade she was cleaning until the gong sounded, and until the gong sounded again.

       "I thought you'd be done by now," Mizuki said approaching her.

       Caiome was still focused on the last sword she had to clean. Holding a sword in her hand felt like she was holding her own sword, moving it between her fingers felt like she was moving her own. She sighed inwardly. She missed going to the river, although she didn't think she would miss it so much after ten days spent there.

       "I did for as long as I could," she said. "I don't feel like cleaning sweaty boots and armor."

       "You should try the chef's food, though; it's brilliant. He makes the best dishes even for us, no matter how simple they may seem."

       Caiome looked at him through her upper eyelashes, then turned to the sword. It was already getting dark, and soon the guards would have to gather for the evening training. From what Caiome understood, there was also one in the morning, but she couldn't see it because, before cleaning the back terraces, she had to clean the front ones. Not that she was curious necessarily.

       "No, thanks," Caiome said shortly.

       "Sometimes, I don't get you," he murmured, taking a triangle and biting it eagerly.

       "I don't need you to get me, whatever it is."

       "You play with fire most of the time, smile with that smile of yours, play with words, then turn into a stone. It seems to me that you're quite capricious."

       Caiome showed him a smile, fluttering her lashes. "Would you prefer me to try to manipulate you or lie to you and run away?"

       "Uh..." he hesitated.

       "Exactly," Caiome threw at him, then turned back to her sword, cleaning the other side of the blade.

       Mizuki ate the rice triangle in silence, then took another one from the box and handed it to Caiome. "They're really good," he said.

       "Why don't you behave like the others?" she asked instead.

       "Like others?"

       Caiome rolled her eyes. "Do I really have to describe it to you?"

       "No," he said, choosing his words carefully. "But, well, do you regret trying to steal from Lord Kamisato and Lady Ayaka?"

       Caiome put the sword back in its sheath, passing the blade over its edge and letting it fall into the sheath. "The only thing I regret is letting Ayato find my case," she said.

       "You should really address him as Lord Kamisato, you know."

       "He's not my lord. I'm not from here, I won't ever be, and you should mind your own rice."

       Caiome stood up at the same time as Mizuki, only for the latter to accidentally bump into a passing guard behind them at that moment.

       "Watch where you're going," said the taller and more muscular guard than Mizuki, in any case.

       "Yes, sir," Mizuki quickly said, bowed, and Caiome frowned.

       She took the swords and returned them to the storage. Then she took off her dirty boots, sat on the storageroom's terrace, and began cleaning them while the guards gathered with Captain Hirotatsu for the evening training.

       Mizuki was still eating.

       "Why don't you go train with them?" Caiome asked.

       Mizuki handed her the rice box and gave her a look, standing with slightly swollen cheeks, full of food. Caiome understood his intention from his gesture: take a rice triangle, and I'll tell you why I don't stay with the other guards.

       Sighing, she took a rice triangle, holding it in her hand. "So?"

       "Not many people like me," he said.

       "And that's a reason? No one likes me either."

       "It's different. They have a reason not to like you. And maybe the same goes for me, but I don't know it. Well, not like I willingly stay around people too much. I was hired here because I need money."

       "At least you're a guard?" Caiome asked. "You don't really look like one."

       "That's what my contract says," he nervously chuckled. "But I started helping various employees here, and eventually, no one saw me as someone who had to guard the mansion but as someone who helps stablemen, gardeners, and maids to carry, move, dig, pull, and so on. Eventually, even the guards asked me to carry things from the storage and back. It's not like I'm particularly good at fighting with a spear or a sword."

       "But you said you like swords," Caiome frowned, sniffing the rice. It smelled slightly sweet. She took a bite, and her stomach growled with hunger.

       "Yes, but I'm not skilled with them. Even more so to do it in front of so many people who already look at me as if I were an insect about to be crushed. But it doesn't necessarily bother me. I prefer cleaning weapons and armor than wearing them. It's a reward when I hear every time from a guest of Lord Kamisato how impeccable the guards look and how well-maintained their weapons are."

       Caiome took another bite of the triangle, chewing and feeling her hunger grow in her stomach. "Why don't you get a job at a blacksmith then?" she asked.

        "It doesn't pay that well."

       "But you don't even do the work of a guard here. Does Ayato know that?"

       "I think he does," he chuckled. "Well, it's not like Lord Kamisato keeps track of everyone. Captain Hirotatsu does that when it comes to defense personnel. Either it's not that important, or he doesn't care, or he prefers me to be the one taking care of cleaning the equipment precisely because of the praises."

       Caiome nodded. After all, why would you want to get rid of something that does something so well, even though that wasn't its original purpose?

       "But you could make a career or something," she shrugged. "You always talk as if you know everything about these weapons, have the knowledge to make them with your hands. You just need some muscles."

       Mizuki chuckled.  "Again, the pay is better here as a guard."

       "Because you work for the prestigious Kamisato family? Is that it?" She rolled her eyes, raising her tone as if joking.

       "Actually, I think that's the reason indeed."

        "Why do you need so much money anyway? What for?" she asked, finishing the rice triangle. Mizuki handed her the box again, and Caiome took another one. She didn't really want to touch the chicken; the rice was too good.

       "When I started working here, things weren't going well with money at home. My father had just gone through an accident with the plow in the field, and my sister needed medication. She doesn't have very good eyesight. The doctor said she sees everything distorted. Her visual field is somehow... in waves."

       Caiome looked at the scarf, at the twisted petals. "She did this?" she pointed to the scarf.

       "Yes," Mizuki said, almost proudly. "Well, I think she knows that nothing can turn out right for her, but at least she tries. That and because she's only twelve. She needs ongoing treatment; Mother has to stay with her to prevent anything from happening. Father can't use his leg anymore, so..." he shrugged. "But I can't complain."

       Caiome couldn't say that wasn't exactly what he was doing.

       "I have a good salary, and I do what I love."

       Caiome quietly ate the rice triangle.

       "Do you like it?" Mizuki asked, and Caiome rolled her eyes. He laughed. "I knew it. My mother's food is the best."

       "Don't get too proud," she said. "I'm just hungry."

       For the next three days, Mizuki always brought more food in his small packed box, which he shared with Caiome. Although she refused at first, Mizuki insisted until they both managed to eat. While everyone gathered at the table, Caiome and Mizuki had their little picnic.

       "And that's not the only thing my sister made," Mizuki said one day and pulled a yellow handkerchief with sunflower petals from his pocket.

       Caiome took it in her hand, examining it. The petals were as twisted as those on the scarf in which the food box was packed, but they didn't stand out as much because of the color.

       "If you were to sell it at the market, you wouldn't get more than ten-fifteen mora for it," Caiome said.

       "You don't have to criticize it so much. When it comes to simple fabrics, she does quite well. Embroidery is more complicated."

       "Usually, you find a woven fabric for about twelve mora, depending on the material and how it's woven. Silk is the most precious, the finest, but very difficult to work with. I don't think your sister could use it."

       "You're not usually very trusting of people, are you?" Mizuki asked, putting the handkerchief in his pants pocket, and Caiome shrugged. "Well, I'm sure my sister could work with silk. Only if I could buy her a roll."

       "A roll won't be enough even for a handkerchief," Caiome scoffed.

       "Then two? Three? Four? How many does she need for a scarf?"

       "Probably at least five," Caiome estimated. "And if she breaks a thread, she can't reuse it, so she'd need at least two more as reserves. In total, at the normal market price, it would be around... almost a thousand mora. And if she doesn't work in a store or a company, she won't make any profit on it. No one would pay more than a thousand mora for a scarf not crafted by experts, let alone crafted by a child. It would be a waste of time and money, and she wouldn't make a profit anyway."

       Mizuki seemed to sigh defeated, closing his bright blue eyes. "A thousand mora is quite a lot."

       Caiome frowned. "How much does Ayato pay you?"

       "A hundred thousand," he said.

       "And a thousand is expensive compared to a hundred thousand?" Caiome asked.

       "Fifty thousand go just for Uta's medicines. And the rest is for food and the house. Hmm," he said. "Maybe I can save some money for her birthday," he said thoughtfully. "Anyway, it seems like you know a lot about the market."

       "Of course," she said, lying back on the bridge, running her toes over the surface of the lake. "I practically grew up in markets."

       The next day, Mrs. Nakamura handed Caiome a basket of laundry. More precisely, with the used bedsheets in the guest room that Caiome had to clean and apparently had been used the previous evening for a delegation that came to discuss something with Lady Ayaka.

        "They need to be washed and dried. Go to the riverbed with the other girls and wash them," Mrs. Nakamura said.

        "What?" Caiome exclaimed. "Why me? No one told me I had to wash things."

        "I'm doing you a favor, child," Mrs. Nakamura said. "You could also wash your pair of clothes while you're at it."

         Caiome rolled her eyes. "I already clean the floors until I feel sick, and then more floors to wash, and then more things to wash. I'm done."

       "You should have thought about that before you started stealing," Mrs. Nakamura said.

       But Caiome had already gotten used to her style. Mrs. Nakamura didn't throw words like that in her face, not like the other women when they gossiped about her. Mrs. Nakamura said everything as if she wanted to put just a little salt on the wound, not to make fun of her. The others made it sound like she was making fun of her and sought any reason to throw their dirty slippers where Caiome was washing. Mrs. Nakamura made it sound just like an action that had consequences, as all things were.

       And somehow, when Mrs. Nakamura said "theft," it seemed that she didn't refer to the theft of Ayaka's jewelry. Or at least, that's how it seemed. Caiome was never sure.

        So she took the basket of bedsheets and went to the backyard. Luckily, there weren't many girls washing clothes in the hidden riverbed behind the screens adorned with paintings representing cranes flying over mountains hidden among the clouds. But even those who were there, both young girls and older women, looked at her with disdain.

       Caiome headed for an empty space near the riverbed, but just as she was about to kneel down, a girl of her age sat in front her, smiling at her.

       "Sorry, it's taken," she said.

       Caiome just threw her a smile, then turned and headed to another spot. But in the place where she wanted to sit, a basket of men's clothes was thrown in front of her.

       "Sorry," the woman who began to laugh said, "but I have nowhere to put them."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, and the woman took a pair of pants from the basket. She placed them on a large stone, preparing to wash them, but when she leaned forward on the stone, Caiome let a gust of wind pass under her hand, guiding the bridge of her palm to sit on the edge of the stone. Thus, the woman slipped and landed face first in the riverbed, splashing water everywhere.

        Caiome turned and finally sat in an empty spot, while the younger girls tried to help the older one to get up. And no one could prove anything. Everyone saw very clearly how the servant slipped on her own hand. And anyway, those who didn't wear a Vision weren't as if they knew how the power of one worked. And how subtle it could be. Or how it could be used.

       She washed the linens as well as she could, wrung them out, and placed them back in the basket. She didn't know if she did a very good job. She just looked at the other girls, that sometimes just looked at her, throwing a "What are you looking at?", then Caiome turned to her own work. She took the basket heading towards the tree that was her refuge sometimes. Only to lift her gaze, hearing a familiar voice.

       Ayato stood in the middle of her little bridge, dressed in elegant city clothes, as he always seemed to be dressed, discussing with an older man. Both had serious expressions, and the older man, with a mustache and glasses, handed Ayato a file. Ayato opened it and read it, his bright purple eyes scanning the sheets of paper, then nodded briefly.

       Caiome hid behind the tree when he lifted his gaze from the file. She really didn't want to see him. It was so much better without his presence at the residence. Encountering Ayaka from time to time was enough; she didn't need her older brother, who represented the source of her problems.

      She listened. She couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but she could hear both of their voices. Then there was silence, so quiet that she couldn't even hear footsteps or the wind. She counted to ten, closed her eyes, took a breath, and opened them, ready to check if Ayato had indeed left.

       "What are you doing?"

       "Oh my gods!" she exclaimed, taking a step back.

       Caiome let go of the basket handle, and it tipped to one side. The linens spilled out onto the ground, and Caiome immediately picked it up, checked it, and saw that it was dirty, of course, with mud, so she had to wash it again. She cursed under her breath and then turned to Ayato, holding the basket.

        Ayato stood undisturbed in front of her, blinking like an innocent child. His hands were behind his back, in that elegant, almost courtly manner. Noble, of course. Truly regal. He had a childish smile on his lips, maintaining his mask in front of her and the guards in the courtyard. A few maids passed behind Ayato, peering curiously.

       "What are you doing, scaring me like that?" she yelled. "Look what you made me do!" She waved the wet bedding in frustration, now dirtied again.

       "Do you get so easily scared?"

       "The only thing that scares me about you is how easily you can breathe," she said. "You should be dead already."

       Because she couldn't hear him approaching. Or maybe she had been too deep in thought to notice his approaching presence.

        "I'll take that as a compliment," he smiled.

        "You shouldn't."

        "You stared at me quite a lot earlier," he said.

        Caiome rolled her eyes at his smile. "That's because I didn't expect to see you. You've been a ghost all week, not even here."

        "I had tasks to fulfill."

        "I don't care," she said. "What I care about is when you'll return my case."

        Ayato chuckled amusedly. "Do you think if you worked almost ten days, you would get your case back? That case, in terms of buying and selling, probably costs at least two years of work here. Furthermore," he said with a calmness that infuriated Caiome, "there's also the payment for what you tried to steal. Ayaka's jewelry that you attempted to steal is worth another five years. So, seven in total. That means two thousand five hundred forty-eight days. Of which you've only worked ten. You have a long way to go, my dear Caiome."

       "Ugh," she grimaced, looking anywhere but at him. "Stop looking at me; your face makes me nauseous."

       Ayato laughed again. "Don't you have some linens to wash?"

       "If it weren't for you," she retorted, "I wouldn't have anymore. And I have so much to do today..."

       "Then I think you should get to work. And remember, you need to fulfill all your tasks if you don't want any penalties."

       "Oh, yes, your smart system," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. "Very amusing, I must say. Admit it, you're doing all of this just to see me suffer because I can't even open my mouth." She gestured like a bird fluttering out of her lips, extending her hand so far forward that she almost slapped Ayato over his cheek.

       "To open your mouth," Ayato mimicked the gesture, but much more gallant and secure, "means trouble. So, no, you're not allowed to open your mouth."

       "Has anyone told you how annoying you are?" Caiome grumbled.

       "Should I take that as a compliment too?" he smiled.

        Caiome simply turned on her heel and headed back to do the laundry. Ayato just watched her until Caiome disappeared behind the screens of the riverbed, then stood still for a few seconds, chin up, back straight, and a proud look in his eyes, without a smile. He gazed at the screens as if they could disappear from his sight just by commanding them mentally, but of course, that didn't happen. He took a deep breath, then turned towards the mansion and found his way to his own responsibilities, such as the report on an ambush.

       Of course, Caiome couldn't escape the laughter of the girls left behind, making fun of how, as clumsy as she was, she had already dirtied something freshly washed, so she had to wash it again. She washed the linens, this time handling it with care. She spread them all on wooden sticks, then put her hands on her hips.

       She looked left and right, as if she needed to be alone. Then she reached for the linens and let the wind pass through the fabric. And let it pass and pass until the linens were almost completely dry. She gathered them, packed them, and put them in the basket, ready to take them for ironing, something that was no longer her concern.

       "You know you're not supposed to use your Vision, right?" she heard Thoma from behind when she picked up the basket.

       "I didn't do anything bad to anyone," she rolled her eyes. "Actually, you should praise me for ingenuity. You should even use me for my skills. You would just set them on fire, Ayato would make them wetter than they already are, and Ayaka would freeze them as soon as she laid her hands on them."

       "Speak with respect," was all Thoma said, standing with his hands on his chest.

      "But it seems so tiresome," she sarcastically complained, like a child. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to get back to my duties," she said with false enthusiasm, moving away from him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 ~ The Jewel Teller and the Lord's Judgement 

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        Two more days passed without Caiome seeing Ayato, and she saw Thoma from time to time, busy with his own tasks, while Caiome was supervised by anyone who could. Not that the eyes of the world had moved away from her, anyway. Especially the guards who seemed to have to protect the house from her, not from other dangers.

        Caiome didn't know what came over her that day, but she quickly cleaned the terraces and rooms, and then the dojo. She didn't even take her well-deserved little break to sit in the garden. Everything was done on autopilot, and even Mizuki was surprised when Caiome joined him in the storage room earlier than usual. Caiome then grabbed a handful of swords and went outside to clean them. She took a deep breath, prepared her solution and cotton balls, and then quietly started cleaning.

        Mizuki joined her a little later with a few pairs of boots.

        "What are you going to do with those?" Caiome asked.

        "I'll do them tonight," was his only response. "Oh, by the way, do you think you could look at these?" he asked, pulling a small black wooden box from his pocket and handing it to her.

        Caiome frowned at the box, took it, and opened it. Inside were a necklace, a ring, and a pair of earrings, all made of something that looked like silver, and each had a dark blue stone on it.

       "What are these?" she asked.

       "My mother received them as a gift from a rich woman who didn't want them anymore, but she doesn't wear jewelry, so she wanted to sell them to a pawnshop. But she doesn't know how much they might be worth, so she doesn't get less money than they deserve."

       "And why are you showing them to me?"

       "You know about jewelry, right?" he said. "Or, at least, about quality things."

       His blue eyes sparkled when he spoke, chuckling slightly.

       "You could go to a jeweler," she suggested. "I'm sure if they're of quality, they would be willing to buy them from you."

       "Again," he said, starting to rub one of the boots, "I don't know how much they might be worth. Every little bit counts."

        "Hmm," she murmured, then took the jewelry out of the box, first the hoop earrings, then the ring, and finally the necklace, which she studied most closely. She put them back in the box a few seconds later.

        She had experience with jewelry, of course. Jewelry was the main thing she stole when she felt like it. Money was just pocket change if she needed a quick meal or a bottle to drink. But the real challenge was jewelry. They were easier to steal than clothes or fabrics from the market, that was true, but they were more attractive and equally valuable.

       In addition, Caiome found incredible satisfaction in looking at precious or semi-precious stones, observing the undulations in the stone and their sparkle in the sunlight. And it was amusing for her to cut them with wind blades, giving them funny shapes like birds or trees or different animals. She wasn't a great artist, but she did what she could. However, sculptures in precious stones were more expensive than the stones themselves, so the satisfaction increased with each sale. And the ones she liked the most, she had them hidden... somewhere no one could find, and she returned there from time to time to check on her hiding place.

       "They are made of silver, true, but these are not sapphires. They are something called lapis lazuli, a blue stone. They come in different shades, and when they are of such a dark blue, they replace sapphires to fool people, or women wear them to deceive others into thinking they have a better financial status than they actually do. They are usually found in Sumeru or Snezhnaya."

       "How can you tell?" Mizuki asked, more amazed by her prompt response than curious to learn the trick himself.

       Caiome pointed to the stone on the necklace.

       "If you look closely on the lower right side, there is a spot of almost the same shade, but it tends towards purple. Sapphire is entirely blue and doesn't show other shades during processing."

       Mizuki looked, stared, took the necklace, examined it almost to the point of poking the stone into his eye, and still saw nothing. He turned it around, but still, he saw nothing. Caiome sighed, taking the necklace from his hand and putting it back in the box.

       "If you don't believe me, go to a jeweler."

       "It's not that I don't trust you..."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow.

       "I just wanted your opinion," he said.

       "As I said, go to a jeweler. If you find a talented one, you might get at most 5,000 mora for them. If you find a lousy one, he might think they are sapphires and give you at least 10,000 for them. If you go to an even worse pawnshop, you might get around 15,000."

       Mizuki took the box, making a face. "I wouldn't want them to think they are sapphires," he said. "It wouldn't be fair."

       "Are you stupid?" Caiome said. "That rich woman probably gave your mother the jewelry, making her believe they were sapphires. They can easily be confused. If she didn't want your mother to think they were sapphires, she would have told her from the beginning that they were just semi-precious stones. See? The world isn't fair. Besides, didn't you say you wanted to save some money? You could triple it if you play your cards right."

       Mizuki clenched the box in his fist, then put it in his pants pocket. "I would feel like a thief," he mumbled, then realized what he said. "I mean, uh..."

      Caiome, on the other hand, burst into laughter. A genuine laugh, not mocking, a kind of ironic laughter, and she liked to laugh like that. Because she liked to be what people tried to avoid becoming, ruthless thieves. Moreover, Mizuki was amusing, with his face turning red from embarrassment and anger at the same time. And at the same time, he was strange. It's not like Caiome hadn't met people who were morally too upright to steal, but Mizuki seemed to have an extraordinary loyalty to himself.

        "Sorry," he said.

        "Don't apologize," she waved it off. "After all, it's true. However, for someone with a father who doesn't work and a mother who takes care of a younger sister, and you being the only one bringing income, I don't blame you if you cheat people from time to time. I don't have the right to judge anyone, actually, but I think that wouldn't help you."

        "Uh... no, it wouldn't."

        Caiome leaned back, supporting herself on her hands, sitting with a sword in its sheath on her knee. "Still, I'm curious. Doesn't it scare you that I could steal your jewelry and go sell them myself?"

        "Hmm," Mizuki said, "no, not really."

        "Why?"

        "Because it would go against the rules Lord Kamisato imposed on you."

        Caiome looked at him with a mischievous smile, then raised an eyebrow. Mizuki lost his smile, paled a bit, and before putting his hand in his pocket, Caiome lifted the small box.

        "How did you do that?" he asked, almost shocked. "There was no way..."

        "A few tricks learned over the years," she said, throwing the box into his arms. "See? You shouldn't trust me. I don't have any moral conduct, and I'm not afraid of Ayato's stupid rules either."

       Mizuki shook his head, putting the box back in his pocket.

      "You really don't care about anything, do you?"

       Caiome lowered her gaze, running her bare fingers over the water of the lake, standing silent.

       "Just about that shell," Mizuki added.

      Caiome laughed. "Maybe just a little."

       Mizuki put the food box on his knee and unwrapped the purple scarf. He opened the box, then took out a paper package and handed it to Caiome. She looked at the package strangely, then took it and unwrapped it. Inside were, besides rice triangles, a few honey biscuits, looking soft and sweet.

       "A kind of thank you," Mizuki said.

       "You didn't know I was going to help you," Caiome said.

       "You're not that hard to read," he said with an innocent smile. "Whether you do it out of curiosity or boredom, you seek to talk to people. Regardless of what it is about."

       Maybe, Caiome thought. Okay, she had to admit, she was often bored. And since Thoma didn't talk to her at all, except to nag her, and Mrs. Nakamura was like a statue most of the time, Mizuki was her only option to have a bit of fun without being punished. For example, she had stolen the jewelry box before he even mentioned Ayato's stupid rules, but he didn't rush to him or Thoma to leave her.

       They began to eat just as the gong sounded for the guards to return to their posts, so Mizuki and Caiome had to endure all the footsteps echoing on the small bridge and a few remarks that were meant to be stinging, just like all the others before.

       "Look at the little thief, cleaning shoes and swords that others use."

      "We should count the swords, or daggers, who knows what she might steal. Who knows what he could do with them at night."

       "True, true. It's just a step from theft to robbery, then to crime."

       "That's right, wash them properly," they laughed, pointing at the swords and boots.

       "You missed a part."

       "Kiss them since you're holding them so close."

       "Ignore them," Mizuki said when a group passed by them, and another approached.

       But Caiome hardly heard them, to be honest, cleaning one of the swords after eating a triangle of rice and a biskuit.

       Yes, Mizuki was indeed peculiar. He shared his food with her, food that his mother made, a mother who didn't work, and neither did his father. She took care of a sick sister who couldn't see properly, valuable food that should not be given to a thief. And he joked with her. He presented her with jewelry without fearing that they might be stolen. He asked for her opinion about what was on the market. Then he told her not to pay attention to the gossip and laughter of the others.

      "You pay more attention to them than I do, believe me," she said. "As far as I remember, you're the one who doesn't train with them and doesn't want to be a real guard because you're ashamed that you'll trip and they'll laugh at you."

       Mizuki blushed. But it was true. Since he met Caiome, he never saw her paying attention to the others. She did her job contentedly, though with a frown between her eyebrows. And even though the guardians laughed at her for wiping their boots and armor, she never let the cloth down, never hesitated to wipe the blade of the sword with the cotton balls, giving it the utmost attention. She never hesitated to sit on the small bridge, with everyone looking in her direction and talking about her, calling her weird, ungrateful, a criminal, and other things that Mizuki heard through the residence when Caiome wasn't with him. Especially in the last few days since Caiome started working there when everyone gathered at the table in the servants' lounge, and all the noise was made up only of these insults until Mizuki got tired of it even before meeting Caiome.

       He tried to treat her the same way as the others did. But Caiome, besides attempting to steal from the Kamisato family... what harm had she done? Probably that was the thought that made Mizuki change his behavior.

        Standing with the food box right under his chin, so as not to stain his clothes with rice or honey from the cookies, a strong gust of wind took his lilac scarf, throwing it right in front of the group of guards passing by. Caiome saw very well how one of them noticed the scarf, stepping on it with his whole sole.

       Then he looked at it when Mizuki stood up to go after his precious scarf.

       "Oh, what's this?" the guard said, lifting his foot. "A dusting cloth? How ugly it is." He turned to Mizuki, who had just stood up. "Hey, Mizuki, is this yours?" The guard picked up the scarf from the ground, clenching it in his fist and approaching Mizuki. "Do you want it back? I think it's a bit dusty, though."

       The other guards started laughing behind him.

       Mizuki reached out. "I would appreciate it if you return it."

        The guard pulled the scarf back. "Do you want to wipe the boots with it? Or the armor? It seems that's the only thing you're good at. You better take your scarf and piss out before you make even more of a fool of yourself."

        "Again," Mizuki said, "I would appreciate it if you returned the scarf. We need to get back to work without wasting time."

        "But it's still my break, considering I went to lunch ten minutes later. I have the right to do whatever I want during my break. You better go back to mud-washing my feet after you actually do something productive."

        Caiome sighed, holding the sword by the handle, wiping the steel with the cotton ball. It was incredible how things were going on behind her.

       "You should apologize," she said without looking at him.

       "What did you say?" the guard turned to her.

       "I said," she repeated calmly, then gave him a stern look out of the corner of her eye, her red eyes gleaming in the sunset shadow behind the mountains, "that you should apologize. Have you gone deaf once you've raised your nose above the others?" she laughed.

      "How dare you speak like that to a guard, you wretch, a scrupulous, disrespectful, principledless, and moral-less being."

      "Moral?" she scoffed, standing up, holding the sword in her hand. "Since when is laughing at your colleague moral? Or respect? You're no better than me, judging by your actions."

       "At least I'm not a criminal," he said. "You know too well how to hold a sword, don't you? I don't think you wouldn't be a murderer. After all, theft and robbery are not far from each other."

       "Maybe," she said. "Now, how about you apologize, go clean the scarf, and then return it to him?"

       The guard frowned, almost knitting his thick eyebrows together. His cheeks turned red because Caiome's gaze should not have been even close to what it was now. She shouldn't hold her head high, looking into his eyes with that tone of voice. Not her, a thief and a criminal, trying to confront a guard whose role was to protect.

       "How dare you, scum, speak like this to me? Me, who should actually get rid of you?"

       "Let's calm down, everybody," Mizuki tried to say, but the guard's anger seemed unstoppable.

       "The only thing keeping you away from my sword are Lord Kamisato's rules."

       "Likewise," Caiome snorted with a laugh.

       "Do you think you can take us on? All of us? We have the right to execute you if you make a suspicious move, you know that, right?"

       "I know," she said.

       "And do you really want to fight against the authorities?"

       Caiome burst into laughter. This time she was really laughing, and the guards scowled even more at her, so much so that you couldn't distinguish anything in their gaze other than anger.

       "From what I know, the authorities represent correctness and this morality you spoke of. This respect. You have principles to follow, at least that's what I've been told, ideals that you swear to respect once you put on your armor. I don't have such things, but you do. And yet, not only do you want to lord over anyone you want, but even your colleague, trying to make fun of something as small as a scarf, just do you could appear strong. But you depend on others, and you're not superior here. You are employed by your oh-so-great Lord Kamisato. Without him, you wouldn't have a job, or a path to follow. You answer to him and your captain; you can't do anything without their orders. Therefore, you're the ones acting like dogs. I, on the other hand, could behave as I wish, do what I want, and I would only pay the price of losing an empty shell. You, in turn, would lose your job, money, reputation, pride, and everything that comes with them. And do something productive? You just stand with a spear in your hand, in an upright position, nudging each other when a beautiful servant passes by or when you want to bark the same repetitive things about me, just like dogs. So, yes, I could fight against you if I wanted."

       The guard snorted. Then he laughed a bit. Then he started laughing heartily until he held his stomach, still clutching the lilac scarf in his fist.

      "Fine," he said, taking another step towards Caiome. "Let it be as you say."

       Then he raised his hands and pushed Caiome in the chest. She could have dodged. She could have found her balance. But she chose not to, so Caiome just fell backward into the pond, making the ducks take flight and the fish swim away from her before being crushed under her. Caiome rose, leaning on her hands and looking at them from under her wet hair as the guards began to laugh at her.

       Then she tightened the sword handle she held in her hand and slowly stood up, standing in the middle of the water. It was cold, and the breeze passing by her ears bit into her skin like thousands of needles all at once.

      "What are you going to do now?" the guard holding the scarf asked, leaning towards her. "Will you fight us?"

       Caiome smiled at the corner of her lips, as if in the next moment, a strong gust of wind hit them from the front, and the three guards fell on the other side of the bridge, right into the fish pond. The guards quickly stood up, with shocked and furious faces, grabbing their spears and pointing them towards Caiome, whose Vision flickered, waiting for the imminent fight.

       "What can I say," she said, "I was really craving for a fight."

       The guards took a step forward, and Caiome confronted them, not only striking her sword against their spears, but also drawing her own sword from its sheath, stopping an attack that was more aimed at Mizuki than her. Placing herself between him and the guards, Caiome held her ground.

       The guard still holding the scarf quickly withdrew, raised his spear, and prepared to advance, while Caiome gathered strands of wind between her fingers that could cut through flesh in an instant.

       "Can someone explain to me what is happening here?"

       Caiome gritted her teeth. Ayato's tone, too calm, which seemed rather frightening, or maybe just his presence, had this effect, making the three guards immediately withdraw their spears, supporting them on the ground and straightening their backs. Caiome, standing only halfway towards Ayato, let her hand down, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

       He no longer wore his smile on his face, and his eyes seemed dark, even empty. He had a fixed, serious expression, standing with his back straight and his hands behind him, dressed in his suit that seemed too elegant, not even fitting into the scenery: four people wet to the skin, with their weapons drawn. Or at least only Caiome still held the two swords in her hand, as if the guards were going to attack her again by any chance.

       Ayato seemed to be looking down at all of them, exercising his authority. After all, he had every right to be here and hold everyone accountable. And strangely, having this different aura than how Caiome had seen him until now, he seemed to have both a different kind of attraction and a different kind of beauty at the same time. Seriously, Caiome was really frustrated with his appearance.

       Behind him stood Captain Hirotatsu, with an equally stern gaze, studying his guards who were supposed to be under his command. Most likely, he had come for the evening training, and Ayato happened to accompany him for a walk in the courtyard.

        "My lord," said the guard holding the scarf, bowing along with the others, including Mizuki, who took a few steps forward, standing in line with the rest.

       "I apologize, my lord," Mizuki said, taking a step forward and bowing until his body formed a 90-degree angle. Caiome rolled her eyes and sighed. "I caused only a misunderstanding between the guards and miss Caiome. I will take responsibility."

       Ayato closed his eyes for a moment, nodding. "I understand. What exactly is the misunderstanding?"

       Mizuki remained silent, and even the guards seemed frozen.

       "A misunderstanding caused by the fact that you don't know how to educate your guards," Caiome spoke instead, and all eyes turned to her, including Ayato, who lifted his eyes from a humble Mizuki.

       Caiome twirled her sword in her hand with a sharp sound, then sheathed it at her back, around the hips. She bent down, took the sheath of the other sword and put it back in its place.

       "Please, choose your words carefully, miss Caiome," Hirotatsu said with a low voice. "You are addressing Lord Kamisato, after all."

       "I've heard that too many times before to care anymore," she said, waving her hand.

       "My lord, if I may speak," said the guard with the scarf clenched in his fist. Ayato nodded, maintaining eye contact with Caiome, both seemingly engaged in a telepathic struggle. "This... thief," he said, "tried to provoke a conflict between her and your guards. She used her Vision's power to push us, and you must have seen how she was about to launch another attack."

       Caiome just rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Of course, she expected this from them.

       "She is a danger and can no longer be kept here," the guard continued. "She won't follow the rules and can hurt someone at any time just to get back at you, damaging your reputation in society."

       Ayato closed his eyes for a moment.

       "It's not true." Caiome raised both eyebrows when Mizuki spoke, but it wasn't something particularly impressive.

       Ayato looked at him, waiting.

       "You pushed her first, letting her fall into the water," Mizuki accused the three guards.

       "We... How dare you?" another one said.

       "My lord, this thief incited conflict," repeated the one with bushy eyebrows who started the whole commotion. "She threatened the guards. She had a sword in her hand, so I assumed that, following the verbal conflict, she might jump on us. We must always be on guard. That's what Captain Hirotatsu taught us, and that's what we want to be able to protect your residence. We're just trying to do our duty; we must be cautious when dealing with people like her."

       "Don't try to teach me what caution is and against whom we have to use it," came Ayato's simple and cold response, causing the guard to shut his mouth. "So, from what I understand, miss Caiome provoked you, you pushed her into the pond, she pushed you back, and then you started fighting in the middle of my garden?"

       "We..." the guard said.

       "Just answer the question, Shikaku," the captain said.

       "Yes, sir," Shikaku replied. "As I said, we did it because of the duty we owe to you."

       "I understand that," Ayato said, then looked at Caiome. He tilted his head slightly to one side, and a small smirk appeared on his lips, a smile that disappeared, as if he just wanted to laugh at her. "Caiome, can you tell me what happened as well? I want to hear all possible versions, if you please."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow at him, then shrugged. "We started arguing. They pushed me, I pushed them back. They drew their weapons, I drew mine. They attacked, I defended myself, and then I wanted to cut their throats. The end," she concluded shortly, and the guards clenched their jaws.

       Caiome practically admitted that she wanted to harm them, even kill them if Ayato hadn't intervened.

       "I don't doubt that you could have done that even after I arrived if you truly wanted to," Ayato said in return. "So, it all started with you?"

       Caiome clicked her tongue, then started tapping her foot. "I thought I made that clear already. Do I need to translate?" she laughed.

       "Of course not," Ayato said. "The conclusion is equally clear, then. But I have another question." He looked at the three guards who were already about to flee. "What is that scarf you're holding in your hand?" he asked the bushy-eyebrowed one.

       The guard opened his mouth slightly, unsure of what to say, then opened the fist containing the crumpled and dirty scarf.

       "That's...," Mizuki said, gaining some sudden courage. "It's mine. Mr. Shikaku was about to return it after the wind stole it and carried it through the garden."

       "Right under his foot, accidentally," commented Caiome sarcastically.

       Ayato reached out to Shikaku, silently asking for the scarf. He handed it over, hesitatingly, and Ayato resumed his upright position, while he unfolded the scarf and began to study it.

       "A bit too dirty for a scarf that just touched the ground," he said. Mizuki was about to say something, but Ayato tightly held the scarf in his hand and put it down. "I will take care of it to be cleaned and returned. As for the situation itself, all of you, go dry yourselves," he told the guards. "And miss Caiome will follow me for a private discussion."

       Caiome rolled her eyes and walked past Mizuki and the three guards. She stood in front of Ayato, straightening her back and lifting her chin, only for Ayato to look down at her as if he had already won the battle. Finally, he turned halfway, gesturing for her to go ahead.

       "My lord," Mizuki said quickly when Caiome took the first step between Ayato and the captain. All eyes were on him. "Actually, miss Caiome is not guilty of anything. She just tried to defend me, so I suppose it's actually my fault for everything that happened."

       Mizuki looked at the three guards who seemed to promise him death if he uttered another word. But he ignored them.

       "I don't want miss Caiome to be punished for something she didn't do, despite her... history so far. It's true, the scarf was taken by the wind, and it was supposed to be returned to me by mr. Shikaku and the other two, but not in a civilized manner. I doubt you haven't heard how miss Caiome is treated inside the residence, but she just tried to recover my scarf and said some things that I consider true. A soldier shouldn't look down on others. In fact, in my opinion, a soldier should feel pity for someone who has made a mistake and try to guide them on the right path. I believe that punishment is not meant to be just a punishment, but to correct the person for the future. And Mr. Shikaku and his companions haven't done that; on the contrary. So, in exchange for the truth, Miss Caiome was rewarded only with violence. And as anyone defends themselves in the face of danger, that was her response to attackers."

       Ayato remained silent for a few seconds, then smiled in a somewhat proud way.

       "I understand," he said, looking at the guards. "Do you have anything to add? And please, for the sake of your position here, don't lie to me. Especially since I saw everything from the window of my office. And the wind easily carries indifferent words. That and the fact that some maids have already told me about the whole discussion."

       They all remained silent, for various reasons. The guards because they had just been caught without finding a way to escape; Mizuki because he was very confused: if Lord Kamisato saw everything, why bother with the inquisition and why did he want to find Caiome guilty? And Caiome... Ayato had a window overlooking the garden? She looked back, examining the mansion, fixing on a single wide window that was open somewhere on the right side of the mansion. Then she remembered that during the tour of the house, Thoma told her which door led to Ayato's office.

       "So?" Ayato asked again.

       "I...," Shikaku mumbled, and the next moment, he threw himself on his knees, making Caiome take a surprised step back, as the guard put his hands in front, pressing his forehead to the ground. Then the other two followed his example.

       "I was wrong. I apologize to my lord for my mistake. I didn't think before speaking and before acting, I didn't think about consequences, and this is not allowed for a soldier who should be in your possession. No. This behavior is entirely inappropriate and disgusting. I deserve to be dismissed from your service," Shikaku said, trembling.

       "Bleah," Caiome made a face. "Some dignity you have," she mumbled.

       Ayato chuckled slightly and gave her a quick glance as the guard kept his forehead on the ground. Caiome waved her hand, turning away from him and his glowing eyes.

        "I see," he said. "Well, if this is your wish, I could dismiss you for good. After all, it is precisely as you said, this type of behaviour is not suitable for my soldiers and could stain the Kamisato family's reputation and image. And, again, just as you said, this type of people should not stay around me."

       Shikaku hold silence for some seconds. "I understand, my lord," he said, shaking.

       "But let's say I won't be the judge," Ayato continued. "Since the one who was wronged the most is Mizuki, what if we let him decide your punishment?"

       "Me?" Mizuki said quickly. "But I wasn't the victim; Miss Caiome was."

       "Miss Caiome has her share of guilt for responding to the soldiers' actions, for which she will have two violations following these events," Ayato calmly said, and Caiome grimaced. "And as for you, considering that you were the one injured," he said showing the scarf, "and mistreated, but ambitious enough to keep your calm, I believe you are the most entitled to decide the fate of those who harmed you."

       "What? But they hurt me too," Caiome said. "Look at me. I look like a drowned chicken, and I smell like one too."

       "Well, actually," Ayato said, "I believe that water did you some good."

       "Hey!" she shouted, and Ayato just threw her a smile, turning back to Mizuki.

       "Your answer?"

       Mizuki looked at the three guards who were still glued to the ground and began to be aware of all the stares that had gathered in the garden – maids and other soldiers alike, all staring at him, waiting silently, as if no one could see them. Mizuki thought, for a split second that determined everything, how he would have felt if he were in Shikaku's and the others' place. But how would he have felt if he were in Caiome's place at the same time? She was the one thrown into the water, attacked, and threatened by the guards' spears, and all for him, because she tried to make them to apologize.

       "Well," he said, "if it's okay with Miss Caiome, I think first and foremost we should get some apologies."

       "We apologize!" all three said in unison, turning and bowing, this time towards Mizuki.

       "I was wrong towards you," Shikaku continued. "My behavior was deplorable towards one of my fellow soldiers, and my words were venomous."

       Mizuki sighed. He wasn't so naive as to believe that they were sincerely apologizing as long as their jobs were threatened.

       "And, if it's okay with Miss Caiome," Mizuki said, "as it's said that a mistake is paid doubly, I think it would be appropriate for the three of them to take over, one by one, the duties that Miss Caiome had to perform when the whole conflict started. Every day, one of them should take care of cleaning the equipment, and each of them should do a hundred such days."

       "Don't give them my swords," Caiome said abruptly. She really didn't want to let anyone near the only thing she liked to clean.

       "Fine, not the swords," Mizuki said. "Then, um," he looked around, and his gaze fell on the boots. "How about cleaning the boots and armor?" he finally proposed with a smile. "If milord agrees, of course."

       "I think it's a very good idea," Ayato said. "Do you understand what your punishment consists of?" he asked the three who had turned to him again.

       "Yes, milord."

       "Good. As for you," he said to Caiome, who waved her hand.

       "I know, I know, two violations. Can we skip the morality part? I get it already."

       Ayato gave her a smile. "As you wish. As for the others... The punishments for Miss Caiome regarding what she is or what she did will come only from me. I hope this is understood. Everyone can go back to work now," he said to the entire group of employees who had been just spectators for the last twenty minutes, and the maids and other guards dispersed everywhere, emptying the entire garden. "And you, go dry yourselves, then you can start your punishments. You choose who goes first."

      Shikaku quickly stood up together with the other two and retreated with bowed heads. Not before throwing Caiome a dirty look that they tried to hide from Ayato. Mizuki also bowed, then retreated. Hirotatsu gathered the others and moved to the end of the garden to start their training, leaving Caiome and Ayato alone at the end of the bridge.

       "Why do I feel like they're going to hate me for the rest of their lives, and they'll probably try to sabotage me a few times?" she said when Shikaku and the other two disappeared from view.

       "Because you're unbearable most of the time," Ayato said.

       "I wasn't looking for an answer," Caiome retorted, turning towards him only to be greeted by a clean towel that Ayato handed her. His personal servant, Lady Mitsuko, made a silent bow, then retreated a few steps backward, turned around, and left.

       Caiome looked from the towel to Ayato and back, then grabbed it, wiping her face and hair.

       "Then don't ask any questions," he said.

       "Or stop paying attention when I say something," she replied.

       "It's kind of hard to do that, considering that lately you're the one causing all the disasters in my residence."

       "Me? Were you really not paying attention in the last twenty minutes? I was the victim when I just tried to play the hero."

       "I don't think the role of a hero suits you, Caiome."

       "At least I'm not hypocritical enough to hide the truth. Seriously, you should find new guards or at least teach them a lesson," she said, waving the towel in the direction where Shikaku and the others disappeared.

       "I'll consider your proposal."

       "Oh, please. You won't consider shit," she muttered. "Your existence was made just to annoy me."

       "I think it's actually the other way around, considering you're younger than me."

       "I'm pretty sure I'm not even close to the things you've had to face in the past," she smiled, raising her eyebrows. "An ambush set up for a Fatui delegation?"

       The gleam disappeared from his eyes, and Caiome smiled with satisfaction.

       "The wind carries words, as you yourself said," she continued. "So you should be more careful about what you say around whom. Rest assured," she added when his amusement faded. "I haven't heard more than that, not enough to run off to the delegation and tell them that the wonderful Lord Kamisato is trying to set them up. It's not in my nature to get involved in such boring things as politics, though..."

       "Though?" Ayato asked.

       "It would be amusing to see you wracking your brain with it. You enjoy seeing me suffer; I enjoy seeing you." She handed him the now crumpled towel, letting it fall into his arms, then took Mizuki's scarf. "Give me this. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change into some dry clothes."
 
       Caiome took a few steps past him.

       "First, gather the swords from the water, please," he said, and Caiome turned, rushing past him toward the pond.

        "After I gather the swords from the water," she muttered.

        Ayato shook his head, then headed back towards the front entrance of the mansion.

       Caiome shot him a brief glance, and only then did she notice the shoes he was wearing. Those weren't outdoor shoes; they were indoor slippers. Which meant that Ayato didn't just come here; rather, he rushed so much that he didn't even bother to put on his shoes. Well, he wouldn't have wanted to wait to see three of his guards beheaded right in his backyard, would he? The fish would die from the salty blood that would spread in the pond.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9 ~ The Logs and the Duels  

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       Caiome slammed a log into a vertical position in the middle of the patch of land, alongside five others. They were not necessarily at a great distance, but varied. And even more, the logs were of different sizes, in thickness and height.

       "I don't understand," Mizuki said, standing on a boulder under the tree where Caiome had hidden from all of Ayato's employees on the first day, which, as seen after it started blooming, was a cherry tree about to lose its petals. "What are we doing? Or, well, what do you want to do?"

       "Well, after your friend opened my eyes yesterday," she said, releasing her hair from its tie, letting it flow in silver waves to the middle of her back, "break time is break time, and we can do whatever we want during break time, whether we eat or just relax, right?"

        "Uhh, yeah?" Mizuki said. "And?"

       Caiome shrugged. "I claim my right," she said. "My feet are numb, and since I'm not allowed to leave this residence's courtyard prison-style," she said, being fussy, drawing her sword from its sheath, and looking along its length, pointing it towards the sky, "I'll do my exercises here." She looked down at Mizuki. "And you, along with me."

       "Excuse me?" he said.

       "I know you like cleaning armor and swords and... feel a strange satisfaction for that job, but weren't you hired as a guard first? That's what your contract says, right?"

       "Well, yes, but I don't mind just being the armor guy."

       "On the contrary, it bothers me. Let's be serious," she twisted her sword in her hand as a kind of wrist warm-up, "given that Ayato paid you the same salary as any other guard when he could fire you and hire you as an 'armor guy,' it means that the salary doesn't differ much. How much? Five thousand mora less to clean that entire warehouse all day? Therefore, I thought and concluded that, given your words yesterday, you wanted and want to be a guard, just that the skills and ability don't help you much. Not to mention the way you stare at the guards during training as if they were stealing your great love. You might pass the entry exam, but you are way behind the rest. Am I wrong?"

       Mizuki kept quiet. "Did you know that your habit of observing things is frightening?"

       "I've been told," she shrugged amused. "Now comes the interesting part where I propose a deal. You spared me from three hundred days of cleaning boots until I get sick. In return, I'll help you become a guard on par. Or at least enough not to be pushed aside to wash the guards' dirty spears. "

       "That... doesn't sound like a deal. It rather seems like a kind of favor or gratitude, which should be the opposite. I should thank you for what you did yesterday, defending me like that. And especially for the fact that Lord Kamisato punished you for it."

       "What your lord did was because I wanted to cut your colleagues' throats. Furthermore, he has his share of justice, and Shikaku as well; I really wanted to fight them. Don't think I did it just for you, so no need for gratitude. As for my deal, it's just starting now. In exchange for my help – and that's because no one would want to waste time with you...

       "Thanks," Mizuki muttered.

       "... I will advance you in rank, one way or another."

       "That sounds impossible," Mizuki shook his head.

       "The highest in rank here is Captain Hirotatsu, right?"

       "Yes...?"

       "And the next ones after him are three lieutenants who take care of specific areas of the residence. While the captain keeps track of everything, the lieutenants handle these guards in the south, north, and center zones. I plan to make you one of them."

       "Caiome, I appreciate it, but..." He stopped. "How do you know so much about this house?"

       "Have you ever been around noisy and gossiping maids?" she asked, seeming tired, rotating and stretching her arm, pointing the sword towards the hidden riverbed behind the screens, as if declaring war on the maids responsible for washing.

       "Usually, no," Mizuki said.

       "I recommend it," she said. "You learn a lot from them. Anyway, I'm going to make you a respectable guard in this part of the residence, the northern part."

       "Why specifically in this part of the estate?" Mizuki asked.

       "Because this is where my benefits come in. You become a lieutenant here, you can put in a good word for me with your captain so I never have to clean anything from that warehouse ever again. I don't mind the swords, but the terror you put me through to clean the spears and daggers and the armour... I'm not very pleased."

       "Do you know how long it will take to become a lieutenant?"

       Caiome straightened her back, placing her sword alongside her body, holding it in her left hand.

        "Ayato plans to keep me here as a servant for over two thousand five hundred days. Will it take you longer than that?" she smirked.

        "Well... I don't think so," Mizuki shrugged. "Lieutenant Noyuki advanced in rank in less than two years since he started working here."

        "See? So it's possible," she said.

        "But even so, if I become a lieutenant, but Captain Hirotatsu opposes any of my requests, I can't help you with anything. You need to get on good terms with him first."

        "I'm working on it," Caiome shrugged. "I still don't know how, but I'm working on it."

        Mizuki sighed. "I'm really not going to find an end with you, am I?" Caiome just smiled, and Mizuki got up from the boulder. "Fine. What do I have to do?"

         "Considering that I've never seen you fight," she said, putting her sword back in its sheath, "we'll start with that. And, so that no one, including you, thinks that I'm trying to kill you, we will use wooden swords," she said as she took the wooden swords which were placed against the cherry tree trunk.

         "Where did you get these?"

         "From the dojo," she muttered.

         "You're not supposed to take them out of there. We have wooden swords in the storage room."

         "Relax," she dismissed, positioning herself three meters in front of him. "No one will miss them. No one goes in there to check anything except me. The maids are already used to me being the only one who cleans the dojo."

         "I don't want any trouble."

         "And you won't have any. As far as I know, Ayato isn't even home today. The swords will be back before anyone realizes, especially since we have about... twenty minutes of this break left before someone sees us using them. Plus, they are identical to the ones in the storage room."

         "That's why we could use those," Mizuki sighed.

         "But these are prettier. Enough talk. Let me see what you can do."

          Well, Mizuki was terrible. First of all, he had no idea how to hold the sword properly. Then, his reflexes were terrible. Caiome managed to hit him so many times on the hands that Mizuki, with his thin skin, ended up with bruises. And they only fought for five minutes. His steps were uncoordinated, and he tripped at least three times.

          "See? I'm not good at this."

          Caiome took the sword from his hand. "That's because you have issues. From tomorrow, every afternoon, we'll focus on your training. And when I say so, you'll start training with the others."

          Mizuki made a face as if he were about to cry, leaning on the wooden sword. "Everything hurts already."

          "We'll start with balance, considering that's what I'm best at when it comes to basic skills."

          "Balance?" Mizuki asked, sitting on the boulder he was on before.

          Caiome left the wooden sword next to his, leaning against the cherry tree trunk, then took out her own sword.

          Using a fragment of her Vision's power, she gracefully danced on one of the chosen logs as steps for her exercises. Mizuki blinked at how Caiome stood on the tips of her boots with such ease, looking as if she were floating. Her Vision no longer flickered, so Mizuki knew that the perfect balance was just Caiome. Caiome and nothing else.

           Extending her sword, Caiome twisted, and with a jump and a lift of her leg, she stepped on another log that didn't even budge at the ease with which she stepped on it. She made an arc, then stretched the sword back and leaned slightly forward on one leg before moving to another. She closed her eyes slightly, feeling where the next log was, and jumped lightly in the air onto it.

            "Incredible," Mizuki said when Caiome completed the third round of logs, and the employees began to retreat to their duties, not before seeing Caiome floating in the air like some kind of ghost, attracting attention with her movements and the sunlight that touched the blade of her sword.

            "It's the art of tranquility," she said. "That's how I manage to steal everything I steal."

            "I don't trust you to come near me anymore."

            "Good," she said.

            The gong sounded, and Caiome lowered her head. "Break's over, I guess."

            She sheathed her sword, then took the wooden swords ready to return to the dojo, clean them, and put them back in place, only to come across Ayato waiting behind Mizuki.

            "Shit," she muttered.

            Ayato smiled at her as if greeting her.

           Mizuki turned around, then jumped to his feet as if from a fire and made a bow.

           "Are we stealing wooden weapons from the dojo now?" Ayato said.

           "We didn't steal them," she grimaced, passing by him. "I was going to return them right now," she lifted her chin, and Ayato chuckled. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you left this morning."

            "I just got back. I wanted to take a walk in the garden before getting back to work, but it seems that in exchange for relaxation, I encountered only a stick thief who wouldn't have been satisfied to fight with the branches nearby."

            "Well, I didn't do anything wrong. The swords are still here; Mizuki can confirm that I had no intention of keeping them for myself, so you have no right to reprimand me."

           "Indeed," he said.

           "Hmph," she frowned. "If that's all you have to say, I'll leave now. I have work to do."

           "Shall I accompany you back?" he asked, but Caiome was already five steps away from him.

           "Stay away from me, you creep. I'm serious."

           Caiome quickly cleaned the dojo, the guests' bedrooms, and the lounge. Then she met with Mizuki, who had already started cleaning the daggers. Caiome took some swords, as she always did, and went to the platform. She cleaned the swords until the gong rang, and the employees withdrew to their meals. She arranged the logs, unsheathed her sword, and floated, gliding over them and twisting. Her only witnesses were the guards in the courtyard, while Mizuki was in the storage room, continuing his chores.

          The guards began to gather before the gong sounded again, so all of them surprised Caiome doing her set of exercises, starting to gossip, but no one had the courage to say anything out loud since the yesterday event when three of them almost lost their jobs. And not after Ayato had made it clear that he was the only one to offer certain punishments to her.

          "Ignore her," the captain's voice was heard to the others who lined up for the beginning of training.

          When the gong sounded, Caiome stepped down from the logs and continued her work. Since Mizuki took care of spears and daggers, which were fewer in number and he cleaned them quickly due to his dexterity, and since boots and armor already had another person in charge, Caiome finished with swords faster. Quickly enough not to feel as exhausted as she could die. So, in the light of the lamps in the courtyard, she climbed back onto the logs. Day or night, it meant the same thing to her, given the training style she had.

           The next afternoon, Mizuki's training began. He couldn't even stand on a log with both feet without falling. Of course, Caiome didn't have high expectations for him on the first day, but at least he shouldn't fall to the ground every time she blew towards him or sent a small gust of wind that was no stronger than a breath. So, for half an hour, he struggled only with logs that were too thin for his foot but logs that were just as thin for Caiome's foot as well, which had perfect balance.

            In the evening, because Caiome began to learn to clean the swords much faster and used the break to finish her work, by the time the guards returned from their meal, she had already finished what she had to do, so she used the rest of the time climbing on the logs while the guards were training. And, of course, she attracted a few looks, but no one said anything, considering that Caiome had finished all her chores. The terraces were clean, the rooms and lounge were cleaned under the supervision of Lady Nakamura, the dojo was checked by Thoma every day when he went to report that she had finished, and the swords were cleaned in front of Mizuki. So, the rest of the time, she could do whatever she wanted, and no one had the right to say anything to her.

            "All that balance, and for nothing," some voices were heard at one point.

           "She waves that sword as if it belongs to her and as if she really knows how to use it."

           "But doesn't she?" younger and thinner voices were heard. "I mean, didn't she fight Lord Kamisato that night in the forest?"

          "Shut up, brat," the younger voices were scolded by those that seemed harsher and older.

           "Still, she has an admirable balance."

           "With that balance and dexterity, she could knock you down too."

           "We shouldn't praise her."

           "Some skills have nothing to do with stealing and thievery."

           "Would you like to have a duel with her?"

           "Hmph, I would win in the first ten seconds."

           Caiome chuckled, extending the sword toward them, standing in balance on the thinnest log. She opened her eyes, tilted her head slightly, and looked at the one expressing victory that he hadn't even won.

           "Do you want to try?" she asked, and her voice reached the back of the courtyard, where all the guards froze and looked at her. "Seriously," she looked over them, then stepped down from the small log. "I have too much free time and too much energy as well. I could use some movement, and you are in the middle of training."

           "I apologize, Miss Caiome," Captain Hirotatsu said, standing in front of all the guards, "but we have a strict schedule. Moreover, I don't have Lord Kamisato's permission to let you use a weapon near my guards, not after what happened the past few days."

           Caiome wrinkled her nose a bit. "That's kind of pathetic, actually." She took a few steps toward the captain, sheathing her sword before anyone could think she intended to attack Hirotatsu in front of everyone. "Are you afraid that I might hurt one of the guards? Do you have so little trust in me?" She leaned on his shoulder. "What did I do to deserve this? I thought my sins were washed away after the Shikaku event when I was wrongly accused."

          Hirotatsu grabbed her wrist and lowered her arm off his shoulder, which Caiome could barely reach anyway.

         "It has nothing to do with my trust in you, Miss. It's just protocol. If I don't have permission, I won't allow you to do as you please with my guards."

        "Are you sure about that?" she asked. "You already let me wave my sword near that cherry tree, and I don't know if you noticed, but Mizuki has been training with me since then."

        "Oh, yes, that's right," said a younger guard, a little older than Caiome. "I saw them this afternoon."

        "Me too," said another. "I was on duty here in the afternoon break. They really fight well. Well, not that Mizuki is any great duel partner."

        "And it seems neither are you, considering your captain won't even let you try your luck with me, " Caiome said.

        "Miss, please refrain from provoking them. It's against the rules," said Hirotatsu.

        "It's not," she said. "The rules say I'm not allowed to cause any harm through this challenge. As long as it's a duel where both parties consent, I wouldn't be penalized in any way."

        "You have objects on you that violate the duel rules and can cause major injuries or even death. Let's remember your confession about Shikaku, Yoshi, and Isamu."

        "Who?" Caiome asked, and Hirotatsu gave her a look as if saying, "are you trying to fool me?". "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," she said. "But that was a different situation. They asked for it. Here, everything is with the will of both parties, right?"

        No one said anything, neither Hirotatsu, nor the guards who until then had created a great fuss about her and her balance. And some of them even saw her when she fought Mizuki that afternoon.

        "I repeat," said Hirotatsu, "I don't have permission to do such a thing, so I will refuse."

        "Hmph," Caiome said. "Boring, as usual. You'd think in such a big estate, more interesting things would happen, but I see they don't. Well, if that's your decision..." She turned her back to all the guards, assuming there was nothing she could do. "You can continue to look at me until your eyes fall out and fantasize that you could defeat me in a duel, but no one will ever know because you're too afraid to even raise your weapons. And I thought I could solve everything if I left my Vision aside and even the sword, if you're afraid of a fight with steel weapons. We could have fought with wooden ones. But I understand," she sighed. "You're too embarrassed that you might be defeated by a thief who got here only out of mercy, and at the same time, the cruelty of your precious lord, Kamisato Ayato. But as you wish. Seriously, I thought such guards belonging to such a big family would represent a challenge, but you're all just cowards. Nothing valuable about you, just like the other three."

        She waved her hand, moving away from them when someone raised their voice, and Caiome stopped.

        "Captain," said one slightly older, "but what if there were certain conditions? If, let's say, Miss Caiome leaves her Vision aside, and we fight, in a fair duel, with both parties consenting, with wooden swords to avoid injuring anyone?"

         "Wow, I wonder why didn't I think of that," said Caiome. "Of course!" she added a bit louder. "I could do that. And if you still don't trust me, we can raise the stakes for me. Ayato said that after nine violations, my Vision shell is lost forever, right? My important and dear Vision shell, for which I agreed to work for your master for at least a few years just to recover it. I already have three violations. I won't use my Vision at all. And if I do—something that can be easily seen, considering that it shines when its power is used—I will instantly receive the other six violations, and my Vision will be lost forever. How does that sound?"

        Hirotatsu didn't change his expression, keeping his arms crossed over his chest. It seemed like he was going to refuse, which both Caiome and the guards who were eagerly waiting could see. Because everyone was proud, and no one dared to be left in a ridiculous situation if they could fight. Moreover, Caiome was really trying to make the Kamisato family name a joke with her accusations, and the only thing that would make her eat her words up was to take a beating herself.

        "Captain," said a guard in his early thirties, "did you hear how she spoke?" he continued. "Do you think we can allow her to speak like that about the Kamisato family? Sooner or later, Lord Kamisato must let her out of the courtyard, even if only to the Chinju Forest. We can't let her speak like this to strangers about us; otherwise, the family's image would be ruined."

        "Moreover," said another one of similar age, "it humiliates us as well. Every soldier has an honor for which they would die. Personally, I refuse to have someone talk about me like that. And if it's about her violations or the conditions set by Lord Kamisato, then I will challenge her to a duel outside the residence. I will resign and defend my honor against that rogue, returning even more gloriously than before."

       Other guards agreed. Why did Caiome feel like these people just wanted to fight her?

       "We beg you, Captain, let us defend our name and the Kamisato family."

       "A strange request; I don't even know your names," Caiome said, but that didn't make them withdraw their pleas.

       While she appreciated that the guards were in her favor, Caiome couldn't help but feel pathetic for them. Did it only take a few words to rile them up? Or was this honor thing genuinely so important to them? Well, Caiome had heard at some point about a kind of suicide technique instead of execution called seppuku, which was the ultimate way to show one's honor—a method of taking one's own life rather than letting someone else do it. Was this their version of seppuku?

       Five minutes passed with the guards bowing to the captain until he sighed.

       "You will take full responsibility for this," Hirotatsu said to her. "You will use wooden swords, and you won't use your Vision. I will hold it, and I will supervise it."

        Caiome smiled and took her Vision from her waist, then the sword still in its sheath, and handed them both to the captain. She fluttered her eyelashes innocently, then extended her hand.

         "A wooden sword, please."

         Hirotatsu nodded, and from behind him, Mizuki came with two swords.

         "Are you sure about this?" he asked when he handed her one of them.

         "Pretty sure," she said. "See? I told you the ones from the dojo are prettier," she gestured toward the sword. "Who wants to be the first?" she asked the crowd of guards. "Maybe the one who said he would defeat me in ten seconds at most?"

         "Fugiki!" Hirotatsu called, and from the crowd came a guard who was no more than thirty-five years old.

          He had dark hair, a kind of brownish-black, brown eyes, and a smile. He was tall and broader than Caiome twice. He definitely had an impressive muscle mass, but he also seemed agile. Mizuki handed him the sword, and he spun it a few times, beginning to circle the improvised ring created by the other guards who had gathered in circles to get a better view of the duel.

          Hirotatsu sat in the middle, between them, with Caiome's vision and sword, ready to start.

         "Left-handed?" Fugiki asked, and Caiome shrugged, holding the sword with her left hand, which could be a disadvantage. Swords were usually made for right-handed people, given the majority.

         "I can fight with my right if I try hard enough."

        "No," said Fugiki. "Let's give our best, so you won't talk inappropriate things about Lord Kamisato's guards again."

        "You talk about him as if he were a god," she chuckled.

        "Take your positions," Hirotatsu said loudly, interrupting the exchange of remarks between the two. The two positioned themselves three meters apart, and Fugiki bowed in front of her, waiting. Just a few seconds later, given the way everyone stared at her, Caiome realized that she, too, had to bow. She quickly bent, feeling awkward.

         Fugiki took the attacking position, while Caiome studied him quickly. He put more weight on the pushing leg; the elbow was a bit higher than the shoulder; the grip was light and flexible; the gaze was fleeting.

        "Bring her down, Fugiki-senpai," someone from the crowd shouted.

        "Make her bite the ground."

        "She won't even know what hit her."

        "The duel ends when one of the participants puts the other in a position to receive a mortal blow, or if one of the two gives up at any time during the fight," Hirotatsu said. "Considering the weapons used, I don't think I need to mention that lethal injuries to the body are not accepted. However, external forces are not allowed. The fight will only be with wooden swords and through physical contact. No tricks," he looked at Caiome. "Ready? The duel can begin."

         Fugiki came quickly towards Caiome, attacking from top to bottom. Caiome, on the other hand, crouched down and moved forward. Before the other guards could blink, Fugiki was hit over the legs, falling backward, and above him, at his neck, was the tip of the wooden sword held by Caiome with her left hand. A deep silence fell over everyone.

         "Oh, look," Caiome said. "It's been less than ten seconds."

        Fugiki grimaced, reddening with anger and embarrassment.

        Caiome withdrew her sword, letting him stand up on his own, then turned to Hirotatsu.

        "I think you'll have to give me a better challenge than that if you want me to use my Vision and see me kicked out of here without hesitation."

         Hirotatsu sighed. "Who's next?"

         Immediately, five guards emerged from the ranks at once, looking at each other and proclaiming themselves the next in line to participate in the duel. It seemed that everyone wanted to try to crush the little rogue like a bug.

          "Alright, alright, form a line," said Caiome. "You'll all have a chance to make me kiss your feet and apologize."

         The next contender was a young man of about the same age as her who, though less experienced, seemed to be a greater challenge than Fugiki. This time, Caiome didn't try to take him down so quickly. She genuinely attempted to fight, focusing more on clashing swords than bodies. She needed to consume her energy; she couldn't do that if she achieved victory too quickly. Besides, it was fun to learn each person's fighting style.

        The guards cheered around the two as they clashed and exchanged swordplay. For Caiome, it was more challenging to fight with a sword that wasn't hers because even wooden swords had handles designed to fit the right hand, not the left. However, her opponents weren't used to fighting against someone who was left-handed, so it could be said that the odds were even between the two, and that's probably why no one commented.

         Caiome managed to engage in duels with seven of them until Hirotatsu interrupted the series of duels because, at this hour, training would normally end. Nevertheless, the guards began to complain as if they all wanted to fight Caiome, either for personal success or for the honor of lord Kamisato and themselves. But Caiome promised them that they would fight tomorrow, if it pleased the captain, of course, now that she saw they held her to her word.

         The guards returned to work, and Caiome, taking her sword and Vision from Hirotatsu, who didn't even wish her good night, headed towards the warehouse to help Mizuki do the inventory, then she spent another half an hour doing her exercises, then she headed for the mansion. She couldn't sleep because she still had too much energy in her body, but at least she could quickly eat something from the kitchen and wash her other pair of clothes that she would wear tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 ~ The Writing Brush and the Ancient Characters

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       Entering the mansion, Caiome looked at the clean floor and felt sorry to step in with her boots and walk to her small storage room and her small mattress with her small blanket. So she took off her boots at the entrance, took them in her arms, and tiptoed, looking left and right so as not to bump into any maids. She hid behind a screen with paintings of mountains among clouds covered by cherry tree branches, flowers that, like those in the garden, would soon begin to fall. She studied the terrain and took a few steps behind the screen.

       "Do you enjoy sneaking around so much?"

       "Oh my gods!" she startled, putting a hand on her chest and looking behind the screen.

       Ayato started to laugh, letting his elbow rest on the small table in front of which he was kneeling, holding a brush between his fingers. He wasn't wearing his gloves, but he was wearing light-colored clothes, not for home, but not for going out in the city either, and even less for a political meeting. The brush was finely crafted, and on its tail, characters were inlaid alongside a few symbols that Caiome couldn't see very well.

       On the table were an open, very old book of poems and an empty notebook in which Ayato seemed to write. Or rather, copy what was already written in the book in front of him.

       His laugh sounded different from all the others Caiome heard from him, as if he were genuinely amused.

       "Are you even alive, man?" she said, holding her boots in her arms. "You gotta stop doing that. Seriously, you breathe too easily, as if you are already dead."

       "Exercise," was all he said. "So, where are you sneaking around like this, trying to avoid everyone's gaze, and I guess especially mine? To your room? Or to the kitchen to nibble on bread and cheese like a mouse, thinking no one will find out?"

       "How many eyes do you have in this mansion?" Caiome muttered. "You seem to know everything I do and where I am."

       "Hmm," Ayato turned the brush lightly on his fingers. "It seems that this is one of my duties since I decided to let you work for me."

       "You mean you forced me," she muttered.

       Ayato turned away from her, passing the brush through the ink poured into a piece of black stone, carved in the middle. He ran it over the higher edge of it, and then, with his hand in the air and surprising delicacy, Ayato began to write the few characters from the book in front of him. His wrist barely moved, only in certain short moments that were almost unnoticed, passing the thin tip of the brush with incredible finesse over the surface of the paper. It looked as if the brush's hair didn't even touch the sheet, but it left spectacular lines behind.

       "Take it however you want," Ayato said, giving special attention to his work.

       Caiome curiously looked at the strange letters, raising her head to see better, but she didn't want to get too close.

       "Curious?" Ayato asked without looking at her.

       "Not at all," she said quickly. "It's just that... I've never seen this before."

       "Have you never seen anyone write before?"

       "Don't mock me," she retorted. "I've seen people write with a brush. I see Mizuki doing it every day when he takes inventory of the armory. It's just not the same type of writing as yours. They teach you how to write in the air at the school for noble children?"

       "Of course," he said very sarcastically, without hiding his intention of mocking her in the tone of his voice. "They also teach us some magic, how to read the stars from the mountain's summit, and how to interpret tea leaves or read chicken bones thrown on silver trays."

       "... goodbye," she said, turning on her heels.

       "It's calligraphy," Ayato said before she took a step. "Just... calligraphy."

       "Which," she said, turning back to him, "you learn at the school for noble children."

       "Which," he repeated gently with a small sigh, "you learn at the school for noble children."

       A silence fell between them, and Caiome had no choice but to gather her boots again, approaching Ayato and his small table. Outside, the sun had already set, and Ayato already had two candles lit beside his left hand.

      She looked down at the characters as Ayato dipped the brush into the ink again, shaking off the excess black liquid to avoid staining the paper.

      "Why copy these? Isn't there already a book with... whatever these poems are?" she asked.

      "It's a hobby of mine. It relaxes me."

      "Haven't you ever heard of 'going for a walk outdoors'?" she said.

      "The last time I did that, I almost gave you a heart attack," he replied.

      "That's because you're half dead," she said.

      Ayato chuckled. "Take a seat," he invited her.

      Caiome took a step back. "No, thanks. I don't trust you."

       "It's not like I'm trying to blackmail you with something again," he promised.

       "The last time you invited me for a discussion, it happened exactly that. So forgive my skepticism."

       "Very well," he sighed. "Do as you wish. Then, could you stand there, and tell me how you enjoyed yourself today? The guards seemed to have as much fun as you did."

       Caiome pursed her lips, suddenly feeling scolded, as if she was reporting something. Only subordinates stood in front of their superior while the superior sat comfortably. So she sat down on the floor, in front of the table, leaving her boots beside her, leaning back and supporting herself on her hands, crossing her legs.

        "I didn't hurt anyone, in case you were worried. Everything was done with everyone's consent; I didn't have my Vision with me either."

        "I know," Ayato said. "Hirotatsu gave me a complete report."

        "Of course he did," she muttered. "But when I greet him in the morning, he doesn't even mumble in my direction. For someone who addresses me as 'miss,' he certainly doesn't know that greeting someone is a polite gesture."

        "He addresses you as 'miss' because I do it in public too. It's to maintain the image," Ayato replied, moving on to copy the next verse of the poem.

        "I don't quite understand why," she shrugged. "Everyone hates me anyway."

        "It's just about appearances."

        "Oh, yes. A noble can't behave indecently, even though on the first night in your house, you let the same captain who addresses me as 'miss' slam my head against the floor until I saw green stars."

       Ayato chuckled. "We had to immobilize you somehow. You have too much energy."

      "I've been told so," she muttered, and silence fell over them again.

      Caiome began to look around, although she had seen this room at least twenty or thirty times before, ever since she first came to Ayato's house. She widened her eyes, just realizing. It had been four weeks since she met this man in front of her, since she lived in his house? Ugh, days passed so quickly when she worked all day and then threw herself into bed and fell asleep.

       However, she realized that she hadn't seen Ayato many times in these weeks. She saw Ayaka almost always, but nothing forced them to look at each other or talk. Ayaka was staying in the front gardens or moving around the house while Caiome was washing the floors. And Caiome often saw her leaving in the morning, but returning around noon, before lunch, where she usually ate alone or with Thoma, because Ayato was not at home.

        Setting aside the first night, Caiome saw Ayato when he threw the case into the sea, when he left on his white horse from the residence, at the quarrel with the guards a few days ago, near the cherry blossom tree twice, and on the first night after her first day of work, when she came across him in the halls of the mansion, and then they didn't even talk.

        A whole month... meeting him six times. She suspected it was normal, considering that others didn't get to see him much either.

       She finally looked at him. There was something in the way the golden light came from his left, merging with his fair skin. Even more, there was something in the peaceful expression she hadn't seen on him until now... but it didn't seem entirely sincere. It seemed like a fragment of something, not a whole. Ayato himself seemed to be made up of pieces. And there was something elegant in the brush's movements, but only if you looked at the brush and the hand that guided it. But if you looked at his expression, so fixed, it was somewhat mechanical.

       "How did you know what I wanted to do?" she asked, breaking the silence.

       "Do what?" he asked lightly, continuing to write.

       "When we first met. When I wanted to steal your sister's jewelry and run away. Ayaka said you warned her about me, but she didn't want to listen to you. How did you figure out my intentions?"

       Ayato showed a small smile. "Well, for starters, you lied. You said you had been to Inazuma only once before, last year, in a spring like this, to visit the temple of Miss Guuji Yae Miko. The borders were open, all right, but the temple was closed last spring due to renovations following some... less fortunate events."

       Dipping the brush again into the ink, Ayato went on.

        "And what I said then still applies. You were preparing to leave for an archaeological study in Liyue, but there was no passenger transport scheduled to depart for Liyue the next day, as you mentioned. And who would let someone without identity documents participate in such a study? I mean, you had identity documents, but they were fake."

        "And how do you know they're fake?"

        Ayato finally looked up at her. 

        "Because you don't look like you're twenty-six. You're a few years younger, in any case. About... twenty-two?"

        Caiome rolled her eyes. "Did you read it in your tea leaves?"

        "It was just a guess. Considering that the stories of your adventures are true, many of them should have happened when you were legally an adult. Taking into account the journey by ship, every year you should have spent at least five months at sea. The other seven months would have been for exploring or for your... activities. But you never mentioned a job, so the answer was simple for your occupation. You haven't had so many travels, but enough to reach this age. Furthermore, you can tell someone's age by studying their body."

        "Isn't that supposed to go against your courtesy and image-keeping rules, staring at someone's body, especially a woman's?" she scoffed.

        "Don't flatter yourself," he said with a smirk. "You're not that attractive. The thumb from your right hand was broken some time ago; it just healed, but you had a wound that takes years to heal. You move your right shoulder more than the left, meaning you had an injury some time ago, and the effects lingered. You tend to look to one side and the other, as much as you look forward, when you enter a new room or area, making sure no one would attack you, which means years of experience, but not so many to know when you're in danger and when you're not, or if it is the case. Considering these three things, in your teenage years, you must have tangled with some treasure hoarders who, as far as I know, accept children for training, but don't break their fingers and traumatize their shoulders if they are too young, so you should have been between fifteen and seventeen. Punishments are usually given to newcomers or those without experience to teach them a lesson or to accommodate them with the life style. Adding up the years of healing, you couldn't be more than twenty-three. Considering your shoulder, you must be over twenty-one. On top of that, you prefer fresh perfumes. At the dinner a few weeks ago, maybe your hair smelled the same way it does now, but your skin had the scent of aloe. Women up to twenty-five tend to prefer fresh scents over sweet ones, though that's subjective. And they become more attracted to fashion than comfort when it comes to clothes."

        "And the world told me my sense of observation is frightening," Caiome mumbled.

        She didn't like the way Ayato had studied her so far, and these were just the arguments Caiome asked for. Who knows what other conclusions about her he had drawn because, yes, Caiome was fifteen when her right hand's thumb was broke by some idiots, because she was left-handed, and when her shoulder snapped, and yes, she liked fresh scents, although the smell of her hair had nothing to do with it, and yes, Caiome preferred comfort over fashion when it came to clothes.

       "Well, at least I don't look as old as others. How old are you?" she said.

       "It would be fair to let you guess too," he said in return. "Study me and see what you can find."

        Caiome straightened her back, crossed her arms on the table's surface, then looked at him. She looked at him seriously. She looked at him until her eyes began to hurt, trying to find something about him. But it wasn't fair. He had studied her like that without her knowing, and she had to be given the chance to do the same. But she wouldn't say that out loud; it would just mean complaining to him and begging for time, which Caiome wasn't going to do.

       So she tried to rely on memory.

       "You have meetings every morning. Absolutely every morning. Whether you're here or not. Based on what I found out from the city, it's about a situation that arose six years ago when you were the Clan Head and Commissioner. The accessory you wear on your shoulder... is given at the age of eighteen, but, no matter how well maintained, due to the ways of maintaining it, the color begins to fade. Judging by that, the accessory should be at least eight years old. The brush in your hand is given at the coming-of-age ceremony when boys are considered fit to begin studying to take over the clan, or at least that's what I heard, and since you are part of a noble family, you must have received it around eleven or twelve years old. The wood starts to have holes from how much you hold it; a few strands of hair are matted, not because you don't take care of it, but because of time. They start to curl, so they need to be trimmed from time to time on the outside. The brush is thin, so it should have been cut at least six times by now. That means at least twelve years since you received it. And I heard about an event you organized fifteen years ago, your first event organized only by you, but I heard that before that, you had to fight for a few years to restore the clan, and since the legal age to take over the clan is eighteen in normal circumstances... I would say you're about... thirty-three."

        Ayato laughed. "Is that all?" he said.

       "And your eyes look tired. And you have wrinkles," she added quickly, then her voice began to fade step-by-step, "at the corner of your eyes... when you smile..."

       Ayato began to write again. "You're close. I just turned twenty-nine this spring."

       Caiome raised her eyebrows. "Twenty-nine? Man, you should take care of your health. I gave you thirty-three with indulgence. Your attitude and face certainly exceed thirty-five."

       Ayato laughed again. Only then did Caiome realize.

      "But... if you just turned twenty-nine, it means you were..."

      "Thirteen when I became the Clan Head and Yashiro Commissioner, indeed. You would have found out sooner or later; it's not a big deal."

      "Hmm," she said. "And in all these years since you became the Clan Head, you haven't learned to hire better guards or to protect your house better? If I hadn't given so many details at that dinner, you wouldn't have caught me trying to steal."

       "I would have caught you anyway."

       "No, you wouldn't."

       "Yes, I would've."

        Caiome threw herself back. "You really like to act as the smartest person in the room, don't you?" she snorted.

        "It's not a pretense if it's true, Caiome."

        "You're terrible." She crossed her arms on the small table again, looking at his calligraphy. "What do all these mean? Somehow, I can't read them."

        "That's because they are ancient characters, used at a time for understanding between those from Liyue and those from Inazuma, before everything reached a common language, that of Teyvat, which is written in the present characters. They are old poems, preserved over thousands of years, in volumes that are reprinted at least every five years to be kept in good condition."

        "But you write them by hand," Caiome said.

        "It's just a hobby," he said.

        "Cool. So, what does this poem say?"

        Ayato moved the brush slightly above the paper, rereading the verses he had just written.

        "The earth and the sky, which thousands of years ago were one, are now separated. It says that through their center descended a dragon shining like the sun, who saw how people struggled to live between the two, crushed by the weight of the sky, so he separated them for them to breathe. Then he told them that the land would remain theirs to do as they pleased with it, and the sky would remain for the gods, from where they would watch over them."

        "I've heard this legend," she frowned. "But it was more than that. Do you mean that was the original text?"

        Ayato nodded. "People like to exaggerate and add things that didn't happen."

       "But what is written in the poem happened?"

       "They are legends," Ayato said. "You are free to believe them or not."

       "And do you believe them?"

        Ayato remained silent for a few seconds, thinking about his answer. "I think each of us has stories that, even if people only know lies from those stories, leave them as they are known by others. It makes everything easier."

         Caiome nodded. "Well," she said, finally getting up, taking her boots and sword, "I'm going to eat something from the kitchen, then I'm going to sleep. I'm exhausted. Good luck with... your boring activity."

         "Good night, Caiome."

         And so, Caiome disappeared behind the screen, and Ayato remained alone in front of the table, in front of the poem, in front of the candle, and in front of the brush, while the scent of rain hung in the damp meadow air.

🌸

         Mizuki's afternoon training went exactly like yesterday's, and it didn't seem to be improving at all. Then Caiome took the wooden swords from the dojo again, just because they were cuter, and fought with Mizuki for a few minutes, accidentally hitting him twice between the legs before he said he was done for the day and didn't want any more training.

         "Did you eventually sell those jewels?" Caiome asked as Mizuki huddled to one side, trying to ward off the pain.

         "I went to a jeweler, but he said he couldn't give us more than 2,500 Mora for them. He said the workmanship doesn't meet his standards or something."

         "I told you," she said, starting to push him with the wooden sword. "Do you still have them with you?"

         Mizuki nodded.

        "Well, you could try selling them separately. A lower price is always requested when sold as a set, so you probably won't find anyone who will give you a better price. If you sell it separately, you make them believe it's a unique piece, and they'll buy it regardless of value."

          "But that means letting them believe they're sapphires."

          "Oh, please," Caiome snorted. "You need money. And there are so many people in this world who cheat and don't even need them; they just want to be richer today than yesterday."

         "But..."

         "Give them to me," she said, reaching out her hand.

         "Excuse me?"

         "I'll sell them for you if your conscience bothers you."

         "If I do that, it will mean I am an accomplice. I can't do such a thing," he shook his head.

         "Ugh, your righteousness disgusts me, to be honest. But what if, let's say, something happens, and Ayato fires you, and you need that money for your sister right now?"

         "But that's not the case," Mizuki said. "And even if it were, I'd quickly find some work to get through the crisis. That's what any decent person would do."

         "Boring and unnecessary," Caiome said.

         Mizuki grimaced and jerked as if someone pinched him from behind. "Who hurt you?" he asked.

         "Reality and human stupidity around me," Caiome said quickly, then raised her chin. "Anyway, I have to go back to the dojo. See you later."

         As usual, Caiome cleaned the dojo; Mrs. Nakamura didn't answer any questions, just gave her orders and watched over her; Thoma checked her work, then she was sent to clean the swords. When she got there, Caiome found out that Mizuki had already cleaned everything except the swords, which he left only for her because he had to go to the city to find another jeweler who might buy the lapis lazuli set at a better price.

         Caiome cleaned the swords as usual, sitting on the bridge, and was at least satisfied that she was no longer pushed into the pond as if she were a boulder. When the gong struck for the break, she arranged her logs, took her sword, untied her hair, and started her balance exercises. When the gong struck again, the guards gathered for the evening training.

         "Can we fight again?" was the first question from the guards to Captain Hirotatsu, who seemed to have a pulsing vein on the top of his head, making Caiome look satisfied towards the crowd of soldiers.

         All stood around the captain, with fixed gazes, shining eyes, and tight lips, waiting for the verdict.

         "You had your fun last night," he said. "We will return to the usual training."

         "But not all of us have had a chance to defend our names," some said.

         "And the reputation of the Kamisato family."

         "She's just a simple woman," the captain said, standing with his arms crossed over his chest and seeming unmoved, "who can't even leave the estate. Don't get so worked up. Besides, no one will believe one person if she is to spout nonsense about the Kamisato clan."

          "But," one of them said, "they really won't believe her? I mean, until a few years ago, everyone believed these rumors about the Kamisato clan, right? If they believe her now and release something bigger than that?"

          "Enough!" the captain shouted, clenching his jaw slightly, which made Caiome raise her eyebrows.

          His reaction had been stronger than she thought it would be, but it probably made sense. Hirotatsu seemed old enough to have been around the Kamisato family when Ayato hadn't yet become the head of the clan, so he had witnessed his father's death and the family's crisis period. And he probably didn't like to be reminded of that time.

          "We're just trying to be cautious," another, slightly older one said. "Most of us agree with this danger."

         "Don't use such excuses just because you want to fight a girl to show your superiority."

         The guards began to look from one to another, pushing each other to speak.

         "Well," said a younger one, "I think we actually want to fight her as a kind of training too."

         Caiome nodded silently. Did they really consider her that good? Caiome always saw her fighting abilities as normal. The only thing that favored her was speed and balance, and the fact she can merge between the shadows.

         "That's right," another one chimed in, and soon they all expressed the same desire.

         Therefore, the sparkle returned to their eyes, resembling stars, the crowd of soldiers, including Caiome, standing with clenched fists and excitement. Because she couldn't lie, she did want to fight someone. She enjoyed her training routine, but compared to a real fight... it was a bit boring.

          "Lord Kamisato—"

          "You have no right to say anything!" Caiome quickly interrupted. She put her hand on her hip and raised her chin, theatrically snapping her fingers. "I happened to come across your Lord Kamisato last night. He is well aware of our duels, given that you reported to him." She shrugged, smiling. "He didn't forbid me, and neither did the other guards. Training is training, whether it's a duel or not, even if the duel is against someone outside the guard ranks. And if you don't believe me, you can talk to him directly."

           Hirotatsu stared at her, frowning and squinting, while Caiome stood in front of him with her hands over her chest, just like him, and a battle was reflected in their eyes. Caiome knew she had already won, practically obtaining the approval Hirotatsu had mentioned so many times the night before. And since the other guards had witnessed her arguments, Hirotatsu couldn't refuse anymore.

          "Fine," he sighed at last.

          "Yes!" Caiome exclaimed excitedly, then composed herself. "See? I can get permission if I ask nicely and behave respectfully."

          "I see," Hirotatsu said. "You could have done that from the beginning."

          "But if I had been respectful from the start, your guards wouldn't have had a chance to fight me," she said proudly.

          Hirotatsu looked at her, as if his mind began to process certain things, and finally sighed defeated. "As you say, miss."

          "Oh, you can just call me Caiome. Ayato told me you only call me 'miss' to maintain appearances in public, but here it's just us and those who talk behind my back anyway, so there's no need to pretend," she waved her hand. "It's actually pretty cringe too."

         The guards started to shift uncomfortably.

         "Anyway," she rolled her eyes, "who's first?"

         Caiome handed her Vision and the steel sword to Hirotatsu, and the guards formed another circle. Since she didn't struggle much with convincing them, especially after Caiome pulled out Ayato's permission card, they managed to have more duels. Caiome really believed that her fighting abilities were normal in face-to-face combat. Throughout her life, she had to do everything more discreetly, from the shadows, not in such a direct confrontation. Therefore, setting aside her first duel from the day before when she just wanted to prove she could fight against them, Caiome tried to learn.

       She really tried to learn. It was never bad to know how to fight in a duel. Maybe in the future, when she would get rid of Ayato and this prison, she would need to know such techniques. Although she had her Vision, considering her profession, she had to make plans and backup plans, and backup plans for backup plans, so she put herself in a position where she wouldn't have her Vision with her or someone would steal it. Just as she had told Mizuki earlier, what if Ayato fired him and he needed money right then?

       Of course, these assumptions and extreme cases applied to her as well.

       "Okay, that's enough," Hirotatsu said when the ninth duel ended with Caiome's victory. "You can continue in two days because tomorrow we have the standard training."

       "Why?" they all complained like children, including Caiome.

       "Because while only seven or eight soldiers fight, no one else does anything the rest of the time. And Caiome can't fight every day with almost ten of you."

        "I could try," she shrugged. "I'm testing my limits."

        "No," Hirotatsu said. "You have many other responsibilities to fulfill. Forcing your body means hurting yourself." He looked at the others. "And I don't want to hear any attempt to convince me. I've already decided this. If you want to continue dueling, you can do it outside working hours, which would be impossible anyway since you won't use the estate courtyard, and Miss Caiome is not allowed to step outside of it. The only option would be to establish that these duels take place every three days, in which only seven of you can duel. You decide the order."

         The guards had no choice but to comply, which was quite unpleasant for them. Especially since among those who wanted to duel with her were those who had lost and wanted to get their revenge. They started whispering and discussing among themselves, and in front of everyone, Caiome and Hirotatsu stood with the same crossed arms position and the same confused look.

        "I have no idea what you did to them that they're so excited to fight you," Hirotatsu said.

        "They probably saw me fighting Ayato. Or they heard rumors from others," she shrugged. "Or they're just curious or, as you said, they just want to feel stronger by beating a girl as small as me."

        Hirotatsu gave her a skeptical look.

        Caiome wasn't really small. In fact, she was a bit taller than the other maids. There was still a considerable difference between him and her, or between her and Lord Kamisato, but that didn't mean Caiome was short. And certainly, she wasn't helpless or ignorant when it came to handling a sword. She had a different fighting style than the Inazuma-specific fighting style, but she could still pose a challenge for the rest.

         And that's why Hirotatsu didn't quite understand why Caiome chose to be a thief instead of pursuing a path where she could use her talents. And if fighting didn't attract her that much, although Hirotatsu doubted that, Caiome had a perfect balance. She could perform and be very successful. But she chose a less honest path.

        Well, as Lord Kamisato advised, Hirotatsu didn't have to ask too many questions about her for now, because otherwise, he would end up with a headache. Caiome, even though she seemed extroverted, was actually someone who held a lot inside without explaining it to others, Lord Kamisato had said. And from what Hirotatsu had seen so far, Lord Kamisato was right. Lord Kamisato was generally right too many times for Hirotatsu to doubt his words.

         But if he were to put it in simple terms, Caiome was probably just the kind of person who made others as excited as she was. Or at least intrigued them in one way or another. The second possibility was much more logical.

         "Let's stick with that then," Hirotatsu said, only to be assaulted by the guards who began talking over each other with the two of them.

         Or rather with Caiome, asking her to choose who she wanted to fight next time. Some even began to pose to look more attractive.

        "Good luck," Hirotatsu muttered, and Caiome felt all her energy draining instantly.

        "Okay, okay," she said, trying to calm the rest down. "We'll do it like this. We'll draw lots. Each of you writes their name on a piece of paper, we put them in a... helmet or something, and whoever is chosen, fights. But only those who haven't fought before will put their names," she emphasized. "When everybody gets to fight once, we'll start over again."

        And that was the decision made without anyone commenting, relying on luck.

       However, the next day, while cleaning the swords on the bridge with Mizuki, who was cleaning his daggers, Caiome was approached by one of the guards. He was young, with light-colored hair, a kind of sandy blond, and his eyes were a strange, light brown.

        "Is there a problem?" she asked when the young man approached, more pushed by an older friend of his.

        The young man began to laugh nervously, searching for his words. His personality reminded her of Mizuki, to be honest. Or maybe he was just nervous.

        "Hello," he said. "Um, I have a question."

        Caiome blinked, waiting.

        "Captain Hirotatsu said we can duel with you as long as it's outside our working hours and as long as you are outside the courtyard. And since everyone else assumes that Lord Kamisato will eventually let you out..." He suddenly clapped his hands in front of him, lowering his head slightly. "I would like to ask you to duel with me when you can."

          Caiome exchanged glances with a swollen-lipped Mizuki from a stone punch during his training that afternoon. Mizuki shrugged, and Caiome sighed, turning back to the guard.

          "Your name is Kouta, right?"

          The young man looked at her, unsure what to say. "Yes, that's right. How did you—"

          "What's your work schedule?"

          "I usually start my shift right after lunch break."

          "Good," she said. "Wait for me at the back gate tomorrow when the lunch break starts."

          Kouta looked at her, a bit confused, but eventually complied.

          "That was a bit strange," Mizuki said, but Caiome didn't respond.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 ~ The Rules and the Truce

🌸

       The next day, when the lunch break gong rang, Caiome, along with Mizuki, whose presence was requested by Caiome herself, headed towards the back gate where employees, maids, and guards usually entered. Kouta was already there with his friend, a serious-faced boy with dark eyes, probably speculating about what was about to happen.

       As Caiome approached, Kouta greeted her. "So what exactly are we doing here?" he asked.

       "We're dueling," Caiome said, taking her Vision and sword down from her waist and handing them both to Mizuki, who carried two wooden swords from the storage room. "The same rules apply, and these two are our witnesses." Caiome handed Kouta a wooden sword in exchange for the spear and steel sword, which Mizuki took.

       "But you're not allowed to leave the courtyard, and I'm not allowed to duel without permission within the residence."

       Caiome went to one of the edges of the gate, leaving the tip of the wooden sword in the ground, then drew a line to the other end.

       "And that's exactly what we'll do. We'll duel, but I'll stay here, and you'll stay there," she said.

       Kouta and his friend blinked frequently.

       "Is this even possible?" his companion, whose name Caiome believed was Daisuke, asked. "What if you step out or he steps in during the duel? And how will you be able to touch each other if your swords go in or out of the residence?"

       "Our swords are not us," Caiome said. "As long as we don't step out or in, everything is allowed."

       Kouta and Daisuke looked at each other, unsure.

        "I'll take responsibility if something happens," Caiome continued. "Shall we begin?"

       Although hesitating, Kouta nodded and assumed a fighting stance. Unlike the others, Kouta, despite being less experienced and younger, had a determined look. He had to take it as training for restricted conditions. He had to imagine that in front of them was a huge gap they couldn't cross, and the only things that could touch were the swords. Or he had to imagine that Caiome was a forest spirit floating above the abyss, and he was at the edge of the cliffs. He couldn't go too far, but he had to fight the phantom.

        They both started when Mizuki gave the signal, and the swords clashed. Kouta realized at that moment, as he looked into Caiome's eyes shimmering like gemstones in the sunlight, that this wasn't a duel to showcase soldier or samurai skills. It was about strength and intimidation in the attacks. It was a strength exercise. And the way Caiome held her ground against Kouta's attacks made him believe that she, too, wanted to give her best. And that she was not an opponent to underestimate.

        Sometimes the attacks came from above, sometimes from below, and when they couldn't hit each other, they dodged. Both Mizuki and Daisuke were attentive to their feet. They weren't allowed to go in or out, to cross the imaginary line that Caiome drew with her wooden sword. The attacks were powerful. Kouta wanted to win, as much as Caiome wanted to. The difference between them was that Caiome was more agile on her feet and in arm extension, but Kouta hit harder.

         When they clashed again, almost ten minutes into the duel, and when Caiome seemed bored with these strength tests, she actually resorted to a trick. Hitting Kouta, Caiome lowered herself and struck him over the legs with her own leg. Kouta fell backward, half in the courtyard, half outside, and Caiome put her sword at his throat, breathing heavily.

         She smiled at Kouta, and he blinked at her, as if not understanding what had happened. "You focused so much on sword strikes that you forgot we're actually dueling, trying to 'kill' each other, if I may say so," Caiome teased.

         Kouta sat up when Caiome withdrew her wooden sword. With the lower part of his body inside the courtyard.

         "I violated the rules," he muttered.

         "Don't worry," Caiome said. "No one saw us. And as long as no one says anything, you won't have problems."

         Suddenly, a few claps were heard, and Caiome turned towards outside the courtyard entrance, where Ayato was coming from. Or rather, he stood on his horse, looking towards the four of them.

         "You found quite the solution to the problem," he said. Pulling on the reins, he turned the steed toward the gate, flanked from behind by a few guards on duty. He stopped the steed in front of them, then dismounted, while Kouta stood up and, alongside Mizuki and Daisuke, lined up on one side, bowing at a 45-degree angle.

         "My lord," they all said.

         Ayato put his clasped hands behind his back.

        "How long have you been watching us?" Caiome asked in return, this time without her usual smile.

         "Not long, but the guards outside who heard the whole discussion informed me. However, I should congratulate Mr. Kouta," he said, turning to the guardian who startled and blushed.

        "My lord?" he asked, confused.

        "For the victory."

        "But I lost. Miss Caiome was the one who delivered the final blow."

        "That is true," Ayato said with a fierce calmness, then turned to Caiome. "But she broke the rules."

         Caiome and Ayato stared at each other for just a second, a second that lasted too long. His eyes were deceptive and filled with a satisfaction he had when he threw her case into the sea and when he caught her with stolen goods in the middle of the forest.

         Ayato pointed twice downward, between them. Caiome looked in the indicated direction. And looked at her right foot whose tip was beyond the line. She gritted her teeth, then raised her gaze to Ayato, who now smiled in an even more arrogant way, but probably only amused for the others.

        "You stepped out of the courtyard when the conditions between us clearly state that you're not allowed to."

        "Ah," Caiome said, tilting her head slightly. "Of course, such a small thing couldn't escape you and your vulture eyes, my lord," she retorted.

        "Not when it comes to correctness. You said everyone should stay on their side. Mr. Kouta may have fallen half in the courtyard, but he didn't step into the courtyard. His sole didn't touch the ground. While yours did."

        Caiome gritted her teeth and then exhaled abruptly. She knew there was no way to argue with such arguments. And in the end, she had told Kouta and Daisuke that she would take responsibility if something like this happened.

        "Fine," she said. "How many violations does this count as? One, two, all of them?"

        "I need to think," he said, staring directly into her uncharacteristic expression. Caiome rarely admitted fault or submitted, so the fact that he managed to see such an expression from her was truly a one-in-a-million chance.

        "My lord," Kouta intervened, choosing his words carefully. Ayato looked down at him, withdrawing his smile and putting on the lord's mask on his face.

        "If you allow me... The line that Miss Caiome drew is not straight."

        He quickly picked up a spear and laid it on the ground, from one edge of the gate to Caiome's foot, but without touching its tip.

        "See?" he said. "The line is not straight; it curves inward. Therefore, theoretically, Miss Caiome did not step outside the courtyard."

        "I appreciate your correctness and honesty, but a line that is determined from the beginning, straight or curved, is the official line that determines the rules," Ayato replied. "As the rule was not to cross to the other side of the line, Miss Caiome broke the rule once she stepped over the line, whatever type it may be."

        "But..." Kouta picked up his spear, stood up, and bowed again. "Miss Caiome just tried to help me. I wanted to duel her, and she tried to find a solution in my favor. Therefore, I believe I should be the one to get punished."

        Caiome blinked several times, not saying anything, looking at Kouta. Ayato noticed her expression again, then chuckled softly toward the young guard.

        "Again, I appreciate your way of thinking and the courage to take responsibility, but that doesn't excuse what happened. Caiome could have waited to duel with you during the usual training, but instead, she came up with this method and the rules herself, which she violated. She wasn't compelled by you or anyone else, so the attempt to take the punishment upon yourself is unfounded. If she wanted to help you or not, it was her decision, and she complied the consequences from the beginning." He looked at Caiome. "Isn't that right?"

       Kouta said nothing, still standing bent over. He clenched his fists slightly, knowing he had no way out. And not just because Lord Kamisato had already rejected him twice, but anyone who looked at the situation objectively would agree with him.

       "It is," she said. "It's okay, Kouta," she added, trying to shake off that look from his eyes. "It's not as bad as when I attacked your colleagues a few days ago. At least now I didn't use my Vision or the sword. I'll manage. Moreover, it's your master's fault for always being where and when he's not needed."

       "I'll take that as a compliment," said Ayato, extending his hand toward Daisuke, silently asking for the Vision and the sword. Daisuke complied immediately, while Caiome handed to Mizuki the wooden sword. Pointing towards the back courtyard, Ayato invited Caiome to leave with him. "Shall we discuss your punishment?"

        "As the lord wishes," Caiome muttered, turning on her heels.

        Ayato stood next to her, and both started walking slowly along the courtyard towards the mansion. At first, neither of them said anything. Caiome looked towards the garden, towards the sky, towards the blooming trees, towards the direction where the waves of the sea broke against the rocks and touched the beach, wondering if her case was safe. She would have killed Ayato the next second if he would've lost it, even though she trusted him to keep her case safe.

        And Ayato looked at her. It was rare to see someone with her features. Someone with such an abnormal silver color that seemed almost black in the dark and shone in white reflections in the sunlight, undulating like the gentle waves of the sea in the shadows of the tree leaves. Even rarer was to see, surrounded by that silver hue, a pair of eyes that stood out more than anything else. And it was rare to see a sparkle like diamonds in them when she smiled and tried to sweet-talk you. Her self-confidence was truly spectacular, especially because Ayato usually didn't see such things in the people he encountered.

       He wasn't a fool; he knew that the only reason Caiome seemed different from the rest was that she didn't look threatened by him, while everyone else did. Caiome was just trying to hide the fact that she listened to his rules and submitted, or at least tried, all for the empty case of a dead Vision that surely meant more to her than she let it appear. In the end, she had agreed to work for him for couple of ages in exchange for that case.

       "Why are you looking at me like that?" she suddenly asked, and Ayato seemed to snap out of a daydream.

        He blinked, then tried to smile. "No reason."

       Approaching the area where the guards usually trained and where duels with Caiome were held every three days, as reported, Ayato saw the logs under the cherry tree, logs that no one bothered to put back, everyone being used to Caiome and her set of exercises that no one interrupted.

       "What do you say?" he asked her. "Would you like to show me your balance?"

       Caiome frowned. "Where did this request come from so suddenly?" she said.

       "As I said, I admire your talent, as I did by the stream. I just wanted to see it again, given that I don't have many such chances."

      Caiome raised an eyebrow. "Fine," she said. "But I'll consider it a favor, so I'll need something in return."

      "Such as?" he asked.

      "You'll reduce the number of days I have to spend here," she said, reaching her hand towards him. "Let's say around... fifty."

       Ayato laughed. "For someone who's not in a position to bargain with me, you have quite a lot of courage," he said. "Fine, I'll bargain with you. But not for fifty days. I think such a short moment until the end of the break is worth about... five days at most."

       "Five days?" she scoffed. "Five days won't even be enough to climb that log just because you want it, milord. But let's say I could cut the price to forty days," she said while extending her hand to close the trade.

       "Ten," Ayato said.

       "Thirty-five," Caiome frowned.

       "Twenty."

       "Thirty," she said.

       Ayato grabbed her hand. "Agreed."

       Caiome displayed a smile, pulling Ayato closer to her in a somewhat abrupt manner. "I would have done it even for five days."

       Ayato smiled back. "I would have agreed on fifty."

      Caiome rolled her eyes. She should have expected that.

      Shaking hands, she then withdrew her hand as if someone had burned her, and turned her palm upwards.

      "My sword," she requested.

      Ayato hesitated, then gave her sword to her. Caiome placed it at her side, only for her hand to be taken by Ayato in the next moment and turned with the palm facing up. Ayato looked at her, then at her hand. It was almost unbelievable how delicate her hand looked in his, and the difference in finger length and palm size.

       Caiome said nothing as Ayato placed the Vision in her hand.

       "Use this too," he said. "As you know best," he added in a whisper that made Caiome clench her jaw and swallow dryly, studying his face.

        Ayato looked at her hand and the pulsating Vision in contact with its bearer. His expression was no longer the one from earlier, the one that smiled superiorly, the one that intended to enchant her with words, the one that tried to manipulate her.

        Caiome took her Vision and hung it at her waist, then turned towards the standing logs when her hand was taken again, but not grabbed as before. No. Standing on one of the logs, Ayato looked up to her, and his hand held hers. Caiome didn't need help climbing the logs, whether she used the Vision or not. Yet, Ayato held her hand courteously, as if he were a gentleman helping a lady into a carriage. Even through the material of the glove, Caiome could feel the warmth of his skin, something unlike the touches she had experienced until then. His thumb rested lightly over her fingers, as if afraid Caiome would let go, and Ayato would lose her.

        "Thirty-five days in total for this," she said.

        Ayato smiled, but in a subtle way, and his eyes shone in a way Caiome hadn't seen before. "I submit," he said, then gently released her hand. "As long as you dance for me."

       Caiome found her balance on the log, then drew her sword. She extended her arm gracefully, rotating it in a circular motion, and the sword left behind a silver trail as she moved from one log to another, twisting.

        She felt watched. She felt studied from every angle. And it was different from the guards or servants who stared at her insistently when she was nearby. Trying to convince herself that she had done this a thousand times before, hundreds of thousands of times, spending hours and hours on rocks, logs, fences, and rooftops in search of this balance, dancing, as she liked to call it. Dancing with her own feet, with the wind that passed by her body, touching her, with the water droplets that touched her sole, and the rustling of the leaves that clothed her in shades of green, the murmur of the flowing water.

         She took a gust of wind on her fingers and passed it above her head towards the blooming cherry tree. The breeze hit the cherry blossoms, and they fell, floating in a pink rain towards her, enveloping her in a cool air and soft touches on her shoulders and the arm holding the sword, the blade catching and releasing the petals as they fell at her feet.

         And among the petals, because she couldn't help it, Caiome looked at Ayato. She could have closed her eyes, offered an even more amazing spectacle than before, dancing blindly among the cherry blossoms, but she couldn't help it. Since she first met him, Ayato attracted attention. Good or bad, always, wherever he was, all eyes were on him. Of course, because he was the lord, because he was the master of all these people, because everyone had immense respect for him.

        But Caiome didn't feel that. The petals covered her sight, and beyond them was Ayato looking at her. His purple eyes were only on her. Not around her, not beyond her, not towards the cherry trees shaking around her, not towards how her foot moved from one log to another, not towards her sword extending like an extension of her arm. Just... in her gaze.

         Her heart beat, and her lungs began to breathe in a way she didn't know she could breathe, as if a void formed throughout her body. Turning on her toes, she let herself step on a gust of wind, then on the ground, in an almost mocking bow, extending the hand holding the sword, and the right one placed in front of her heart. She straightened up, looking at Ayato.

         "I hope it lived up to your expectations."

        "It did," he said with a small nod of his head. "Which makes me more certain of my proposal."

        Caiome had the impulse to take a step back, as if that would escape her from Ayato's plans.

        "I propose a deal with the same exchange you proposed just a few minutes ago," he continued. "At the end of the week, in three days, I will hold a banquet in the inner garden, where the cherry trees are, on the occasion of the Sakura festival. In exchange for a hundred days I'll substract from your sentence, you'll have to dance for a few minutes. The servants will provide you with a costume, they'll do your hair and makeup for the occasion, and all you have to do is what you did for me just now. There will be music too, so if you could synchronize your steps with the rhythm of the music, it would be even better. The orchestra will have a few rehearsals starting tomorrow in the inner garden, you're free to go and listen to them as much as you want."

        Caiome raised her eyebrows, listening silently. "So, dance for your guests. In exchange for a hundred days."

        "That's exactly what I said," he said.

        "What kind of clothes?" she asked.

        "Ceremonial robes."

        "I've never danced in them before, it won't be the same, so it'll be a disaster," she laughed. "So I'll refuse."

        "You wear tight clothes so as not to weigh you down, don't you?" he said. "But if you use your Vision to make them float, not only will it look much more spectacular, but you'll be able to dance and maintain your balance."

        Caiome rolled her eyes. "And you're acting smart again," she muttered.

        "So?"

        She remained silent for a few seconds, looking at him. "Am I to understand that from now on, when you ask or propose services in your favor that are beyond my responsibilities or the activities I want to do on my initiative, I can propose a reduction in the number of days?"

         "In short, yes," Ayato said.

         "One hundred fifty," she said, extending the fingers of one hand. "One hundred fifty days, and I dance for your snobby guests."

         "Agreed," he said. "One hundred fifty days."

         "And I'll be able to eat from your expensive delicacies without being bothered. Your servants and guards are a pain, and not very pleasant of a company, so I prefer not to eat with them."

         "Fine. You'll be there as my guest. In that case, since Lady Nakamura has too much to do to organize the banquet, Ayaka will teach you some etiquette."

         Caiome puffed slightly. "Sure," she said. "As if your sister would want to do that. Rest assured," she added, shaking her hand, "I won't draw my sword on anyone if that's what you're afraid of. I'll just sit quietly and eat."

         "Correction," Ayato said. "Ayaka will help you with etiquette, and you will help her with the final preparations."

         Caiome frowned. "Why me?"

         "Because," he said, picking up a cherry blossom that fell on top of her head, "aside from the banquet, there's another entire festival to prepare in the city, so I need all available staff, excluding you, since you're not allowed to leave the estate."

          "Of course," she muttered.

          "Ayaka will take care of the banquet, and you'll assist her along with Mrs. Nakamura and Thoma."

          "Another hundred days," she asked.

          "Another fifty," Ayato said, "and I'll forget about you stepping outside the courtyard today."

          Caiome crossed her ams over her chest, raising her chin. "That could suit me just fine," she sighed. "So that's why you wanted to see me dancing now? To test if I'm capable of being a cute spectacle for your rich banquet?"

          Ayato put his hands behind his back, then made a bow with his head.

          "You're too clever for your own good," she said.

          "Nothing I haven't heard before," he replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to my own business. Have a good day, Caiome."

Chapter Text

Chapter 12 ~ The Red and the White

🌸

       While asleep, Caiome felt something pushing her, but she didn't wake up. She just mumbled, turned to the other side, facing the wall, hugged the blanket tightly, and pushed her butt to the edge of the crate. She was pushed again, but still didn't wake up. The third time, she mumbled a "Five more minutes." Finally, Thoma grabbed the mattress on which Caiome was sleeping and pulled it with astonishing force. Caiome rolled off the mattress and hit her head on the wooden edge of the crate.

       "What the fuck?" she yelled at a laughing Thoma with an air of superiority. "Do you think you're funny?" she said, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him, making him take a step back.

       She quickly shook her head, blinked slowly, trying to restore the image in front of her eyes. The hit with the wooden edge made her a bit dizzy.

       "No," Thoma said, placing the pillow back on the box, "but I think you should get to work, considering you have some changes in your schedule today."

       "Ugh," Caiome groaned, throwing herself back on the crate, covering her face with the pillow. "I'd rather suffocate on my own than get up."

       "Normally, I wouldn't object," he said, "but Lord Kamisato gave me clear instructions to convey to you regarding your duties for the banquet."

       Caiome left her hands near her head, with the pillow on her face, trying to breathe slowly.

       "You'll clean the terraces and the dojo," Thoma continued, unaware that Caiome wasn't really listening to him. "But after that, instead of the rooms and the lounge, you'll meet Lady Ayaka and a seamstress who will give you a costume for fitting adjustments until the banquet. Then Lady Ayaka will teach you some etiquette you need to follow at the banquet, considering you asked Lord Kamisato for this privilege in exchange for the performance. After that, you'll help with the final preparations, both me and Mrs. Nakamura. Then, if you have time left, you'll return to cleaning the swords, as you would normally do."

       "Ihim," Caiome half-asleep mumbled under the pillow.

       Thoma raised an eyebrow, grabbed the pillow, and hit her in the face.

       "All right, all right, I'm awake!" Caiome jumped up, bumping into a Thoma who seemed more irritated than usual.

       "I don't know what you did to Lord Kamisato to convince him to let you sit at the table with him and the others, or at least let you dance for the guests, but I won't let you fool me too. You have the chance to spend time with Lady Ayaka, although, if it were up to me, I would have forbidden you even to look in her direction. You don't deserve even a glance from her, let alone exchanging words or Lady Ayaka wasting her time teaching you manners. And I really don't understand your desire to attend the banquet as a guest, but at the slightest mistake, I'll personally kick you out. Understand?"

       Caiome blinked unimpressed at him. "Among all the threats I've received in my life, this was the cringiest and most... polite. And, by the way," she flashed a smile, batting her eyelashes, "you just said I fooled Ayato?"

       Thoma frowned. "What?" he said.

       "You said you won't let yourself be fooled by me too. That means you think I fooled Ayato. It means you consider Ayato a fool." Caiome jumped off the bed. "You think Ayato is a fool."

       She burst through the door, starting to run through the halls of the residence, and Thoma chased after her still holding the pillow.

       "Lord Kamisato~o!" she shouted loudly throughout the residence, holding her hands to her mouth like a megaphone. "Lord Kamisato~o! Thoma thinks you're a fo~ol!"

       "Shut up!" he began shouting at her, but Caiome didn't stop.

       They passed through the halls, past maids who stared wide-eyed at the two fleeing figures, Thoma trying to catch Caiome, and Caiome teasing him, letting him get close, then agilely dodging, pushing herself to the floor and jumping lightly over him, using the power of her Vision. She dodged, spun around, jumped over his arms, letting her bare feet lightly touch his arms, then pushed herself into the floor, jumping over him again, leaving him to fall forward, then stepping on his back and letting him fall to the floor.

      Arriving in the living room, Caiome hid behind a screen, still shouting in play. "Lord Kamisato~o! Your precious servant says you're a fool and naive!"

       "Caiome, I swear to all the gods, if you don't shut up—"

       "What are you going to do to me?" she said, jumping onto one of the small tables, the one on which Ayato had written his poems a few nights ago. "Are you going to kick me out with your own hands? Stop me from being here? Lord Kamisato~o, where are yo~u?" she laughed. "Why don't you come out and see how your servants behave?"

       Thoma jumped towards her, and Caiome avoided in time, spinning on the edge of the table, standing with her hands slightly behind her back, while Thoma was like a pancake on the table's surface. When Thoma tried to rise, Caiome put her foot on his back, pressing him down on the table again.

       "Ten push-ups," she said, standing with her chin up, as if she were a personal trainer.

       "What is the meaning of this?" a feminine voice was heard, and both Thoma, who was about to push himself up from the table, and Caiome, who still stood with her foot between his shoulder blades, looked up.

        Ayaka, already dressed with her hair neatly tied and lightly adorned with makeup, stood staring at the two with a fan in her hand. She blinked in confusion, and then Thoma jumped up, emerging from under Caiome's foot who still sat on the table.

       "My lady," Thoma said, approaching her. Then he realized he still had Caiome's pillow in his arms, so he threw it towards Caiome, who barely caught it. "Nothing happened," he said.

       Ayaka looked at him skeptically, then turned her gaze to Caiome, who just waved at her.

       "I don't believe that nothing happened," she said. "What were all those screams in the halls about?"

       "You should ask Thoma," Caiome said.

       "But I prefer to ask you, Miss Caiome."

       "Hmph," she made a sound and got off the table.

       She approached Ayaka, and a small smile appeared on her lips as she looked at her. Ayaka was slightly shorter than Caiome, even though Ayaka was on the wooden heels of her shoes. But even though Caiome threw the pillow back at Thoma, standing with hands on her hips and chest forward, chin up, looking at Ayaka from up there, it was clear who was the princess and who was the beast.

       Ayaka, dressed in her embroidered silk clothes with the family symbol, a camellia flower, hair neatly combed, with a small elegant fan, with an elegant and delicate posture, looked like a prestigious member of an important family who knew how to handle the power that came with influence. On the other hand, Caiome had messy hair, a wild look, her clothes were disheveled, not very clean, of dark colors, and an arrogant smile, along with a look that told you she didn't care about princes and princesses, lords, and the wealthy, as if she could cut a throat just because it looked nice to her.

        "It happened that Thoma didn't choose the right words," Caiome shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "I, being a good servant, decided that Lord Kamisato should know about it."

       "Please, don't speak of my brother in jest," came Ayaka's stern response.

       Her steel gaze was fixed, intriguing, powerful, standing with her feet firmly on the ground.

       "Yes, yes," Caiome said nonchalantly, waving her hand as if it were unimportant. "I've heard that too many times. Anyway, how did ya like the idea of our meeting today? You should teach me etiquette, right?"

       "Indeed," Ayaka said. "We should start with the fact that you shouldn't put your feet on the table, run through the residence, or scream at the top of your lungs. And, I should remind you that this behavior is not acceptable, in which case you should receive at least one violation."

       Caiome burst into laughter. "You can't do shit. Haven't you heard your brother? He is the only one who can decide my punishments and the consequences of my actions, and violations represent an ongoing punishment. You can't decide anything," she said to both Ayaka and Thoma.

       "But that doesn't mean we can't report to Lord Kamisato," Ayaka said. "Anyway, don't you have other tasks to do until then?"

       Caiome smiled at the corner of her mouth, then made a half-bow.

       "As the princess wishes," she said, then turned on her heels, leaving Thoma with her pillow in his arms.

       Once Caiome went out through the front doors, only then did she remember that she was barefoot, but she didn't turn back for her boots. Ayaka sighed, suddenly closing her fan and putting it in her hand.

       "My lady?" Thoma asked, and his worried tone echoed throughout the living room.

       "What's on Ayato's mind?" she murmured slowly, like a whisper. "First, he forces her to be a servant, then he proposes that she take part in the banquet events and sit with others at the table as a guest. He knows very well that diplomats from Snezhnaya are important, especially during this time."

       Thoma remained silent for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. He had been present when Lord Kamisato detailed to Ayaka what she needed to do to help Caiome integrate into the banquet, how to wear the robes, how to carry herself, how to smile beautifully like a true guest and a real dancer there only for the pleasure of the other guests. He mentioned that her seat at the table was a kind of reward that was part of the deal. Ayato had far too many deals with her, so many that Ayaka began to lose count, meaning, sense, and purpose. It was like a play between headless chickens, and both of them, he and Caiome, seemed to find pleasure in all this teasing.

       It was no longer about any punishment or consequences, but a pure challenge between the two. Sometimes it wasn't clear who had the advantage, although anyone would say that Lord Kamisato was at least two steps ahead of Caiome.

       "There must be something hidden," Thoma said. "He couldn't have just proposed to Caiome to dance for us out of nowhere."

       And Caiome was thinking the same. Since yesterday when Ayato proposed this deal, she knew that something fishy was going on, but she couldn't exactly say what. She stayed awake until late last night, which is why she was now asleep, to guard Ayato's office. She stood outside, at the open window letting the spring breeze sneak in, and waited for Ayato to leave for his room. But it didn't happen. He worked all night. Caiome occasionally glanced at the window, but Ayato just wrote and wrote, taking papers after papers and folders after folders. She caught him yawning a few times, but he never let his head rest on the table to take a nap; he didn't get up from his seat, didn't take a break, and didn't go to his room until sunrise, when Caiome had already fallen asleep under the window, and Hirotatsu had to shake her and send her to her room.

       Maybe she would have more luck tonight, considering that, from what Caiome knew, until the day of the banquet, Ayato wouldn't be home because of the festival to be held in the city and in the Ritou port.

       She washed the terraces with Thoma, trained with Mizuki at lunchtime, then cleaned the dojo. When they finished, and after Thoma inspected that everything was in order, he led her to one of the ground floor lounges whose windows faced the side garden. Ayaka was sitting at one of the small tables, as elegant as Caiome knew her and as she had seen her before: with a straight back, politely laughing at the words of the woman in front of her, both with a cup of tea in front of them, along with snacks, a few fruit tarts, honey cookies that looked very much like the ones Mizuki's mother made, and chocolate cookies that seemed warm. Under the table was a moderately-sized wooden box.

       The two focused their attention on her and Thoma when they entered, and the seamstress, a medium-height woman with short black hair, bangs, and a bit plump, stood up and made a short bow to Thoma, but not to Caiome. She probably had already been informed about what task she had to do. Ayaka did not rise.

       "Caiome, this is Mrs. Sayumi. Mrs. Sayumi, this is Caiome," Thoma introduced them.

       "The robes Lord Kamisato asked me to sew are here," the seamstress said, picking up and placing on another table a box wrapped in a very beautiful scarf, certainly of quality.

       Opening it, Caiome looked curiously inside at the clothes neatly packed on top of each other. Most of them seemed white, but they clearly had vibrant patterns, warm colors, and pleasing to the eye.

       "He specified that this year should be something a bit different for the main dancer, something less common but still respecting the norms of tradition at the same time. He gave me some approximate measurements, but looking at Miss Caiome, the costume will probably fit her perfectly," said Sayumi.

       Measurements? What measurements could Ayato have given the seamstress if he didn't even know she would need this costume?

       Caiome sighed defeated. Did Ayato really expect her to accept his offer, considering he had already placed the order?

       "I understand," said Ayaka with perfect calm, with an exceptionally fake smile, for she certainly couldn't be pleased that Caiome was receiving a quality costume for doing something for which Ayaka hadn't given her consent. But against her brother, who ordered everything, what could she do except offer her advice? "Thoma, could you give us a little privacy?"

       "Of course," he said, then withdrew, leaving only the three women in the salon.

       "So, where do I change?" asked Caiome.

       The seamstress didn't answer but just took the robes out of the box. The pieces consisted of an extremely, extremely, extremely wide pair of pants, two shirts of different colors, and several cords of various thicknesses. Then another sleeveless robe and the robe that should go over all the others.

       "They are exquisite," said Ayaka towards Sayumi. "I expected nothing less from you, Mrs. Sayumi."

       "Your words bring me great honor," said the seamstress, and Caiome frowned, almost knitting her eyebrows.

       Then she composed herself.

       "I apologize for disturbing you," she said, trying to imitate the behavior of the other two, "but I would prefer to quickly get through this meeting as I have many other things to do."

       Sayumi remained slightly open-mouthed, not knowing what to say, exchanging a few glances with Ayaka.

       "What?" Caiome said. "You're supposed to teach me etiquette. Isn't that how it's done?"

       Ayaka seemed ready to give up on everything that meant her encounters with Caiome, from that day and any day to come.

       "Let's begin," she told the seamstress, who bowed and invited Caiome behind one of the folding screens.

       Caiome took off her clothes and could see Sayumi's confused look as she set her clothes aside. And more than that, Sayumi was looking curiously at the trembling lines as lighting that was traversing her left leg, then her abdomen, surrounding it all, and stopped right on her chest bone. 

       "It's not nice to gaze like that at someone," Caiome said.

       Then she started to dress with the help of the seamstress because she had no idea how to put on those clothes.

        Instead, the seamstress took a sash out of the box and wrapped it around Caiome's waist, and after that, she pulled it, and Caiome took a deep breath, almost coughing because of the way the air was squeezed out of her lungs.

       "This is to give you a more delicate waist shape," said the seamstress.

       "I'm not fat," said Caiome.

       "I didn't say that," said Sayumi. "It's just that you have the outline of a woman who fights with a sword. The sash will only give you more curves. Don't worry; your curves won't be visible under the robe."

       "Then why do I have to wear it?" she complained, pulling the sash slightly.

       Sayumi just smiled. First, they started with one of the shirts, a very intense red color that reached just above the hips. Then came the second shirt, white, followed by pants that, although following the same red color, were not as simple as the shirt. Sometimes, the shade of red faded, turning into a muted orange, and in the center of the colors were flowers in a yellowish-white or pinkish-red that got lost among equally colorful petals. Sayumi fastened the pants at the waist with one of the belts, a kind of red, floral scarf, neatly placed among the folds of the pants and tied in a bow at the front.

       Next was the sleeveless robe. This one was all red, without flowers, but crossed on the edges in a noble gold, not the kind of gold that shines on jewelry in the sun, but a molten gold in the fires of volcanoes, applications that stretched across the entire robe in various circles and undulations, as if following the pattern of a snake. Sayumi placed a slightly thicker belt at the waist, following the pattern of the robe, and over it, a braided golden thread.

       Over all these came the robe, which was completely white at the top, and from the thighs down and from the elbows of the sleeves, followed the pattern of the pants: an intense shade of red at the very bottom, a shade that faded into that muted orange and pale yellow, among spring flowers.

       Finally, Sayumi combed Caiome's hair and tied the top part into a bun with a hairpin so that she could see her face's contour next to the costume, while Caiome sat and analyzed the outfit. She couldn't see a single misplaced thread. The material was soft and even lighter than she expected, and her body seemed to breathe, although her chest and waist were constricted by the sash she was starting to get used to, focusing on breathing.

       Of course, Caiome thought. How could a costume made by probably the main seamstress of the family have mistakes? It wouldn't make sense.

       Moreover, she wondered, how much did this costume cost?

       Caiome stepped out from behind the screen to present herself to Ayaka, but her gaze was still on the patterns that stretched to the ground, touching the floor. Well, during her performance, given that she stood at a considerable distance from the ground, the robes wouldn't touch the earth.

       "What do you think, lady Ayaka?" said Sayumi.

        "As I said, it looks gourgeous, truly stunning. Thank you, Mrs. Sayumi."

        "It's my pleasure, Lady Ayaka."

        "Well," Ayaka said to Caiome, who began to study her sleeves this time, "give it a try."

        Caiome blinked, looking at her. "A try?" she repeated. "Oh."

       She gathered some wind threads between her fingers, spun in a light pirouette on both feet, and the robes floated gently upward. Suddenly, Caiome felt as if she were naked. Using her Vision, the robes didn't weigh anything. Yes, she could definitely maintain her balance in these clothes.

        "I'll tighten the robe a bit at the top so that it doesn't fall off your shoulders. Are the sleeves alright?" asked Sayumi.

        Caiome wondered if she could wield the sword.

        "A little shorter," she replied. "Otherwise, only the blade would be visible," she told Ayaka, who just nodded.

        "I'll note that down," said Sayumi, taking out a notebook from her sleeve, while Ayaka took out the box from under the table.

        "And here are your shoes."

        Caiome looked confused at the box placed in front of her by Ayaka, rolled up her sleeves, and bent down, opening the box. Inside was a gorgeous pair of slippers with a tip, of the same red color as the entire costume, embroidered with thread in the same small flowers.

         Caiome put them on her bare feet, starting to walk around the room to try them on.

         "They're so comfortable," she said excitedly, starting to jump on them to flex the sole. She made another pirouette, letting the wind pass through her clothes. "Oh, I can't wait to climb the logs in those shoes. I'll keep them until the banquet," she told Ayaka. "I have to make them more flexible so I can stay on the tip." Ayaka just nodded reservedly, and in her gaze, Caiome noticed a question being played.

       Probably the same one spinning in her own head.

       Caiome undressed from the costume, put on her own clothes again, and then Sayumi took her leave while Caiome sat where the seamstress had been earlier, taking a honey biscuit and throwing it into her mouth.

       "Before we begin," Caiome said as the seamstress left, and Ayaka opened her mouth to say something. "I'll tell you what I told Ayato. I don't need etiquette lessons. I'll sit at the table with you just to eat, then I'll take off. Nothing more. And I promise I have at least that many manners."

       "Well, I've seen," Ayaka said, "on the evening we welcomed you into my house and laid out an entire feast for you. You seemed to know very well how to behave appropriately."

       "See?" Caiome said. "Your brother didn't want to understand that."

       Ayaka gave her a frosty look. "Nevertheless," she added, "Ayato asked me to do this for you—"

       "You're doing it for him, not for me," Caiome said.

       "And we could start with not interrupting another conversation partner when they are speaking."

       Caiome rolled her eyes, resting her cheek in her palm.

       "Now," Ayaka said, "let's talk about what you need to do. You won't sit at the table with us initially. My brother will introduce you to the guests, you'll dance, and then he'll escort you to the table. Before that, you'll bow deeply in front of the guests, then kneel with your back straight and quietly wait for the meal to be served. Let me see you," she requested.

        "To see me?" she said. "Understood. Bow, on your knees, back straight. Anything else?"

        Ayaka tapped lightly with her fan in her palm. "I need to check the position of your back."

        Caiome sighed. "Will it be considered a violation if my natural back is hunched?"

       "It will be considered a violation if you don't try," Ayaka said.

       Caiome scoffed and then straightened her back.

       Ayaka stood up, then sat on her side, pressing her back with the fan, more like poking her with the sharp edge until Caiome straightened her back even more, grimacing in pain. Ayaka pressed the fan on her shoulders.

        "Shoulders down, neck raised, chin forward."
 
        "I feel like you're trying to bend me the other way," commented Caiome.

        "You asked to be seated at the table," she said with an unusual calm, as if she really had patience for Caiome and her complaints.

        Of course, she was the one who asked to be seated at the table with them. Because Caiome immediately wondered why Ayato would propose her to be there? And how else to find out if, apart from the investigation in his office, which wasn't even certain to succeed, she wouldn't be there. If Ayato had a plan, Caiome wanted to be in the front row because she didn't trust him, nor Ayaka or Thoma. She didn't trust anyone there, for that matter.

        So, Caiome lifted her chin and lowered her shoulders. Then Ayaka began to tell her everything she needed to know, not starting to eat until everyone else had their food in front of them, and especially not before Ayato did. She shouldn't leave food on the plate; she should only put on the plate from the platters as much as she would eat, not more. Always maintain her posture and not ask to take the leftovers from her own plate or from platters to eat later. It was inappropriate. She wouldn't speak unless asked – considering her situation, she wouldn't make any comments, only respond if the guests asked her something specific, and do everything as briefly as possible with a smile on her face.

       "You should be good at coming up with stories," Ayaka said with coldness.

       So, they spent about an hour, Ayaka repeating the information until Caiome retained it and creating small scenarios where Ayaka pretended to be any guest, and Caiome had to respond politely.

       It was a disaster the first few times because Caiome felt weird, and Ayaka insisted. In the end, Caiome agreed, just to get rid of her and her insistence.

       Then Ayaka led her to the inner garden where the orchestra was rehearsing, and she asked them to play the piece they were going to perform during Caiome's dance.

       "So," she turned to Caiome, "have you envisioned what you need to do?"

       Caiome shrugged. "Probably. I'll see in the moment."

       Ayaka closed her eyes, gathering her patience.

       "Caiome," she began, turning to her, making Caiome put her hands on her chest, "you accepted my brother's proposal. If you did, I would like you to give it your utmost attention because you also have something to gain from this deal. In case it turns into a disaster, I don't think my brother will offer you those two hundred days he said he would deduct from the two thousand five hundred, so you need to take this seriously, both for your own good and for the Kamisato family."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow. "I understand," she said. "Well, I will decide that at the end. I need to go clean the swords."

       "I'll accompany you," Ayaka said. "We need to practice the walk. Ayato will escort you to the table; you can't walk the way you usually do or jump or run."

        They both turned, heading towards the back courtyard, and Ayaka began to correct her posture and shoulders again. Steps had to be small, equal, slow, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

        "No one will see my steps under all those clothes."

        "A trained eye can easily tell the difference between the walk of a respectable person and... however you would like to call yourself," Ayaka said.

       "Ah," Caiome said when they reached the back garden, in front of the door to the storage, just as the door opened, and Mizuki came out.

       "Oh, my lady," he said, but no one seemed to notice him when Caiome started talking.

        "Meaning a thief?" she said with a smile, crossing her arms over her chest. "I could accept any term at this point, considering that your servants have accustomed me."

       "You can't blame them for their cautious behavior," said Ayaka. "They don't do it because of unfounded rumors, but because of facts they witnessed."

       "More or less," said Caiome. "Many of them have only heard stories."

       "Miss Caiome, please, don't try to find an excuse for yourself. The truth is that everyone is cautious, including my brother and me. Even if Lord Kamisato offers you certain advantages, he does it for a greater good, not just because you're a special case treated differently from others. Moreover, you're the disadvantaged one here, considering what others can do and what you can't. They have freedom; you don't, so please don't force things."

       She bowed only with her eyes, and Caiome immediately noticed that she did it only because Mizuki was present, then turned and left in the same small and elegant steps that Caiome was forced to take here.

       "What's her problem?" mumbled Caiome.

       "Well, you kind of stole her jewelry," Mizuki said.

       "Yes, which I gave back." She put her hands on her hips, still looking after Ayaka. "Not even her brother behaves like that. At least he's more fun."

       "Can you blame her?" Mizuki said, grabbing her arm and leading her to the storage. "You didn't take anything from Lord Kamisato, but you took everything you could find among Lady Ayaka's jewelry, including the most important for her."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, sitting on her chair. "The most important?"

       "The silver hairpin with sapphires?" Mizuki said, and Caiome instantly remembered that beautiful piece of jewelry that she was undecided whether to sell or keep to add to her collection. "It's a kind of family heirloom.

       "A kind of?"

       "It was her mother's. Lady Ayaka received it from her just before she died."

       Caiome was silent for a few seconds. "And how do you know that?"

       "Where do you think?" he said. "That was the main subject about the stolen things. No one mentioned the other jewelry, only the silver hairpin with sapphires."

        Caiome slumped back, putting her hands on her chest. There had to be more to Ayaka than that. And she knew what it was.

        That night, Caiome entered Ayato's office without much complication. She simply opened the door, walked in quietly, and closed it behind her. She lit a candle, looked around the room, and let out a light whistle. Ayato's office was... an office. Full. A full office. The only empty portion was the center of the room and the desk placed in front of the window where Ayato spent most of his time. Otherwise, the walls were flanked by shelves and cabinets containing papers, books, and files, all arranged in a well-determined order by various subjects: expenses for festivals, banquets, treasury records, reports from each cultural branch of the Yashiro Commission, each material situation of the other clans, and many similar items, all written in detail, with beautiful calligraphy. Caiome realized it was Ayato's handwriting, considering the flowing letters resembled those she had seen him write.

       She sat at the desk and began to search for the file on the expenses for the banquet that was gonna take place in two days. She found the file and started reading, surprised at how effortlessly she could read the words. This man had a golden touch when it came to moving a brush on paper. Probably the years had molded him.

        She read the entire file but found nothing related to her or anything suspicious. A banquet in honor of a delegation from Snezhnaya. Caiome briefly wondered if it was connected to the incident with the Fatui group that she heared Ayato talking about with the man with the glasses, but it seemed this delegation had no relation to their activities, rather focusing on the cultural exchange she heard about in the city, as Inazuma started forming international connections now that the borders were open again. The project began with Fontaine, continued with Sumeru, and now Snezhnaya submitted its proposal. That's why they were coming around the Sakura festival, attending Ayato's banquet, and then touring the city. It was like a kind of exchange of experience.

       Well, that was boring. If Caiome were caught up in a situation to fight the Fatui if needed, which wasn't the first time she had done it, it would be more than fun, rather than just sitting to eat and smile politely, with a straight back and small steps.

       She hoped for something interesting or that she had found the reason Ayato told her to dance for the guests because she found nothing in his papers.

       She opened the desk drawer to put the file back, but her eyes fell on the old characters she couldn't read. She left the file on the table, then took out the notebook and placed it on the desk over the file. She grabbed it, and it instantly opened to the last poem written. Caiome didn't know if it was the same poem Ayato had written when she accompanied him, although the characters seemed familiar, but between the pages was a cherry blossom with its five petals, pressed by the poem.

       This man was really strange.

       She closed the notebook and put it back, then placed the file over it and closed the drawer. She extinguished the candle, replacing it with a new one to make everything look identical to before entering the office. She made sure nothing was out of place, then left and went to her room.

       She found nothing.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13 ~ The Bet and the Sakura Story

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       The next day, Caiome cleaned the terraces, practiced with Mizuki, cleaned the dojo, then went alone to Ayaka's salon to repeat the same etiquette rules as yesterday, using the same method: Ayaka pretending to be a guest whom Caiome had to enchant with words and smiles. Ayaka even promised Caiome that until she did everything perfectly, she wouldn't let her leave. This would delay her responsibilities, and they might even stay until midnight if needed, just so Caiome wouldn't make any mistakes during the banquet.

       All right, Caiome probably understood the importance of the banquet. After all, that was the purpose of the Yashiro Commission, to preserve and evolve culture. And cultural exchange was crucial for promoting their own culture, which could mean closing international industrial deals. Maybe Caiome also understood the importance of the delegation from Snezhnaya, given that Snezhnaya was renowned for the furs they made, their quality and beauty that could be used by the people of Inazuma through the winter.

       "You're anxious, aren't you?" Caiome said, resting her cheek in her palm, interrupting Ayaka's discourse on femininity in lifting the tea cup from the table. By doing so, Caiome had already violated some of Ayaka's rules—she didn't have a straight back, her shoulders weren't pulled back, her chin wasn't lifted, and she didn't smile. She interrupted Ayaka and spoke without being asked.

       "About what?" Ayaka asked, curious nevertheless.

       "About everything," Caiome said.

       Ayaka opened her fan suddenly, starting to flutter it very slowly under her nose. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what you could be referring to, Miss."

       "That's why I always said your brother is more fun. At least he tries."

       "I don't wish to address topics unrelated to the banquet the day after tomorrow. Now, let's return to the tea ceremony tradition."

       "I don't care," Caiome said.

       "Miss Caiome—"

       "The banquet. Important. Don't mess it up. I get it," she said quickly. "You can drop all your scenarios. I don't care about them now, and probably not then. My role is to dance and eat nicely."

        "In that case," Ayaka said coldly, raising her chin, "I think you should assist the orchestra."

        Caiome frowned at her. "That's not what you want me to do," she said.

        "In fact, that is the only thing I would like you to do right now."

        "No, it's not. You want me to apologize. You want me to apologize for stealing from you, for taking your jewelry, and for taking advantage of your kindness and naivety. You want me to bow before you, just like everyone else does."

       Ayaka stopped her fan abruptly, closing it and adopting that serious expression that Caiome wanted to see.

       Finally.

       "I don't desire that," Ayaka said. "I am perfectly aware that you have regret regarding your actions. So I won't ask the impossible from someone who doesn't know this morality. Let's let things go as Ayato decided, and after the banquet is over, we can go our separate ways, even though we live in the same residence for now."

       Caiome leaned back in her palms.

       "So you're anxious. And you think too much. And you're trying to avoid talking about it for fear of what you might say."

       "I didn't ask for an analysis."

       She was about to get up, but Caiome's words stopped her.

       "Your hatred for me is because I stole the jewelry given to you by your mother," she concluded. "And you want me to realize that, unlike the other jewelry you probably don't care about, I stole something that has sentimental value to you."

        Ayaka lifted her chin. "What happened that night doesn't matter anymore," Ayaka said, keeping her calm, although Caiome saw how she subtly clenched her fist and hid her hand under the table, out of sight. "We need to learn to look forward because life waits for no one."

        Caiome studied Ayaka as she stood up, ready to leave her own salon, when Caiome should have been the one kicked out. Since this wasn't her cleaning area and was a room designated for Ayaka's status in that house, Ayaka had every right to kick Caiome out. But Ayaka would rather run away from this discussion than try to make Caiome leave, because she knew she wouldn't succeed.

       "Let's make a deal," she said suddenly.

       "And why would I do that?" Ayaka asked.

       "Because you want me to apologize. Because you want to get a sincere feeling from me at least once to feed your illusions that you had until now," Caiome continued, standing up.

       "I'm not going to make any deals with you, Miss Caiome. Have a good day."

       "Because it's about your jewelry, not Ayato's, and even though your brother took responsibility for me, you know damn well that you deserve a share of those rights too, right?"

        Ayaka shot her a look. "Do you think I'll trust your words?"

       "You don't have to," Caiome said, waving her hand. "I understand your skepticism. I wouldn't trust myself either. But it's not about trust; it's about being right, isn't it?" Ayaka seemed surprised. "Here's the deal. If I don't behave properly at the banquet, if I make even the slightest mistake in... all these good manners, I'll sincerely apologize. I understand your feeling."

        Ayaka raised her chin.

       "But," Caiome continued, "if I make no mistake, neither in dance nor in behavior, then you have to acknowledge that I'm right."

       "Right about what, exactly?" Ayaka asked.

       "You feel like a failure," Caiome said a bit too directly, making Ayaka tremble inwardly. "You trusted me because I saved you, guaranteed to Ayato that I'm a good person who wouldn't do anything wrong. You didn't listen to him, and I tried to run away with your things. If it wasn't for Ayato and his skeptical nature and keen observation, you wouldn't have gotten your mother's jewelry back. And if you could make such a mistake, that you could lose something so small, you could make a mistake about bigger things, like... well, the Kamisato family. You're anxious about the banquet, everyone knows it. Plus, preparations that started three days after Ayato forced me to stay here? Preparations that began three weeks ago, your insistence not to make any mistakes. Practically, you begged me. You're the face of every festival, princess, because you can't be the puppet behind the event, and you're afraid you couldn't be like your brother, that he should be the only one. So you try, and when you fail, you demoralize yourself, hide your emotions, try to strengthen yourself, and do everything right. Am I wrong?"

       Ayaka kept silent for several whole seconds.

       "We didn't attend the banquet yet to prove you right or wrong," she said as she exited the salon, and Caiome smiled to herself.

       Oh, she loved challenges. But to truly love them, she had to put in all her effort to win. That's why Caiome took the deer leather shoes that Ayato had ordered for her, went to the inner garden where the orchestra had already started their rehearsals, and asked them to play the piece of music she would be dancing to. The orchestra played. And played. And played, while Caiome didn't dance but performed exercises to break in the shoes, staring blankly at the trees around her.

🌸

       On the morning of the banquet, Thoma didn't insist on banging her head against the crate, so as not to leave any bruises that the maids would have to cover with makeup, as he put it. Caiome just rolled her eyes when she was informed that she would be exempt from activities that day, especially since most of the servants had something a little different to do than usual to prepare for the afternoon banquet.

       Caiome reluctantly let Thoma take her sword, as he insisted that he would take it to Mizuki to clean the blade and sheath, preparing it for the performance, while she would be taken care of by the maids.

       First and foremost, Caiome was taken for a bath. A bath in the true sense of the word. The maids greeted her with a nose wrinkle, especially when Caiome noticed that two of them were the older woman and the younger girl from the riverbed who didn't let her wash the sheets. She smiled at them. For a day, Caiome would be pampered and served as if she were indeed a guest of Lord Kamisato, just as Chizuru had served her when she came here for the first time.

       But the maids didn't take her easy. They practically threw her into one of the huge bath basins, starting to rub her skin until Caiome felt like a scrub, and washing her hair, combing it, applying oils and shampoos, and pulling with the brush so hard that Caiome thought she would end up bald.

       "Ouch! Slow down!" she yelled a few times, but the maids didn't pay attention, standing with their noses in the air, ignoring her.

       Not to mention the cruelty and ruthlessness when they waxed her with hot sugar, seeming not to care that they burned her skin or how hard they pulled, making Caiome think she would end up both bald and skinless.

       Two hundred days, she told herself in her mind. Two hundred days closer to her shell. Two hundred days and a delicious meal without nasty looks and stray thoughts, just relaxation. And the chance to get to know Ayato better, to discover his secrets, a chance that could bring her even more reduced days from the two thousand five hundred. Maybe she would find something so crucial that she could blackmail him back in exchange for the shell.

       But for that, she had to endure the wrath of the maids.

       The one who did her makeup, surprisingly, was Chizuru, who approached her with her chin raised and nose high, just as Mizuki tried to do at first but failed.

       "I agreed to do this only because of Lady Ayaka and Lord Kamisato," she said without Caiome asking anything. "Don't let it get to your head."

       Caiome smiled sweetly. "I didn't expect anyone else for this role. You seem the most suitable, considering you also do your mistress's makeup."

       Chizuru blushed, leaving the products on the table next to the chair where Caiome was seated.

       "I will accept your compliment, but don't think for a second that I will be fooled by your words."

       "I've heard that before," Caiome said. "What are these?" she asked, pointing to open porcelain jars containing various powders.

       "This is for the skin," Chizuru said, "and this for the eyes."

       "I see," Caiome said curiously. "I haven't worn anything like this before."

       Chizuru widened her eyes. "You've never worn make-up before?"

       Caiome laughed a little nervously. "Weird, isn't it? I mean, I have, but with strange paints or juice from fruits. Or at children's stalls, painters drawing faces for free with festival paint," she said.

       "Those are nonsense," Chizuru said, outraged. "I mean, not for children, but that is the art of painting. The art of makeup is a separate art," she said with a proud air, which made Caiome shake her head. They were all the same. "I will transform even you, a stranger to this art, into a goddess. Well, no," she quickly added, "because the only goddess here is Lady Ayaka. But you'll be beautiful enough to not turn heads around in disgust."

       "Thank you," she muttered.

       "Now, let's think. Considering the color palette of the costume, the festival theme, and your features... Ugh, here's where the problem lies."

       "Why?" Caiome became curious, although she knew what Chizuru was about to say.

       "Your hair messes up the whole story. It's not silver; it's more like..."

       "Gray?" Caiome rolled her eyes.

       "Exactly!" Chizuru exclaimed. "That's why I need to think carefully about how to do your makeup. Hmm..."

       Chizuru started her work. First, she applied some creams to her face, saying that she had dry and cracked skin, so she needed to cover such imperfections, to not make the makeup looks like it's about to fall off her face. Then she gave her a kind of slimy and sticky gel, crystal green. Later, Caiome learned that it was made from snail secretion. Then she started applying powders. White powder, combined with a skin-colored one, considering that Caiome didn't have such a light complexion as the others, applied with a light brush that caressed her skin. Then a pink powder to give her cheeks a bit of color. With a smaller brush, Chizuru chose a few shades of pink for her eyes and a pale shade of the same pink for her lips. Then she took black paint, like ink, and with a brush so thin that Caiome couldn't even see the strands at the end, Chizuru drew something on her face, around her eyes. Then she came with the same type of paint, but this time red, then golden.

       "Are you sure it will look somewhat good on me?" Caiome asked. "I feel like there's too... much."

       "Have you seen your costume?" Chizuru said. "It looks simple, but it's not. Mrs. Sayumi only brought you the clothing the other day, not the accessories."

       "So, you want me to be even more overloaded?" Caiome retorted.

       "I've been told you'll use your Vision to help," she blinked, pausing for a second in her painting.

       "Yes, but—"

       "I think you'll manage," Chizuru continued with her drawing, which Caiome felt reaching her nose and the center of her forehead, between her eyebrows. "I've seen you so many times on those logs, and I've seen you fight, and even though I don't have much contact with the other servants, I've heard rumors. Don't think I say this for you," she added quickly. "I say it for Lady Ayaka and Lord Kamisato. Everything has to be perfect; we've all worked too hard for this. Especially Lady Ayaka and the lord. You have no idea about the nights he spends in his office, trying to get everything perfect. If you knew, you would appreciate even more what he does for you. You should thank him for letting you work for him instead of staying constantly locked in a cell with special surveillance. He's kind enough to do that even for thieves who stole his sister's precious things, so don't dare to do something wrong just for revenge."

       Caiome blinked a few times.

       "Are you in love with him or something?" she asked, and Chizuru's brush slipped.

       "What nonsense are you talking about?!" she said quickly, agitated. "Look what I've done; I made a mistake. Now I have to erase it carefully. Don't say such words!"

       "Don't you think he's a bit too old for you, though? He's almost double your age."

       "I'm not in love with him! I could never be," Chizuru defended herself.

       "Sure," Caiome shrugged, seemingly unimpressed as her nose seemed to grow from the way she teased Chizuru. "Judging by the way you act, breathe, talk about him, and the way your heart beats, I definitely can't think you have a secret crush on him. You surely don't look at him with big eyes, hanging on to every word and movement of his. Surely you don't study his face as if it's the first and last time you see it, enjoying the feeling of being infatuated," she began to laugh, producing sounds that resembled more of a sinister "ha ha ha" than a usual laughter.

       "Caiome!" Chizuru complained, and Caiome laughed even harder. "Don't move, be quiet, and let me do your makeup."

       An hour later, Caiome not only had her makeup done but also her hair. However, Chizuru didn't let her look in the mirror until she finished everything. After pulling her hair and securing it with golden diamond-studded hairpins and ornaments that already made Caiome wonder if she could dance on logs or not, Chizuru finally agreed to give her a mirror.

        Caiome gasped when she saw herself in the glassy surface. The face in the mirror was anyone but her. Certainly not her. And not because she was be more beautiful, but because her hair never stayed arranged like that, caught in a long tail with three golden diamond-studded hairpins and necklaces that surrounded her head. And not because she had never been wearing makeup before, but because that makeup was too much. Her skin seemed shinier, eyebrows were thinner, lips appeared fuller and not as cracked, but the cherry on top was not all that or the pink eyeshadow that seemed to deepen her eyes.

       But the paints Chizuru used on her. Her eyes were framed by black paint that extended both inside and outside in long tails reaching the base of the nose and the middle of the temple, respectively. Red paint outlined the black one at the bottom of the eye, climbing towards the nose in two thin lines up to its tip without touching each other. The same thin red lines were on her cheeks, one on each sharp cheekbone, and an elongated rhomb sat between her eyebrows. The golden paint, on the other hand, outlined the red paint, but only the lines on the cheekbones and the elongated rhomb.

        "I look like..." she began, frowning at herself in the mirror, unable to find the right word.

        "Youkai," Chizuru said, taking the mirror from her. She twirled, proud of her work, placing the mirror on the table, then started gathering all her things. "A kind of ghost with unusual features. You're playing the role of a youkai."

        Caiome was about to ask "what do you mean by role?" when the salon door opened, and Sayumi entered not only with her costume and shoes, but also with a separate box of golden and red accessories and warm pastel colors that made Caiome frown.

        "Let's get to work," she said. "Lady Ayaka will come to check how you look and if you are ready to present yourself to the banquet. It's already past noon, and the guests are starting to arrive. Lord Kamisato is already in the garden, and now he's just waiting for Lady Ayaka, so let's get started."

       Caiome didn't even know when she had been dressed in the costume and when the shoes were put on her, or when Sayumi, without notifying her beforehand, placed all the accessories on her: a golden braided thread that, passing over the chest in a rather casual way, caught the two parts of the robe; gold earrings and a few necklaces - a sign of abundance, said the seamstress; bracelets on her feet and hands; nails painted black, with paint extended on her fingers to give the appearance of claws; drawings made by Chizuru on her hands and the top of her foot, although Caiome doubted anyone would see them.

       Caiome was no longer some kind of dancer or entertainer or whatever Ayato had in mind for her.

       She was a doll with no say in this.

       Then Thoma brought the sword, looking at her for a long time before starting to laugh, holding his stomach. Caiome hit him with the sleeve of her robe, and when she saw that didn't calm him down, she took a pillow from one of the tea tables and hit him right in the face.

       "Hey! That's not nice," Thoma said, pointing a finger at her, then pursed his lips and started laughing again. "Oh, if you could see how you look."

      "Hey!" Caiome retorted. "It's your culture, right? Youkai," she puffed.

      "More like Oni."

      "More like you should see what I would do to you."

       Caiome took one of Chizuru's powders, the pink one specifically, and blew it towards Thoma, coloring his face in shades of pink.

       "Hmph," she said, "present yourself at the banquet if you can. You look like a cherry blossom, I'm sure you'll fit into the scenery."

       "I see you're having fun," Ayaka's voice was heard, who had just arrived at the door, but early enough to see the show between Caiome and Thoma.

       Caiome saw Ayaka and remembered seeing her a day ago in their etiquette lesson, where she was determined to show that she would keep her word and win the challenge proposed by her, but Ayaka seemed not to know what she was talking about or what was happening.

       And sooner rather than later, Caiome even felt again that just by looking at them, you could tell who played the role of the goddess and who played the role of the beast. Or, in short, a Youkai role.

       Ayaka wore pastel blue tones that matched her light blue hair and eyes. A robe made of the finest material, almost transparent, with flowers of a similarly pale pink and simple but charming makeup. Her hair was left down, raised only halfway up, in a tail, and caught with her mother's sapphire hairpin, which Caiome noticed immediately.

        Seated side by side, Caiome and Ayaka couldn't be more different: one wearing blue, the other wearing red; one a representation of elegance and beauty, the other of wild forest spirits; one being the serene morning, the other the sunset and the fall of darkness. Both the moon and the sun. They were like two twin sisters of different nature.

        Ayaka quickly studied Caiome, who was made to turn around a few times for a complete inspection. Then she gave her approval with a nod.

        "You will be brought by a maid to the garden, then my brother will announce you," she added before leaving with Thoma, who still had pink cheeks because of the powder.

        Caiome concluded that the powder didn't disappear so easily. And if the powder was hard to wipe off... would she be stuck with that paint on her face forever?

        She stood in the salon with Chizuru and Sayumi for about half an hour, trying to find a suitable place for the sword sheath, which, in turn, was adorned with two intertwined cords, one red and one, of course, golden. Eventually, they found a solution, hiding the sheath between the robe and the long vest that played a similar role.

        Then a maid came and informed them that they needed to get ready, and she was led to the inner gardens, where Caiome stood for hours, improperly speaking, listening to the orchestra play and watching the cherry blossoms shake.

       She was guided directly behind some screens without seeing the guests' table, but she could hear their voices. Several male voices, a few female ones. Ayato's guards surrounded the area, while elegantly dressed maids in white, red, and pink carried drinks, passing by her. In the center of the garden, where Caiome could see, there were already some dancers dressed in simpler costumes than hers but richer in colors—yellow, red, green, and purple—wearing wooden shoes and with their hair styled in buns and braids, decorated with large flowers like roses.

        Around the garden, there were trees with pink crowns moving gently in the light breeze, letting rosy petals slide, making the entire garden look like a sky during sunset.

        Caiome seized the perfect moment when Chizuru wasn't looking her way to sneak a glance behind the screen towards the guests' table. She was curious about the kind of food on the tables and, at the same time, tried to spot the delegation from Snezhnaya. Perhaps she would manage to distinguish some dishes, but the conversations were overlapping. Ayato had his discussions, Ayaka had hers, and many others were happening simultaneously.She was led directly behind some screens without seeing the guests' table, but she could hear their voices. Several male voices, a few female ones. Ayato was engaged in his own conversation, Ayaka had hers, and many others alongside them.

       The tables were arranged in a U shape, long low tables decorated with flowers and the Kamisato family emblem, alongside that of the Shogun on whose behalf they conducted all these affairs. On one side were the Inazuma people. Clan heads, Caiome instantly realized, those under Ayato's command and part of the Yashiro Commission, the men and their wives. On the other side were those from Snezhnaya, dressed rather militarily. Which, according to Caiome, didn't fit the men's style. She had been to Snezhnaya and come across authorities many times who usually, despite the cold, kept their hair shorter, either to not obstruct their view or to avoid staying wet for too long in bad weather. And they seemed a bit rosy in the cheeks. Well, it wasn't that cold, and it certainly wasn't that hot either.

       Caiome glanced around. Ayaka was standing next to Ayato, engaged in a conversation with one of the women among the clan heads. She stood straight, shoulders pulled back, smiled politely, waiting for the other person to stop talking, although she seemed a bit bored. Then she looked at Ayato, who seemed a bit different. It could be seen from there that he wore shades of purple on his clothes, pale shades to match the atmosphere. They were different, but Caiome couldn't see them entirely, focusing more on what he was discussing with his Snezhnayan guest, probably the most important among all considering he stood right next to him and had a different costume from the others, more elaborate, more relaxed, and at least had shorter hair.

       Caiome had probably lingered too long staring, as in the next moment, Ayato caught her gaze, looking at her from the corner of his eye, adding his characteristic smile. Caiome quickly retreated behind the screen, trying to count the seconds until the dancers finished, and it would be her turn. It seemed to be taking too long.

       She tried to occupy her mind, thinking about the orchestra's melody for her, counting the steps, or wondering how much power from her hidden Vision she had to use to make the clothes and accessories lighter. She leaned again, but Ayato was no longer at the table, and Ayaka was holding his place, talking to the Snezhnayan delegate.

       Just as she wondered where he disappeared, she felt her pinkie finger caught between two other fingers, so she jumped to the side, but her finger remained captive.

       "Look," Ayato said with a smile, holding her finger between the tips of his, "I've caught a Youkai lurking in my garden."

       Caiome pulled her pinky from between his fingers.

       "I hate you," she said, probably referring to his habit of having steps too light and too quiet of a breath.

       "That should be the point, right?" he laughed, withdrawing his hand and placing it behind his back.

       Now that Caiome looked better at him, she realized what was different about him. His hair was a bit more wavy, pulled into a low ponytail over his shoulder and chest, with a braided strand of light purple; in his left ear, he had a long earring with hanging white silk threads, and his entire outfit was composed of short robes over which symbols in dark shades of purple were traced. Only the pants were black, and the sleeves of the robe above were wide, although the robe itself was a bit tight.

       This man had so many quality and beautiful costumes that it was hard to distinguish between everyday ones and those he kept for events like this.

       "I don't see food on the table," Caiome said.

       Ayato hid his hands in the robe's sleeves. "That's because they will be served after you finish your dance. I promised our guests that you would be the highlight of the event. I couldn't distract their attention with food."

       "Of course," Caiome said. "Gods forbid everyone to not have their eyes on me; it would be a loss."

       "It would be," Ayato said with a small smile.

       Caiome huffed. "So... a Youkai role, huh?"

       "It suits you, don't you think?" he laughed.

       "Don't play dumb with me; it's not in your character," she blew a strand of her hair, then put it behind her ear. "How did you know I would agree to dance for you? How did you even come up with that idea? Such a costume can't be made perfectly for me in less than a week, and surely I don't think Sayumi had it randomly around the shop. You didn't'simply pointed at it and said, 'This is perfect.'"

       "When you frown at me," Ayato said instead, "the role suits you even better."

       Caiome sighed in frustration.

      "And if you hadn't accepted as you did, I would have found another way to convince you," he added. "Whether using your Vision's shell or not as blackmailing, you would have ended up here, so you should be glad we resolved it in a civilized manner."

        "Tell me honestly," Caiome said, "do you even see me as the thief who entered your house? Because I, for one, feel like your personal toy. Even if, logically, it would be in your nature to treat people like this."

       Ayato smiled faintly. "You really are like a Youkai," came his late response, looking at her and examining her face and expression.

       Caiome squinted her eyes. "Why did you want me to dance for you?" she asked, putting her hands over her chest.

       "As I've told you, your balance fascinated me, and I believe it should be shown to others. Especially dressed like this and in this kind of scenario."

       Caiome shrugged. "Believe it or not, I have no idea what I'm doing here."

       "Let me show you then," he said, then pulled one of his hands out of the robe's sleeves.

       He took one of Caiome's hands and turned it with the palm up, holding it gently, so the palm was stretched. Leaving one gloved finger on her skin, he began to draw imaginary lines, as if holding his fancy brush, looking only at her palm and the traces he left behind.

        "Cherry blossoms have been admired, and the Sakura festival has been held since ancient characters existed," he began. "As a meaning, because of the short life of the flowers, sakura was seen as 'life is fleeting', meaning in flight. So the people of Inazuma wrote it like this." He showed her her own palm where nothing was drawn, but somehow Caiome remembered the sign. Ayato moved lower on her palm towards the center. "Therefore, sakura represented both life and what was at its end, meaning death. It was beauty," he drew another character, "but it was also violence."

       He looked at her for a second through his long eyelashes, then turned back to her palm.

       "Sakura was the symbol of the most beautiful and honorable death and still is a symbol of the samurai. And around sakura, the Hanami ritual was born," he drew another character. "It means admiration," he said in a whisper.

       He traced with the tip of his finger through the center of her palm, and Caiome tried to remember the shape of all the characters, but everything began to fade once Ayato looked at her again, and his eyes sparkled. Behind the screen, no one could see him except her, and he seemed to know that.

       "This is all that you represent now. Beauty and violence under the guise of an immortal Youkai gazing towards the end of a life that it finds only in the falling cherry blossoms. Your sword, a guide for samurais, wielded with honor."

       Caiome clenched her jaw slightly, looking at her palm, then back up at Ayato. Suddenly, she became aware of the proximity between them. And the fact that Ayato had not touched her for so long before. Short touches, yes. And very rarely at that. But not touches that were lingering for so long between them two. Probably he was taking advantage of the fact that they were alone, considering that in public it probably wasn't allowed by the etiquette of noble men. His touch was gentle, warm, and tender. He didn't touch her whole palm, only his fingers holding hers.

       "And the ritual?" she asked. "Where does it fit into all of this?"

       "In us," he said in a whisper. "Those around you... Admiring you."

       Caiome took a short breath, then looked at her hand again, thinking that she might find the drawn characters there, but there was nothing, and Ayato didn't release her hand. She could have taken a step back, distanced herself from him, but her feet wouldn't let her, and the feeling was nauseating. Eventually, she pulled her hand back, hiding it under the sleeves of her robe. However, Ayato didn't lower his hand, as if waiting for her to offer it again.

       "What is it?" he asked in the same light tone, almost whispering secrets to her, leaning a bit closer, and Caiome looked more towards his chest.

        "The music," she finally said. "It's about to stop."

        Which was true because five seconds later, the orchestra ceased its melody, and applauses could be heard from the tables, although Caiome knew that no one was actually watching the dancers. They had retreated to the side screens, all passing by Ayato and Caiome as if they hadn't seen them, with lowered gazes, ready to go home.

       "You should introduce me now, right?" Caiome said.

       Ayato looked at her, then nodded slightly. He passed by her, heading to the center of everyone. Caiome shook her hands and feet, rotated her neck, gathering strands of wind on her fingers, looking beyond the screen. Ayato politely presented the scenario she was about to play, a Youkai under cherry blossoms. The tree trunks were taller than the ones she had chosen for herself in the backyard gardens, but they were suitable.

       When Ayato settled in his place behind the table, the orchestra began to play. She was supposed to play the role of a Youkai, right? Youkai didn't wear leather shoes. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 14 ~ The Immortal Youkai and the Mortal Lover

🌸

       Taking off her shoes and standing barefoot, Caiome gathered the wind and jumped on a log, and her robes fluttered around her. The bracelets jingled, and in a pirouette, she drew her sword and extended it to the left. The light fell on it, reflecting the colors of the trees and flowers, and the wind went towards the branches above her. Petals began to fall like raindrops, and Caiome stepped onto another log as the instruments touched certain strings, making everything sound like wind chimes. With each chime, Caiome stepped on another log. The sun shone on her jewels, accessories, and the embroideries of her clothes, making her look like the sun itself. She spun and floated, stretched the sword and caught cherry blossoms, then cut them with a sudden movement, letting them fall lifelessly around her.

       She was beauty and violence.

       She jumped and floated in the air, and the bracelets collided with each other. She rotated several times on the same log, closing her eyes, living. She was a Youkai. She was immortal. And when she opened her eyes, she looked at the life that was ending in front of her.

        Her sword was sharp. It was beautiful and honorable. It had served her for years. Throughout the years, Caiome had never been separated from it, just like a Youkai never separated from its nature and what made it a Youkai.

       And everyone, in the company of music, looked at her; at her steps; at the way the robes floated around her as if she were flying. She flew. They looked at her bare feet; at the way the petals touched her shoulders, hair, and clothes; at her eyes resembling beasts, shining in the shadows of the flowers caressing her cheeks and lashes. The robes covered her feet, making it seem like she was floating towards the cherry blossoms, rather than falling with them.

       The melody was nearing its end. She had to make one more pirouette, step on the wind, let the robes fly, and the jewels shine, the bracelets jingle, and the sword cut around her.

       But there he was. With his hands outstretched towards her, with a small smile, with a glow as intense as hers, bathed in cherry petals and the white light of the sun. Making everything around him disappear, Ayato reached out to the Youkai, and she, putting her sword back in its sheath, caught his fingers between hers, and the robes flew around them, along with the cherry blossoms. Her life was breaking in front of him. The life of a Youkai was breaking in front of a mortal. Until now, she looked at pale light, but now she had turned towards a stronger, more pleasant light.

       She stepped on the wind and then on the ground, and his gaze was almost... cheerful. Leaning slightly towards her, Ayato kissed the fingers of one hand, and Caiome straightened up, looking for his gaze at the same time, just like a forest spirit curiously looks for something that only a mortal could have, namely the anticipated glow of death. The kiss was light, barely felt. It wasn't even a touch, but the ghost of one, as if spirits couldn't feel what mortals could.

       Then Ayato stood up, looked into her eyes, and turned towards the crowd that began to applaud, smiling at them. Only then did Caiome realize that she had just danced. She had danced for these people who had been watching her all this time.

       Ayato gently pulled her towards him, and they began to walk. Caiome immediately forgot how she was supposed to step, but she looked at his steps: small, elegant, calculated. So she tried to follow him, to mimic what he was doing. She looked at Ayaka, but couldn't discern her expression. There were several possibilities. If she was satisfied, she would be pleased that Caiome was acting as a true dancer - because that's what she had to be in front of others - managing to maintain the second role that Ayaka imposed on her, inventing stories. She would be pleased that the banquet was going as it should. But if that were the case, Ayaka would have lost the bet.

       Ayato let her sit at the end of the table, next to an old woman, but beautiful, holding her hand until she sat on her knees, with a straight back and pulled shoulders, looking dignified. Ayato made another bow, then retreated to his place. The woman on her right smiled at Caiome, and she politely nodded, without saying anything.

       Soon, the servants began to bring the food, and now Caiome was even closer to Ayato so she could hear him. Although she didn't quite succeed, considering that the woman beside her kept asking her questions, to which Caiome, instead of telling her to shut up and leave her alone, smiled and answered the questions, sometimes giving her opinion. About perfumes, about make-up - although she wasn't very good at it - and she was asked where she had learned to dance like that.

       "In Liyue," she told the truth. "From a sword dancer."

       "You are very beautiful," the woman said, and her blue eyes sparkled.

       Caiome nodded slightly. "Thank you. But I dare say I don't compare to you. You have a natural beauty compared to my face hidden under this makeup."

       "Well, it suits you extraordinarily well. The shape of your eyes, their color, your hair... the radiance... you truly seem like a Youkai."

       Caiome didn't say anything, just smiled.

       She started to eat quietly, sushi, chicken, rice triangles - which had become her favorites -, a bit of fish, then desserts: honey biscuits, pastries, tarts, dango, all while listening. Ayato and the delegate from Snezhnaya were discussing typical business matters, while other entertainers began to perform dances, games, and theater in front of them. However, some were paying attention, while the rest engaged in conversations.

       Caiome looked bored towards the Snezhnaya delegates, who were talking among themselves, but very, very slowly, and some were looking quite insistently towards their leader.

       Then she frowned slightly when she saw behind the screens a figure that had no business being there. A girl, probably up to one and a half meters tall, with blond curly hair tied in a thin ponytail at the back and bangs reaching down to her jaw, stared with her brown eyes directly at Caiome. She took a step back, hiding behind the screen, but Caiome leaned to the side, managing to catch her gaze again, before the girl either completely hid or even fled behind the screens.

       It was strange. The girl was wearing servant's clothes, but Caiome hadn't seen her in the residence before, and she knew everyone at least by face if not by name. After all, she worked from morning until night, so she saw all the employees during shift changes.

      "Are you sure?" Caiome heard at one point from her right, while eating a piece of sushi, drawing her attention away from the girl who fled through the gardens.

       She looked over there, and two men, one with glasses and older, the other middle-aged, with a pair of light blue eyes, were talking slowly to each other.

      "I'm sure," the one with glasses replied. "The expenses for this year..."

      "... must have been..." The man nodded. "...impossible."

      "I'll talk to him."

      "... quickly."

      Caiome became frustrated with the music and others talking over the two.

      "... weeks later."

      "... the supplements..."

      "... the clans... for a long time."

     "I have a gift for you," Ayato's voice suddenly sounded in her ears, and Caiome turned abruptly towards him.

      From the sleeve of his robe, Ayato pulled out a small package, like a box, tied in a scarf, and all fell silent when he placed the box on the table. The leader of the delegation, smiling shyly, accepted it with a sincere "thank you."

      "Please," Ayato said, making a hand gesture, "open it. I would like to hear your opinion. Of course, it will be a bit outside Inazuma's specific culture, but it is a world culture, and we wanted to share it with you, especially now."

       Caiome squinted her eyes.

       "Of course," the leader said.

       He unwrapped the scarf, and from inside he took out a black box with a sculpted cherry blossom flower. He opened it and smiled broadly, and his joy seemed sincere to Caiome.

       Only when he turned the box, Caiome opened her mouth in shock. Her shell. The shell with the dead Vision was in the box.

       Her gaze darkened, and her breath caught in her throat. The laughs around her at something the leader of the delegation had said seemed muffled. The wind was muffled.

       In his hands, the case seemed strange.

       Caiome frowned.

       Now she understood.

       The uniforms. The leader with a crooked smile who had no idea what he was talking about. The long hair of the others. The whispers and insistent looks. And Ayato was smiling. Smiling like a fool. If her case remained in their hands, she would lose it forever.

        She flew to them.

       The tip of the sword pierced between the fingers of the delegation leader. The wind scattered not only the screens and decorations and the few plates of too-light food, but also the cherry blossom petals that swirled in a tornado. The bracelets clashed again, and the robes flew. Her gaze became wild, and the radiance was just a blade of light as she looked at the leader.

        "Touch it," Caiome said in a deep voice, "and I will cut your fingers one by one, then I will suffocate you with them."

       The leader frowned, leaving the box on the table and standing up. "What is the meaning of this?"

       Caiome also stood up, grabbing her sword and looking at him. "You are not a delegation," she snorted. "You are a mercenary. For the Fatui."

       "Are you crazy?"

       Now everyone was standing, both Snezhnaya mercenaries and clan leaders.

      "Lord Kamisato, explain yourself!" he yelled at Ayato, who, taking a calm sip of tea, put the cup down and also stood up beside Ayaka, who didn't know whom to look at with a confused gaze.

       "It means your position has been compromised," he said. "Did you really think you could come to Inazuma, come into my house, and consider yourself the one who knows the most here? That your plans would work?"

       Ayato looked at him, and Caiome saw in his eyes exactly what she had seen on the terrace in the front yard, darkness engulfing him from the inside out.

       "I found out your plans weeks ago." Ayato leaned over and took the Vision case in his hand. "At this moment, Captain Hirotatsu is escorting your accomplices to the Tenryou Commission, although I would have liked to deal with them myself, but my hands are tied in certain aspects. The Fatui is currently focused on finding something like this, right?" he said, pointing at the empty shell. "To reactivate them if you find someone with enough determination, as you heard happened in Inazuma, although it was a one-in-a-million case. I'm sorry, Mr. Aliosa, but you won't proceed with these intentions as long as you have Inazuma in your sights."

       In the next second, the guards surrounded the mercenaries who reached for their weapons. Caiome just raised her hand, and they all flew away, with no chance of reaching them. The leader looked from side to side, at the mercenaries and at Ayato, then at Caiome and Ayaka. He turned to run, but Caiome was faster. Pushing herself into the ground, she slammed his body onto the ground, and her sword pierced his costume right at the clavicle, near the throat.

       "I suggest you don't move," she said, and her fingers started to move, and a strand of wind pinched the skin of his neck, from which blood began to flow, "otherwise your head will be separated from your body."

       "I'll take it from here."

       Caiome looked up at Captain Hirotatsu.

       "Captain!" she said with fake enthusiasm. "Right on time. I swear I wasn't about to kill this criminal who laid hands on my case."

       The captain sighed as if he were defeated. "Please, get off him."

       Caiome listened to him and stood up. Hirotatsu lifted Aliosa from the ground, tied his hands, and began pushing him out of the residence courtyard, which started to empty after Ayato promised to tell everything to the others at the next meeting... which wouldn't be delayed for long.

        Caiome looked at Ayato from that distance, while he explained to Ayaka everything that had actually happened, and Ayaka sighed in relief.

        Ayato barely managed to draw his sword from his sheath, hitting it against the steel blade. He wasn't fast enough to avoid the scratch on his face, though, from which blood began to flow, staining his hair, chin, and clothing collar. He laughed, taking the sword in his hand more firmly, closing his eyes as if enjoying the blood running down his face, then opened them and looked at Caiome. A furious Caiome, holding the sword with its blade stained with his blood.

       "Well," he said, "I have already assumed you would try to kill me for this."

        Caiome didn't say anything, just approached him again, raising her sword. Ayato defended himself, and the swords, Caiome's steel silver one, and Ayato's with a blade that mimicked the color of the sky and water, sparked with each strike. Their movements were fast because now nothing was stopping Caiome from killing. Her case was with him. She no longer had a backpack to worry about, and no deceptive surroundings. It was just the fury in her eyes... and the feeling that she had been foolish to believe that Ayato would keep her shell away from this place.

       In the end, the two became a hurricane of bright colors, of wind and water clashing, breaking against each other, starting to provoke a storm that was both purple and red. The impact hit each of them repeatedly, and soon, in the madness of striking, taking, defending, striking back, and standing on their own feet, they inflicted wounds on eachother, cutting through the beautiful silk costumes, leaving drops of blood on their faces.

       Ayato laughed, taking a few steps back.

       "Well, at least it's enough for me to know that you could kill for this."

       "Give me back my case," she demanded. "It seems I'm not the only one who lies and steals," she accused.

       "Steal?" Ayato said. "I haven't stolen anything. This one here," he said, pointing at the Vision, "is not your case. It's a replica."

       Caiome frowned.

       Ayato's hand began to be surrounded by water, and the next moment, the case shattered into dozens of pieces that fell at his feet stained with the blood that flowed from his thigh.

        "You see? An empty shell, even dead, cannot be destroyed."

        "I want my case back," she insisted.

        "Didn't you pay attention?" Ayato said. "That wasn't—"

        "I want my real case!" Caiome interrupted, and her voice cracked as sparks of anger and frustration came out of her eyes.

        Because she had been foolish. She had been foolish to trust his words, foolish to believe that she could get away with favors in exchange for a few days deducted from the total she had to pay. She had been foolish to think she could even stay near some of these people. She no longer wanted to stay here for another second; she just wanted to take her case and never come back to Inazuma. It was as if the gods knew why they shouldn't bring her here. Maybe all this time spent away from Inazuma had a reason.

       She had never trusted Ayato, that was clear, but she believed that, at least when it came to the honor of the people of Inazuma that was talked about everywhere in Teyvat, Ayato would give her case back. She had been betrayed many times in her life, and she had learned her lesson. But here, everything was too risky; she could lose her case forever at any time. Little betrayal games had never bothered her until now, but this delicate situation tied her hands. And she returned to the same thought she had had a million times before: righteousness was for losers.

       Ayato almost jumped when he heard her tone.

       He twirled the sword in his hand and put it back in its sheath.

       "No," he said. "Your case is still in the ocean, as I promised from the beginning. I haven't taken it out even once, not even to make a replica. So, I haven't lied," he said. "I kept my word and kept the honor I presented to you, Caiome. Instead, after so many weeks, I gained other kinds of information."

       He approached her slowly, and Caiome tightened the grip on her sword handle.

       "If you're kind enough to accompany me," he said.

       "Give. Me. The case," she said.

       "As long as I haven't broken my promise, the agreement between us remains."

       Caiome gritted her teeth. Okay, that wasn't her case. She had seen it explode because of the pressure Ayato had put on it. But that didn't mean she wanted to go with him or stay here.

       "Now," he said again, "come with me."

       Caiome snorted. "Do you think that anything you have to say can interest me more than my case?"

       "More than the case? No," he said. "But maybe as much."

       "Such as?" she said, raising her gaze to him.

       "You," Ayato replied shortly.

       Caiome frowned, tightened the sword handle, then sighed. She twisted it in her hand and put it back in the sheath, then followed Ayato to his office, where he sat comfortably, while she remained standing. Ayato took out from the same drawer where the poetry notebook was a file that Caiome didn't see there when she rummaged through his things.

       "Please don't tell me you actually thought I didn't know you were under my window the other night, waiting for me to leave so that you can conduct your searches."

        Caiome was about to snatch the lie, but Ayato just threw it on the table.

        "I was surprised to find out that your name is indeed Caiome. Or rather, that's the name you use everywhere you go without trying to hide yourself."

        "What can I say," she said, putting her hands over her chest. "I'm an honorable thief. I don't lie too often," she shrugged.

       "Caiome," Ayato said. "Known only as Caiome. You received your Vision at eleven years old. Your first theft was at seven, in Mondstadt, in the house of a wealthy man while pretending to work for him during a party. You stole his daughter's diamond necklace. You had a sister, Kandra. She died overnight when you were twelve. She was a disciple of Doctor Baizhu until she died at eighteen without anyone knowing why. The Vision case was hers. That's why you want it back, right?"

        Caiome looked into his eyes, and her gaze was empty.

       "Sweet," she said in return. "Where did you get all this information? Thanks to your secret ninja organization? What was its name? Shuumatsuban?"

       "You were affiliated with treasure hoarders, mercenaries, people from the Black Market. You have a total of three hundred seventy-three people killed."

       Caiome wrinkled her nose a bit. "That's all of them?"

       "Your list of crimes: murder, theft, robbery, infiltration into state and political institutions, theft of top-secret items, breaking and entering, assault, arson, first-degree murder, second-degree murder, framing, conspiracy, torture, blackmail, breach of authority."

       "Oh damn," she said. "This list seemed longer in my mind. Have I lost my touch in the last few years?" she murmured to herself. "And so what? Your list isn't shorter, my lord," she teased. "Maybe you didn't have your hand on the sword, but that doesn't exempt you from sins."

       Ayato laughed to himself. "I had my expectations from you, I can't lie," he said.

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Youkai," she said, almost seductively. "So what are you planning to do with all this information about me? Hand me over to the police? You already know I can escape from there whenever I want."

       "Don't you want to taste their lavender-melons anymore?"

       "I can live without it," she scoffed. "Give me the case and let me leave," she said. "You lied to me, fooled me, had your fun for more than a month. How about we go back to our everyday lives as if we never met, hmm? Doesn't that sound mesmerizing?"

       Ayato rested his elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers. A smile as dark as the one in the garden still lingered on his lips, and Caiome straightened her back even more, looking down at him through the wavy lashes due to the makeup still on her face.

       "No," he said. "Technically, you still have to pay for the damages you've caused me, as I've mentioned many times before."

       "Then what was the purpose of telling me all this?" she pointed to the folder.

       "Because it sounds mesmerizing," he replied. "And because I wanted you to know that I know who you are and what you've done, so you don't think you can hide from me with something."

       Caiome laughed. "So, you let me sit at the table with you for that? That's why you made me dance for you? 'I'm content knowing that you could kill for this'?" she remembered his words. "You wanted to test me. You gathered all this information about me just to try and test me."

       "I wanted to test you before this file was brought to me," Ayato said with a strange sincerity in his eyes. "I wanted to test you the first time I saw you, to be honest. Not many people can lie like you do, and not many people can have a tongue as sharp as yours. Your manipulation cases?" He pointed to the file. "Infiltrations? These weren't just done by breaking and entering. You speak sweetly, Caiome, when you want, and you grasp people's personalities on the fly. You know what to expect. Just that, apparently, not with everyone," he gestured towards himself.

       "Don't flatter yourself," she threw him a smile. "I knew you had this mastermind reputation."

       "Then you're aware that you have no more pawns to move now, aren't you?"

       Caiome looked at him in silence. The paint began to tighten her skin on her face, and her arms itched under those shirts and robe and loose pants, and her toes were cold. She felt bloodstains on her chest, arm, and leg, blood that still flowed and stained the room floor.

        "In fact, I do," she finally said. "I still have a debt to pay, don't I?"

       Ayato raised an eyebrow. "True," he said.

       "Sure, why not?" she shrugged. "But not as a servant in this house anymore. I'm tired of mopping floors. I want that," she said, pointing to the file. "I want to be part of the Shuumatsuban. You've seen my impressive crime list, my lord, and you can't say you don't know details about some of them. So, you know I could be an important asset for you."

       "The Shuumatsuban is made up of loyal people," Ayato said.

       "As long as my case is safe at the bottom of the ocean, and you won't take it out without me knowing, I'll be loyal to you. Trust my words, my lord. I deserve at least that."

       Ayato gave her that smile of his. "As I said, sweet-talker." He stood up. "Then we'll have to establish some new rules. The Shuumatsuban consists of people who have been trained in certain techniques from a young age, which I doubt you know. You've developed some of them on your own, but not in the Shuumatsuban ninja style. And you don't know much about Inazuma, or the operations they've been involved in. Furthermore, to enter the Shuumatsuban, like any organization or authority, you need to take an exam. Unfortunately, these are given every autumn, so you'll have to work a few more months for me as a servant."

       "Two weeks," she said abruptly.

       Ayato blinked. "Excuse me?" he laughed.

       "Give me two weeks, and I'll learn everything I need to know to be part of the Shuumatsuban and participate in your operations. I don't need a teacher; I just need materials to help me—reports, theoretical books on these ninja techniques, this sort of things."

       "Do you really think you can learn them all in just two weeks?"

       "As long as for two weeks I don't do anything I used to do, like mopping floors and dusting and so on, of course. I learn fast," she waved her hand. "Spare me all that for two weeks, and I'll manage to get into Shuumatsuban. You owe me too. I pay for trying to steal from you. You pay just for wanting to take me for a fool, hiding the truth from me. And honestly, my requests are far easier to honor than yours."

       Ayato raised his chin, and a long silence settled between them. It was as if they had returned to where they started, two people trying to play with each other. Ayato wondered if this is what he would always find when Caiome looked at him, just scrutinizing looks, just deals and debts paid, and business to conclude, and sweet words meant to play with each other's minds.

       Caiome reached out her hand.

       Ayato did the same, and the agreement was sealed.

       "Very well, Caiome," he said. "Show me what you can do best."

Chapter Text

A/N: This chapter might be a bit boring, you can skim through it

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Chapter 15 ~ The Way of Learning and the Way of Remembering

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       "Here," said Captain Hirotatsu, handing a whole stack of files and books, among other things, to Caiome. "Lord Kamisato asked me to give these to you, although I wouldn't have done it myself."

       Caiome flashed him a smile. "Why?" she asked. "Do I seem that untrustworthy?"

       Hirotatsu could only sigh, placing his hands on his chest. "Has anyone ever told you that you're too reckless in your actions, especially for your age?"

       Caiome pursed her lips. She had heard this too many times in her twenty-two years of life to bother responding, even though it was amusing to see different reactions. But usually, people just left her alone without bothering to argue.

       "For example, Lord Kamisato is now caught up in a very important meeting, and everyone is criticizing him for his plan regarding the Snezhnayan mercenaries, as well as for the dancer who almost caused a scene and then attacked her superior."

       "Hey, it was Ayato's idea to let me participate in the banquet," she said. "You should bother him, not me."

       "With all he has to deal with in the Great Hall, I don't intend to upset him even more. So I kindly request that you don't either. You have two weeks to learn all this," he pointed to the stack of history and technical books. "Do it quietly and don't create any more problems."

       Then the captain turned on his heel, half-heartedly wishing her good luck, and left the living room where Caiome had just finished putting on her shoes to go out and find him, considering that Ayato had told her she would receive all the necessary materials from him. Caiome thought it made sense. He was the captain of the guards here, but he couldn't have no connection with the members of the Shuumatsuban, given that the ones who had arrested the mercenaries yesterday were the residence guards, not the hidden ninja in the trees.

       Don't create problems? But what was she? A thoughtless child?

       She turned on her heel, walking with large strides through the residence, looking for a large and impressive door. Well, she was frustrated anyway. Frustrated with the clan heads who had sat yesterday like puppets without moving. People without character. Except for the woman she spoke to, they all had unpleasant faces. Especially the two, the old man and the man with glasses who whispered between them.

       Caiome quickly found the door leading to the Great Hall, opening it, or rather slamming it. All eyes turned to her, and silence fell over all the men in the room, a huge, relatively empty room where everyone stood in lines in front of Ayato, who stood in at the back wall, face to face with the door. Each had a small table with certain files, but they all seemed to ignore them when Caiome slammed the door against the wall. They had wide eyes, looked confused, and didn't know how to react. Even Ayato seemed to be asking himself the same question, what she was doing there that morning, standing slightly with his lips parted and holding a sheet of paper that remained in the air.

      "I heard you have a problem with me!" Caiome said over everyone. She bowed deeply, a bow that was not at all Inazuma style, rather Fontaine style, placing a hand on her heart and bending her knees. "My name is Caiome," she introduced herself. "Future member of the Yashiro Commission. Pleased to meet you." She straightened up, looking over the sea of men who this time frowned towards her. Oh, Caiome could see that displeasure in their eyes, and it pleased her immensely. "And if anyone has an issue to settle with me, don't spin around your tails near your lord Kamisato and come directly to me. I am available for any type of confrontation, as you wish. Have a good day." Then she withdrew and closed the door, leaving everyone with the question "what the hell just happened?"

       The rules Ayato imposed yesterday after their little deal were as follows: Caiome was not to be restricted from certain areas of the house, only the important ones, like the family's headquarters. And this was at Caiome's request when she expressed her desire to enter the stables. Then, no one was to disturb her from her studies for two weeks, she would not be given responsibilities, and she would not be required to participate in daily tasks. Of course, there was a disadvantage. If Caiome failed the tests - the TESTS - she would have twice as much work for two weeks to make up for the lost time. But she accepted it, being very confident in herself.

       She would receive lunch as usual; the rule of violations still applied, and she was not allowed to leave the residence courtyard without Ayato's permission. But that satisfied her somewhat. It meant that she could leave the residence if Ayato deemed it necessary.

       So, Caiome found a secluded place away from everyone to go through everything she had to study, with the goal of making a plan. She could stay in her little room, but it was too dark even during the day. And she needed paper and a pen. And where to find that other than the library, a room that had been recommended by Ayato in case she wanted to look for something to help her study. After all, she had to enjoy all the benefits, like any person who wanted to join the organization. And since Caiome still insisted that Ayato had to pay his debt because he fooled her like that just for a test, Ayato promised to provide her with everything she needed to pass the exams. Although he still doubted that she would manage to learn everything in two weeks, as he expressed himself.

       Caiome retreated to the library, a very well-lit and beautifully arranged room, more like the kind of libraries you admired rather than to sat down to study. There was no one in the library except, of course, the librarian, an old man of around seventy years old who was organizing books on some shelves. He looked at Caiome for a long moment, and Caiome looked at him. She had only seen the old man once when he headed towards the lunch table, but she never interacted with him or heard him speak.

       The old man greeted her with a "good morning," but Caiome just nodded, carrying her books to the back wall, settling in front of a table by the window that overlooked the side courtyard. Ayaka's salon was probably right next door, but nothing could be heard, except for the chirping of birds and the wind rustling through the leaves as the trees shook their pink petals. There weren't as many flowers as yesterday, as Caiome had used them for her performance and in her battle with Ayato, but it was still a beautiful sight.

       She shook off the image from her mind, took out some papers, and, unfortunately, a brush instead of a pen, ink, and arranged her books in front of her, organized in stacks: techniques on one side, history on the other, strategies in the middle, and she tried to go through them one by one. Since she needed practice for techniques as well, all she could do with the books was read them, but she wouldn't learn anything that way. She was the kind of person who learned better by observing. So she decided to start with history.

       She opened the first book. Read the first sentences. Then closed it again...

       She didn't understand anything that was happening there.

       Shuumatsuban? First of all, what was Shuumatsuban? A secret organization formed out of ninjas or members with special abilities whose loyalty was solely to Lord Kamisato, and only to him, like... they weren't loyal to the Shogun as much as they were loyal to their lord, to whom they directly responded. And it seemed they gathered information in the shortest time possible. They managed to compile Caiome's entire history in a few weeks, from her childhood until now. It seemed like an impressive organization.

       History, history, history... Caiome opened the book again. The text began with the founders, the first commander of the organization, whose role was only to train the members and give them orders only regarding their training, and the Kamisato Lord at that time, Kamisato Haruki, who was actually giving them orders and only him regarding their activity; then with the idea that gave birth to this organization and where they got the money to invest in their members. At first, it was a small organization, consisting of no more than fifteen people, including the commander and the Kamisato Lord, performing minor tasks compared to what Caiome knew they did now. Some information about rival clans here and there, some necessary sabotage of other Commission's inappropriate plans, some diversions into the hands of authorities of other people involved in politics, and so on, all detailed occurrences with numbers, calculations, and names that made no sense to Caiome.

       Caiome rested her head on the table. She felt like her brain could explode already. She looked at the technique books, then picked one up and opened it. Even from the first words, she was much more drawn to this then to all the political occurrences in the history book. Here was the action! Here was the interesting part.

       She quickly flipped through the chapters, just to find out which ones were the most interesting. There were chapters divided into camouflage and espionage techniques - Caiome was already an expert at this; survival techniques - again, she was an expert; physical training - Caiome had enough physical training; martial arts - Caiome wasn't sure what that was, then moved on to chapters about equipment. In short, the Shuumatsuban members had to have the talent to disguise themselves and take on certain roles for investigation purposes. But it would have been difficult for Caiome, considering she had features so different from ordinary people in Inazuma. So that probably wouldn't have been a suitable branch for her.

       Basically, they wore black clothes, as operations usually took place at night, clothes called shinobi shozoku or kuro shozoku, and each had a tenugui, a kind of black scarf with which they covered their faces or used as a belt to hide various equipment. Things like gappa, a kind of travel cloak, a hood called zukin, and a kind of light steel armor called kusari were also used.

       All these names overwhelmed Caiome. How was she supposed to remember them? Ayato had told her that she would have some tests consisting of questions about the organization's history, techniques, equipment - names and uses - then some practical tests, using techniques, camouflage, and physical combat, although that was the least addressed method. Although Caiome had to admit, the jackets worn by the Shuumatsuban members, apparently called katabira, seemed interesting.

       Okay, maybe she could have overlooked the weird names if she had asked Mizuki for help. But what about history?

       She put down some names on paper, but these were from centuries ago! It couldn't be that they all remained within the Commission, especially considering that the Kamisato family had fallen for a period of time before being brought back on its feet by Ayato.

       Caiome hit her head against the table.

       If a thirteen-year-old like Ayato could learn and become the leader not only of the clan, but also of the Yashiro Commission and the Shuumatsuban, why couldn't she?

       So she started using the papers and that horrible brush. She went through the important names and started making diagrams until she got bored. She went through the names of the organization's commanders and the Kamisato leader at that time. Many of the names were reapeting themselves, but because of that, it was even harder for her to remember them because they were too similar. Especially if she started associating certain events with the leader because she always confused them.

       "Ugh, couldn't they be more original with the names, like all of them being different?" she said frustrated.

       "Can I help you with something, miss?" the librarian appeared out of nowhere.

       Caiome sighed, crumpling a piece of paper and throwing it near the table. "Only if you have a magical potion to make me remember all of this," she pointed to the history book. "It's horrible."

       The old man laughed and approached her and the table. He looked over her shoulder, then laughed lightly again, briefly, weakly.

       "I don't think you should be showing me all of this, miss. Information about the Shuumatsuban is strictly confidential; no one should know about it."

       Caiome looked confused at the old man who withdrew as if his eyes might accidentally fall on some specific information from the history book.

       "But these are general details; I don't think the policy is that strict. Everyone could know which Lord Kamisato led the organization at a certain time."

       "That's true," the old man said, "but they do not know the commander. The members' identities must remain a secret to others."

       "Those names weren't like a namecode or something? And what if someone asked them about their profession?" Caiome asked.

       "The Shuumatsuban members must adapt to societal demands; they need to create personalities and identities separate from their duties within the organization. During the night or operations, they are loyal ninjas to Lord Kamisato, but the rest of the time, they can be fishermen, tailors, hunters, merchants, and so on. Even the commanders had such lives. For example, it's said about Commander Ginjiro that he was a commander, but also a barber."

       Caiome chuckled. "Who would have suspected he held the highest rank in a secret organization like the Shuumatsuban? Especially since the name didn't even exist back then, let alone be known among ordinary people," the old man added.

       "The name didn't exist?"

       The old man shook his head. "The Shuumatsuban has a hierarchy, but it's not a well-established place. There are masters and teachers, but you can't know them. You might have passed by at least ten of them just by going to the Ritou port, and you wouldn't know anything. Ultimately, that's the organization's purpose."

       Caiome crossed her legs, starting to sway, while the librarian arranged books on shelves, half-turned toward her. "You seem to know quite a lot for someone not allowed to read top-secret information about the Shuumatsuban."

       The old man smiled faintly. "I believe I can help you with your issue," he said. "Each Shuumatsuban member has a specific symbol that others must learn to communicate without anyone knowing. You'll find the chapter about it in the techniques book," he handed it to her. "These symbols should also belong to the Kamisato lords, in case they need to be involved in any operation. Take each lord separately and learn their symbols. You should be able to identify them more easily this way. There's no point in learning the symbols of the members who haven't stood out in any way. They probably aren't even recorded in the archives."

       Caiome narrowed her eyes at him, and the old man just smiled before turning away, getting back to his work. Caiome turned to her techniques book and found the chapter on symbols. There were so many, and they were so different. But if she had visual memory, which she did, much more powerful than reading anyway, she could learn them.

       She redrew the diagrams, and next to each lord, she drew their specific symbol. Although it was a bit challenging, considering Caiome rarely used writing brushes, so the drawings were almost indecipherable but coherent enough for her to figure out which lord had a particular symbol.

       She read from the history book until noon, becoming tired of the library, then went out to practice her techniques. Since the inner garden was the least used, she went there. The techniques weren't very difficult for her, considering climbing was a breeze. She didn't need any equipment, just her Vision. Also, thanks to the Vision, her steps didn't actually touch the surface of certain branches, because she was actually stepping on the air around it, so there was no noise.

       Although martial arts were still a mystery to her. The book had black-and-white images, painted with ink brushes, and people seemed to be just fighting. Well, Caiome could do that too.

       Now there was the issue of using weapons. Caiome could use a sword and daggers. She found a weapon called ninjato, which probably functioned like a sword, and other strange ones resembling straight sickles, called kusarigama. There were also objects like makibishi, shikomizue - which was practically just a very long needle with a handle, fukia, and a blindness powder called metsubushi. There were also some objects like claws, designed to help people climb, but she didn't need that. However, Caiome had never seen these weapons in real life, let alone used them.

       So she took her books and went to the front courtyard, looking for Hirotatsu.

       "No," came his prompt response.

       "But why?" Caiome complained, standing in front of him with clasped hands.

       "Lord Kamisato didn't tell me that I should be your tutor. Furthermore, I thought these two weeks you requested to be left alone by everyone to concentrate on your studies."

       "But I have no way to learn how to use those weapons if I don't even have them in front of me," she said again, starting to blink rapidly, and her lower lip bent, making her eyes wide like a puppy's. "And you're the only one I know who could show them to me, at least let me touch them."

       "No," Hirotatsu said again, hands over his chest. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

       Hirotatsu turned around, managing only two steps toward the main gate, and Caiome threw herself at his feet, grabbing both of them in her arms, stopping the captain from moving even an inch.

       "Ple~ease" she said in a childish whine. "You're my only hope."

       "Miss Caiome, please release me," he said, trying to pull his legs away, while the residence's employees began to look at the two as if they were a show. "This is embarrassing."

       "I be~eg you" she said again, as Hirotatsu pulled her to free himself, dragging Caiome with her knees across the stone alleys. "Ayato said I would have all the materials I need to pass the exams. If you don't show me those weapons, it means my rights will be violated. I be~eg you!"

       "Sometimes, I don't even know why Lord Kamisato allowed you such freedom, considering you behave like a spoiled child."

       Caiome lay back, pulling at his knees. "I'm begging you! If you don't show me, I'll start crying," she added. "You wouldn't want me to start crying, would you? In front of everyone, blaming you, then go and tell Ayato that you're refusing my requests. And in the end, I didn't ask you to teach me how to use them; I just need to have access to them."

       The captain sighed heavily again, looking into her large eyes, the way she blinked her ruby eyes, and the way her lip was twisted, trying to adopt the pitiful look of a soaked puppy that should evoke pity and give her what she wanted, including soul and heart.

       "All right, all right, just get up. Everyone's watching," he said, and Caiome jumped to her feet in an instant.

       Hirotatsu had no choice but to lead her to the armory, where they found Mizuki. Hirotatsu exchanged a few words with him, then Mizuki bowed and left the storage room, while Hirotatsu opened, surprisingly, a secret passage behind the shelves. They went down some stairs and reached a dark basement, and the captain lit a candle. In the small room, where Hirotatsu had to bend to move along it, there were various showcases with weapons from the pictures Caiome saw in books.

       Hirotatsu gave her a brief presentation of each, then took them out of the showcase and left them at Caiome's disposal to try to use them, but she was not allowed to leave the basement room, considering it had to be some kind of secret place.

       "Of which apparently you know," she said, throwing him a smile. "So, did you use shurikens while you were a Shuumatsuban before becoming the captain of the guards?"

       Hirotatsu suddenly looked at her, and Caiome adopted the fox-like smile that the captain was already accustomed to.

       "You have steps too light for a person of your stature, dressed in so many layers of armor. I saw you in training with the guards; you have very fluid movements when fighting with a sword or a spear, which should have made it even more difficult. I heard you became a guard twenty years ago, and before that, you were a fisherman. But something seemed odd to me," she said, as Hirotatsu stood and received the information. "Usually, during the night ebb, fishermen stand by for the best catches, but you never joined to practice your craft, which means you had more important occupations. And being affiliated with Ayato and his father for so long, the answer can't be that difficult."

       She put her hands over her chest, bumping her shoulder against his, pushing him to speak.

       "So, what made you withdraw from the Shuumatsuban? A wound? Were you discovered? A woman?" she batted her eyelashes, and Hirotatsu turned his gaze away from her. "So it's a woman? Your wife? Weird. You don't wear a wedding ring."

       "You're prying too much into people's personal lives," he said instead.

       "Well, if I become a member of the Shuumatsuban, that's my business, right? To gather information."

       Hirotatsu put his entire palm on her face, pushing her away from him, heading for the wooden stairs.

       "Just do your job here. And be careful not to set anything on fire."

       Caiome rolled her eyes, letting him leave, then began to study each weapon individually. Some of them were easy to use, hitting the targets in the basement, but the others... let's just say that Caiome wasn't used to such things.

       She then did her evening exercises and dueled with some of the guards, then went to sleep. She was surprised to see a plate with warm cookies on her bed, so she ate some. The cookies were in her room, so they were probably meant for her anyway.

🌸

       The next day, Caiome yawned, heading towards the library, almost bumping into Ayaka, who came out of the dojo down the corridor leading to the kitchen. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she wore wide pants and a shirt with sleeves tied by thin cotton strings. The outfit was extraordinarily simple compared to what she usually wore, and her cheeks were slightly red from the effort.

       Ayaka quickly stepped back as Caiome murmured a "good morning" and passed by her. She didn't have the necessary motivation to read about the history of secret organizations that morning, but she had no choice. There was too much material to memorize, too much important information.

       "Caiome," Ayaka said, and she turned back as if in slow motion. Caiome's hair was messy, and her eyes half-closed, rubbing one of them with her finger.

       "Hm?" she said. "I didn't steal the leather clogs, it's just that no one came to take them back," she muttered.

       "Uhh, I didn't want to talk about that," Ayaka said, slightly unsure if she should address the issue of the clogs that, indeed, no one asked for back or the costume destroyed in the battle between Caiome and Ayato. "I just wanted to tell you that..."

       Ayaka bowed quickly to her, gently clenching her fists by her body. She was so grateful that no one was around at that moment because she felt embarrassed. And not for what she was about to say but because everything Caiome had told her a few days ago really was true. Completely true. And she felt pathetic for sure.

        "You were right," she continued. "About what you told me in the salon. I might... be anxious. It's a feeling I can't escape, to be honest. I have to be always on guard, and sometimes I might fail. Especially since the borders of Inazuma have been opened, and the Yashiro Commission had to take a much harder and more complicated path than before, addressing all these international relations. I'm not sure if I've been in this position before, and what happened at the banquet showed me that. I had no idea about mercenaries or their plans, not even about my brother's intentions regarding everything happening, which just proves that I am incapable of certain duties. Therefore, I admit you were right."

      Caiome gave her a smile and then laughed. But it wasn't the type of laughter she usually had when she tried to play with words, Ayaka noticed as she looked at her. It was a normal laugh derived from pure amusement.

       "And why do you seem so tense about it?" she asked.

       "I'm not tense," she said. "Just... I feel a bit weird that someone other than Thoma knows all this. Not even Ayato is fully aware of all of this."

       Caiome approached her, raised her hand, and placed it on her head, starting to gently ruffle her hair tied into a ponytail, while embracing her own books. Ayaka jumped surprised, looking at Caiome, who had a strange, cheerful, and sad expression at the same time.

       "I should apologize as well," she said.

       "For what?" Ayaka asked.

       "Because I took your mother's silver hairpin. I didn't lie; I really understand the feeling. After all, your brother took my case, and now I'm looking for ways to get back at him. I don't blame you for anything."

       "But you said you regret nothing."

       "Oh, I don't regret it," she said, gently pressing her head with the palm of her hand, rather in a cheerful matter. "My older sister once told me that there's a difference between apologizing and truly regretting something. Regret is something you feel towards yourself. I apologize to you, not to myself." She eventually lowered her hand from her head. "And you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. In the end, you're the person Ayato trusts the most."

       Ayaka remained speechless for a few seconds, unsure whether to believe her or not. The last time Caiome spoke to her like this was on the first day they met, and everyone knew what had happened then. But at the same time, Caiome had no obligation to apologize to her, considering her behavior, until the exposure of the mercenaries, had been perfect. In short, Ayaka had lost the bet, which was also the reason she admitted to Caiome that she was right about her. How Caiome came to that conclusion, Ayaka didn't know, but after all, who really knew anything about Caiome and her methods? And how did she know that Ayato had so much trust in her?

       "I understand. Thank you," she finally said.

       Thoma had just entered the hallway when he noticed Ayato leaning against the corner edge facing the corridor leading to the kitchen. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a pleasant expression, listening to the two female voices, and Ayaka started laughing at something Caiome had told her.

       "My lord?" Thoma said, approaching him, but Ayato put a gloved finger to his lips, leaning slightly around the corner of the hall, watching the two girls still in front of the dojo doors.

       "Don't disturb them," Ayato said.

       Thoma also leaned around the corner of the hall, looking towards Ayaka, who had healthier cheeks compared to the paleness she couldn't shake off in the past few days. Thoma didn't exactly know what the problem was, and Ayaka hadn't told him the complete truth, so he thought she had some issues that only she could solve. But now that he saw her being a bit more relaxed, especially in Caiome's presence, regaining the sparkle in her eyes, Thoma could breathe a sigh of relief.

       "How did it come to this?" he rubbed the back of his head.

       Ayato smiled slightly. "Caiome really has some strange ways of getting close to people, doesn't she?"

       He pushed off against the wall slightly, heading towards his office.

       "Let us go," he said, "and leave the ladies to solve their problems themselves, if they still have any, of course."

Chapter Text

Chapter 16 ~ The Lord and the Lady 

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        After Ayaka said her goodbyes, Caiome went to the library, where she tried to learn even more history and symbols, but every time she returned to what she had already read, it felt like she was reading it for the first time. She hit her head on the table so many times that she felt like she was going to get a bump in the middle of her forehead.

        The librarian, Mr. Yoshiaki, sometimes passed by her and gave her some tips, such as dividing the type of operations into groups, depending on their nature. At first, it was a good idea, but then Caiome got lost in dates, numbers, and figures. And, as usual, the librarian refused to answer some additional questions she asked.

        She managed to learn the techniques and methods quickly. Too quickly for her, which left her with extra hours for history, which was a pain. How she would pass that test, she didn't know. She tried to reconcile with the thought that she still had twelve days, but they were twelve days full of information that seemed useless to her. What did she need to know about the theft of rice from two nobles who had been dead for over four hundred years? Or about the theft of an artifact that turned to dust in the end because the paper wasn't preserved properly? At least if they had given her something about current affairs.

        But no~o. She had to learn and curse some dead people whose names had started to be lost over time anyway. They were kept for a few years just because they were "former lords," and as soon as a new one, better, or maybe more problematic, appeared, the others disappeared from the scene. But probably this wasn't about issues between nobles, but about how Lord Kamisato from that time did things. After all, if it was about the operation's strategies, Caiome had another book on that. Oh, Ayato was so careful to select them for her, practically telling her that the motives and approach were as important as the operation itself.

       As if those ninjas had to know the lord's motivation. They just obeyed. Didn't Ayato say that the Shuumatsuban members had supreme loyalty to the lord? If you told a dog to fetch the stick, the dog asked why? No.

       But even so, Caiome tried, creating a table on a sheet of paper with the pages and chapter numbers to find them more easily. And when she felt like the library walls were closing in on her and the books seemed to come to life, she took her history book, put the others in her room, and went outside for a short walk, for some fresh air and a change of scenery.

       Reaching the cherry tree so dear to her, she used her Vision to sit on one of the branches. Sitting comfortably, she opened the book and left it on one knee, starting to read again and again and again. But as much as she read, she understood even less. She hit the book a few times.

       Then she heard a branch rustling more than the others.

      Caiome turned around, just to see, among the leaves and pink flowers, the blonde girl she saw hiding from her during the banquet. She was hiding behind the tree trunk, a bit higher, towards the top. As soon as she made eye contact with Caiome, she hid among the branches and flowers, at least not looking into each other's eyes. Caiome frowned at the girl, who was probably around twelve years old.

      "I know you," she said, but the girl didn't respond. "But I haven't seen you until the banquet. Where did you come from?"

      The girl remained silent, hiding behind the branches. Caiome sighed.

      "Are you following me, perhaps?"

       Once again, no response.

       "Well, if you have something to ask, now is the time. I'm quite busy with these, so~o..."

        But instead of getting an answer, the girl jumped from branch to branch, then down to the ground, and ran towards the back gardens. Caiome frowned, opened her book, left it on her knee, and began reading again.

        What was with that girl? She never saw her until the banquet, when everything was turned upside down. Probably she was also a servant, or at least some kind of servant. Caiome knew that in many places in Teyvat, girls were trained from a young age in the houses of nobles to become reliable servants for the family members. For example, Chizuru. Chizuru could do makeup, style hair, wash, iron, and knew all the etiquette rules, but she was only sixteen. A girl of this age couldn't know everything her mistress needed unless she was trained for a few years before.

        And surely, Chizuru wasn't the type of servant who had just become a personal servant. So maybe the blonde-haired girl was in the same position, and maybe she had specific areas where she needed to be present. But the banquet from the other day, considering that all the servants had other duties that day, probably assigned her such a duty.

       But if that was the case, what was she doing here now? Caiome never saw her in this tree, let alone running through the garden, passing by everyone.

      When she went to bed that day, she found the cookies again. And the next evening again. And again.

       It was already the fifth day, and Caiome was on the terrace in front of the doors, reading from the history book, when Ayaka approached her and greeted her politely. Caiome rubbed her eyes and forehead before lifting her gaze from the book to Ayaka, who stood quietly in front of her, smiling.

      "Wassup?" she murmured back, and Ayaka frowned slightly.

      "Is something wrong?" she asked.

      "This book," Caiome said, bored. Then she got an idea. She looked left and right, then leaned towards Ayaka. "You must know something about the Shuumatsuban, right?"

       Ayaka laughed nervously. "Of course, just not as much as my brother."

       "Well, duh," Caiome said, clapping her hand beside her. However, Ayaka hesitated to sit next to her, so she remained standing. Perhaps girls from noble families were not allowed to sit where there was no cushion, Caiome thought. "Anyway," she said, "you must have some influence there, right? I mean, you're Lord Kamisato's sister."

       "Hmm," Ayaka said, unfolding her fan and then closing it again. "Well, not really. Ayato is the only one in command, considering he is the Clan Head. Only sometimes, when I make contact with them, members of the Shuumatsuban do me a favor, but they are not explicit orders," she shook her head. "And, furthermore, even if I ask them for something, they first need to get Ayato's approval."

        Caiome pouted. "I see. I just thought that, you know, considering you're the only Lady Kamisato, you would have a say in all this leadership."

        "My title is not Lady Kamisato," Ayaka said. "The only one who can have that title is the Clan Head's wife, like my mother or Ayato's future wife. I am seen only as Lady Ayaka, a member of the family, but not one of the two heads."

       "Mmm," Caiome said, then frowned. "Wait. Are you saying that Lady Kamisato can also coordinate the Shuumatsuban?"

       "In a way?" she said uncertainly. "I was too young to understand certain things, and my parents never told me important things either, especially after Ayato took his role as the heir very seriously. But sometimes I think my mother also coordinated such orders, at least in my father's absence. But it's not an official thing," she added quickly. "Even if Lady Kamisato is the only one who can give orders alongside Lord Kamisato, she must have some kind of authorization from the lord regarding the specific situation."

       "So a different authorization for each operation?"

       "Something like that," Ayaka said. "I was present when my mother gave some orders, but they didn't seem that important; they were just routine reports. She began to take over more after my father fell ill, then she got sick too."

        Caiome frowned. "Is that why your clan is said to have declined? Because of your parents' illness?"

        Only when she saw Ayaka's expression, Caiome realized that maybe she shouldn't have brought it up. After all, Ayaka could still be considered a child. As far as she knew, Ayaka was currently nineteen, so she should have been around four when her father died and almost six when her mother passed away too. But the thing with empathy was a bit challenging for Caiome since she lived in circles that didn't know what empathy was, so she couldn't learn how to behave in such situations.

       Maybe she should apologize, but she saw nothing wrong with her question. They were just facts she was curious about, and the facts remained the same even if she kept silent. Her parents wouldn't come back to life if Ayaka hesitated to talk about it.

       "You could say that," Ayaka said, adopting a warm smile again, making Caiome feel even more uncomfortable. "Our reputation began to decline with my father's illness and the fact that he could no longer take care of the clan and the Yashiro Commission as before. However, he vehemently refused to step down. He believed that once Ayato grew up enough, everything would be fine. If he had given the position to another clan, we would have to give up our leadership over the others too, and the situation is not that rosy when it comes to clan struggles. If Ayato wanted to take back the commissioner title, he would have had to fight a lot, and my father didn't want to create more problems for him."

        "Hmm," Caiome said. "Good father."

        "He just thought a few steps ahead," Ayaka said.

        Just like Ayato, Caiome thought.

         "So, you can't help me with these," Caiome said, changing the subject, pointing to the book, and Ayaka laughed slightly.

         "I'm sorry, but I don't know much about my brother's activities outside the Commission or the clan. Basically, I help him with festivals or cultural events. For example, I didn't even know about his entire plan related to the mercenaries from Snezhnaya or that he would have the final battle right in the inner courtyard of the residence. So, I don't think he has as much trust in me as you said," she laughed a bit nervously.

         "I said that because I really believe it," Caiome said. "I mean, the main occupation of the Yashiro Commission is the cultural value of the nation, right? Apart from political games, that's what the Commission and society support, the things you do every day, the people's lives and their unique, original style expressed through all of these. In short, you represent the beautiful face of the Commission, and Ayato the ugly one. I don't see what's wrong with that."

         Ayaka blinked a few times at Caiome, and she frowned.

         "What?" Caiome asked.

         "Nothing," Ayaka said, "just that... it's a bit like what Ayato told me many years ago."

         "Geniuses think alike," Caiome shrugged. "Wait, no," she quickly added. "Your brother is anything but a genius. Because he thought it would be wonderful to throw a history book at me that I don't understand anyway."

          Ayaka laughed behind her fan, and Caiome understood why Ayaka was the face of the Commission. Because through her personality, people were attracted to her, through her smile and the innocent way she approached them, with gentle, light words that had nothing evil in them. And maybe, precisely because of that, Caiome understood why Ayato kept her only as this face of the Commission. Caiome wasn't stupid; she understood very well, even if not entirely, the battles Ayato had to fight alone, without involving his younger sister. Battles he wanted to fight without her, so that the bad world wouldn't touch Ayaka.

         Caiome suddenly felt almost protective towards Ayaka, so she raised her hand and ruffled her hair slightly.

         On the sixth day, the residence was in total chaos. It seemed that, four times a year, a general cleaning was done, turning the entire mansion into an avalanche of maids running from one side to the other, creating a lively commotion. Not only did everyone move as if there were no tomorrow, but they also enjoyed doing it while singing together or spinning around, greeting and talking, creating a hellish noise.

         Caiome tried to find a quiet place to study, considering it had been almost a week, and she was still in the stage of reading and understanding the text from the history book. Especially memorizing all those dates written on thin sheets of paper with brushes that left stains behind.

         The library was in disarray, the garden was full of guards and maids cleaning, people were repairing the stone paths, all the armors were taken out to be inspected for damages, and so were the weapons. The inner garden was filled with maids beating rugs and beddings, while the back fields were occupied by horses being shoed. Although Caiome wanted so much to see them, she had to return to the history book that was starting to consume her days and soul. So she gave up on the idea.

         The front courtyard was equally noisy, so she looked for a place inside the house. Every room was thoroughly cleaned, polished, and scented, as if a lady needed such quality care. The halls, bedrooms, and archives, all turned upside down as if a hurricane had passed through, which Caiome didn't see coming. Ayaka was nowhere to be found, Thoma was running at the same pace as the others, and Caiome didn't know where to hide. Even Ayato's office was in the cleaning process, and he was nowhere to be found either, just like Ayaka. It would have been amusing for Caiome to see the great Lord Kamisato supervising the spring cleaning, but she had to give up the thought immediately as, on one of the corridors of the residence, Lady Nakamura saw Caiome.

         "I can't believe I don't know where to go, and you're wandering around with no purpose," she said, and Caiome frowned. Lady Nakamura suddenly became much more talkative than she had been before. "If you have nothing to do, you can help us."

         Caiome raised the book and added a smile. "I have to study," she said. She never thought she would use that sentence as an excuse, but it was true. She didn't want to stay and scrub floors or furniture, or wash beddings and mattresses, and who knows what else.

         The kitchen was even worse, and nothing seemed to be in its place in that house. Even Chizuru started begging her to help her carry some baskets with beddings, take out boxes from the storage with new ones to wash and dry, so Caiome had no other solution but to run away from the maids who wanted to take advantage of her Vision's power to dry the sheets faster so they could be ironed and laid out.

         In her haste, Caiome opened the only doors that were not wide open in that house, then closed them behind her with a huff, took a deep breath, and breathed deeply. Only then did she smell the koboku scent, incense sticks, an aromatic, pleasant, and subtle smell swirling in the air.

         Caiome looked back and instantly realized where she was, not only because of the portraits hanging on the canvas on the wall, above tables with offerings. She had entered directly into the funerary room where she was told she wasn't allowed to. But in the end, Caiome requested comfort for her studies, and if Ayato didn't designate a room for her, Caiome would find one on her own. And after all, with how busy everyone was, who would enter there on that day at least? This room was untouched, and the doors were closed. Not even the windows were open, as probably this was done early in the morning, not past noon – because, yes, that's how long it took Caiome to try every space in that residence to find a quiet place.

         Caiome tightened the history book to her chest with both hands, then approached the small altars. There were a few portraits on the side walls, but only two on the one facing the door. Stopping in the middle of the room - which blocked any sound coming from outside, the walls were probably made that way – and in front of the tables with flowers, fruits, and a bottle of sake, along with ornaments adorning the rest of the wooden surface, Caiome looked towards the portraits as the smoke from the koboku sticks rose to the ceiling.

         She looked at the woman first. A representation of elegance, a delicate image with a pale, beautiful face, with a pair of silver eyes and a gentle smile, looking directly at the admirer. In light-colored clothes, in shades of blue, sitting on a chair that was not entirely painted, with her hair arranged in a braided bun with a silver pin with sapphires, Lady Kamisato had a loving gaze, looking down at whoever was looking at her. She had slightly sharp, pleasant, elegant features, and her hands had long, white fingers that seemed delicate, protected from all evil, truly a lady who had grown up in large houses and had a good heart.

         Underneath her portrait was her name, and below it were the ancient characters whose form was very familiar to Caiome.

        Kamisato Yuna.

       On the right, there was the portrait of the man. A very handsome man, dressed in purple and white robes, with shoulders pulled forward and long, thick hair tied in a ponytail over his shoulder. He had sharp lines, a strong jaw, but a complexion so white and sickly, as if the portrait was made in his last days of life. Although he had a small smile on his pale lips, his eyes looked tired. He didn't have dark circles, but he looked as if he hadn't slept for days and as if a weight was pressing on his back. He held his hands on his knees, clenched slightly in fists, also sitting on a chair. He seemed more fragile than strong, but no less beautiful, like a forget-me-not flower.

        "Gods, you really have the same color of your eyes, but..." she mumbled to herself, looking into the man's eyes. Below his portrait was his name, and below that were the flowing characters.

        Kamisato Kazashi.

       She looked around at the other portraits that seemed to be of their ancestors, various relatives who also bore the name Kamisato. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and probably some cousins, if the portrait image also represented the age at which they died. In that case, Ayato's and Ayaka's parents must have been quite young.

       Caiome sighed heavily. "You all come from a descendant of the god of beauty or something? You almost make me frustrated because of your looks."

       Advancing, she sat, or rather slumped, between the two tables under the portraits of the parents and leaned against the wall, leaving the history book on the crossed legs under her.

      "At least it's quiet here."

      She opened her book and spread all the papers she had written with her hand and that infernal brush she wanted to throw against the walls but refrained. She was about the only one who could write somewhat neatly. She tried to take it chronologically and tried to organize all the information into categories, which was a good idea, but she still couldn't memorize certain things. So she approached the matter with the symbols. Having better visual memory than... reading, Caiome began slowly but surely to learn what methods to use. But that was clearly a job for someone willing to spend days studying.

       Surrounded by slightly beige papers, flanked on either side by the portraits of the two, Caiome began to read and write again. Slowly. Very slowly. And she wasn't even halfway through the book. The Shuumatsuban organization had been established more than eight hundred years ago, and the Kamisato lords, although their lifespan was long, didn't wait to die to let their children take their place as the Clan Heads and the organization's leaders, so there were probably four different leaders per century, some problematic, some less problematic.

       What was even harder to understand was how things worked back then. They had a different system of measuring wealth and resources; the number of clans under the Kamisato clan jurisdiction seemed to change from century to century, or sometimes even once every sixty years, and so did the approach to leading the Yashiro Commission. Not to mention that it wasn't only about the Yashiro Commission, but also about the other two, which seemed to juggle responsibilities.

       The Tenryou Commission was actually very easy to follow, considering that they represented the authoritative and judicial force of Inazuma. And so it had always been.

       The more complicated part was the other Commission.

       The Kanjou Commission dealt with the state finances and everything related to it. They collected funds, allocated them, considered labor force, taxes, duties, and so on. They dealt with land distribution and handled contracts such as buying and selling, income, loans, fines, social insurance. In short, everything related to professions was in the Kanjou Commission's archives. Additionally, it managed the state's monetary circulation, taking care of national and international transportation, overseeing Inazuma's borders, and the nation's economy. But it didn't stop there, as the Kanjou Commission and the Yashiro Commission had some commonalities.

       Since the Yashiro Commission dealt with the nation's culture, various branches of art were present here: painting, drawing, dance, music, fashion, tailoring, stone and wood sculpture, the art of writing, theater, storytelling, accessories and jewelry, makeup. Apart from the arts, culture permeated everyday life, including the housing of the people of Inazuma and their professions in industries such as textiles, paper, and resource-related activities like horticulture, agriculture, viticulture, and so on. The way houses were constructed, instruments were crafted, and weapons were designed and made were all part of it. Considering all this, the Yashiro Commission also engaged in trade, had control over national and international transport, and managed the economy in branches that were of interest to clan leaders. Therefore, even though people were registered in the Kanjou Commission to pay imposed taxes, they also worked and paid taxes under the name and towards the Yashiro Commission.

       This revelation left Caiome feeling like the sky was falling.

       "Hold on a second," she muttered, trying to recall the reports she found in Ayato's office a few nights ago regarding the treasury, revenues, receipts, and expenses. "Are you telling me that... practically... the Yashiro Commission is like... the wealthiest?!" she exclaimed, looking towards the portrait of Kamisato Kazashi. "No wonder everyone wants your son's head, including the clans answering to him. The man is like rich rich."

       Setting aside the Shogun, who gets whatever she desires, he'd probably be the richest person in this country. And truth be told, due to these shared responsibilities of the two Commissions, over time, it was normal to talk about certain subjects that could easily be confused. If something was mentioned about agriculture, it didn't necessarily mean it was about the Kanjou Commission, but also about the Yashiro Commission. And if taxes were discussed, even though the information on paper was recorded in the Kanjou Commission and paid through the Kanjou Commission, it didn't mean the Yashiro Commission didn't have a role in it.

       Caiome pinched the bridge of her nose, holding her other hand to her chest. "Wonderful. After getting all tangled up in dates and analyses, now I have to differentiate between the separate activities of the two Commissions that function differently depending on the period of time." She leaned back, hitting her head against the wall, looking up towards the portraits, seeking guidance from Kamisato Kazashi, since he was mentioned in that book. "Only if I had a massive brain," she sighed.

       She looked deeply at the portrait that didn't respond. "You can't help me, can you? What am I talking about? You'd probably laugh at me anyway because, with or without help, I feel like I'd understand everything upside down." Then another idea struck her like lightning. "Father, you're a genius!" she said to the portrait.

      She took the book and opened it to the last chapter, where Kamisato Kazashi's name first appeared. "If it's so hard to understand how the world worked back then because it was so different, I'll start from what I know about the world now and bring changes to it, rather than imagining a completely new one."

      So she began to read the facts and orders of Lord Kamisato Kazashi, and even though there were things she sometimes didn't fully understand or couldn't remember, it was easier to relate all the events to the current reality.

      But she also found records of operations that caught her attention like none of the others. Most of them involved ambushes or attacks and the like, or even undercover delegations. Twenty years ago, in the year 2712 a.A.W. (after the Archon War), Kamisato Kazashi had arrested two clan heads who were not part of the Yashiro Commission, but the Tenryou Commission. These two clans had hired mercenaries to assassinate not only their competition within their own Commission, but also to try to overthrow the Kujou family from leadership. They were also attempting to assassinate as many clan heads from the Yashiro Commission as possible, given their increasing influence. 

       Kamisato Kazashi used the Shuumatsuban to gather information, a process that took quite some time, then slowly intercepted their activities, disrupting their plans one by one until the two head clans of the Tenryou Commission couldn't fund the hired mercenaries, their equipment, and food. Not that they didn't have the money, but Kamisato Kazashi used the deployment of soldiers at the borders against pirates who had mushroomed after the rain, effectively forcing the clan heads to fight on two fronts. And since the employers of the assassins had to be far away from the mercenaries, they couldn't receive orders or be funded in secret. When the two returned to the city, Kamisato Kazashi awaited them with considerable debts and Shogun-loyal authorities.

       And Caiome discovered even one of the scenarios which had been led by Kamisato Yuna around the same time she was pregnant with Ayaka. Kamisato Kazashi had left on an international delegation to Liyue himself, leaving his pregnant wife in order for him to attend international meetings between the Yashiro Commission and the Minister of Civil Affairs in Liyue. With the authority in her hands, Kamisato Yuna could give orders to the Shuumatsuban as she pleased. Apparently, Lord Kamisato left because he was forced to, as there was another situation at home: the Kanjou and Tenryou Commissions had started to revolt against the Yashiro Commission activities, thinking they were taking too many liberties with the nation's economic state.

       They hastily organized a meeting, so Kamisato Kazashi couldn't be present, leaving his wife, who was close to her due date, to be forced to participate in his absence. She started being attacked from all sides, of course, and the two Commissions had their own concerns about their activities. Kamisato Yuna listened in silence, more concerned about the state of her unborn child than the leaders of the Commissions. In the end, when everyone calmed down and asked her to speak, Kamisato Yuna simply stood up and began telling the truth about the negligence of the other two Commissions regarding the state. The Yashiro Commission's activities and decisions were not made on a whim, but out of the need to take care of the population, and nothing else was behind it. So Yuna turned and left.

       That night, the Commissions sent assassins who ended up in the her room, but stabbing nothing more than pillows and blankets arranged to make it look like someone was sleeping there. The next morning, following Lady Kamisato's orders to the Shuumatsuban members, the heads of the assassins were sent in black wooden boxes marked with the symbols of the Kanjou and Tenryou Commissions to the clan leaders.

       And due to stress, Ayaka was born that morning.

       "Mother, you are such a badass," Caiome said, almost proud, as if she were talking about her own mother or even herself.

       And when Lord Kamisato returned and found out what had happened, that someone dared to attack not only his wife and unborn child, but also his son, who was nine and a half... Well, let's just say that the reports considered more heads falling, subtly impacting the two Commissions but quite problematic.

       But one of the shorter stories wasn't even related to the bad state between the three Commissions and clans or any possible coup. Investing in a special transport, a ship owned by Lord Kamisato was assaulted by pirates roaming the nation-island's borders thirty-one years ago. The goods were stolen, so Kamisato Kazashi sent his organization to find them. Eliminating not only the pirates, but also any other witnesses, the Shuumatsuban assassins returned with the stolen goods. However, Kamisato Kazashi inquired about a single thin and long box, being the only thing he cared about. A gift for his newlywed wife: a silver pin with sapphires as powerful as her gaze and as his love for her.

       "Aw~w," Caiome exclaimed when she finished reading, looking at Kamisato Kazashi's portrait. "Killing for the sake of something you wanted to give to your new wife? And such a piece of jewel? Like... marry me, Father," she mumbled to herself. "You are so husband material. Trusting your wife with your duties? Trusting herself enough to let her kill people? Killing because people tried to touch her? It's official," she yelled for herself. "You two are my favorite couple in the whole world, and I've seen some love stories pretty darn cute and awesome, facing danger and shit."

       Resuming her reading position, she held the book on her knees, while the brush's tail went between her lips, murmuring as she read.

Chapter Text

Chapter 17 ~ The White Flower and the Liar

🌸

       Caiome heard the door opening, so she raised her eyes only to see Ayato entering with his head down, so he didn't even notice her. He closed the door behind him, and only when he turned back to her, Ayato stopped in the middle of the room, making eye contact with Caiome.

       "What are you doing here?" he asked somehow surprised.

       "Chit-chatting with Mother and Father," she said, shrugging, playing with the brush.

       "What?" Ayato said confused, as in a whisper.

       Caiome pursed her lips, while Ayato approached her with small and calculated steps. Although he wore his fancy clothes, he had removed his coat, remaining only in shirts with cuffs at the wrists.

       "I'm studying," she said. "And your parents help me from time to time. Your dad gave me a brilliant idea about how to approach all these useless history lessons. Or at least keeps me company. And it's quiet here. The only quiet place."

       Ayato sighed briefly, stopping in the middle of the room. He sat down slowly on his knees, and Caiome frowned when he placed his hands in front of him and bowed down to the ground, touching the floor with his forehead. Caiome almost stood up at how strange it felt to watch him do this to her, although she was aware that he wasn't bowing to her, but to his parents.

       Then Ayato stood up, approached the tables, and lit a koboku stick at each one, placing them in their holders.

       "You are right," he said, placing the incense stick on the table under his father's portrait.

       Looking at them standing side by side, Caiome really saw no difference between their auras. It was clear that they were father and son, but there was also a big difference between them. Kamisato Kazashi didn't have the same expression as Kamisato Ayato had. And Kamisato Ayato didn't have the same intent in his eyes as Kamisato Kazashi, even though they had almost the same eye color. They were father and son, but the son couldn't be more different from the father.

       "It is really chaos in the entire house," he continued.

       "Then why didn't you leave?" Caiome said. "Unlike me, you're allowed to leave the courtyard. I'm sure you could find something to do in the city," she muttered, looking back at her book, trying to find the sentence where she left off when Ayato entered the room.

        "I could," he said. "Usually it is like this."

       "So why didn't you?" she repeated.

       Ayato didn't answer, seemingly thinking about his response or rather considering whether to say it or not. Eventually, when Caiome looked at him again, Ayato decided not to tell her anything.

       Instead, sat between Caiome and the table with offerings. Tapping his shoulder slightly against hers, she no longer felt the scent of the freshly lit incense sticks, but a light, fresh, and clean fragrance. It didn't take her long to realize that Ayato probably just washed his hair or wore freshly washed, dried, and ironed clothes. But no, this scent clearly came from his hair or from a perfume applied to his skin.

       "How is the studying going?" he asked.

       "Pretty well," she raised her chin. "I've already reached the recordings about your dad. Lord Kamisato Kazashi caused headaches for the Commissions, right? A little bit more, and I'll finish this book. You see, it didn't even take me a whole week."

       "Really?" Ayato said. "Then what is with all these papers?"

       He grabbed one at random, trying to read it, but he couldn't mumble more than a few words, and those were a bit smeared.

       "Who wrote these hazards?"

       Caiome snatched the paper from his hand, almost throwing it on the floor beneath her.

       "You shouldn't stick your nose into other people's business," she said frustrated.

       Ayato, on the other hand, took another, even uglier sheet of paper, with ink spots all over it.

       "You have a horrible handwriting," he laughed.

       Caiome snatched it from him too. "It's because of your brushes," she almost shouted. "Seriously, I couldn't find a quill or even a feather to write with in any corner of this huge mansion. You write only with brushes that are an abomination for those who are not used to them. We, ordinary people who don't live in big houses, don't write with brushes with hair from...," Caiome looked at the brush. "What hair is this?"

       "Sable."

       "Sable- sable hair?" She looked at him, and Ayato nodded. "Isn't that from the expensive category of brushes?"

       "Indeed."

       "Hmm," Caiome said, looking at the brush.

       Sure, it was used, but a good brush was a good brush, and it was almost new. If she had taken it to the Black Market, she would have gotten a very good price for it, considering that collectors came there, but not all-knowing ones.

       "Do not steal it," Ayato said in a sigh, and Caiome rolled her eyes, then laughed slightly.

       "I wasn't planning to."

       "And do not have illusions about the price."

       "Ugh," she said, grabbing her calves with her hands, starting to sway from side to side. "It's your fault, you know that, right?"

       "According to you, everything that happens to you in life is my fault," he replied with a smile.

       "Because you are the source of my current problems," she retorted.

       "Am I really?"

       "Is there anyone else here who messed up my life and plans besides you?" she said sarcastically. "I don't see anyone."

       "You are the only one who created problems for yourself."

       "Yes, because I know how to steal," she murmured. "Well, you can forbid my actions, but not my mind. And if I want to think about how much this brush is worth on the Black Market, I will. And it's useless to me anyway," she added frustrated.

       Ayato shook his head, then took a quill pen from the lilac inner pocket of his shirt. It was a real quill pen, caught in a round wooden case that looked a lot like the style of brushes. But at the end, there wasn't hair from any animal in the world, but a real metal nib.

       "I think this is what you were looking for," he said, and Caiome blinked.

       She almost snatched the pen from his hand.

       "You knew I wouldn't manage with the brushes," she accused him. "You heartless man. You let me struggle when you promised me the best conditions for these two weeks."

       Ayato let his hands rest in his lap, smiling at her, almost innocently, as if this time he wasn't going to confess anything, not like he usually did just to amuse himself and for her desperation.

       "I don't even know why I tell you things," Caiome murmured, putting the pen in the inkwell, then started making some notes on one of the papers scattered in front of her.

       "So," Ayato said, looking over the notes on the floor. "Are you trying to learn the symbols?"

       "A better method than learning names," Caiome muttered. "They're a pain, and some had the same ones. Why couldn't your family be more original than that? I doubt there aren't that many traditional male and female names in this nation. Even your father had a different avatar about three hundred years ago or something," she threw it away.

       "Names are usually passed down because the one before us did remarkable deeds while being the Head of the Clan. My father's ancestor who had the same name initiated a reform regarding the economy and agriculture, which not only strengthened Inazuma's national and international relations, but also earned a better position and influence in society. He was a bridge between the past and the present."

       Caiome frowned.

       "You haven't learned that, have you?" he sighed. "You haven't even read about it."

       Of course, Caiome hadn't reached that part. All she had done with the names was to jot them down on paper when she drew the symbols for each one-mostly ancient characters that were supposed to mean something, but Caiome didn't understand or even remember them. But she hadn't read about them.

       "I thought you said you were almost done, and it hasn't even been a week," he teased.

       Caiome placed her hands over her chest, turning away from him. "I'm trying my best," she said.

       "And how is that working for you?" he asked.

       Caiome handed him the brush, waving it as if she were about to hit him with it. "Take your torture tools and leave if you don't intend to help me and just want to annoy me. Your parents are a much better company than your nagging tongue. At least they helped me, and they're dead."

       Ayato burst into laughter.

       "What?" Caiome said.

       "Nothing," he said between laughs. "It is just fun to see you so frustrated."

       "I bet," she said. "Do you want to see me angry too?"

       "Are you going to strangle me?"

       "I have a lot of reasons to."

       Ayato leaned towards her. "No chance."

       "Then you should be careful when you leave this room," she said, leaning against the wall.

       She pouted, turned her gaze towards Yuna's portrait, and stayed there, without the strength for something to move her from there. She didn't want to look at Ayato or talk to him.

       Ayato, on the other hand, rested his elbow on one knee and put his cheek in his fist, holding the brush between his fingers so as not to stain it, not like Caiome who stained her face from all that waving, and she didn't even realize. A smile spread across his lips because it was strange to see Caiome in such a formal scenario. In the funeral room, there was always silence; no one spoke, and no one even sighed. Instead, Ayato was now having a conversation with her while Caiome almost screamed, being as noisy as always.

       This was inappropriate behavior, he told himself since he laid eyes on the room. The fact that she stood between his parents, studying things she theoretically shouldn't even touch, let alone read and learn. Since he was little, Ayato had always been taught to show immense respect to his deceased ancestors, especially his parents after their deaths. He wasn't even allowed to speak, and he didn't have to sigh, even if he wanted to.

       But now he stood with her with his back towards them, teasing a person who let herself be provoked too easily, and maybe that's where his satisfaction came from when he saw her frowning eyes, the frown between her eyebrows, and her pursed lips. He tried to convince himself to stand up, but the truth was that... he felt comfortable.

       Caiome made herself comfortable in the place between the tables, and once Ayato sat there too, engulfed by the scent of the koboku sticks, looking to his right at his mother and to his left at his father, he relaxed as well. Well, that's what he had been looking for since he set his mind to come here, hidden from all the madness led by Ayaka in the house. No one entered here except Mrs. Nakamura to clean, and at the moment, Mrs. Nakamura was taking care of another part of the house. Moreover, usually, cleaning was done separately in the funeral room than in the rest of the house, so Ayato shouldn't have found anyone here.

       He didn't know how he had overlooked that Caiome could be here. He should have already gotten used to the fact that he could come across her anywhere in the residence.

       She had burst into the Grand Hall, in the middle of the meeting, leaving everyone with wide eyes and open mouths, and Ayato couldn't help but enjoy the shock Caiome gave everyone. In the last hour, Ayato had to endure only accusations and shouts, and once Caiome slammed the doors against the wall, perhaps the clan heads didn't calm down, but on the contrary, they became more revolted by Caiome's impolite way of bursting in, yet Ayato was amused enough to bring the meeting to a successful end.

       It wasn't as if he hadn't been surprised by her coming and the way she entered the room too, announcing her presence in the house... and her evil intentions.

       Ayato closed his eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the silence, then looked at Caiome again.

       "I will help you," he said.

       "No, thanks," Caiome said. "You could take credit after that and not let me pass the exams because of your help."

       "I am not going to do that," he defended himself.

       "I don't believe you," Caiome said. "The last time I did it, I danced in vain, and I was also fooled. It won't happen again," she raised her palm towards him.

       Ayato grabbed the tips of her fingers, lowering her hand, so he could look her in the eyes, leaning slightly towards her.

       "But you trust me enough to be convinced that you will pass those exams, don't you?" he smiled, and Caiome displayed the same smile.

       "That's because you would never have shown me the Shuumatsuban documents if you hadn't told the truth."

       "Maybe they are fake documents," Ayato said.

       "Forging an eight-hundred-year history in less than twenty-four hours? I don't believe tha~at," she sang. "Admit it, you trust me enough not to go out tonight and throw these pages all over Inazuma."

       "You will not do that because your shell is still in my possesion," Ayato said.

       "You don't know what I could do in a moment of wanting revenge," Caiome said. "You said I'm impulsive. So watch me," she tilted her head. "And even without the shell," she pulled herself back as Ayato let go of her hand, her palm brushing against his unclenched hand, then falling altogether, "you still need me. You don't have to hide anymore; I know you appreciate my skills enough to think I'd be an important member for your organization. With my techniques and my Vision, your information network could become more stable and powerful than it already is. Do you think I don't know why you insisted on talking about my list of crimes? It shows you that I could do anything and reach any level without regrets, especially when you mentioned breaking and entering into institutions. You need something from me, but you can't do it as long as I'm not part of the Shuumatsuban. My hypothesis is that you wanted to make me a member, only that I beat you to the proposal. That's why I'm sure that, despite my skills of memorizing this nonsense," she closed the history book, "you'll accept me at the end of these two weeks no matter what."

       "Maybe," Ayato said. "But there is also the Shuumatsuban's grunt work."

       "Like what?" she said. "I haven't read anything about 'grunt work'."

       "I guess you will have to find out for yourself."

       "Funny," she mumbled.

       Then silence fell again, while Ayato still held his cheek in his fist, looking towards the windows and towards Caiome, but with a lost look, without looking at anything in particular. Maybe it was just his thoughts that were starting to overwhelm him again, considering that there was no way out or relief from everything happening around him.

       "What's your symbol?" Caiome suddenly heard herself asking him, and Ayato seemed to wake up from his daydream.

       "Hm?" he asked.

       "Your symbol?" Caiome said again. "That little image all Kamisato lords have in order to communicate-"

       "Please, be quiet," Ayato said, and Caiome smiled self-satisfied. "Why so curious?"

       "Because, for one, genius," she said to him, "if I enter the Shuumatsuban, well, actually, I shouldn't say 'if'... When I enter the Shuumatsuban, I'll need to know it. And because, for two, if you haven't noticed, you haven't given me any book that records your activities within the Shuumatsuban. You've been leading the organization for sixteen years, but there's nothing in the book about you."

       "That is because, smart-pants," he said in a long tone, then came back to his usual one, "despite your current beliefs, I do not intend to accept you into the organization no matter what, so I can not let you know current information about me so you do not spread it around the city in a moment of revengeful impulsiveness."

       Caiome blew a wavy strand of hers that hit Ayato over the nose. "As I said, I don't believe the words that come out of your mouth," she murmured. "But seriously, what is it?"

       Ayato gave her a simple glance, then took one of the papers spread on the floor, precisely the one with his name which was staying in front of her, considering that she made a column from the first Kamisato lord who founded the Shuumatsuban organization to the current one. He dipped the brush into the ink from the waken, gently wiped its tip to get rid of the excess ink, and then placed it on the paper.

       With light, delicate, and well-calculated movements, he drew a character. Caiome looked, or rather stared, at the way his hand moved and the traces were left by the brush on paper. She tried to read the character, but it was obviously that it was as ancient as the others, which didn't help her at all.

       "What does it mean?" she asked.

       "They are ancient characters for white flower," he pointed to a part of the symbol, then moved to the other. "This means flight. And this," pointing to the bottom, "is for the boundary between life and death, often seen as a cliff."

       Caiome narrowed her eyes at him. Mr. Yoshiaki had already translated some symbols for her in the library in the past few days, and Caiome had learned that, although it was a single symbol, it had a much larger meaning. Many of them were even whole phrases from poems or something similar.

       "Which translates to...?"

       "White flower floating beyond the edge of the cliff."

       "I saw that in one of the books Yoshiaki gave me," she immediately jumped. "You basically say peace and harmony. Sometimes referred to as peace and harmony in the near future."

       "What to see," Ayato said laughing, "you are not as dumb as I thought you were."

       "Next time, I'd prefer a real compliment," she said. "Hmm, in that case, I have to find the right symbol for myself once I join the Shuumatsuban."

       "You should not be so sure about that," he commented.

       "Shh," she said, covering his mouth with her whole hand, looking towards the history book. "I have to think carefully. I have an idea, but hmm..."

       "What is it?" he asked. "I can help you write it," Ayato said behind her hand.

       "No," she said quickly. "I can't let you know things about me. What if you tell anyone? I'll tell you after you say that yes, I can be part of your secret organization. Yoshiaki will help me. He has old hands and trembles, but he still knows how to write with your brushes."

       Ayato quickly drew something on the paper, then turned it towards Caiome.

       "What about this?" he said and she frowned at the character.

       "What does that mean?"

       "Liar."

       "Maybe yours should be bad humor," she replied. "And just so you know, the most advantageous thing for you is to put me in infiltration and information gathering, but I think you've already thought of that," she patted his chest, which immediately made her feel that, despite the fact that Ayato looked quite delicate and thin in those fancy clothes, he actually had muscles. "Do you work out?" she asked.

       Ayato didn't know if he could keep up any longer with the way Caiome changed the subject so lightly and fast, going from one stage to another and from one speaking style to another.

       "I train too, you know," he said.

       "Do you even have the time?" she asked, almost shocked. "I've never seen you draw your sword except for our two encounters."

       "I am trying to make time," he confessed.

       "Hmm," she mustached. "Well, you can come sometimes to the duels between me and the guards if you want. You saw us, right?"

       Ayato just smiled sweetly.

       "I have seen you," he said slowly. "Anyway," he quickly added so that Caiome wouldn't take his words away again, "what is that you do not understand?" He pointed to the history book. "I am not playing with you; I can really help you if you need it, and no, I will not use it against you."

       Caiome looked skeptical at him, then extended her pinky towards him. Ayato looked as if he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

       "Do you swear on your pinky?" she asked.

       "Uhh," he said.

       Caiome grabbed his pinky and entwined it with hers, then leaned towards him. Ayato took a short breath because of the reduced distance in a way so abrupt, and Caiome fixed her eyes on his, and it never seemed to him that Caiome had a more determined or darker shining look. Not even when she pointed her sword at him a week ago, on the banquet day.

       "If you lie, your pinky has to fall," she said. "Rest assured, I'll cut it for you if it comes to that. I've done it a few times before for people who tried to deceive me."

       Ayato squeezed her pinky harder. "I know, right?" he said. "So far, it has worked out pretty well for me."

       "So far are the key words." She straightened up, took the history book, and opened it to the first pages, then raised her voice. "Now, what does 'economic character relations' mean?"

       Ayato blinked a few times, as if he couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, gods, you have so much to catch up on..."

Chapter Text

Chapter 18 ~ The Lord's Leg and the Lapis Lazuli

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       "I can't take it anymore," said Caiome, barging into the armory, making Mizuki jump so hard that he dropped the few daggers, slipping through his fingers and clattering to the ground. Caiome threw the history book on the table among other things, while Mizuki struggled to pick up the dropped daggers. "It's nonsense," she complained. "This whole book is nonsense."

       Mizuki smiled faintly, placing the daggers on the table in front of him. "Isn't studying going well?" he asked, sitting down with the daggers before him.

      "I'd rather polish swords for the rest of my life," Caiome replied, also throwing herself into her chair at the table, staring at the terrible history book. "I'd rather scrub floors with everyone watching me than read another word from this book."

       "You only have... five days left, right?" he asked.

       There were only a few people who knew that Caiome was preparing for the exams to become a member of the Shuumatsuban. Ayato, of course, Ayaka and Thoma, his closest subordinates, if Caiome could call them that, Captain Hirotatsu, and Mizuki. And Mizuki knew because Caiome had bragged to him without realizing that he would soon be trained by a member of the Shuumatsuban. Fortunately, Ayato didn't know that Mizuki knew, as everything had to be kept secret. Oh, yes, and mr. Yoshiaki, the librarian, but that wasn't Caiome's fault. The old man had figured it out himself, looking into the books that Caiome hadn't bothered to keep somewhat hidden, wandering with them throughout the residence.

       "I'd rather spend my time doing anything else. Even polishing armor. Anything," she exclaimed, to which Mizuki just lazily smiled, making Caiome frown, looking at him again.

       Mizuki was usually very expressive, whether it was smiles or frowns, whether he blushed like a crab or turned pale like a ghost, there was always some expression that amused Caiome. That's why Mizuki, so far, was her favorite person to be around. Not that she had many options.

       He was very open to conversations. And they trained every afternoon for at least half an hour during lunch break. Mizuki had enough confidence in her to show her that set of jewelry... which Caiome hadn't heard anything about lately, so she assumed Mizuki had eventually sold it at a fair price.

       But now, Mizuki seemed thoughtful. He wiped the daggers silently, focusing on his hands, which made Caiome tilt her head slightly, watching him closely. He had drawn cheeks, slightly tired eyes, and dark circles. His lips were a bit cracked, not that didn't necessarily indicated tiredness, but he was hunched over. After their training sessions, Caiome had taught him to keep his posture as upright as possible, and Mizuki was trying. But now, it seemed like he had forgotten everything.

       "Are you okay?" she asked curiously.

       "Hm?" Mizuki looked at her, then displayed a smile that should have been typical. "Of course, I'm fine. What a question. I'm just doing my job," he pointed to the daggers.

       Caiome raised her chin. Mizuki was too easy to read; that was clear from the start. Especially with his always polite personality, always saying something nice, or if not nice, at least decent, so as not to offend anyone.

       "Mizuki, you've been wiping the same piece of metal since I sat down," Caiome said. "Tell me," she requested.

       "Are you asking out of curiosity or because you really care?" he asked, turning the dagger to the other side. It was clear that he did it just because Caiome told him to.

       "There's a difference?" she shrugged.

       "Of course there's a difference. Curiosity means you don't care about the other person's well-being, you just want to know what's happening. Caring means you want to help. Or at least confort someone."

       Caiome frowned, then grimaced. "I see them the same way," she shrugged.

       "Caiome, you're amazing, seriously," said Mizuki, adopting a somewhat serious tone, "but sometimes, for you, curiosity means more than anything else."

       "That's not true," she almost instantly replied.

       "Yes, it is. You have a too adventurous and curious spirit, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I don't think it suits you anything more. You've been alone for a long time, wandering in your vicious circles, so I don't judge you, but you shouldn't force yourself to be something else."

       Caiome frowned even more. She had never heard Mizuki speak to her like this, not even when he tried to behave like everyone else and marginalize her, or even to act exactly as an authority figure should behave with a criminal. And even more, Mizuki didn't look at her like that, but as a perfectly normal being who just happened to become friends with him.

       But she wasn't a fool either. She knew that people's states and words were often influenced by something happening outside the conversation. Which meant Mizuki had run into trouble. But why would a person with his personality and moral code cause trouble? He hadn't even wanted to...

       Oh...

       "Is something wrong with your sister?" she asked.

       Mizuki's hand stopped, and his gaze froze on the dagger, and Caiome instantly understood that it had to be about that.

       "No," he finally said half-heartedly.

       "Mizuki..."

       "Not something I want to talk about."

       Caiome shouldn't have expectations. She hadn't made too many friends throughout her life, and if someone existed with the title of friend in her life, they either left as soon as they found out she was a thief and got into all sorts of trouble, or they went on their own way without even saying goodbye - in cases like those, Caiome concluded that she was the only one considering them friends. So no, she didn't usually make too many friends, just acquaintances.

       So, she didn't know if Mizuki was her friend or not. But she had gotten used to him smiling all day and talking about his sister or his wonderful parents, making an effort to become a good guardian and promote, also as a way to earn a higher salary. Therefore, Caiome didn't know whether to insist or not. Usually, when someone said they didn't want to talk, Caiome would insist for a while, then give up and discover on her own. But she didn't have much information about Mizuki. Unable to leave the residence grounds, she had never seen his family, so she couldn't go to their house to find out the situation.

       She could only speculate.

       "Did she get sicker?" she asked.

       "Caiome..."

       "The medications are not working for her anymore?"

       "Of course they are, just..."

       "Did she go completely blind?"

       "No, Caiome..."

       "Then something must have happened."

       "It's not related to my sister," Mizuki said, ending the discussion. "So, please, don't ask anymore."

       Caiome frowned even more. If it wasn't about his sister, then...

       "Did something happen to your father?"

       Mizuki moved his hand along the dagger too abruptly, dropping the small cotton ball he wasn't holding with chopsticks but with his hand, cutting his index finger along its length.

       "So something did happen," Caiome concluded.

       Mizuki sighed deeply, straightened up as Caiome always told him to do, closed his eyes, then looked at her. The blue color became darker, indicating fatigue and thoughts that didn't stop comeing to his mind. But he didn't say anything, just wiped his bloody finger, then washed it with a little water from a wooden cup, tying it with a handkerchief so that the blood wouldn't stain the blades.

       "Okay," Caiome said and got up from her chair. "If you don't want to talk, don't talk. Did you at least manage to sell that set of jewelry?"

       "Ihim," Mizuki said, but he didn't say anything more.

       Which meant no, he didn't sell it. Caiome patted him on the shoulder a few times because honestly, she had no idea what else to do in this situation, then went out of the storeroom. If Mizuki didn't want to talk to her, fine, she wasn't going to push him. She didn't want like the one person with whom she got along well enough to have a conversation that wasn't about serious matters and her messed-up life wouldn't answer her because she was too insistent.

       Caiome went outside, closed the armory door, starting to juggle the small box in which the jewels started jingleing.

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       "But ple~ease!" Caiome said, jumping in front of Ayato when he tried to pass her to reach the Great Hall.

       She hadn't seen him since they bumped into each other in the funeral room, and from what Caiome heard throughout the residence, he had been away for the last three days in the city on important business and a meeting of the Commissions. Wasn't he always away on important matters anyway?

       "And my answer was no," he said, trying to pass her again, but she stood like a barrier between him and the rest of the hallway.

       "I haven't left the courtyard for almost two months," she complained with pleading eyes. "I want to get some air; I feel like I'm suffocating here."

       "Then get some fresh air," she said with a smile, probably referring to the wind power Caiome had from her Vision, a joke she didn't appreciate when Ayato passed by her. "And by the way, you haven not been confined here for two months."

       Caiome knew he had a meeting with the other clan heads, which this time was not related to her, or at least she was not the main topic, considering rumors had spread that all the clan leaders wanted Ayato to get rid of her as soon as possible. However, Ayato replied that it was his residence, and it had nothing to do with anyone else in that room. That seemed to calm them down a bit. But this was one of the monthly meetings that everyone had to attend, usually held at Ayato's estate.

       Caiome tried to take advantage of the fact that he was in a hurry to get him to give her the permission to go outside the courtyard, presenting very good arguments. First of all, she couldn't run away, considering that her shell was still with him; if she wanted to do that, abandoning her shell, she would have done it long ago. Secondly, she really wanted to see other scenarios besides Captain Hirotatsu sitting serious all day and Thoma running around cleaning the residence. Thirdly, if Ayato wanted her to learn about all the important personalities, she had to know them; and if not to meet them, at least to see their faces to get used to them... To which Ayato said that she would only waste her time if she didn't take the exams, so she had no reason to go outside.

       So Caiome approached the only solution she thought would work, because Ayato wasn't as easy to convince as others, considering that he knew her personality a bit too well... or at least knew that everything she said could be just a lie, and he didn't trust her, just as she didn't trust him.

       Throwing herself at him, Caiome clung to his leg with her arms, making Ayato stumble and almost fall to the ground.

       "Ple~ease!" she said, and her voice echoed throughout the hall. They were just around the corner from the Great Hall, so if some clan heads were there - they should all be there, actually, waiting for their leader - they would have definitely heard her. "I'll die if I stay much longer within these walls."

       "Caiome, you are free to stay in the gardens anytime if you do not like the walls of my mansion," Ayato said with a forced smile that only showed how much he probably wanted to kick her in the mouth just to get rid of her. It's not like he hadn't attacked her with a sword before, throwing her to the ground or using the powers of his Hydro Vision on her.

       "I've been in those gardens so much that I've learned them by heart," she said with a child's voice. "Seriously, if your estate ever catches fire, I'd know how to rebuild the gardens all by myself, considering how much I've stared at them. I need other trees, other flowers, other people's faces. I feel like I'm going crazy here."

       Despite the smile, Caiome could see a vein pulsating on Ayato's forehead as she tightened even more around his leg, holding onto the cuffs of his precious light blue suit that brought out his eyes. And Ayato couldn't pull her away because, due to the way she held onto his clothes, not his leg, she might even pull down his pants.

       "Because you can only breathe if you change the trees from time to time," he said sarcastically.

       "I'm a free spirit," she said, "of course I change the trees from time to time."

       Ayato tried to pull his leg, but Caiome clung even tighter with her fingers to the fabric of his pants.

       "Caiome, please, let go. I have a meeting I need to attend; we can talk afterward."

       "I've seen the list of topics you need to address today," she said, stretching out with her abdomen on the floor. "You'll be there for an eternity! I can't wait that long. I'll disintegrate and die."

       "Then try to die quietly because you are not leaving the residence," he said, shaking his leg. "Now get off me."

       Ayato tried to pull his leg, but Caiome clung to the fabric of his pants even tighter, sticking her cheek to his shin. Ayato started pulling his leg, dragging Caiome after him and taking care at the same time to keep his pants on, because it seemed that Caiome really didn't care if Lord Kamisato ended up in his underwear in front of everyone in the Great Hall. In five whole minutes, Ayato managed to move only two meters. Not necessarily because Caiome was heavy, but she let all her weight on his leg, damn this girl.

       Before reaching the doors, Ayato was already panting, leaning his forehead against the wooden wall, and his face was slightly red.

       "Would you like me to consider this persistence as violations?" he said with a smile, thinking that it might persuade her to let him go.

       "What's the point of considering them violations when I'm going to die in this house anyway?" Caiome said, sulking.

       "If you do not care, then you would leave without my permission, and we would reach the same conclusion."

       Male voices, and a few female ones, began to be heard from the other side, voices gaining momentum. Ayato could hear their words, wondering why Lord Kamisato wasn't in the Hall yet and why he was late. He never arrived late for meetings, certainly not for ten whole minutes; on the contrary, he was the one waiting for the clan leaders in the Great Hall, making them feel uncomfortable even if they arrived exactly on time.

       "I just want to stretch my legs a bit," she said, looking at him, adopting the puppy-like gaze she used on Captain Hirotatsu. But she instantly knew, judging by Ayato's frowning look, that he won't be fooled so easily.

       "Caiome, I have a younger sister who used the same tactics on me when she was younger; you are not fooling me with that face," he said and pushed her with the other foot's toe in the forehead. "Let me go back to my business."

       "No~o," she said just as two younger maids passed in front of the Hall, looking wide-eyed at the two.

       Ayato smiled at them and waved a hand for them to retreat, and they did so, starting to whisper to each other as soon as they turned their backs, as if Ayato couldn't hear them.

       "Caiome," he turned to her, "servants can see us. Stop and get up."

       "No," she said again. "If you go in there, you'll never come out," she said.

       "Well, even if I go in there or not, and even if I ever come out of there or not, you will get the same answer, so it is your decision: either you let me go, or you come with me, and you will lose study time, which, believe me, you really need it."

       "Fine," she said, grabbing his leg even tighter. "I'll come with you. I'll stick to you until the end of your life or until you let me go for a walk. All I asked for was sixty minutes, not an entire day."

       "All right," he said. "But once you enter that Hall, you are not allowed to leave."

       Caiome shrugged, being stubborn. "That's fine by me."

       "Good," Ayato said again, then opened the doors of the Hall, and everyone turned and stood up from the ground to greet him...

       Him and the parasite clinging to his leg, which didn't let go for fear that Ayato would push her out and close the doors behind her, sealing them or something. But no one said anything except to stare at the girl holding onto Lord Kamisato's pants, who was pulling her through the corridor formed by the clan leaders and to his place at the end of the room. He knelt on a dark lilac pillow, straightened his back as his secretary, Mr. Hanako, left a few files in front of him.

       "Thank you," Ayato said, adopting a position as straight as possible and an expression as serious as he could, while Caiome sat sprawled on the floor, holding onto his leg with her hands. Ayato smiled at the clan leaders. "Please take your seats so we can start the meeting."

       "Uhh," the others made, looking from Ayato to a Caiome who resembled a dropped pie. "My lord..."

       "Oh, do not mind her," Ayato said, waving his hand lightly. "A leech caught my leg, and now she does not want to let go," he looked at Caiome, trying for one last time to make her leave, but Caiome only threw him a glance through her eyelashes and didn't move. "Let us begin," he announced, and the others just had to listen and sit back on their pillows, at the tables with their own reports and a steaming cup of tea in front of them.

       The first subject on that day was the expenses for the early summer festival, on textiles, food, and festival carts, then on fireworks and other specific attractions.

       "How big will the carts and fireworks be?" Caiome asked, lifting her head to look at Ayato's papers, blocking Lord Kamisato's view. But he just put a hand on her head, pushing her back down until she stuck her face to his knee.

       Then came the report on the profit for that month for each of the clans dealing with a specific branch of the population's culture. Caiome frowned when she heard how little they had made from selling jewelry, even though the gemstone mining industry was so significant.

         "You're definitely doing something wrong," she said from the floor, almost sticking her lips to the wooden table, her voice sounding a bit harsh. "Only fools ignore the market like this."

       Although she spoke loud enough, no one saw her moving her lips, so everyone started looking around to find the source of their criticism. Ayato quickly covered her mouth with his free hand, and Caiome began to mutter until she bit his hand. Surprised, Ayato not only pulled his hand from her mouth but also raised his knee, making Caiome hit her head on the table, letting out a quite strong "Ouch."

       "My lord?"

       "It is nothing; let us continue," he quickly said with a smile.

       Caiome had to comment on each point to be discussed on the list. And even though no one saw what was happening behind the table, Ayato's secretary saw enough, considering that his table was placed next to Ayato's, facing him: Caiome behaved like a restless cat while clinging to Lord Kamisato's leg, trying to open her mouth and say words, always being interrupted by an Ayato trying to keep his polite smile but who was burning with frustration inside, while holding her nose, pinching her cheek, and catching her lips between his fingers, squeezing them to silence her. All that was left was for Caiome to lie on her back and start playing with the wide sleeves of his coat. It was as if Lord Kamisato brought a wild animal into the Great Hall that sizzled at the hand that fed it.

       Because of Caiome's behavior, the meeting ended three hours later, because Ayato, although trying to speak as coherently as possible, was always interrupted by something. Only in the last half-hour did the caught thief calm down, resting her head on his thigh and seeming to fall asleep. The secretary even heard her snoring slightly through her slightly open lips, but at least Lord Kamisato was able to finish the meeting peacefully, saying goodbye to the clan leaders as they did the same, trying not to stare too much at the wild creature sleeping on his leg, with her arms around his shoe.

       In the end, the secretary also got up from the table, making a deep bow to his lord.

       "I don't think I should ask, should I?" he said, referring to a Caiome who began to mumble in her sleep.

       Ayato just leaned into his hand, sighing heavily, hiding his face in his own palm. "I would really ask you not to, Mr. Hanako. Thank you for your work today," he said, and the secretary just made another bow.

       "I think you should wake her up, though," he added, then retreated through the open doors, greeting Lady Ayaka and her attendant, Mr. Thoma, and then left the residence with the other clan heads.

       Ayaka and Thoma politely greeted him in turn, then entered the Great Hall. Or rather, Ayaka did, while Thoma stepped aside near the door, considering that he wasn't supposed to be there unless he was cleaning in his lord's absence. Ayaka approached Ayato, and her eyes immediately fell on the stretched-out body lying on the floor, whose head was hidden behind the table.

       "I heard some clan leaders talking about... an intruder in the Great Hall?" Ayaka tried her luck, and Ayato took a deep breath, looking at her as if every drop of energy had been forcibly extracted from his body. "We came to see what's going on, although I can say that we already figured out from the courtyard what's going on," Ayaka said.

       "Are you still going to the city today?" Ayato asked in return.

       "Yes," said Ayaka a bit confused. "Why?"

       Ayato pushed the table aside, allowing the two to see Caiome sleeping with her mouth slightly open.

       "Take her away with you," he said. "Please."

       The image was actually quite funny, despite the way Ayaka and Thoma raised their eyebrows at a carefree Caiome sleeping on Lord Kamisato's leg as if it were a very normal thing to do. However, Ayato didn't pull his leg from under her either.

       "Why did you let her..." Ayaka began.

       "Because I thought she would sleep through the whole thing," Ayato said. "At least it would have spared me some trouble. But she kept talking until she got bored, attracting so many stares."

       "My lord," said Thoma, "no offense, but you were the one who entered with a person stuck to your leg. How was that supposed to go unnoticed?"

       "Trying to humiliate her?" he said a bit uncertain this time. "But it seems Miss Caiome really does not know what shame is. And here I thought she did not like people in such large numbers staring at her. It seemed more like she enjoyed it."

       Ayaka and Thoma looked at each other, then Ayaka giggled lightly like a bell, making both men look at her.

       "Let me guess," she said, "Miss Caiome asked you to let her go to the city, you said no, she started behaving... well, like herself, so you forced her to stay with you during the meeting, thinking things would go differently."

       "And I was terribly wrong."

       "And what made you agree only now to let her out?" Ayaka asked. "Why not earlier?"

       "Maybe because she became annoying," Thoma said.

       Ayato just rested his elbow on the table, his cheek in his palm, looking at the two, and didn't answer, finally turning his gaze to the windows, where Caiome was also occasionally looking during the meeting, in the rare moments of quiet, with a sparkle in her eyes and a terrible boredom, as if she prayed in her head to get out of those walls faster. Perhaps she even had a small hope that Ayato would actually let her leave the courtyard eventually, so she endured the great ordeal of the meeting in the Great Hall, listening to discussions that were not at all suitable for her, not at all interesting.

       "Can you just take her away?" he finally said, looking even more tired than usual. Probably because of the struggle he had to endure with Caiome while having to be equally attentive to the discussions in the Hall.

       "I'll take care of it," Thoma said, approaching the two.

       Putting his hands on his hips, looking at Caiome with a raised eyebrow, seeming to have a pleasant expression on her face, deepened in sleep... Thoma kicked her in the ribs with his boot. Caiome jumped up, but the fact that her arm was still caught around Ayato's shin made her fall back down, hitting her chin on the floor, standing there for a few seconds, dazed from sleep and dizzy from the blow.

       "I knew it would be you," Caiome told Thoma. "You've become the nightmare of my life."

       "It's your fault for falling asleep in the wrong place."

       Caiome raised her middle finger, still with her arm trapped under Ayato's foot, who finally got up, releasing her from his weight.

       "Come on," Thoma pushed her again. "You're coming with me and Lady Ayaka to the city today."

       Caiome stayed on all fours for a few seconds, then jumped up, looking up at Thoma, who was slightly skeptical, a tired Ayato, and an Ayaka who... didn't seem pleased, but not displeased either, she was just the same polite and pleasant Ayaka as always.

       "Going to the city?" she said with a smile on her face, a smile that shouldn't be on a person's face, because no one should be kept within the same perimeter for weeks, but she was a special case, so her expression was just as special.

        "That is because later I have to meet someone important," Ayato said. "You can not cling to my leg then."

       Only then did Caiome realize that they were still in the Great Hall and that there was no longer anyone from the clan heads, only the four of them.

       "Not to mention that your little show today will be considered a violation of the rules," he continued. "You are not usually allowed in here."

       "You grabbed me," Caiome said.

       "You wanted to come in," Ayato turned it back on her. "You should have thought about it before clinging so insistently to my shoes."

       "What does it matter?" she said, jumping to her feet. "Give me two violations if you want, I don't care, I just want to get out of here faster."

       "Just be careful..." Ayato began, but Caiome already left the Great Hall without hearing his last words.

      She was late anyway.

Chapter Text

Chapter 19 ~ The Romance Novels and the Girl Who Can't See

🌸

       Considering that those who were Vision bearers could use the telepoints, Thoma, Ayaka, and Caiome arrived in the heart of the city of Inazuma in a matter of seconds. Caiome immediately felt the freedom of fresh air as she stepped beyond the gate and to the telepoint near the entrance to the residence. Telepointers always existed in Teyvat, and probably when the first Lord Kamisato decided where to make his main residence, he chose this specific location for easier transportation. He probably was a Vision bearer from the beginning, so everything was in his favor.

       And when she found herself in the city, after the teleportation avalanche and the whirlwind that made her feel dizzy for a second, Caiome suddenly heard all the loud voices that echoed in her ears. She looked around as if she had entered another world, although she had been in this city a few times before Ayato practically put her under house-arrest.

       "Now, let's go through the rules Lord Kamisato imposed on you," Thoma said, standing in front of her with a stern look. "You're not allowed to stray even two meters away from us, you'll always be in our sight, and if we lose sight of you even once, we'll return to the estate and report to Lord Kamisato. And no cheap tricks, understood?"

       Caiome brought the edge of her hand to her temple. "Understood, sir."

       They started walking, and with each step, someone had to respectfully salute Ayaka and bow, while others invited her to taste the sweets from the street stalls. Ayaka politely smiled, greeted them, asked about their health and family, then moved on. Only sometimes did she stop at the street vendors, tasting and inviting both Thoma and Caiome to try. Thoma politely refused, saying he couldn't fill his stomach that much, considering he had many other tasks to do when he returned home. But Caiome never refused, although the vendors looked at her a bit strangely. Understandable. Her hair and eyes. Only Thoma managed to stop her, pulling her t-shirt collar. Caiome managed to shove three pieces of samples into her mouth before returning to the main road.

       Ayaka also stopped at a bookstore, and Caiome saw a bunch of long and cheezy titles that weren't to her liking. She picked up a book, looked at it, put it back uninterested. Only for some, she read the first few sentences of the story description, then put it back down.

       "Don't you like romance novels?" Ayaka said at one point, standing with a book in her hand for more than five minutes.

       It had a pink cover and a picture of a couple holding hands, standing on a meadow with white flowers. The girl seemed to have a pair of ears, small fangs, and claws, while the man looked as normal as possible. Too ordinary, really.

       "I'm not an avid reader," Caiome said. "Believe it or not, I rarely read books... of any kind," she added, grimacing.

       "You're not the type of person to throw yourself into the arms of fiction, are you?" she asked, handing the book with the pink cover to the saleswoman who began to wrap it in colored paper.

       "I have too many things happening in the real world to want to live in an imaginary one," she sighed, putting her hands on her chest. "I don't want more problems than I already have."

       "I think that's exactly the purpose for which novels exist," Ayaka said, taking the colorful bag from the saleswoman's hand. "To detach yourself from reality."

       Caiome looked at Ayaka for a long moment, then raised an eyebrow.

       "Do you want to escape from reality, princess?" she asked, starting to walk again after Ayaka paid a few mora for the freshly bought book.

       "Sometimes we all need that," she shrugged gallantly.

       Caiome began to circle her, jumping lightly on her tiptoes and twirling around her, or rather in front of her, blocking her view and path, walking backward while Ayaka followed her.

       "Do you want to escape from reality through romance novels?" she said. "I've heard many times that people usually read about what they can't have or something they desire and daydream about. Do you have many romance novels at home?"

       Ayaka blushed slightly, hiding behind her fan. "Your teasing is a bit much," she said, and Caiome chuckled.

       "I thought you'd have enough romance, given your status. I thought boys lined up in front of you like at a market."

       "That's a very rude way to put it," said Ayaka slightly annoyed. "And it's not that simple anyway. It's not like I lack... attention, sometimes it's even too much, but just that..."

       "Ah, I think I can imagine," she said, continuing to walk backward, dancing on her tiptoes in front of her. "Boys approaching you are from large families wanting to make an alliance with the Kamisato family, right? Don't look at me like that, I didn't stick my nose into anything this time. It just seems normal to me that alliances should be made through marriage in cases of noble families leading entire organizations, industries, and businesses. It's like that everywhere, whether it's Inazuma, Sumeru, Liyue, or any other nation. I've encountered such cases everywhere. I even had to kidnap such a princess once."

       Ayaka suddenly looked at her.

       "I didn't kidnap her against her will," Caiome quickly said, waving her hand. "On the contrary, she hired me to get her out of Fontaine because her parents forced her into an arranged marriage she didn't want or something like that, so she better ran away with her true love. I didn't quite understand why, though; the girl would have had jewelry for the rest of her life if she wanted, but oh well. Arranged marriages can be a pain. Isn't that what Ayato is supposed to do at some point? Or even you?"

       "My brother has never discussed the possibility of my marriage with someone from an influential family for a potential alliance," Ayaka said, starting to move calmly her fan. "He probably considers it unnecessary for the time being. When the time comes for such a discussion, I will be prepared."

       Caiome frowned. Didn't Ayaka see that Ayato probably would never put her in a situation where she would have to marry for the good of the family? Ayato barely let her help with anything related to festivals and just that, but especially to throw at her, "My dear sister, you're twenty years old, you should take the big step and marry a stranger." Caiome didn't really get involved in such situations unless she had a profit from it, but even she saw that certain people from certain families were too protected to be given away like that to anyone.

       "You know," Caiome said, "I once met this old man from Mondstadt who told all the rich boys that they weren't good enough for his daughter, who was about your age. She was the youngest among all his daughters, very beautiful and charming, so I've heard, and he didn't let anyone get close to her."

       "And then?" Ayaka asked, her eyes sparkling. "What happened? Did someone dare to ask for her hand? A brave man who didn't care about the father's stubbornness?"

       Caiome chuckled. "It seems that you really are a fan of love stories."

       Ayaka laughed softly, red in the cheeks with embarrassment.

       "But I don't know," Caiome finally shrugged. "I left before seeing how the story ended, but probably the girl is still unmarried, and she can barely speak to a male person before her father throws his cane after him. And anyway, I think I know what kind of love stories you're a fan of."

       Ayaka looked up at her, while Caiome twirled on her toes. "What do you mean?" she asked.

       "True love destined by fate," Caiome shrugged, suddenly stepping aside from her.

        Ayaka watched her, and that made her not look at the road in front of her and collide with Thoma, who was carrying a box with some items. Probably Thoma was also watching Caiome, so as not to try any of her tricks, because he wasn't looking where he was going either, so the two bumped into each other. Thoma dropped the box from his hands, and all the items, which were a few brushes and some new notebooks with beautiful covers, fell at their feet.

       "I apologize, my lady," Thoma said quickly, bending down to pick up the items and put them back in the box.

       Ayaka also bent down to help him.

       "No need to be sorry," Ayaka said quickly, picking up the notebooks and putting them back in the box. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going either."

       Thoma chuckled slightly. "I doubt you would be so inattentive on your own," he said.

        "I've been losing focus lately, you've seen it yourself in the dojo training these past days," she said, looking at each other, smiling almost cutely.

       When they stood up, they looked around, but...

       Caiome was no longer there.

🌸

       Caiome knew only one thing about Mizuki's family, and that was that they lived in the Konda village, so she immediately teleported there after wandering through the city for about twenty minutes, looking for a jeweler who was nice enough to give her about 20,000 mora for the set of silver and sapphire jewelry. Caiome was pretty sure that Mizuki's problem was related to money, so she did what needed to be done. She just had to find his house because she couldn't give him the money directly. He would have figured out what Caiome did and would have refused.

       The Konda village was small, so the stares were very intense as Caiome entered the village. It wasn't difficult for her to find Mizuki's house, especially since there was a woman in front of the house, a twelve-year-old girl trying to weave, and a man... with a missing leg. The last time Mizuki talked about his father, he had said that he had just injured his leg. He had never mentioned that it was something more serious, something that would lead to amputation from the knee down.

       Caiome looked at the pouch of money she held at her side, next to her Vision. So that was it. Mizuki worked for the entire family by himself following his father's injury, but he hadn't mentioned needing medication after the blow. But now that the leg had to be amputated, problems were arising. Firstly, the cost of the surgery. Then the recoveries. Then pain medications. Eventually, he wouldn't need them, but at first, the pain was intense, especially if the amputation was due to an infection, which was very possible. After all, why would a leg need amputation after such a long time if it would have healed after the accident?

       Caiome let the wind pass through the three of them so that their voices reached her ears.

       "How does it look?" Uta asked, approaching her father, who sat on the wooden porch of the house.

       "Truly beautiful," the girl's father said, taking the piece of fabric and admiring it. Then he began to stroke her head, with the black hair identical to Mizuki's and their father's. "My daughter will become the most talented weaver in all of Teyvat."

       "I think you're exaggerating," Uta replied.

       "With a bit more practice," her mother said, leaving a kiss on the girl's forehead, "and maybe a few lessons as you grow up, you'll be amazing, dear."

       "Of course," her father said, picking her up and placing her on the still intact leg, kissing her cheek. "We'll do everything we can to make our talented daughter an apprentice to the most famous seamstress. Maybe even to Lady Sayumi, right?"

       "I like Lady Sayumi," Uta said.

       "And Lady Sayumi likes you," the father said. "Now, let's finish the scarf, and then we can take it to Lady Sayumi to see what she thinks about it, okay?"

       Yes, as if the father would move anywhere in his current state, Caiome thought, rolling her eyes. Although the little girl might not notice, her mother had to be aware of the way the missing leg pained him, the pale, sickly tone of the skin, the eyes sunken in the head, and the weak body that was not the result of a healthy diet at all. He sweated cold, and Caiome could see him grimacing in pain when he placed the little one on his still healthy knee.

       "Can we help you with something?" a feminine voice was heard, and Caiome looked at the woman approaching her. Perhaps Mizuki and Uta had black hair from their father, but the blue eyes were inherited from their mother. She looked as tired as Mizuki and his father, burdened by worries and seemingly unsolvable problems.

       "No," Caiome said. "Actually, I came to drop this off," she said, extending to Mizuki's mother the scarf with which Mizuki wrapped his bento wooden box.

       The woman took the scarf, looking at it curiously, and her eyes seemed to start turning red.

       "Mizuki forgot it at the Kamisato estate," Caiome quickly said before her mother could start crying. "It got dirty, so I offered to clean it a while ago, but later we both forgot about it. I'm a colleague of his."

       "Ah," the blue-eyed woman said, seeming to calm her soul. "Thank you," she added. "That child is very forgetful most of the time. Every day I have to chase aftwe him with the lunchbox before he goes to work. But I guess you know that too, being colleagues."

       Caiome didn't see this side of Mizuki, considering how responsible he was with cleaning the weapons from the storage room, but sometimes, during training, every time Caiome told him to do several things at once, Mizuki would forget them all.

       "A bit," she said. "We haven't been colleagues for long."

       "I understand," the woman said. "I prepared some tea. Would you like to come in as a thank you for the scarf?"

       "No, you really shouldn't. I came with... some official business, so I need to get back to work," she said, already taking a step back.

        "At least one biscuit," the woman insisted. "They're with honey; I made them today, they're fresh."

       Caiome froze. She couldn't, really couldn't, refuse the tasty cookies of Mizuki's mother, so she accepted, and the next moment, Uta jumped with a plate of biscuits in front of her. Caiome thanked her half-heartedly.

       "It's my scarf!" Uta said, looking into her mother's hand, holding the little girl's now wrapped scarf.

       "Miss... Oh," the woman said, looking at Caiome. "I forgot to ask your name."

       "Caiome," she said.

       "Caiome?" Uta began to think in her mind. "K-A-Y-O-M-E? Like in dream?

       "That's Yume, dear," her mother corrected.

       "And it's spelled differently," Caiome said. "C-A-I-O-M-E. C and I, not K and Y. And certainly not U."

       "Hmm," Uta made. "Well, that makes it quite a weird name."

       "Uta, that's not very polite," her mother scolded.

        Instead, Caiome laughed. "It's okay. I hear it quite often. I'll leave you now," she said.

        "Thank you for the scarf again."

       Caiome waved to them and took the path to the exit of the village, then slipped through the back and placed the bag of mora on the window that she thought was Mizuki's room, one of the three rooms, probably one for the parents, one for the two siblings, and finally the living room. She left a note as well, then left, returning to the Inazuma city, looking for Thoma and Ayaka on the main road, wearing a new black leather jacket that winked at her from a store mannequin.

       She finally found them near the food stalls. Adopting the attitude of a lost child, she began to shout above the crowd.

       "At last!" she said, running to the two.

       Thoma put his hands on his hips, frowning. "I told you clearly not to stray too far from us."

       "I didn't! I was at the drink stand behind the tree when you two bumpt into eachother like two idiots. Then when I turned my back, no one was there anymore, so I started looking for you. I stopped at the bathroom in the tea house after this row of houses, but you weren't there either. So it's not my fault, but yours for not knowing how to look properly around you."

       "Aha," Thoma said. "And where did you get that jacket?"

       "What do you mean, where? I bought it. I wasn't planning to pass on the opportunity to buy a beautiful jacket just because you have eyes placed at the back of your head."

       "Caiome, you don't have money," Thoma said.

       "Excuse me?" she widened her eyes. "You know, even if Ayato doesn't pay me, I have my savings. What do you think I lived on for the first ten days after I arrived at your house?"

       Thoma extended his hand. "The purchase receipt," he said.

       "What?"

       "The receipt," Thoma requested again. "If you bought it legally, without stealing the jacket, the seller should have given you a receipt or an invoice. I want to see it."

       Caiome narrowed her eyes, then took off her jacket, throwing it into his arms. "I hope you're happy."

       "I really am," he said. "Especially after I tell Lord Kamisato about your slip-ups today. It seems you're not as good a liar as you think."

       "Because usually there's no one to hold me accountable, like a dog sniffing me."

       Thoma nodded and headed towards the shop with a missing mannequin. He displayed his cutest smile to the middle-aged saleswoman, who began to laugh as she took the jacket from him, placing it back on the mannequin. Thoma bowed as if apologizing.

       "Why do you feel the need to steal?" Ayaka asked with a sigh. "Or deceive people?"

       Caiome smirked slightly. "In this case?" she said. "Out of necessity. I have the same two undershirts, two pairs of pants, and a pair of boots. Since your brother doesn't let me leave the courtyard and doesn't pay me either, how else am I supposed to get new clothes? Besides, this is already normal for me; I do it without realizing."

       "You should have just asked then," Ayaka said, turning towards her, and Caiome gave her a skeptical look.

       "The only clothes your brother would have given me would be the ones all maids wear. I don't wear those."

       "Don't you think you're in a rather difficult situation to have preferences?" Thoma said, approaching the two. "You don't seem to learn your lesson, do you? That's why Lord Kamisato didn't want to let you come to the city, because things like this could happen." He grabbed her shoulder, turning her towards the telepoint. "Let's go home before you steal something else."

       "But I liked that jacket," she complained. "It was le~eather"

       "I don't care. And just so you know, this will reach Lord Kamisato's ears directly."

       Well, at least Thoma wasn't aware of the undershirt in her bag that looked exactly like the one she was wearing now but was freshly taken from the same store.

Chapter Text

Chapter 20 ~ The Righteous and the Wrong

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       Caiome was not summoned to Ayato's office that evening, probably because the lord was either unreachable or decided to discuss it another time. Instead, the next morning, when Caiome was on her little bridge reading from her history book, a bag of money rattled near her thighs. Caiome frowned, looking up to see a disappointed Mizuki.

       "Seriously?" he said.

       "What?" Caiome replied.

       "Did you steal my jewelry?" he crossed his arms over his chest.

       "What?!" she said again. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

       "Caiome, yesterday I had the box with me before you came to the armory. When I got home, I didn't have it anymore, but guess what I found in my room." He kicked the bag, and the coins jingled inside. "A bag with 20,000 mora. I wonder who could throw through my window the equivalent presumably by the same person who happens to be a born thief, the bag thrown thorough the window on the same day my jewelry disappeared."

       Caiome wrinkled her nose slightly, then shrugged. "I have no idea," she said.

       "Stop it," Mizuki said, then sighed and slumped next to her on the bridge. "Look, I appreciate... whatever you tried to do."

       Caiome raised her gaze, looking at him, but his eyes clearly expressed anything but appreciation.

       "But this is not my money," he said, pushing the bag back toward Caiome. "These are not the ways I make money. It's not honest, and it certainly won't bring me any satisfaction if I use them. This is your way of making money. As I said, I don't judge you; you probably lived your whole life like this..." He sighed, looking at the ducks swimming in the small pond. "But I can't take them. Take them back or, I don't know, use them for yourself, but don't try to make me use them."

       "How is that in any way wrong?" Caiome said. "It's not like you were an accomplice; you didn't give me the jewelry. I stole them from you, sold them, took the money, and did what I wanted with them." She patted his shoulder. "Think of it as a kind of gift or loan, whatever makes you feel better."

       "To borrow money that comes from deception?" Mizuki said, shaking his head.

       "For all I know," Caiome said, "every salary can be paid from deception. You work for an aristocrat. Do you think every mora is made honestly?"

       "That is not the point. I work for that money. For this," he said pushing the bag of mora, "I didn't do anything. As I said, Caiome, you're amazing, but I would never do business with you. As you said on the first night, you've never worked a day in your life, at least not until now, so you can't say your money was honest even once. And even more so, I told you clearly that I don't intend to sell the jewelry for more than is necessary."

       Mizuki stood up, seemingly ending the discussion, and Caiome jumped after him, grabbing the bag of money and leaving her history book on the edge of the bridge.

       "Mizuki, I saw your family. Your father probably had his leg amputated due to an infection; he needs pills, and you need money." She pushed the money bag towards him. "I gave it to you; you should take it. You didn't do anything wrong."

       Mizuki avoided her.

       "But I know where it comes from. My father would never take pills bought with dishonest money. He would rather die."

       "This is so stupid," she exclaimed. "To die for something like this?" she shook the little bag with money. "These are money, not your soul, and not his."

       "This is your life, Caiome, not ours. So either you go and buy back the jewelry and return them to me, or sell them at the right price, then bring me the money."

       With that, he turned on his heels and walked back to his weapon storage. Caiome sighed, running her hand through her hair and turning halfway, checking if anyone had seen or heard their dispute. In doing so, she accidentally hit her history book, and it fell into the water.

       "Fuck!" Caiome said and quickly took the book out of the water, scaring the ducks to whom Caiome stuck her tongue out, then began to dry the book's pages with the power of her Vision, but they remained crinkled in the end.

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       Caiome tapped the pen's nib on the crinkled book, looking superficially over the spread sheets in front of her. She had four days until the exams. Four days, and she felt like she knew nothing, and she would rather bash her head against the walls of the funeral room in the presence of all the Kamisato ancestors who probably laughed at her and pointed with their ghostly fingers.

       She leaned back against the wall with the portraits of Kamisato Yuna and Kamisato Kazashi, looking at the two, then slumping back to her initial position.

       And it's not like she could concentrate, considering that the argument between her and Mizuki was pointless for her. She had given him a bag full of money. Twenty thousand mora that could easily cover the first three weeks of medication for his father, if not more, which was more than necessary because the pains wouldn't last nearly a month anyway, not as long as he had good remedies. And he could get them. But Mizuki kicked everything away. He didn't even take a coin from the pouch, a pouch that now sat near Caiome's knee, seemingly laughing at her along with those dead ancestors and their evil looks.

       "Just so you know, the only ones who still looked beautiful here are Mother and Father. The rest of you are ugly beasts," Caiome argued with them, gesturing towards the portraits with the pen's nib, and the portraits seemed to roll their eyes.

       "I do not think you should upset the dead," Ayato's voice was heard entering through the sliding door, closing it behind him without taking his eyes off her, and Caiome rolled her eyes when she saw his smile. She didn't need it now.

       Ayato approached, and she was about to get up, but Ayato gently extended his palm towards her, as if asking her to stop and sit back down. And she had nothing to do but listen to him because she shouldn't have gathered her things faster than Ayato could tackle her if he really wanted to keep her in the funeral room. She sat back on the floor, and Ayato approached her. Caiome shifted slightly to the side, and Ayato, pulling up the legs of his pants slightly, sat down next to her, just as he stood four days ago.

       As then, Ayato didn't wear his fancy coat and accessories that made him scream 'I'm a lord'. Not that he needed it. Caiome had to admit to herself; the beauty of the Kamisato family was impressive, a face like theirs didn't need any improvements. Ayato could be dressed like a beggar, dirty from head to toe, still, he would be the most beautiful in a room where princes, kings, and other rich kids would be.

       There was silence for a few long seconds, seconds that turned into a long minute, then two, and eventually three. Neither seemed to want to speak. It was already past dinner time, but servants and guards were still wandering around the house. It was getting dark, but the golden lights of the setting sun still slipped through the closed windows, while the scent of koboku subtly floated in the air.

       "For how long have you been looking for me?" Caiome asked, hugging her knees and the book to her chest, resting her arms on them and playing with the quill between her fingers.

       "Not for too long," he replied nonchalantly without looking at her, only then turning his eyes towards her. "Once I saw you were not in the garden on the bridge, I came here."

       Caiome nodded. It was impossible for the staff not to have found out by now that, out of the entire backyard, Caiome felt most comfortable on her small bridge, which she had scrubbed countless times and where she had spent endless hours cleaning swords, boots, and armor pieces until her fingers turned red. And if you didn't find her there when you wanted to look for her... well, you had to search the entire house because that was her only usual place. That one and, recently, the funeral room.

       "And there was too much noise everywhere, so I assumed you might be here where it is quieter," Ayato added.

       "Busted," she muttered.

       "So," Ayato began, "you made quite a few mistakes yesterday."

       "I didn't make any mistakes," Caiome retorted quickly, shooting him with a furious look, then turned her head in the other direction. She really couldn't look into his purple eyes while she had other problems on her mind, problems she didn't know if they could be solved or if she should even try to solve them.

       "You ran away from Ayaka and Thoma when the rules were clear..."

       "Fuck your rules," Caiome mumbled.

       "...you deceived a jeweler about the authenticity of some jewelry..."

       Caiome abruptly turned her head towards him, looking at him with a frown and slightly parted lips. How did he know...?

       "...you stole a jacket from a clothing store and lied to my sister and a faithful man of mine. Then you gave the money to Mizuki's family, who recently suffered a quite drastic blow."

       "Stop it!" Caiome said, revolted.

       Ayato smiled at her. "What should I stop?"

       "Stop following me with your professional spies."

       "I have to do it," he said. "Otherwise, I have no idea what you are up to. If I were to believe your words, I would only know lies, and this kind of misinformation can not be in my inventory, not as long as I am fighting against you. Considering how your personality has developed, we all have to be on guard... from different points of view."

       Caiome didn't like the look in his eyes.

       "So," he said, "why did you argue with Mizuki earlier?"

       Caiome was surprised, looking at him again. Out of all the things he could have asked... Why did she run away from Ayaka and Thoma? Why did she deceive a jeweler? What did she actually do with the money? Why did she steal again from some random store in the city when she was supposed to not do it because it was against the rules, specifically not to steal anymore? But he asked her why she argued with Mizuki that morning instead?

       "What do you mean?"

       "I saw both of you," he said. "From my office. You didn not seem to have a very peaceful discussion, so I thought you had a fight. Does it have to do with the money you took for the jewelry, which were also stolen from him?"

       "I don't like you," Caiome said, and Ayato laughed.

       "I know. And yet, I am curious."

       "Mizuki told me there's a difference between being curious and caring. Which one applies to you, my lord?"

       "I would say both."

       Caiome tilted her head slightly to the side, examining him and telling him silently that no, she didn't intend to believe him, just as she hadn't done so far.

       "Or you could let me guess," Ayato continued. "The jewelry you sold were supposed to be worth much less, but you sold them at a higher price, trying to make Mizuki use the money, even though he did not want to. Even if it is for his family, he would not take dirty money. Not as long as he can earn money honestly, working day and night. So, he refused your gift, and now you do not understand what is happening."

       Caiome inhaled and exhaled deeply. "If you know Mizuki's home situation, why didn't you offer to give him money in advance or... I don't know, anything else?" she said, outraged.

       "I tried," came his soft reply. "He did not accept. From what I know, after he finishes his shift here, he works at the port loading and unloading heavy goods. He is paid for both work hours and the risk of injury."

       That sounded like something Mizuki would do. And it also sounded like something Ayato would do, having his ninja members gather information about everyone and everything, as he would say, just to be informed when it came to each of his employees. He had to know each one's activity, material situation, home situation, and any other situation; he had to be well-informed, everything kept in archives or in his office documents.

       "But," Ayato said, "as much as I can imagine why you are lost in thought, I do not know what to believe. Although, at the same time, I believe that the answer was given to you from the beginning."

       It's possible, Caiome thought. The truth was that she and Mizuki were from completely different worlds, with completely different morals and principles, following completely different life codes. It was normal for Mizuki not to accept her help, and it was normal for her not to understand Mizuki's logic regarding money. She could have money whenever she wanted, just pickpocking someone and move on, without looking back. She didn't feel guilt or remorse. Unlike Mizuki.

       "But here is what I know," Ayato said. "I do not think you look at money in the same way other greedy people do."

       "And where did you get this brilliant idea?" she mocked him.

       Because she hated the way Ayato had spoken so far without her being able to add anything, because he had said everything there was to say, even what was on her mind. And Caiome knew Ayato had referred precisely to those things; she didn't need to say them out loud for them to understand each other through looks or simple allusions. Which made her even a little bit... scared.

       "If that were the case, you would have already run away with a good part of my treasury, and you would not have looked back," Ayato said, smiling.

       "I tried to run away with Ayaka's precious jewels," Caiome said. "Jewels mean wealth and money."

       "You did not steal them because they are valuable in terms of money," Ayato said. "You stole them because you liked them, they attracted you, you know precious and semi-precious materials and stones. That is why you stole the diamond necklace from Mondstadt, those pair of ruby earrings from Sumeru, the jade hairpins from Liyue, and the emerald-encrusted tiara from Fontaine, and all the others. And you do not steal because they are expensive items that would sell well on the Black Market; you steal because they are valuable in terms of... your satisfaction, the pleasure of studying them, holding them in your hand, and admiring them. Then, after you get bored with them, you give them to others for money."

       "And did you find out all this from your spies' reports?" Caiome said, doing nothing in the last few seconds but look at him as he spoke, listening not only to his words, but also his voice.

       There was something different when Ayato was speaking about anything else, but his meetings and responsabilities, as Caiome heard him doing it with a lot of official personalities in the past, spying on him just as he was spying on her. He had a soft voice, almost pleasant, even melodic. And she didn't like it.

       "No," he said with a slight laugh. "At first, I only had a small theory," he said, sighing and looking up at the ceiling. "Then you came to the meeting in the Great Hall, and I heard your comments about gemstones and the mining industry, thinking no one could hear you. You have to admit, you have an area of interest, like all other people, no matter how different you think you are."

       "Oh, please, don't start the 'Do something with your life' discussion," she complained.

       "I will not do that," Ayato said. "I have other plans for you, and anyway, it seems you like the way of life you have led so far too much. Maybe your satisfaction comes from jewelry, metals, and gemstones, but it also comes from this continuous adrenaline that you can not give up on."

       Caiome blinked at him. Never had anyone said so many words about her. Most of them were limited to some simple ones, without going to great lengths. Mainly she was a thief, shameless, crazy, rat, and useless, until Caiome realized that she couldn't be part of a collective, because her mind thinks and approches things in ways other people don't. Even her vicious groups, with high-profile thieves and treasure hoarders, seemed to want to disown her. So no, her place was nowhere, and no one stood to talk so much about her because no one bothered with her so much, not enough to study her.

       Certainly, for Ayato, it must be different, considering that she represented a current danger to him because she was the criminal between the two of them, even if Ayato had the upper hand when it came to blackmail. But the difference between them was that Ayato could only harm her, while Caiome could harm anyone. Hence the extra surveillance, in addition to Thoma, Ayaka, and the scattered guards everywhere.

       "Well, you had your fun," Caiome commented.

       "Not yet," Ayato said and reached out his hand towards her. "As I said, I am curious and, at the same time, I am trying to solve the problem. The pouch, please."

       "Why do you want it?"

       "Because, one, you deceived a jeweler for that jewelry set, which, by the way, brings you a violation of the rules. So, his money needs to be returned, and also the jewelry, which I am sure we will recover once the jeweler knows the truth."

       Caiome grumbled, took the pouch, and handed it to him.

       "And secondly?" she asked.

       "We make a trade," Ayato said. "If you ask me nicely, of course."

       "Oh, no," Caiome said, "I don't intend to do that. I don't plan to ask you for money for Mizuki. If Mizuki doesn't want to accept money from me, fine, let him manage it on his own. I don't care anymore."

       Maybe it was true. Maybe she was just curious about his problems without caring. Maybe all she wanted to do regarding his family was to show that she could solve any problem, whether it was hers or someone else's, just to show what a skilled person she was in deceit, lies, and theft. That's it. Nothing more.

       "Caiome, someone who does not care would not accept to do certain things that bring them closer to losing something important to them. You have three violations for yesterday's events, six in total. On the next three, which you have shown you can obtain in less than an hour, you will lose your Vision shell, and it is only been two months since you started working for me, in any form."

       Caiome felt deceived again by the man in front of her, by the man with bright eyes who seemed to enjoy himself too much for her taste. She always felt deceived by him, as if she lived in an endless and repetitive circle where she did something, then fell for it, because Ayato seemed to know every move of hers, and later he boasted in front of her, making her feel as if she were surpassed in everything. And that made her stomach turn and have an emptiness in her chest, as if the title was stolen from her. At least she wasn't bored, to be honest.

       "But," Ayato said, "if you ask me for help with this, I can forget about the three violations."

       Caiome laughed. "Don't you think you're violating your own principles of fairness?"

       "Not at all," he said. "I am just making a beneficial exchange."

       "I'm so close to losing my shell and being chased away from here and from your lives, and you're stepping back. You're missing many chances, man," she shook her head.

       "Or just gaining additional ones," he said, playing with the pouch of money. "So what's it going to be?"

       Caiome thought. If she asked for his help on behalf of Mizuki, she would end up with three fewer violations and the problem solved. But if she asked for money in Mizuki's name, her pride would be hurt. She doesn't ask for money; she takes money.

       And at the same time... Uta was half-blind, her mother had to take care of her constantly and now of her husband with one amputated leg and in pain, and Mizuki was the only one who worked excessively to support them all. Yes, life wasn't fair to anyone, not even to her. Because if it had been fair, she wouldn't have ended up with a case taken into custody and wouldn't be working for the great Lord Kamisato in his grand estate, holding a history book in her arms just to make her life a little more interesting.

       "Fine," she said finally. "But just so you know, this only shows me how much you care about Mizuki."

       "Me?" Ayato said.

       "You said you've already tried to help him, and he didn't want it. You know his home situation and the fact that he works more than he should. I don't think you would have remembered all this if you didn't care. Besides, you're a mastermind, not a brute. At least with me, and probably that's why you're asking me to bow to you. You'll help Mizuki anyway; you just want me to ask you to do it, to see me asking nicely, instead of clinging to your leg during meetings."

       "It is one of the reasons," he said.

       "See?" she burst out. "So how do I do this? How do I ask you?"

       Ayato jingled the pouch with mora, talking just softly, almost whispering to her. "You can just say, 'Ayato, let's make a trade.'"

       Caiome frowned slightly. It sounded very much like what she had told him as in "let's make a deal."

       "Ayato," she said, repeating the words, "let's make a trade."

       Ayato smiled at her, and his eyes sparkled.

       "Of course, my dearest."

Chapter Text

Chapter 21 ~ A Way of Helping and a Way of Accepting

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       Mizuki cleared his throat, then spoke from the hallway of the closed door that led to Ayato's office. It was evening, and Mizuki should have already been on his way to his part-time job at the Ritou port before heading home. However, the fact that Thoma informed Mizuki that Lord Kamisato wanted to see him after his shift ended took him by surprise, making him wonder constantly what he had done wrong, what Lord Kamisato wanted to tell him, and what he could do if it came to the point where Mizuki had to plead for his job.

      Although it probably wouldn't come to that. Mizuki did a good job when it came to his work, cleaning the armor and weapons of the guards, and even Lord Kamisato complimented him a few times. They had enough contact for Lord Kamisato to remember his name and politely smile, greeting him when they were in the same area of the garden. Mizuki didn't spend much time in the front yard of the residence, and he never entered the house unless he went to eat with the other employees. Considering how noisy everything was, he preferred to eat outside. The meal became even more enjoyable after Caiome appeared out of nowhere, sharing the food with her.

       He shook off the thoughts from his head. Surely everything would be fine; perhaps Lord Kamisato wanted to inform him about important guests who were coming in a few days, and he needed to ensure that everything was in order. No. It didn't make sense. Lord Kamisato wouldn't have summoned him to his office for such a simple matter that could be conveyed by anyone else—Thoma, the captain, or even Mrs. Nakamura.

       "My lord?" he said from behind the door. The candlelight illuminated the paper covering the door, and playful shadows danced on its surface. "It's Mizuki."

       "Come in," Ayato's voice came from the other side.

       Mizuki opened the sliding door slowly, as quietly and as little as possible, then slipped inside, brushing against the door's edges. He closed the door quickly, straightened his back, and emotions overwhelmed him, his heart beating fast.

        Lord Kamisato sat in front of his cluttered desk full of papers, with a screen behind him blocking the evening air. He wasn't wearing his coat, but he was still dressed in his elegant clothes, pastel-colored shirts giving him a pleasant, approachable, and understanding aura all at once. Around his waist, he wore a black corset, as required for nobles to showcase their status. In his gloved hands—Mizuki never saw Lord Kamisato without gloves—he held a brush with which he was writing in a file containing several papersheets.

       Mizuki didn't pay much attention to the papers; it wasn't his concern. But he knew someone else who would do the exact opposite... He tried to push Caiome out of his mind. It's not like he wasn't bothered by their argument from that morning, but Caiome had been too much. Probably... Mizuki spent the whole day thinking about their little dispute, because it couldn't be called a fight, and how he didn't see Caiome at all after that.

       He repeatedly wondered if he had said something wrong, besides not intending to use her money, but nothing came to his mind. And Caiome wasn't the type to get offended easily, considering how she had reacted to the mockery of others all these weeks. The only scene she created was when Shikaku pushed her, and then it wasn't even her fault. Even a dog you hit will bite back, so in Mizuki's opinion, Shikaku and his friends got what they deserved. That's why he saw at least one of them every evening, struggling to clean the boots and armor of the guards.

       Mizuki bowed deeply in front of Lord Kamisato, who finally raised his gaze from his papers, displaying a pleasant expression that encouraged everyone to greet him with more than just respect on the rare occasions when Lord Kamisato went out to the gardens to relax. The truth was that Lord Kamisato was often away from home for days, staying overnight at his villa in the city. When he was at home, he rarely left the mansion. If he wanted some fresh air, you could catch him standing by the office's window. If you really saw him outside, strolling through the gardens, it was a rare occasion and one had to take advantage of it.

       "Tell me," Lord Kamisato said, "how is work these days?"

       Mizuki only lifted his head. "My lord?"

       "I heard that with Caiome withdrawing to fulfill her other responsibilities, you had to take over her duties again, didn't you?"

       Lord Kamisato returned his purple eyes to his file, continuing to write, focusing both on the conversation and on the important reports.

       "So?" he urged.

       "Not at all," Mizuki said. "It's the same as before, my lord."

       "I understand," he said. "You seem a bit tired. Is something wrong?"

       "No, my lord. Everything is fine."

       "Hmm," Lord Kamisato made, scrutinizing him, seeming extraordinarily peaceful in the evening light.

       A strange and even oppressive silence fell on Mizuki when Lord Kamisato decided to return to writing with the brush on paper without speaking, as if he was waiting. What was he waiting for? Did Lord Kamisato expect Mizuki to give him a report on the armory? If it was about repairs or replacements, Mizuki would have already informed Captain Hirotatsu, and the captain would have conveyed it to his lord, or he would have taken care of the issue himself.

       "My lord?" Mizuki asked after almost twenty seconds of prolonged silence. Lord Kamisato looked at him. "May I ask why you summoned me? What do you want to talk to me about?"

        Lord Kamisato didn't answer the question but opened the left drawer of his desk, then placed a box in front of him—no larger than his palm, a black box that Mizuki knew too well.

        "I believe this belongs to you," Lord Kamisato said, then pulled out of the same drawer a pouch that jingled when it was placed next to the box—the same small bag that Mizuki found in his room a day ago and gave to Caiome that morning. Now it was certainly lighter, as it was less bulky. "The cost of the silver and lapis lazuli jewelry. You can choose which one to keep and which one to return to the jeweler from whom we took them."

        Mizuki's brain seemed to stop, standing with his lips slightly parted, staring at the two objects on the table, not knowing what to do. Take the box? Take the money? Count it all? The whole situation caught him off guard, especially because... His jewelry and Caiome's pouch were there. They weren't supposed to be there. One should be with the jeweler, the other, with more money, should be with Caiome. Certainly not in Lord Kamisato's possession.

       "But how..." he began.

       "Caiome was kind enough to seek my help regarding the issue between you two."

       Mizuki frowned a bit, almost knitting his black eyebrows. Lord Kamisato chuckled lightly, looking at him.

       "It doesn't sound like something she would do willingly, does it?"

       Mizuki shook his head slightly. "Not at all, my lord."

       "That is indeed true, because that's not how it happened if we're going to tell the whole story. But let's say that was the summary of my conversation with her. In the pouch, there are 2,500 mora, exactly as Caiome predicted you would receive for the jewelry set. Even the jeweler guaranteed, besides Caiome, that, although it's a wonderfully crafted set, you wouldn't get more than that for it, considering the weight of the silver and the volume of the lapis lazuli stones."

       Mizuki bowed. "Then..."

       He approached and took the money pouch, subtly weighing it in his hand as much as possible. He would count them all later when he got home.

       He didn't know if he should ask Lord Kamisato what actually happened between him and Caiome, as Caiome gave him the money and told him the whole situation with the jewelry. He will ask Caiome directly tomorrow morning.

       Lord Kamisato took the box and placed it back in the drawer. Instead of closing the drawer, he pulled out another pouch similar to the one Mizuki was holding now and placed it exactly where the box had been.

       "And these are all yours too," said the lord.

       "Excuse me?" Mizuki asked, and Ayato smiled, looking at him.

       Caiome was right about him. And it's not like Ayato hadn't figured him out from the beginning, but the psychological description he had in his head and what Caiome had said about him, simpler but much more direct, were quite different. Mizuki was of a respect and correctness almost foreign to this world, and Ayato could only think that this might not bring an end to his family, as Mizuki was also very dedicated, but most likely it would bring his own end. No one could be so upright in that world and lead a good life, without worries and problems. Not even those with wealth could live such a life because life throws problems at you regardless of who you are, and problems are proportional to your material or emotional status.

       And Ayato knew Mizuki's family situation too well. Many people would do anything for their families, even the darkest and most evil things, falling into disgrace. And Mizuki would do the same, but rather at the cost of his life than his honor.

       "In that pouch, there are 17,500 mora," Ayato said, "for the medicines your father needs."

       Mizuki quickly did the math. "But—"

        "You don't have to think about anything unnecessary," Ayato told him. "Let's just say it's a loan from a friend."

        Exactly what Caiome had told Mizuki that morning when she almost forced the money down his throat.

        "Or if you don't want to think of it as a loan, think of it as a bonus for your work and loyalty. So now you can stop going to the port, putting your life in danger with things that can hurt you."

        "I'm sorry," Mizuki said, "but I can't accept."

       Ayato sighed. "Caiome told me that's what you would say. Then I have no choice but to implement her proposal since she likes to play with people's minds so much."

       Mizuki looked a bit puzzled.

       "Caiome told me that you being in my service is what helps your family, right?"

       "Yes, but—"

       "If you don't accept the money, I'll fire you," said Ayato. "Without a letter of recommendation and probably no chance of getting hired anywhere with an income even close to this."

       Mizuki slowly tightened his grip around the money pouch. This certainly came from Caiome. Lord Kamisato had never threatened anyone with being fired, not even Shikaku; he only resorted to a fair punishment. At Mizuki's suggestion, but surely he wouldn't have fired him. And Mizuki knew that perhaps Lord Kamisato did it only out of concern for him, but employees had been put in such situations before. If someone needed help, even if they refused Lord Kamisato's outstretched hand, he would put his plans into action anyway... Just like Caiome did... But he had never said such words, putting the person in front of him in a difficult position.

       Because Mizuki had a choice. The money or his job, which was thousands of times more advantageous.

       These were definitely Caiome's words.

       "Don't worry," Ayato added after the long seconds in which he analyzed him: his expression, the tightness of his fingers around the pouch, his pale lips, confused eyes, and the way his cheeks reddened. "The money taken from the jewelry is those and only those," he said pointing to the pouch Mizuki was holding. "These," pointing to the pouch on the table, "are my money that I encourage you to take. You don't stain your honor with anything." He rested his elbows on the table, still holding the brush between his fingers, crossing all ten fingers in front of his chin, standing with a straight posture and raised chin.

       There was nothing in this man that spoke less than royalty.

       "I give you my word."

       Mizuki sighed and reached for the pouch. He didn't want to do it, really didn't. But last night, his father's pains were terrible as he tried to keep quiet so as not to wake Uta up. Mizuki had come back home after midnight only to find his desperate parents because they didn't know what to do to ease the pain.

       "I'll give it back with the first opportunity," Mizuki said. "Not all at once, but I promise to give you all the money, my lord."

       "What money?" Ayato said, keeping his smile, but his words made Mizuki even more confused.

       "Excuse me?"

       "What money do you have to pay me back? As far as I remember, I haven't given anyone any money."

       "My lord," Mizuki said, unsure if he was being set up to test his loyalty. Shouldn't he had taken the money? Was Lord Kamisato trying to test whether he would take money from him or not, if he showed signs that he could have taken much more from him in secret? Oh, gods, what had he done?

       "Look," Ayato said, turning one of the pages in front of him.

       Mizuki looked. It was a report on loans from the past year.

       "This is all I've loaned and to whom so far, but you're not on the list. It means I haven't given you any money, so I have no money to recieve back," Ayato said.

       "My lord, please, don't play with me," Mizuki said.

       "But I'm not playing?" Ayato said, this time trying to look somewhat confused. "Many things happen both within my residence and outside it, so I note everything so as not to forget. If I had lent you money, I would have noted as soon as you took the money from me. But since you're not on the list, it means you haven't taken any money from me."

       Mizuki finally understood, but what more could he say? He had already tried. And even if he insisted, Lord Kamisato would still pretend not to know anything about the little money pouch he had just given him. Now he understood why sometimes Lady Ayaka seemed so thoughtful about her brother's actions. Lord Kamisato really was a trickster sometimes, especially when he displayed that polite smile as if he hadn't actually done anything and didn't know what was being talked about.

       "I understand," he said. "Then..."

       "Are you good friends, you and Caiome?" Ayato asked before Mizuki could leave, and it seemed to him that Lord Kamisato straightened up more than he was a second ago.

       "Uhh, I don't know what to say," he said.

       "I thought friendships could be established more easily than that. You've worked together for some time, and Captain Hirotatsu and Thoma told me that you train together during lunch breaks, that you intend to resume your duties as a guard, and that Caiome is helping you. I thought a significant friendship had already formed between you two. Or is your avoidance of the answer caused by the little argument you had with her this morning regarding that?" he asked, pointing a finger at the smaller pouch.

       "Nothing like that," Mizuki said almost with a sigh. "Just that I don't know what I could answer, considering I don't know her opinion. I don't think in her eyes we are really friends, more like people who were forced to spend time together and don't have any other company, so we take advantage of each other's presence."

       "I understand," Ayato said. "But what is your opinion?"

       Mizuki remained silent for a few seconds, then shrugged. "I think we are... friends. I mean, aside from the jewelry theft—"

       "I've already made her pay for that," Ayato said.

       "... I think we get along well. I promised her once that I would take her to taste my mother's desserts."

       "I see," Ayato said.

       "But, with all due respect, my lord, why do you ask?"

       "Curiosity," he replied almost immediately. "Especially because, given Caiome's current position, I need to know what kind of relationships are being formed within the residence, so as not to be taken by surprise later regarding her."

        It seemed logical to Mizuki.

       "That and the fact that, in my opinion, even if some people don't want to accept it and even if they are guided by correctness and honor, others are not, and they would do anything to help their friends."

       To Mizuki, it seemed like Lord Kamisato hesitated for a second before displaying his calm and scrutinizing gaze again. "My lord?"

       "You've come to know Caiome somewhat, enough to realize that this is how she solves her problems. And even if you don't want to accept it, that's the only way she can do it given her mentality... and her thoughts about you. You saw her as a stain that would be placed on your honor and your family's, when perhaps you should have seen it as a gesture of a friend."

       Mizuki tried to say something but couldn't find the words. He stopped, lowered his gaze to the ground, and thought. He had told Caiome that he didn't judge her for the way she lived, but perhaps he had done just that. By telling her that that money was dirty and he could never accept it from her, that he would never make any deals with her... he wasn't any better than the others. Maybe Caiome didn't mind, maybe she didn't even realize, but Mizuki practically told her that he would never take the money of a thief because those was dirty money obtained by a criminal.

       And Mizuki never managed to think of her as just that. Until now when he demonstrated that he didn't think at Caiome as being just a thief. He thought of Caiome as being more than a thief, but still a thief. He was just like the others who now talked to her, but were cautious, only Mizuki had been that way from the beginning. That was the only difference. He couldn't see beyond that.

        "I think you know what you have to do," Lord Kamisato said, and Mizuki nodded.

       "Thank you," he said. "Good evening, my lord."

       "Good night," Ayato wished him, lips slightly pursed until the door closed behind Mizuki. "All right, you can stop pinching me now."

        Caiome just pinched him even harder on the hip until Ayato bent backward, considering Caiome grabbed the most sensitive part of his skin. Finally, Caiome withdrew her hand from under the screen, crossing her legs under her, standing with her hands over her chest, embracing her sheathed sword.

       "You didn't have to question him more than necessary," she muttered.

       "You were the one who wanted to hear the whole conversation," Ayato replied, starting to write again with the brush, moving the papers on the table from side to side, tending to his tasks.

       "Because I wanted to say 'I told you so' right in the next moment, but you decided to make it a cheezy discussion about the power of friendship and other such crap. I didn't need help, thank you very much," she rolled her eyes sarcastically, even if Ayato couldn't see her.

       Ayato, on the other hand, just chuckled, leaving the brush in the wakan, stretching his back and neck, groaning slightly in mild pain.

       "If I hadn't done it, I'm not sure you two would have," he said, looking at the pile of files on the corner of the table that he had to read all that night.

       "And since when do you meddle in the interpersonal relationships of people who have nothing to do with politics?" Caiome laughed. "Do you like gossiping that much? Is that your secret pleasure?"

       "As I told Mizuki, I do it out of pure curiosity."

       Ayato gathered all the papers, put them in the file, closed it, and placed it on the opposite edge of the table, then took another one. Thank the gods, this one was just to read. With a little luck, all of them would only be for reading, and then he could go to bed peacefully. He hadn't even had a chance to eat that evening.

       "Both," Caiome said from behind the screen. "Curiosity and because you care about him and his problems. You're really not hard to read."

       Caiome expected a comment full of superiority, but it didn't come.

       "Ayato?" she asked.

       No response. So she frowned, crawling on all fours behind the screen, looking over its edge at Ayato's back, who suddenly became thoughtful. He didn't have that manipulative seriousness when talking to her, nor the ridiculous smile when teasing her, not even that extraordinary calm that sometimes made Caiome tremble because she couldn't anticipate what was coming.

       "Hey," she said. "Am I talking just to myself?"

       Ayato lifted his gaze, but didn't look at her; he simply closed the file and set it aside. He grabbed another one and opened it quickly.

       "Now that I've sorted things out with Mizuki, I need to get back to work," he said a bit curtly, causing Caiome to frown. "And you should go back to your studies. Theoretically, you have three days left to take your exams."

       Caiome finally stood up from the floor, placing her sword at her side, next to her Vision. She looked down at Ayato, who suddenly became contemplative. Anyway, it wasn't her business to get involved in anything happening in his Commission or with the other clan leaders. It wasn't her area of interest, but yes, she could say she was curious about why Ayato suddenly became silent, which rarely happened around her. Usually, the two of them engaged in conversation... which most of the time was just their own crazy game, trying to outwit each other, but at least they were talking.

      It was strange, though. Looking down from above, Caiome couldn't help but notice how different Ayato was when found in the solitude of his office, where he became the true Lord Kamisato, handling everything that came with his position. Here, where no one saw him, he takes off his mask, but put on his leader's robe. His gaze read swiftly, his hand rested on the tail of the brush ready to write if needed, he was so attentive that Caiome thought his eyes might pop out, and his posture was so upright, as if he never tired of sitting with such a straight back.

       "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" she asked eventually. "You have dark bags under your eyes."

       "Later," he replied a bit dryly, and his tone was too different from what Caiome knew.

       But she couldn't ask questions like "why?" In the end, she didn't know Ayato too well, aside from a few discussions they had. She knew a part of him, but a part didn't mean a whole. Maybe she knew the way he walked and the tone he used depending on the topic of conversation and the person he was talking to. Maybe she could already tell what would persuade him in certain situations or not, depending on what it was about. And maybe sometimes Caiome could have gotten what she wanted, playing the cards carefully. But she didn't know anything else about him or his thoughts, and she didn't expect Ayato to tell her.

       "Okay then."

       "Tomorrow, I will go to the city," Ayato said when Caiome was ready to live the office, already placing her hand on the door, ready to open it. Looking back, Ayato glanced at her with an equally serious expression, but a bit softer. The candlelight deepened his cheeks and sharpened his cheekbones, seeming to both darken and illuminate his gaze. "I'll be back in three days for your exams. The written ones first, then the physical ones, in the Chinju Forest, away from prying eyes, so wait for me in the Grand Hall in the morning."

       Caiome kept silent for a few seconds, trying to decipher his gaze.

       "Okay," she finally said, then exited and closed the door behind her.

       Returning to her tiny room, she found the same cookies on the bed, from which she took and ate a few. Whoever brought her these treats must have been blessed by the gods because it replenished her energy almost instantly. Caiome would have used them as her morning coffee the next day, but they were so good that she didn't leave any until morning. Then the plate disappeared and reappeared again with cookies in the evening when Caiome went to bed.

       She couldn't sleep well, and somewhere around midnight, she took a short walk in the backyard, going out the window. Just to see that the candlelight in Ayato's office was still on. She approached just to see if Ayato had accidentally left it on when he went to bed. However, the wind passing through his room and the open window carried his heartbeat, and Caiome recognized it immediately, given how cautious she had to be in his presence, trying to train her hearing so as not to be taken by surprise by him anymore.

       The heartbeats of different people, although sounding roughly the same, were still different, depending on the force with which they beat and their tone and size. Caiome could discern all of these, and now that she spent more time with Ayato nearby, she managed to learn his as well. They were calm, rhythmic, yet powerful. They were deep, grave, and profound. Rarely had Caiome heard this kind of heartbeat.

       But Caiome didn't go to him; she sat on the terrace, looking at the moon slipping through the clouds until she fell asleep leaning against the wall of the mansion.

Chapter Text

Chapter 22 ~ The Bodyguard and the Jacket 

🌸

       Caiome stiffened when she saw all the subjects spread out on the sheets in front of her. Standing in the Grand Hall, with a Hirotatsu watching her and Ayato at the end of the Hall, doing his own work, Caiome faced the first written exam, which, shocking, was on the subject of history. She thought there would be multiple-choice questions. No. There were question-answer types. She had two hours to answer them all, but by the end, Caiome had only written half of them in the first hour, then gave up altogether, starting to draw all the symbols she knew with a pen on the paper with the subjects.

        She always had a much better visual memory. Especially the way she felt when Hirotatsu kept an eye on her so she wouldn't cheat. Although Caiome tried, writing some things on her leg, under her pants, taking some answers stealthily when Hirotatsu looked away even for a second.

       Then came the theoretical part of the techniques, so another two hours of staying in the Grand Hall in the presence of the two, but this time, Caiome actually wrote something. Not what was in the books, but what she had observed herself during her practices and things she considered important to know.

       And after the four hours spent in the Grand Hall, hours that took Ayato longer to finish his work than for Caiome to finish her exam, all three went to the Chinju Forest, somewhere far from the estate. Caiome was satisfied with the thought that she was leaving that courtyard she had seen too much in front of her eyes, so much that in the last few days, she walked around it, counting the steps from point A to the same point after circling the entire residence. She ended up counting into the thousands.

         Hirotatsu brought the weapons that Caiome had to use to pass certain stages he had prepared for her, target shooting, climbing – where she also used the power of her Vision, which Ayato hadn't agreed with at first, but Caiome shrugged, indifferent – camouflage, and similar.

      Only the hand-to-hand combat remained, where she had to fight against Hirotatsu with Ayato as the referee. The duel didn't end with a specific winner or loser, not like in the duels with the guards held once every three days, but Ayato said it was all over. Hirotatsu put his sword back into the sheath without any comments, but Caiome complained and insisted on continuing the fight. Still, Ayato ignored her completely, returning to the estate with total calmness, as usual. But Caiome didn't really trust his expressions since last evening when he talked to Mizuki, and Ayato became a stone statue when Caiome tried to talk to him.

       Only she and Ayato retreated to his office where Ayato began reading her exam answers. He quickly went over the one about the theoretical techniques, but when it came to the history one, Ayato seemed to lose all interest in reading them. The page was half empty, and the written answers were quite odd. There were many deletions, mostly written with lines, with information that Caiome vaguely remembered from what she had read, sentences written on the edge of the paper with arrows pointing to the specific question, and with a strange, cramped writing, with letters smaller or larger. It took Ayato longer to read and understand the sentences than to determine if it was a correct answer or not – which was still up for debate.

       The only thing almost correct on her sheet was the symbols drawn, along with the initials of the Kamisato lords and the commanders.

       "So?" Caiome said after more than half an hour of a boring lecture where Ayato told her to shut up at least three times.

       "Congratulations," Ayato said, leaving the sheets in front of him and smiling at her. "You failed."

       "What?!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet, while Ayato still sat behind the desk. "What do you mean, I failed? You can't declare me rejected. I did so well in the practical exams and the theory about techniques."

        "Caiome, you are really bad at history," Ayato replied.

        Caiome groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Who cares about history? They're dead. They're literally dead. They don't exist in this world anymore."

       "It seems you do not understand the purpose of history," Ayato said. "Certain things and situations and circumstances are still valid because of those who are now dead. And whom you seem to hate so much. Many operations rely on this history, including information gathering, a position you wanted very much. If you do not understand the context, you cannot understand the information."

       "Why can't I simply search for information on the spot? Do the dead leave their graves or what? Because otherwise, I don't understand."

       "The history exam aimed to measure your ability to memorize things, a capacity that does not seem to be going well," Ayato said, and Caiome almost banged her head against the wall. "However, you have an advantage," Ayato said with a smile when he saw Caiome ready to throw her hands around. "A perfect position for you and the only one I will offer you, by the way."

       "And what is that? The lowly job you mentioned a few days ago?"

       "You can say that," Ayato said, resting his chin in his hand and the elbow on the table, looking at her playfully. "You will be my bodyguard."

        Caiome frowned, twisted her face, and raised her eyebrows at the same time. "Yeah, sure," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not in a million years. To stay all day after you while you do your political chores? No, thanks. I'm not a dog."

        "All right," Ayato said, taking the sheets and getting up from the table, approaching with the intention of passing by her and leaving the office. "Then I assume you will return to floor scrubbing."

       "Wait," Caiome said quickly, stopping him with her hands on his chest. She had to admit, she didn't want to scrub any floors anymore. 

       And besides, if she had to be Ayato's bodyguard, it meant she had to follow him almost everywhere he went. That meant outside the estate and out of that courtyard she was tired of, and she would spend more time in nature and see more of the city.

      "Fine," she said. "Bodyguard it is. But I have a few conditions."

      "I am listening," Ayato said, taking a step forward, and Caiome withdrew her hands.

      "Don't treat me like a pet," she said. "Meaning, if I leave your side, even just to go to the bathroom, you won't penalize me for it. And if I want to leave the residence, you'll let me leave. You know I'm not going anywhere; my shell is still with you."

       "Very well," he said, making a short bow. "Let's just say that I would give me more freedom with your trips to the city. But you also have some... duties that you must fulfill as my bodyguard."

       "It will be better than scrubbing floors, for sure. So," she said, lifting her chin, "what are they?"

       "You will have to stay with me all the time, especially when we are not in the residence. And you will have some orders to receive from me that you must follow; otherwise, they will be considered violations, of course. Moreover, you are not allowed to steal."

       Caiome rolled her eyes.

       "Not unless I ask you to," he added.

       "Oh, so it's fine if you demand it," Caiome said rolling her eyes.

       "Your role will be primarily to protect me," Ayato said like he didn't even listen to her, "if you want to put it that way, but you will also have to listen to my requests."

        "Fine, fine," Caiome said. "What else?"

        Ayato suddenly approached her, so suddenly that Caiome instinctively lowered her hands, and his chest gently pressed against hers. Looking down at her, Ayato displayed a mischievous smile, the same one from the banquet day, but which, later, looking into her eyes, became... gentle. His breath was warm, and his gaze was deep. It was a way Caiome had never been looked at by anyone, no hidden superiority and yet with clear intentions, even... good.

       "Nothing," he said.

       Caiome didn't expect Ayato to raise his hand and, with his intertwined fingers, touch her cheek. It was just the tips of his fingers, nothing more, but precisely because of that, Caiome almost pulled back. And she did move an inch, and Ayato broke the contact between his fingers and her cheek. But that didn't stop him, as, after a second in which both were locked in each other's eyes, he approached her again and touched her cheek again, as if telling her that there was no escape in that regard.

       And probably that was the case, Caiome thought, because Ayato had her shell, and as long as he was in the possession of the shell, Caiome couldn't run away from him, and she couldn't even try to escape. That shell was too important for a reason Ayato didn't know and would never know.

       His fingers didn't press her. It could barely be called a touch, while Ayato, looking at his own hand and the skin of her cheek, caressed her as if caressing a piece of broken porcelain whose pieces had barely been put back without any glue; as if it was so fragile that it could collapse under his touch.

       And Caiome didn't dare to pull back again. Maybe because Ayato would follow her anyway, maybe because, as Ayato examined her face, she did the same, because this man was mysterious in so many ways, and Caiome, being as curious as the world had told her she was since she arrived here, was trying to find out what was on his mind and what was with that look. His eyes sparkled but also somehow looked sad. Caiome didn't think Ayato could adopt that expression with her. Or if they weren't sad, at least thoughtful.

        "All you have to do," he spoke slowly, "is to think of me as your precious case."

        He turned his fingers, and this time he traced her cheek with the knots of his fingers, as slowly as he did with their tips.

        Finally, he raised his gaze and looked into her eyes, and Caiome was already looking at him, so she breathed shortly when his eyes found hers. The words stuck in her throat. Or rather in her mouth because she had been so close to retorting Ayato's words, but everything stopped abruptly, as if she hadn't even intended it.

       "Let nothing touch me, and do what I ask of you. Without complaining," he added, although he was sure Caiome wouldn't stay silent if something didn't suit her.

       Caiome smiled in a laugh, and his fingers slowly descended, and Caiome couldn't lie that she didn't feel the traces left by his hand. "Why would you want me to be your bodyguard in the first place?" she asked. "I think you have better candidates for that, people who know you better, who understand your personality much better, and who know how to behave in the society you frequent. Aren't you afraid that I might do something inappropriate?"

       "I will decide that myself when the time comes," was his response.

       Caiome didn't know how to interpret this. 

       "Don't you think it will be too late by then?"

       Ayato just flashed a smile and didn't answer, which Caiome didn't expect him to do. Usually, Ayato would have told her that her shell was still in his hands, that if Caiome did something wrong, he could always take the shell in the deep of the ocean and leave it there, lost forever. Instead, Ayato just looked at her with shining eyes and that stupid smile that made her stomach roll because she couldn't tell what was behind it, whether good intentions or bad.

       "I will take the risk," he said instead, raising his hand, standing with his palm up and fingers slightly bent, waiting. "So, do we conclude this deal as well? You will be my loyal bodyguard, and I... I will try to be myself."

        Caiome raised an eyebrow and hesitated for a moment.

        Oh, what the hell? She was already neck-deep in the problems Ayato had caused her. It's not like Ayato would take her life, considering his biggest threat was the loss of the shell and that was about it. Wait...

        "You're not planning to cut my throat, are you?" she asked skeptically.

        Ayato took another step closer to her, and now the only thing keeping the two from touching was Ayato's hand still waiting. He leaned in until his lips were near her ear, breathing warm air, and Caiome felt her heart beating with danger. She hadn't stood so close to Ayato too many times, at least not in that way, but the thought immediately arose: this man was a danger to her, just as she was a danger to him, and staying close to each other more than necessary would result in a disaster because both were trying to pull the other's strings. Caiome was being shown that.

       Ayato inhaled, and the scent of rain and wet earth once again filled his senses. How could her hair constantly smell the same, such a fresh perfume?

       "As I said," he whispered, "I will decide that at the right moment."

       Ayato only turned his face slightly towards her, expecting to see her eyes studying the office. But he couldn't lie about how surprised he was when he saw Caiome looking at him in a challenging way, somehow trying to convince herself that she should submit to him. The look in her eyes was more of a challenge. "Try," she seemed to say, "and you'll see what I'm capable of."

       So all the feeling of the game disappeared from his being when in front of him stood again the immortal youkai holding her sword, ready to kill, which meant only one thing: Caiome valued her life and wanted to live as much as she valued her case, enough to put her life at risk to get it back.

       Ayato raised his hand a little more, and his fingers almost touched her collarbone. "Your answer?"

       Caiome snorted, without smiling, then raised her hand ready to end a strong salute. But Ayato only took her fingers over his and squeezed them gently, and her hand tensed.

        "Have a good day, Caiome," he wished her, then led her hand fall until he let go of it like a caress. "I will wait for you tomorrow morning because we have a lot of work to do and many places to visit."

       Ayato turned on his heels and sat at his desk. When he looked up towards the door, Caiome wasn't there anymore, leaving only a gentle breeze to slip through the open window of the office. He stared at the door without thinking, as if he was looking into nothingness, and his mind was blank. Then he returned back to his work.

       Caiome closed the door of her room, leaning against it with her back and taking a deep breath. She had to plan her strategy very well from now on. She had to be more careful with him than ever.

       She encouraged herself. Tomorrow would be the first day. She had to walk on eggshells, as she had learned to do her whole life. Even if she was good at stealing, and even if she could disappear as easily as she could appear, she had to be attentive to her surroundings.

       She needed a good night's sleep. She threw herself on the bed, only to feel something poking her in the back.

       She grabbed the pile of rags and pulled it from under her, only to feel the rough texture of the material and some buttons that suddenly seemed very familiar. She rose in the next second and studied in the afternoon light that barely crept through the small window the fabric in her hands. Unraveling it, Caiome almost hit her head against the wall, thinking she was dreaming.

       In her hands was the black leather jacket that Thoma confiscated from her and took back to the vendor. It was short and a bit tight, with a few accessories, such as buttons and a zipper, that didn't have the capacity to shine in the light. Otherwise, it was quite simple because Caiome didn't like anything to drag her down just for the sake of appearance.

        But what was this jacket doing... specially this jacket... in her room? The only ones who knew about it were Thoma and Ayaka. And since Thoma was so mad about the jacket, he couldn't have bought it for her, which meant there was only Ayaka left, who had even told her that if she wanted something, she should have asked. Was there any chance that Ayaka bought her the jacket? She had to look for her and ask because Caiome didn't want to have more debts to any of the Kamisato family's siblings or their employees.

       But not now, she thought, and slammed back into bed with the jacket that smelled new. Now she wanted to sleep.

🌸

       Caiome had a feeling that Thoma didn't like her – no, shit - , and the fact that he could hit her every morning actually brought him satisfaction. She had heard around the residence that he was a very sweet person – yeah, right – but when someone committed a wrongdoing against the Kamisato family, he turned into a completely different person. He became irritable, grumpy, and punished people as much as allowed by Lord Kamisato and Lady Ayaka – or Miss Kamisato, as they called her on the city streets. And Thoma seemed to have not forgotten her attempt to steal Ayaka's precious jewelry. Or rather, the hairpin left by her mother, although Caiome had somehow apologized for it.

       Even though Ayaka had softened a bit towards her, Thoma hadn't. He always looked at her with a scowl, waiting for her to do something that could lead to another offense or something so bad that Lord Kamisato would completely disapprove and force her to leave. Not that Caiome cared much about convicing him to like her. The man had taken the stolen jacket from her and returned it to the store, leaving her without it. The same jacket that had served as an extra layer to hug during last night and that was now in her arms.

       So, Thoma woke her up that morning, but this time not by hitting her to the point of breaking her ribs, but by repeatedly pushing her in the shoulder, hip, and ribs – at least, he only jostled her a bit. Only when he saw that Caiome wasn't waking up, Thoma resorted to other methods. He took a glass of cold water, took two steps back, and then threw the water on her face.

       Caiome jumped instantly out of bed, which made Thoma think he did well by stepping back; otherwise, he would have been hit directly in the face.

       Caiome coughed a few times because the water had entered her nose, and now her nasal passages hurt horribly.

       "Did you change your mind about using your foot?" she yelled at Thoma. "Getting creative, huh?"

       "Well," he said in the same tone he always used on her, "since I'm not allowed to hit you, I thought this would be a better option." He put the empty glass on one of the cupboards in the room."I tried to wake you up gently, but you sleep like a bear in winter."

       Caiome wiped her face with a thin blanket and threw herself back on the pillow.

       "What time is it?" she mumbled.

       "Five in the morning."

       "Five in the morning?!" she exclaimed, sitting up. "Man, chickens wake up at this hour, give me a break."

       "I'd love to," he grumbled. "Waking you up earlier means I have to wake up earlier too, and that means seeing you earlier than I should. Now get out of bed before I throw another glass of water on you," he said, turning towards the door and opening it halfway. "Get dressed; Lord Kamisato is waiting for you in the backyard."

       "Only if Lord Kamisato could put a stick up his ass, then I would understand the expectations," she muttered.

       Caiome stayed in bed for five more minutes – and somehow managed not to fall asleep, probably out of fear that Thoma would come back and soak her from head to toe with a bucket of water this time, not just a cup – then got up and dressed... Well, it's not like she had much to wear exactly. Her wardrobe consisted of two pairs of casual pants, three tank tops, and a blouse, a pair of boots, and now she had a jacket too.

       Which, of course, she put on, took her sword and Vision, then walked out of her storage-chamber with a smile on her face that widened when she saw Thoma waiting in the hallway with his arms crossed. Caiome spun in front of him, tossing her hair back to let him see the jacket better.

       "Do you like my new jacket?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

       Thoma studied the piece of clothing, recognized it, but didn't say anything when he sighed.

       "Did you steal it again?" he grumbled, turning towards the hall and starting to walk.

       "Possibly," she shrugged, running her hand through her hair, then skipped past him, heading to the backyard. His disappointed expression suddenly made her feel better and more lively.

       When she reached the backyard, Caiome slowed her pace when she saw everyone in front of the stables – servants, stablemen, and guards alike, four of them already on horses and lined up at the stable entrance, creating a clear path, as if they were welcoming someone. And in line with everyone else was Ayato's white steed, already equipped but without a rider.

       Caiome took a quick step forward, but Thoma grabbed the collar of her jacket, catching both the jacket and the tank top, and pulled her back.

       "Oh, come on," she complained. "You didn't let me into the stables for two months; at least let me touch a horse." She began to struggle slightly, then to pull forward, but Thoma still held onto her clothes.

       "You'll strangle yourself if you keep pulling on like that," his comment came. "Stay still."

       Caiome threw him a side-eye. "You just want to make me unhappy. I touch a horse; I don't kill anyone," she pouted.

       "I'm afraid you'll steal the horse's harnesses and use them as whips," he muttered, and Caiome shrugged, wearing that 'I've done it before' expression. Thoma instantly regretted saying that. "And just so you know, I was totally against it," he said in her ear, letting go of her clothes suddenly.

       "Against what?" Caiome frowned when they reached the large group, massaging her neck, which turned red.

       "Coming with me to the city on your first day," Ayato's voice was heard, barely coming out of the stables and positioning himself at the entrance.

       Caiome could already tell it was going to be a warm day today. She had put on her jacket just to spite Thoma, rolling up her sleeves to her elbows, but Ayato had no reason to wear so many layers of shirts, and the coat on top. It was mid-May, for the gods' sake, and this guy seemed to want to sauna in his own clothes.

       However, Caiome couldn't lie that pastel colors really suited him, making him look almost divine. All the costumes seemed tailored to the sharp features of his face, body shape, and muscles, making him appear more delicate than he actually was and giving him an elegance that Caiome had never seen even in the people of Liyue... or any person in Teyvat, which was outrageous to her. He wore a relatively white and pale blue costume, like ice, with accessories in a slightly darker blue, and his eyelashes seemed longer this morning, and the line above them was a very light beige. Caiome stood on tiptoes, inspecting his face, and Ayato pulled back a bit, taken aback by the sudden closeness.

       And if you looked closely, there was a bit of foundation and a little powder under his eyes, but it was so well blended that you couldn't see anything unless you were close enough, as Caiome was now.

       "Are you wearing makeup?" she asked.

       Ayato straightened up, cleared his throat, and Caiome sat back on her heels, as if Ayato making sounds was a signal for her to step back a bit.

       "This is the first lesson in what it means to be part of my society that you were so curious about," he said. "Men occasionally wear makeup, especially when it comes to an official visit, like today. Certain appearances must be maintained, and through makeup, you show your status," he continued, turning half towards the stable entrance.

       "Do you need to show your status?" Caiome asked. "Man, I've seen your treasury records and read from your history book enough to know you're probably the richest man in this nation, and everyone knows that. I don't think you need to show your status with anything."

       Ayato chuckled slightly, and a pleasant perfume wafted towards Caiome, as if she were in a garden of wildflowers. "That is because you do not know what it's like to live in such a society. I have no doubt you will get used to it eventually. Come this way, please," he invited her into the stables, extending his hand in an unnecessary courtesy, as he always did. 

       Caiome still wasn't sure if he did it to maintain appearances – although everyone here knew she was a thief and she didn't deserve to be treated kindly –, or because that's what he is used to do because of his etiquette lessons when he was younger, or just because he wanted to tease her.

       But Caiome listened, entering the stables and seeing all the boxes where a multitude of horses were kept. Caiome couldn't lie; she had intended to come here at least in secret in the two weeks she had had the freedom to go anywhere, as long as she didn't leave the residence's courtyard. But the stables were still off-limits, and Ayato hadn't given her permission to enter for reasons he didn't tell her. And back then, Caiome hadn't found a way to cling to his leg to persuade him.

       Caiome knew that Ayato's stallion was the only white horse among all, and the only other light-colored horse was a mare with very light beige hair, which leaned heavily towards gold. Caiome couldn't explain the wonderful color that seemed to shine in the light coming through the stable windows, but it was wonderful, as if she were looking at molten brass that was still in a liquid state. From the shape of the muzzle, it seemed to be a mare, and in her box, there was a woman with rolled-up sleeves brushing her beige hair. On her forehead, she had a white star, and her eyes seemed slightly almond-shaped, giving her elegance and beauty.

       It had to be Ayaka's mare. It couldn't belong to anyone else, not when it exuded the same elegance as its mistress. Caiome reached out to her, but the mare backed away slightly.

       "Do not take it personally," Ayato chuckled beside her. "It does not let anyone touch her except Ayaka and Misaki, who takes care of her hygiene and training. Not even me."

       "Hmph," Caiome sighed, putting her hands on her hips and raising her chin. "I don't care," she said, turning on her heels and proceeding along one of the three paths of the stables – oh, gods, how many horses had to be housed here – just to cry inwardly. How could a horse not let her put her hand on it? She felt as if her soul had just been crushed.

       She heard Ayato amusing himself with her with a single sound from his throat, as if he couldn't believe it at the same time, then followed her.

Chapter Text

A/N: Kind of boring chapter, you can skim through it 

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Chapter 23 ~ The Steed and the Crazy 

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       Ayaka's and Ayato's horses were the only white ones or at least resembling white, and Caiome understood why. As the owners of this residence, like any other lord or lady, the horses had to be light-colored, showing purity, power, elegance, and high status.

       But that didn't mean the rest of the horses were less impressive. They were arranged in a certain order, depending on the breed, implicitly sorted by size and color, from horses with completely black bodies, horses with reddish hair to those with a simple brown color. Many of them also had distinctive features, such as different colors on their legs or white with black spots... or vice versa. In short, Caiome knew that there was an entire history behind the horses, and often pairings were made between horse breeds. In general, each nation had its own main horse breed, but over thousands of years, they had interbred, leading to various other varieties with different physical traits or regarding speed and power. And even personality.

       Oh, Caiome loved horses. And they were all wonderful, and Caiome felt like a plague among them. She didn't dare try to touch one, considering Ayato was here.

       "What are we doing here anyway?" she finally asked, looking at each horse individually. "Shouldn't we go to the city for your errands and... your important visit?" She rolled her eyes in the end, more frustrated that she was here and still couldn't touch anything.

       "Since we will not go there via a telepoint, we have to go on horseback," was his answer.

       Caiome stopped in place, blinked a few times, then suddenly looked at him. Ayato had a cute smile on his face, as if he was finally thinking that the person on his left had caught on. Caiome started gesturing with her finger around her and towards herself, without finding her words.

       "So... I'm going to... Um..."

       "All my companions must have a horse to ride to the destination when accompanying me," he said. "And since you are officially my bodyguard accompanying me everywhere, just as I have a personal horse, you must have one too."

       "Really?" she said, jumping towards him, clenching her fists, and her eyes seemed to have taken the shape of stars. Her smile was too wide, and her expression was full of delight.

        Ayato couldn't answer her for some time, which in his head seemed like hours. He expected such a reaction from her. In fact, he wanted to see this reaction because it would mean he could see more emotions on her face, thus getting to know her easier. He had seen Caiome smiling before. He had seen her jumping of joy or laughing around him. But her current smile and delight weren't anything like that excitement when he let her go to the city; or when she managed to provoke him and get what she wanted; or when she proudly told him she was going to join the Shuumatsuban and even came up with an idea for her personal symbol. It wasn't that expression when she did her balancing exercises on logs or when she won a duel against one of his guards or when she amused herself at Mizuki falling face-first to the ground, amusing her.

       Ayato was aware that Caiome liked horses, but her reaction to the news was a bit beyond what he imagined. He had never seen her so happy...

       And he never imagined that this happiness suited her so well.

       "Of course," he finally said.

       "Which one?" she asked immediately, as if she already had the questions on the tip of her tongue.

       She immediately flew away from him, pointing to different stallions, as the mares were housed separately.

       "This?" she said, pointing to one completely black with a white star on its forehead. "Or this?" pointing to a chestnut one. "Oh, this one is wonderful," she said, as if she was about to jump from box to box. "Thin but powerful legs, medium waist but agile, quite impressive muscles, specialized for speed, right? Hmm," she said, "it must have a very balanced diet if it has these proportions."

      Ayato sighed in a whisper. Caiome probably really loved horses as much as she seemed to at the moment, because this girl wasn't the same girl who had entered the stables just a few minutes ago.

      "Well, the guards do not have a designated horse," he said. "Except for those belonging to certain officials, like me, Ayaka and Captain Hirotatsu, you can choose any of them, considering that you are now an official under me."

      "Any I want?" she almost shouted.

      Ayato could swear even the horses wanted to cover their ears. Some of them even took a few steps back and lowered their heads. Now he couldn't back out from what he had promised, so Ayato just nodded, and Caiome began her inspection.

      One of the stable workers even offered to help her choose based on her requirements, but Caiome just gave a "thanks" and waved him off. She moved from one horse to another, starting to study them, while Ayato had to follow closely. He wasn't sure why, but he stood beside her, just in case something happened.

       And Caiome probably wasn't saying anything out loud, thinking to herself, but Ayato could see her expressions when something didn't meet her approval, and she moved on. Most of the time, she reached out to touch a horse, and if it didn't want to be touched, she moved on. But there were cases where the horses allowed her touch, yet for some reason, Caiome moved on to the next one in silence.

       "Considering your reaction, I did not think it would take you so long to choose one of them," Ayato commented at one point when Caiome once again caressed the muzzle of a chestnut horse and stepped back, leaving her hand lingering on its muzzle. She looked into its moist eyes and sighed lightly.

       "I can't just take any horse," she said. "Although I have to admit, a bit arrogantly, I could probably have any horse, and you have quite an impressive variety here, hmph."

       "Why not?" Ayato asked.

       "Horses have different personalities, just like people," she began explaining, inspecting the boxes and touching as many horses as she could. "You can tell that from the shape of their legs, the amount of muscle, how they hold their ears, and how they sniff the hay before eating it. Or how they respond to touches and how hesitant they are. Or from the way they swish their tail in someone's presence or how they raise their head and move."

       Her tone was totally opposite to the ecstatic one she had earlier, which caught Ayato off guard again. This seemed to be Caiome's way of speaking seriously about something. Something that didn't involve her limited freedom or the confiscation of her case, but still... This was Caiome talking about her knowledge, having the same way of speaking as when she talked about jewelry, commenting in the Grand Hall during the meeting.

       "Like people, indeed," she continued. "You can't force two people with different personalities to work together and expect them to do a good job, just as you can't force a horse with a different personality on a person. They need to match," she spoke like a know-it-all, raising a finger and having a mischievous smile on her face.

       "So, are you trying to find a steed with the same personality as yours?" Ayato finally asked.

       "Exactly," she said.

       "I do not think I have a steed like that," he mumbled.

       "Unique?" Caiome tried her luck.

       "No. Stupid, impulsive, and with a terrible pleasure for inappropriate comments that have no place in the discussion," he smiled suddenly, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

       "I should have expected that," she muttered. "Anyway," she shrugged, regaining her cheerful state and inspecting the horses again. "There must be a suitable one here."

       "I could help you, miss," the stable worker came forward again, making a short bow to both of them. He was middle-aged, with an infectious smile that showed he had a very good social life and was happy with the way his life was going. "I couldn't help but overhear. If it's about personality, I know them all. So, if you tell me exactly what you're looking for, I can help you."

       Caiome thought for a moment, then looked at Ayato.

       "Mr. Toshirou is the best stable worker here," Ayato introduced him.

       "Please, my lord, don't praise me when I don't deserve it. I'm just doing my job," Toshirou quickly said.

       "Even so, if you need advice on anything, you can ask Mr. Toshirou, Caiome," Ayato said.

       "I promise to help you with everything I can," Toshirou said to Caiome and made another short bow, this time directed at her. She frowned, looking back at Ayato, seemingly asking for explanations, but Ayato didn't respond.

       "Uh, sure," she said. "In that case, show me some horses specialized in speed and power, but not easily burdened. With quick reflexes, too. And a broad field of vision."

       "Of course," Toshirou's response came immediately, and his dark eyes sparkled.

       He turned his back to them, and Caiome now noticed that his hair was slightly tied in a short ponytail. He was tall, muscular, with a nicely shaved beard and a gleam in his eyes. He was quite handsome and probably had been the very popular with the women when he was younger. She glanced at his finger with a golden ring, but Caiome wasn't sure if it was made of gold entirely. Usually, people who couldn't afford gold made their jewelry from iron and gold leaf to give the impression of precious metal, which was much cheaper.

       "A horse brought from the northern Natlan," Toshirou said, pointing to a reddish one at the end of the first row of boxes. Caiome gently touched its muzzle, and the horse was very receptive. "Slim but powerful legs, very agile, and a very fine smell."

       "Hmm," she said, then turned and moved on.

       "Then, what about this one?" Toshirou continued. "A Desert Brown from the southern Sumeru. Wide field of vision, can carry three people at once, suitable for any type of environment."

       Caiome examined it, and although a bit more hesitant than the red one, the steed received its touch. But Caiome seemed not to want it, so she moved on to the last boxes she could inspect.

       "A Black Spirit from the northern Snezhnaya," Toshirou continued, presenting a completely black horse. "Can hide very easily in shadows, especially in the forest, but also in open fields. Not very big, has thin but strong legs, narrow at the body, suitable for any rider stature. And also, the only one I can present to you that you haven't considered yet."

       Caiome touched it, and the horse came almost immediately towards her hand, which was very good. It was receptive and seemed to get along well with different types of people.

       "Hmm," she said.

       "Not that I want to rush you, miss," Ayato said from behind her in a tone that clearly meant 'hurry up, woman,' but you need to choose one. We are already running late."

       "Fine, fine," she waved her hand. "I'll take this one."

       "Great," Toshirou said, who probably had been a bit demoralized considering how many times Caiome had rejected horses today. "As each horse has its documentation, you'll need to sign a few ownership declarations at the residence."

       "Fine," she said.

       Toshirou brought some papers almost immediately, starting to discuss certain conditions with Ayato that Caiome didn't understand. But her eyes somehow wandered to the box at the end of the row that seemed to be empty, which wasn't possible. I mean, sure, a few horses were outside, just like Ayato's steed, five in total, but that was the sixth box that seemed empty.

       Taking advantage of the fact that neither of the two was paying attention to her but to what they called ownership discussion, Caiome headed towards the empty box. She looked inside and was surprised to be face-to-face – which was much to say – with a horse different from the others. It was of a strange yellow, while its legs, tail, and mane were completely black. Turning its head towards her, the steed had a slightly trapezoidal muzzle with sharp features. Once they made eye contact, the horse took a step back, as if scared. Even more so, it didn't come towards Caiome. She called it a few times with some sounds, but the steed didn't come. Now that she looked into its shiny eyes, it didn't seem scared but rather very... picky. And arrogant.

       Caiome slyly stole some carrots from the buckets at the back entrance, tore them into pieces, and, leaning against the stable door, jumped inside just as Ayato looked up at her.

       "Caiome," he said, heading towards the stable immediately, with Toshirou following him.

       "Shut up," Caiome snapped as Ayato stood in front of the door, placing his hands on it.

       "Miss, I advise you to come out immediately," Toshirou said. "This steed is very young, it just hit maturity, and is not yet accustomed to humans; we don't know what he can do. He hasn't finished his basic training. Last week, he bit a guard," he stammered slightly, thinking it would convince her to leave.

       "Seriously?" she said, standing in the corner near the door, watching the colt seemingly fixated on her, standing with its back straight and head held high, as if looking at an ant. "Great, I'll be the first then."

       "Caiome, come out. This is a horse thrice your size that can actually kill you," Ayato said.

       Caiome, on the other hand, moved away from the stable door, walking along the edge, observing the steed, which began to do the same, walking along the edge, trying to keep its distance. When Caiome reached the opposite corner, she put her hands in front of her and began to approach it slowly. The stallion twitched and moved to the next corner, and Caiome did the same, trying to maintain the same distance before approaching again.

       Ayato sighed.

       "Miss, please — ," Toshirou said.

       "If you make noise," Caiome whispered, "I won't be able to do anything."

       Turning back to the steed, she took a step closer, and the horse moved nervously from side to side, clearly indicating it didn't want to be touched. But that didn't stop Caiome from getting closer, nor Toshirou from trying to convince her to leave, stopping only when Caiome gave him a nasty look. When she reached the center of the stable, Caiome knelt down and showed the steed a piece of carrot. And she waited as the horse took small steps back, looking only at her.

       "It's okay," Caiome said, then took a bite of the carrot and chewed it. "See? It's safe."

       The stallion still pranced on its hooves, and Caiome extended her hand, taking another step. The horse snorted. Caiome chuckled, and the sound she made was exactly like a horse, making the steed startle and look at her as if it had a similar expression of 'what just happened?' Then Caiome took another step closer, taking another bite of the carrot.

       The steed also took a step forward, then lowered its head. It sniffed her hand, the carrot, and pulled back. Caiome took another step, reaching out her hand, and the steed lowered its head again. Smelling, it nudged the carrot with its muzzle, then took it directly with its teeth from her hand and began to chew. Caiome gently took another piece of carrot, broke it into smaller pieces, and extended it in her palm.

       This time, the steed took more time to eat the carrots, enough time for Caiome to touch it without it being attentive. The horse suddenly stood up, stomping its hooves on the ground, and Toshirou opened the door, ready to intervene. Caiome reached out her hand towards the steed until it calmed down, then placed more carrot pieces in her palm. The stallion sniffed them again and started eating. This time, Caiome touched it more lightly. Though the horse moved its head slightly away from her touch, soon it stopped moving altogether, from the moment it started eating until it finished, raising its head. Caiome stood up with it, still caressing its nose, and after a few seconds, the steed took a step forward, nudging her cheek with its muzzle.

       Which meant only good things, as Caiome began to laugh and playfully pet it with both hands, giving it another piece of carrot.

       "Who's a good boy?" she started cooing, rubbing her face against its soft and velvety nose. "You are, yes. What a good and obedient boy." Caiome could hear the way Toshirou let out a sigh of relief. "Tell me, have you ever been ridden before?" she asked the horse. "Have you ever worn equipment before? Hm? What a beauty you are, oh yes," she said, kissing its nose. Although the steed was still prancing on its hind legs, it didn't pull away from her hand. "Well, I thought it would be worse than this," she said to Toshirou, who looked pale, while Ayato stood with his arms crossed over his chest and looking... mad.

        "He doesn't feel very comfortable around new people; that's why I didn't introduce him to you, Miss Caiome. We don't know how he'll react in large group of people. He usually does his basic training alone as well," Toshirou said.

        "Well, it seems to me he's just a big sweetie," she said, giving him another kiss just under the eye. "Tell me, do you want to be my little horse? Yes? Wonderful. I think I'll take him," she announced with a smile.

       "But—"

       "It'll be fine," Caiome said. "I've ridden horses like this before; don't worry. I could say I'm quite an expert," she added with a hint of superiority.

       "You don't say," Ayato commented, and Caiome rolled her eyes. "Fine," he added at last. "Mr. Toshirou, if you please."

       "Of course, my lord," he said and went to fetch more papers from another file, while Ayato threw a displeased look at Caiome, who was still pampering the new horse, giving it carrots.

       "What? You wanted me to choose a horse. I've chosen."

       "Tell me honestly, what is your real level of stupidity?" he asked, still standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

       "Weirdo," Caiome replied. "I thought you had enough confidence in me to let me be your bodyguard."

       "One thing is to be a bodyguard, and another is to enter a stall with a horse that hasn't had much contact with the outside world."

       "Aww," Caiome said, leaning against the door and fluttering her lashes. "Were you worried about me?"

       "That it could split your head in two?" Ayato said. "You are still my employee, Caiome. If you die on my estate because of a horse I own, how would that sound to the other clans and Commissions?"

       Caiome rolled her eyes, puffing. "As I said, I've had contact with horses before. They're not as dangerous until you can't communicate with them in one way or another." The response didn't seem to convince Ayato, given that he didn't change the frown on his face.

       The horse approached her, nudging her in the ribs, and Caiome laughed, giving him another piece of carrot when Toshirou turned back and cleared his throat. Probably, he still didn't feel comfortable seeing Caiome so close to a horse that literally bit someone a few days ago, almost leaving them without a hand. And almost without a leg.

       "As I was telling Lord Kamisato earlier," Toshirou took a deep breath, "you have full rights over the horse as long as Lord Kamisato gives permission for certain decisions that affect its well-being, such as the horse's diet and training. You have the right to visit, ride, and take care of its hygiene whenever you want. If you can't do it personally, employees will take care of it for you."

       "You do it then," Ayato said, adding a smile, as if he didn't scold Caiome earlier with the most annoying frown on his face. "Miss Caiome will be busy enough, so she will not be able to come here every day or take care of it frequently. And since you, Mr. Toshirou, also take care of Hakumai, I hope I will not burden you too much with responsibilities if I ask you to take care of this one."

       "Of course, my lord. No problem."

       "Hakumai?" Caiome murmured.

       "My steed," Ayato said.

       "Oh, yes. That's right. Does it have a name?" she asked Toshirou, pointing to the horse who was searching her pockets for carrots.

       "Usually, we don't give real names to horses since they can be chosen by an official at any time, like in your case, miss," Toshirou said. "Most have nicknames based on a certain trait or something they did at some point. We called him Kureiji."

       "Meaning crazy?" she asked. "Wow, you're really creative," she said sarcastically and a little bit annoyed, as if Toshirou just insulted her dear horse. "Well, let me choose a suitable name for you, ok?" she cooed again, letting the horse eat the last piece of carrot. "Where do I sign?" she asked, and Toshirou handed her a thin wooden board with papers and a pen. "Oh, so you do have pens here," she murmured, looking at Ayato, who just smiled, and quickly signed where Toshirou indicated.

       "Here are all the details you need to know about him," Toshirou said. "And in the blank space above, you can write its name when you decide. It's an easier method for the vet to keep track when a check-up is needed, necessary or just periodic. I'll ask Thoma to leave it in your room, or," he hesitated a bit, "in Lord Kamisato's office."

       "That would be wonderful," Ayato said. "What about we gear up and then go? We are still running late."

       "If Mr. Toshirou can bring me the equipment, I'll do it myself," Caiome said.

       "Are you sure you don't want help?" Mr. Toshirou asked, handing the horse's file to one of his subordinates.

       "Not at all. I still have to spend time with him," Caiome said, and Toshirou complied quietly, raising questions again for Caiome.

       Caiome quickly equipped the horse, and now she understood what Toshirou meant when he talked about the horse's being agitated. It wasn't that he didn't like wearing equipment, but he got agitated during the gearing-up process. It was like a baby feeling tortured when its mother wanted to change him from dirty clothes to clean ones. As soon as she tied the last strap, the horse calmed down.

       "I'm out of carrots," Caiome said when the horse hit her jacket pockets. "You're such a greedy one," she said, kissing him on the nose.

       "You are right, he does have your personality. Can we go now?" Ayato asked a bit impatiently.

       "Yes, yes," she said, grabbing the horse's harness and leading him out of the stables, where the guards began to stare, including Thoma.

       Ayato didn't waste any time and got on his horse, and Caiome got on the back of her horse, who started moving from one leg to another. Caiome grabbed the harness and pulled it gently towards her, holding it tightly and controlling his steps.

        "Easy," she whispered. "Easy."

        Finally, the stallion stood on its feet, moving its head only slightly. It was clear that he was not accustomed to the harness and the bit in his mouth, probably because he was so stubborn when it came to his training.

       Ayato sat in front of everyone, and the guards stood two by two behind him, leaving space for another horse between them and Lord Kamisato. Caiome looked a bit odd, then positioned her horse next to Ayato's when they started to walk slowly towards the back gate, leaving the residence courtyard.

       But Caiome managed to find, hidden among branches and falling flowers and green leaves, a very familiar face staring at her intently, that of the girl who seemed to be following her. She was only half-hidden behind the tree trunk, and as soon as Caiome made eye contact with her, as it happened every time, the girl hid. That girl was too strange, like a ghost, seeming like no one knew about her. Caiome asked Mizuki after finding her hidden in a tree next to her, but Mizuki shrugged, saying he never saw a child frequenting the residence. The only children passing through were those of officials if they had an unplanned meeting with Lord Kamisato, but it was extremely rare for children to visit the estate, let alone to frequent it.

       "You are supposed to stay behind me," Ayato said to Caiome.

        "Why?" she mumbled.

       "That is what protocol demands," he replied.

       "No way," said Caiome, slightly revolted. "Toshirou said he's not used to different landscapes and groups of people," she pointed to the stallion she was riding. "If I stay behind you, your horse's hooves might scare him. Or worse, throw a stone in his eye."

       Ayato could already tell that Caiome's horse was going to be very pampered from now on, which wouldn't have been a good idea at all, but what could you do when its mistress was as stubborn as a mule? So no, Ayato couldn't convince her to stay at least a bit further back, if not entirely, and her response was that if Hakumai got scared and suddenly came closer to him? Ayato felt a little offended because his horse had very good manners; it was a horse bred for any circumstances. Caiome just raised her chin in an arrogant way, and Ayato gave up saying anything else.

       "So, who are we visiting?" she finally asked, descending the mountain towards Chinju forest.

       "I am not obligated to answer," said Ayato, and Caiome felt like he had just chopped her head off.

       "Well, if you want me to be your bodyguard, you should give me some details about who we're meeting and for what purpose, right?"

       "If I do that," said Ayato, "it would mean I have to trust you. Which I do not."

       "You don't trust me to know whose house we're going to, but you trust me to defend you if it comes to a fight?" She frowned. "That doesn't make sense, don't you think? I could let you be shot, for all I care."

       "In which case," Ayato turned to her, "it will be marked as a violation of the rules, one step closer to not retrieving your shell. As I said, you have to think of me as your precious object, while I do not have to think of you as anything, so no, I am not obligated to give you all the details about what I do. You just have to follow me and my orders."

       "Ugh," Caiome sighed, "and I thought you'd be a bit more fun."

       "I would not categorize my responsibilities as fun," he said in a tone a bit too serious for Caiome's taste.

       "Really?" she said. "Intrigue between clans? Secret wars? Investigations? Gathering information? Deception? Those are the best parts when it comes to people with power and wealth like you."

       "Sometimes I wonder in what circumstances you have been put against officials of nations," he muttered as if he couldn't believe it.

       "They're long stories," she waved her hand as if only when she thought about those times she would laugh and enjoy herself in a selfish and adrenaline-filled way.

       "Tell me then," Ayato suddenly said, and Caiome looked at him abruptly.

       It wasn't exactly a smile, but probably something driven more by curiosity than anything else. Caiome could understand the feeling because she too became curious about many things, only she called it gathering information about one subject or another. That was her nature, which brought her a lot of knowledge about different fields that eventually opened many doors for her, using everything to her advantage. So Ayato had to do the same. Although it was strange at the same time.

       "Haven't your spies given you a complete report about me?" she flapped her hand. "I don't need to tell you anything."

       "I am drawn to details as well," he said with exceptional calm. "And the information I received from my spies is merely objective evidence. It is a different thing when you hear the stories from someone who has committed them."

       "Like some sort of interrogation or trial?"

       "Something like that."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, studying him, and his eyelashes stood out again, the way they curved more than usual and seemed longer, darker, and more elegant.

       "It doesn't seem fair to me," she suddenly said. "You know a lot about me because of your spies, and you want to know more, but you don't give anything in return. If you want me to tell you things about me that satisfy your curiosity and help you train me better for your hidden purposes, then you'll have to offer something in return, just as I see fit."

       "As you see fit?" Ayato repeated.

       "Only I know how valuable the information I offer you about myself is," she shrugged, raising her chin in an arrogant manner, "so you'll have to pay a price every time I'm available to share something with you. A penny for your thoughts, as they say." She turned to him with a grin that clearly showed that all this bargaining was going to be to her advantage. "So, do we conclude this deal, Ayato?"

        Ayato suddenly felt perplexed because he knew what Caiome was doing. Just as he had coerced, or rather instigated her, in the funeral chamber to ask her to make a deal with him, she was now doing the same, paraphrasing his words. However, as her expression indicated, there was surely something more in her mind than just exchanging information about each other, and she wasn't driven solely by her typical curiosity. Caiome had asked him to give something in return, which meant he didn't have to provide information about himself, but Caiome could ask for anything else, like material things or favors, which was a dangerous ground because she was unpredictable and didn't back down even when it came to bigger things; like holding onto his leg in the Great Hall or drawing her sword and fighting him in front of all the minor clans; or barging in just to challenge them face to face in any kind of battle.

       "I will think about it," was his only response, which came out rather monotonous for Caiome's taste.

       Usually, when she instigated someone to make a deal with her, the other person would try their best to show that they knew what they were doing and that there was no need to be cautious because they could outsmart the chest-puffed girl with that grin on her face.

Chapter Text

Chapter 24 ~ The  Shuumatsuban Guards and the  Ramad aleizam

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       When they approached the Konda village, Ayato gave an order to bypass it. Caiome didn't ask questions because she wasn't particularly curious, but she could see Mizuki's house from a distance. Uta and her mother were in the backyard, gathering weeds that grew among the vegetables, while the girl's father stood in the wooden prism of the house, holding something handmade in his arms, but Caiome couldn't see what it was.

       They all seemed to be smiling, and Mizuki's father seemed to be no longer in pain, but sadness could be read on his face. She lingered her gaze on them, then turned back to their path. Her horse had been doing well so far. It had not hesitated to start the journey or to descend the mountain or to pass through the forest, so she didn't understand why Toshirou and the other guards had called it crazy. She stroked its strong neck and mane, letting herself get lost in thoughts.

        She hadn't been able to talk to Mizuki even once since the discussion between him and Ayato where she had hidden behind a screen to avoid being seen and to hear everything, from words to tone of voice and hesitations in Mizuki's answears. She had opportunities to approach him, but she tried to occupy her mind with something else, and maybe leaving the estate with Ayato was a better option as for now.

       "Usually, I tend to avoid villages leading to the city," Ayato suddenly spoke.

       "Hm?" Caiome raised her gaze to him, looking as if she hadn't heard him. "What?" she asked again.

       "I said that villagers get very agitated when it comes to a company passing through their village, so I prefer to bypass," he repeated.

        Caiome gently spurred her horse, reaching Ayato's side, as if she could hide from him that way.

        "I see," was all she said, passing by him.

       When they got near the city, Ayato gave the same order to bypass it and enter on horseback a shorter route that wasn't accessible to as many civilians, so the guards promptly nodded in agreement with a "yes, my lord", being led by Lord Kamisato himself. They climbed a side hill and, entering a somewhat lonely but very elegantly paved stone path, Caiome soon found herself in front of immense walls rising above them, and behind them was the mansion. Slowly but surely, they reached the gates of the front courtyard, a gate on which Caiome recognized a symbol belonging to a clan that was part of the Kanjou Commission and one of the sub-clans that answered to the Hiiragi family, the clan that led the Commission.

       Well, Caiome expected this whole visit to be about business. In fact, she didn't think there would be another motive involved, but she didn't expect it to be about the Kanjou Commission either.

       One of the residence guards greeted them just before they reached the gates entirely, nodding his head, holding his spear close. He had harsh features and an oddly fixed expression.

       "Welcome, my lord," he said, as Ayato dismounted from Hakumai, followed by his guards. Caiome followed them and dismounted, while other employees approached and took hold of the horses' harnesses to lead them to the stables during the visit. "Lord and Lady Kashiro await for you in the backyard garden."

       "Of course," Ayato said with a very approachable smile. "My guards will stay nearby, while Miss Caiome here will accompany me during the meeting," he added, gesturing towards Caiome, and the guard nodded again just as a rather young employee suddenly grabbed the reins of her horse.

       The stallion took a few steps back, pulling its head up and neighing, at which point Caiome pulled back on them, and everyone quickly turned their gaze towards them.

       "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, frowning at the boy who almost hid behind a guard from his own residence in fear, while Caiome grabbed the horse's muzzle, trying to calm it.

       "I just... wanted to..."

       "Don't grab him like that," she said harshly, her eyes darting for a second to Ayato, who no longer had the polite expression he had shown earlier, but instead fixed her with his gaze as if trying to convey orders telepathically.

       Well, if he wanted her to behave nicely, he should have told her beforehand. But Caiome caught on to what he wanted to say, so she sighed.

       "He's young," she said to the frightened boy. "And he's not used to different people, I'm trying to teach him, so don't move too abruptly around him. Give him a carrot and try to pet him. If he refuses your touch, don't touch him, just give him a carrot and lead him gently."

        "I understand," the boy said, and Caiome handed him the harnesses.

       She would have wanted to take the steed to the stables herself because she had already grown too attached to him to leave him in someone else's hands, but it seemed Ayato had been serious when he told her she needed to stay with him constantly. Not to mention... something seemed suspicious to Caiome here. Why would Ayato need her for a morning visit with a family he most likely was finalizing partnerships with? A bodyguard had its role when it was necessary to intervene in a situation that could lead to violence, not in political meetings that Caiome knew nothing about.

       This time the boy took the harnesses much more gently and began to lead the stallion very slowly along with the others, towards the back entrance that would lead to the Kashiro family's personal stables.

        "This way, please," the first guard said, showing them the way.

        "Keep your eyes open," Ayato whispered once Caiome reached him.

        Clean business, my foot.

        Although it seemed to be a well-maintained residence, it was much smaller than Ayato's. Probably because the Kashiro family didn't own as much land as he did and because it was within the city limits, which didn't allow for such a large spread.

       Finally, they reached a terrace similar to the one at the Kamisato residence, but smaller and with more decorations. At a square table in the center sat a couple probably ten to fifteen years older than Ayato who got up from the colorful cushions once they saw Caiome and Ayato. Approaching, the two of them made a short bow, and Ayato did the same.

       "We're glad you could come this morning, Lord Kamisato," the man said, a thin but tall man with a short beard and slightly thinning hair, but bright eyes. "I don't believe you've met my wife before," he gestured towards Lady Kashiro, a plump woman, but with a beautifully shaped waist due to what Caiome had to endure when wearing the Youkai costume, an elastic band that squeezed all her organs together. Except this woman seemed to breathe better.

       "Good morning, Lord Kamisato," the woman said. "My name is Hinata Kashiro."

       Caiome frowned slightly at her. Her brunette hair was tied in a braided bun that seemed to shine, and her face was too bright for that time of the morning.

       "I am pleased to meet you, Lady Kashiro," Ayato said with a smile, then turned half-way to Caiome. "Let me introduce Miss Caiome, an official who works under my name and my bodyguard."

       "Bodyguard?" Lord Kashiro asked surprised. "Has something happened recently that you need a bodyguard?"

       "Something has happened," Ayato said without hesitation. "But do not worry, it has nothing to do with the Kashiro family or the Kanjou Commission."

       "I see," Fuji Kashiro said. "It's nice to meet you then, Miss Caiome."

       "Same," Caiome said, standing with her arms crossed over her chest, and everyone stared at her, waiting. "What?" she said.

       Ayato chuckled lightly. "I apologize, my lord and lady. It's her first day of work, she is not used to courtesies or even... good manners yet," he said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

       Did this man really expect her to behave like a role model in society? These people were strangers to her, she had no reason to show them respect.

       "She will learn eventually," Ayato continued, and Caiome sighed, dropping her hands by her sides, then made a short nod of her head.

       "Good day," she mumbled.

       "Let's sit down," Lord Kashiro said, inviting them to the small table which had only three cushions instead of four, so Caiome sat on the floor.

        On it were three small teacups, delicate to the touch, and a servant approached and poured each a cup of tea. Lady Kashiro requested another cup of tea for Caiome, coughing slightly, and the servant immediately complied. It hadn't been more than a minute before a cup without a handle was placed in front of Caiome, and the tea, which had a very pleasant golden color, was poured. Caiome took it in her hand and sniffed the tea before taking a tiny sip. She glanced at Ayato from the corner of her eye, a quick move but one that she noticed, and Caiome put the cup back on the table.

        While the others sat on their knees with their backs straight, Caiome crossed her legs under her, holding her sword to her chest, looking around at the flowers surrounding the terrace and the ocean visible if you looked carefully beyond the wooden walls.

       "As you know," Ayato began, "the Shakunetsu no Taiyō festival is approaching, and this year I thought we should do something different regarding the costumes of the Yashiro Commission's animators. I have heard that in two days you will need to place an order for textiles all the way from Fontaine, and since the Yashiro Commission has already finalized several contracts in the past, I want to open a route to the Ritou port for transporting large quantities of textiles during the festival."

       "Of course, my lord, but..." Kashiro began, "why did you need this meeting? The Yashiro Commission already has several transportation routes, as for any issues concerning the borders, you could have spoken directly with Lady Hiiragi or even with the Takeshi family, considering they have direct contact with transport ships and cargo registration."

       "Since you mainly deal with textile transportation, I also wanted to ask for your opinion on what materials I could procure from Fontaine. Since the borders opened, I have had very little contact with the Fontaine industry compared to you, so I came here with the purpose of exchanging information."

       "Ah, I see, I see," Lord Kashiro laughed, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

       Was this man new in business or what?

       Meanwhile, his wife looked very attentive, with a polite smile on her face that stretched her red lipstick, while servants brought tea and snacks. Lady Kashiro waved her hand slightly, signaling them to leave, but she didn't let Ayato out of her sight for even a second, fixing him with her deep and slightly darkened eyes. From her came a perfume that Caiome had only smelled once in her life, when she had almost been intoxicated, and the way the accessories reflected light was different from the usual hairpins, seeming to be made by a different technique.

       Caiome looked around. Ayato had brought guards with him, but they weren't even near their lord.

        A servant with a white, powdered face approached and poured another cup of tea for Lady Kashiro, coughing slightly, then withdrew just as quickly as she appeared, while the conversation continued further.

        More than half an hour later, when Caiome was about to fall asleep sitting on the floor, Ayato stood up, and she couldn't be more grateful. She had wished so many times to get up and leave, at least to walk through the family gardens, but Ayato seemed to read her thoughts every time, sneaking his hand under the table and grabbing her by the pants or the whole leg. Somehow he managed not to give anything away to the two hosts who were very attentive to the conversation, while Caiome struggled with him under the table to let her go, engaging in a few battles of glares with him. And when Ayato wasn't holding her leg, Caiome squirmed, straightened her back, changed the position of her legs, and ended up sitting with her arms crossed over her sword, leaning on it or with her elbow on the table.

       Many times both Lord and Lady Kashiro looked at her in an extraordinarily strange way, starting to adjust their voices, as if Caiome was supposed to understand some message from it.

       "In that case," Ayato said as Lord Kashiro made a short bow alongside his wife, "I hope we will only hear good things about the transportation."

       "Of course, my lord," Lord Kashiro said. "As soon as I find out the date the ship will arrive in the Ritou port, I will inform you."

       "Thank you, Lord Kashiro," Ayato smiled at him, then turned to Caiome, who sighed heavily as she got up from that cushion that didn't do its job properly, considering how much her bottom hurt. "Shall we go?"

       "Finally," Caiome mumbled.

       Ayato greeted the two once again, then turned, walking almost shoulder to shoulder with Caiome towards the front gate where their horses were already waiting. Ayato remained silent the entire way to the exit, then the entire way out of the city.

       "Was that the only thing you had to do here today?" Caiome asked. Her tone indicated she was nervous, tired, and irritated, especially after being forced to sit on her cushion for more than half an hour. She drank so much tea out of boredom that her bladder was about to burst, and she still had quite a long way to go back to the residence.

       "An important task," Ayato said, "that I could not afford to miss."

       "Something you couldn't afford to miss?" Caiome asked, throwing a glance back at the solemn guards walking behind them. She lifted her chin. "I don't believe you," she said. "Talking about opening transportation routes belonging to the Yashiro Commission? The man was right, you could have discussed directly with Hiiragi Chisato."

       "I preferred to speak directly with the one in charge of textile transportation," Ayato smiled at her as if he hadn't said anything wrong. "I did not want to interfere in his affairs without him knowing what it was about."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, then displayed a smile. "So, where were your precious Shuumatsuban guards until now?"

        Ayato lost his smile, turning to look at her and tilting his head slightly, as if telling her to keep her mouth shut, or at least not to speak so loudly, considering they were still near human settlements, such as the Ryoshi village not far from Inazuma, somewhere northwest, between the city and the Konda village. Not that anyone could hear them if they talked about secrets, but Ayato always liked to be cautious and keep discussions about the Shuumatsuban within his residence, only occasionally on the field when needed.

       Nevertheless, the guards behind Caiome fidgeted slightly, looking at the two with great attention and their ears perked up. Caiome let a smile cover her lips.

       "You thought I wouldn't figure it out?" she asked. "Even their horses walk as if stepping on clouds." She turned her gaze to the road. "They wear armor, but none of them makes any noise, not even when stepping on the ground, and then... A lord who takes his guards with him, but they're not around him? You didn't lie to the Kashiro family's guards that they would stay in a different location from us, but during that time, they probably rummaged through their residence. So what was the exact purpose of this visit? Because I don't think it was about transportation routes."

       Ayato turned his gaze away from her, leading Hakumai down the side road, avoiding villages and staying out of sight. Then he chuckled, the kind of laughter that made Caiome frown because it wasn't a mischievous one, as she had gotten used to so far, but one genuinely amused.

       "Well, I cannot say I'm surprised," he said. "In fact, I had my expectations regarding you. But we will talk more when we get home."

       And Ayato took it seriously when he said that because no matter what Caiome told him or asked him, Ayato wouldn't answer her. He just looked at her from time to time, but he didn't indicate much. Caiome tried to read him, listening to his heartbeat, but Ayato didn't show any signs of being agitated or even impatient. He kept his back straight, his gaze fixed, and the harnesses with a rather atrocious elegance. All Caiome could hear was the wind passing by her ears, the horses' steps, and feel the guards' gaze on her neck.

       Many times she turned to them, giving them a nasty look, and they immediately averted their eyes. It was clear as day that the four members of the Shuumatsuban were part of the information gathering branch, a branch that required subtlety, light steps, distributed attention, and a talent for disguise. And they did a wonderful job It was not the disguise that gave them away, but the habit of walking and looking around, listening, and trying to make themselves as small as possible. They weren't masters of disguise, but probably the kind of spies who crept in the night. Therefore, someone keeping such a close eye on them made them feel uncomfortable.

       Finally, Caiome gave them a smile, turning away from them for the last time before reaching back to the estate.

       She left her steed in the box to be unharnessed by Toshirou, and at the first opportunity, she went to the bathroom. She managed to meet Ayato again just as he, followed by one of the four accompanying guards, made his way to his office.

       "Maybe you would like to accompany us," the lord chuckled, and Caiome gave him a fake smile.

       "And lose the boredom? Anytime," she mumbled.

       Arriving in the office, Ayato took his seat, while Caiome stepped aside, beginning to examine the files placed on the shelves and the small decorations meant to give the room a more solemn atmosphere, but from an artistic point of view, such as paintings hung on canvas on the walls, porcelain figurines, long thin boxes in which writing instruments and similar items were placed.

       Once Ayato settled on the cushion on his knees, beginning to check the files in front of him, the spy dropped to one knee, pressing his fist to the ground, while the other hand rested on his raised knee.

       "What is the situation?" Ayato asked.

       "Yes, my lord," the spy responded. "We found nothing suspicious within the Kashiro residence that would betray their illegal dealings. We searched every corner within our reach. The residence is clean."

       Caiome suddenly became attentive, picking up a fox-shaped trinket.

       Ayato remained silent for several long seconds, then sighed, deep in thought. "I understand," he said finally. "Take the Shuumatsuban, investigate the Natlan-bound transport vessels of the Kanjou Commission again. Do not let Hiiragi Chisato learn about you, understood?"

       The guardian gave a sharp nod. "Yes, sir," he said, then stood up.

       He turned to Caiome and gave another strong, almost stern nod, then turned and left the office, only for Thoma to enter after politely greeting him, to which the guard only responded with a "good morning," not even a bow.

       "My lord," Thoma said as Ayato took the brush in his hand, ready to write, "Lady Ayaka asked me to inform you that she just met with Miss Hiratsuka regarding last month's profits."

       "Very well," Ayato said absentmindedly, flipping through the pages of the file one by one, pausing occasionally on some, checking the details.

       "Here's the report," Thoma added, placing the file on the desk, on the pile Ayato probably had to go through by the end of the day.

       "Thank you, Thoma."

       "Also," he began, casting a glance at Caiome, who waved her fingers to him, wearing her new jacket that Thoma still hated, "how did the visit to the Kashiro family go?"

       "You do not need to worry Ayaka with such details," was his only response, and Thoma nodded slightly.

       "So, it's related to the Shuumatsuban?"

       Caiome knew from Ayaka herself that Ayato usually didn't let her know anything related to the Shuumatsuban organization, let alone involve her in anything. He didn't even tell Thoma a few details, considering Thoma was closer to Lady Ayaka than to Lord Kamisato, so he would have blurted it out to her to give her the latest news. For this purpose, Ayato was smart not to say anything to anyone and keep everything within his Shuumatsuban circle.

       "Please do not insist," Ayato said a bit coldly, still seeming pensive. "Thank you for the report. I will get back to my tasks now, and you should do too."

       Thoma bowed, gave Caiome one last glance, then left the office. Once he did, Caiome threw herself on her knees in front of the table, resting her elbows on the desk, almost spilling ink from the wakan over all his papers.

       "Now are you going to tell me?" she said, smiling and even excited. "There's a conspiracy involved, isn't it? That's why you went on such a ceremonial visit."

       "You should mind your own business," Ayato told her.

       "Which just means staying around you all day? I don't think so. Especially when I can help you."

       Ayato finally lifted his gaze to her, curious.

       "Now have I caught your attention?" she said. "Hmph, but if you don't want my opinion, I'll be silent." She put her hands on her hips, turning her back to him, leaning on the table. "Even if that means you could be fooled so easily."

       Ayato sighed. "If you have something to say, just say it," he requested. "I do not have time to waste."

       "Only if you ask nicely," she said over her shoulder. Ayato wrinkled his nose at her, then focused his gaze back on the paper, as if refusing. "Fine, then!" she turned excitedly. "But you should consider that if I hadn't been so bored, I wouldn't have told you this. You're looking for Fuji Kashiro for illegal activities, right? But your spy said they found nothing. That's because they didn't look where they should have," she shrugged. "They should have looked in the most subtle possible place, one that attracts attention only to be admired, but not noticed, otherwise the purpose would be lost."

       "Such as?" Ayato asked.

       "Oh, gods," she said. "You are wearing makeup yourself, and yet you didn't think to pay attention to the servants' complexions?"

       Ayato frowned slightly.

       "Your spies shouldn't have searched the residence rooms, but the servants' houses."

       "I can already tell you could never do a report that has a beginning and an end," Ayato said.

       "What I'm trying to say is," Caiome insisted, leaning even more on the table, "the workshops in Hanamizaka are kept under observation by the Kanjou Commission because certain transports from outside are facilitated through the Commission, as they need to keep track of border records, right? As for Fuji Kashiro, who deals with textiles, they should oversee the stores with clothing, linens, and festive items. Normally, this would mean that each transport is checked at customs by the Commission, but it's so easy to hide objects under all those rolls of fabric.

       "I know," Ayato said. "That is where my premise originated."

       "But here's where I disagree," Caiome said, leaning even further on the table. "Makeup doesn't necessarily need to be hidden to pass customs without raising suspicion. Since when do customs officers know what makeup means? I think that's what you're looking for, if you ask me, a type of illegal business that doesn't involve the lord, but his wife. In short, not Fuji Kashiro is conducting illegal business, but Hinata Kashiro. Like a man who doesn't seem to follow the same rules of courtesy as you," she continued with a smile, "Fuji Kashiro doesn't have to stick his nose into his wife's shipments, who wanted to procure a powder so white to lighten her complexion. The powder she weares on her face is not makeup, and certainly not a legal substance."

       Ayato maintained his gaze on Caiome for a moment.

       "Ramad aleizam. Bone powder," he said.

       "From the desert," Caiome continued, "where bones can be found plentifully but affected by the harsh climate of Sumeru. As long as you come into contact with that powder, not only does it cause coughing, but also irritation and most often fever that can lead to infection. Swallowing it can lead to almost instant death, inhaling the particles has some milder effects, all because the marrow is not removed, because first and foremost it shouldn't be used for such purposes. It's not the first time I've seen it on the market, however, certainly not on the surface society markets."

       "Are you saying you found it on the Black Market?" Ayato asked.

       "Oh, please," Caiome said, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm the one who brought it to the Black Market. Ramad aleizam may be an illegal substance, but it's powerful. All the more reason it can cause a painful death."

       "Then why did you mention the servants?"

       "Hmm," Caiome pondered. "The servants seemed to be in worse condition than Lady Kashiro. She must have known about certain effects, so she preferred to test it first before wearing it herself. It should be noted that inhaling the powder doesn't act immediately. Swallowing it does, but not inhalation. It can take from five weeks to a few months. Even the cough was mild," she murmured, thinking again of the servant who served Lady Kashiro tea for the second time.

       "She must have heard of the effects before purchasing it," Ayato said. "She would not have exposed herself to something so harmful."

       "It's about beauty," she shrugged. "Let's face it, Hinata Kashiro is not a particularly beautiful woman. And her pale complexion, which was probably her only quality, begins to fade from days spent in the sun, from certain foods, and so on. The woman is desperate. But she's not foolish enough to keep such substances in her own home, for which she could be penalized if discovered."

       "So most likely she bribed the servants to keep the packages of ramad aleizam. If the Kashiro family were the target of investigations, the servants would not be suspected unless these substances were found in the servants' rooms within the residence. And if the officers were to question them, by the time they obtained a search warrant, the servants could easily get rid of the evidence by spreading the powder everywhere, making it impossible to find."

       "Exactly," Caiome said. "In moments like these, the servants wouldn't care about money or status anymore. And if Lady Kashiro were to dismiss them and not offer them a chance for a post at least as well-paid for another noble family, the servants could adopt the 'If I fall, you'll fall with me' principle. They would confess everything and blame it all on Lady Kashiro, accusing her that the lady blackmailed them, threatening with firing them."

       "Meaning only a few trusted servants should have such substances," Ayato continued.

       "Well, we already know of two," Caiome sighed. "The two who served us tea today. But they need to be caught off guard."

       Ayato scanned the table for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Koshi," he said softly, and through the window came a member of Shuumatsuban dressed in all black, as Caiome had wanted and dreamed once she becomes one of them. But someone... forced her to be a bodyguard.

       The spy took the same position as the earlier guard, with one knee bent and a fist on the ground. His face was half-covered, and he had a short, but fluffy, tail of dark color. He seemed young, with a slender body, tall, and fluid movements.

       "Yes, my lord."

       "The two servants from today," Ayato said, "find out their schedule for tomorrow, and when they have a... free window, bring them to me."

       Caiome had to know that there weren't only four Shuumatsuban members on their trails, playing the role of disguise and not some shadows.

       "Yes, my lord."

       "By the way," he continued before Koshi took his leave, rising only slightly, standing behind Lord Kamisato, next to the window through which he came, "I would like to make official introductions, considering you both will be in my presence quite often from now on. Caiome, this is Koshi. He—"

       "You have the oak symbol," Caiome said, resting her elbows on the table, crossing her fingers to her lips, looking at him with a smile. "The oak rising from the earth."

       Koshi made a short bow. "I am honored," he said.

       "Why?" she frowned. "Because you were put in a brooch? I was forced to learn about you, you know?"

       Koshi just nodded.

       "Koshi," Ayato continued, "this is Caiome, who, unfortunately, does not have any symbol, considering she is just my bodyguard."

       The smile on his face made Caiome want to punch him. "Because someone didn't let me. But that doesn't mean I didn't make one for myself," she lifted her chin.

       "Oh?" Ayato said. "Then, show us your symbol," he pointed to the brush and the empty papers on the table. "There you go."

       "I won't fall for your trap," she said. "I'll show it when the time is right."

       "That is because you do not know how to write it, do you?" Ayato teased.

       "And even if I did, I wouldn't show you," she crossed her arms over her chest. "It's a secret."

       "Of course," Ayato said. "And you will not need it anyway since you will not have much contact with the Shuumatsuban members. You can just call her Caiome," he told Koshi, who bowed his head, taking a step back. He wasn't sure what he had just witnessed between his lord and his right hand.

       "It's like you want to tease me," Caiome said.

       "Maybe I do," Ayato responded.

       "My lord," Koshi said softly, "what about the papyrus transport? We haven't detected it yet."

       "You mean this?" Caiome said, pulling the scroll of paper from her jacket's inner pocket, which she took a few weeks ago from Ritou's port. Both Koshi and Ayato looked and blinked at the scroll of paper. "What?" she said. "The theft rule applies since you imposed those stupid rules, not before."

       Ayato sighed, resting his forehead in his fingers. He already had a headache, and now he had to deal with the fact that a piece of the illegal paper transportation he discovered some time ago was in Caiome's hands...

       "Are you aware that you are putting us in the same position as Masaru Yamamoto?"

       "You mean the guy who said he could handle a busniess on his own and failed miserably and whom you forbade from making paper transports from outside without your knowing and, obviously, the papyrus was brought here without your knowledge?" she laughed. "Yeah, I'm aware, but you have to admit, this is a very good papyrus."

        Ayato reached for the papyrus scroll, but Caiome quickly pulled back. "Hey, it's mine."

       Ayato closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Do not make my day even harder. Papyrus has a specific smell. If hunting dogs can catch it, we can find the reserves kept by the Yamamoto family."

       "And why should I give it to you?" Caiome huffed.

       "Because otherwise, I will fire you altogether, how about that?" Ayato snapped suddenly, and Caiome realized he wasn't in the mood for games with her that day.

       She rolled her eyes, then handed it over. Ayato made a gesture with his fingers, and Koshi took the papyrus scroll. Caiome gripped it and pulled back when Koshi put his hand on it.

       "I want it back later," she said.

       "No," Ayato said immediately, and Caiome had no choice but to let go.

       "You owe me a scroll of papyrus."

       "Go," Ayato told Koshi, and he just bowed and disappeared from the office just as he came.

       Caiome waited until the wind calmed down, then moved closer to Ayato's table. "I want to go too," she said.

       "Where?" Ayato asked calmly, starting to read his papers again, holding his brush between his fingers.

       "With Koshi, to bring the servants, obivously."

       Ayato glanced at her through his long eyelashes, then returned his gaze to the papers. "No," he said.

       "Why?" she complained.

       "Because that is not your responsibility," he said. "Your responsibility is to stay by my side until I let you go or no longer need you. That is why you are my bodyguard."

       "I'm a bodyguard because you don't want to let me go on missions like those in the Shuumatsuban," she pouted. "You know I don't like to stay in one place, especially not in a room as... well, not small, but full as this, so you want to punish me and make me suffer."

       Ayato gave her a smirk. "Look how clever you are," he said. "You understood right away. By the way, these are yours," he handed her the file Toshirou left for her regarding the steed. "You should find him a name as soon as possible."

       "Hmph," she said, snatching the folder from his hand. "I've already chosen one," she began writing in the folder with her precious quill. "But I won't tell you."

      "I did not ask," Ayato said.

      Caiome looked at him and suddenly closed the folder. "You're not as smart as you think you are, you know that, right?" she asked.

       "Caiome, I am sure you have some incredibly and interesting arguments about my low intelligence, but right now I do not have the time or desire to listen to you because I have too much work to do," he murmured, looking at the papers.

       Caiome clenched her fists because no, she didn't like being ignored when she was looking for an argument. She just stood up, left the file on one of the shelves, and put her hands over her chest.

       "Status? To show how noble you are?" she began. "Oh, please. You don't sleep, that's why you are wearing makeup, to cover your eyebags and the redness surrounding your eyes. And even if you try to lie about it, covering yourself with makeup and excuses about being noble is pathetic," she finally threw herself into a corner of the room.

       Ayato didn't seem to pay attention, and Caiome felt even more frustrated. And that made her, implicitly, not to pay attention to Ayato, or at least to notice his short glances he threw her way without saying anything.

Chapter Text

Chapter 25 ~ The Spy and the Lord's Room

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       Caiome spent hours doing nothing in Ayato's office. And she couldn't even leave, considering Ayato strictly forbade her from exiting the room. "What's the point of having a bodyguard anyway if you're within the estate perimeter swarming with guards?" she wondered. "It is the bodyguard's responsibility to always be near the one they are supposed to protect," Ayato had said, and Caiome raised an eyebrow.

       "I don't think you've ever had a bodyguard before," she remarked.

       "Before," Ayato repeated.

       "And you managed just fine without one," she commented, but Ayato didn't say anything further, returning to his tasks.

      They were MANY, Caiome noticed. She always found it ridiculous how much time Ayato spent dealing with these matters, staying away from home for days and barely seeing him in these two months. She found it stupid what a slave to responsibilities he was. And that's precisely why Caiome disliked meddling in politics. She sometimes stumbled upon tangled situations herself that required careful handling, of course, but not situations like "festival activities," "market profit," "Commission influence," "land governance," or "staff distribution." She usually adhered to the "divide and conquer" principle, and if that didn't work, she charged straight ahead and always managed to come out unscathed.

       While Ayato sat for hours on a violet cushion, embroidered with golden threads along the edges, using at least a quarter of an inkwell. How could he still have the mood to sit and copy poems? Or read. Or whatever else he did while sitting down. Caiome would have gone mad.

       And that was precisely why she spun around like a drunk duck throughout the entire office. Occasionally, she would go to the window, stand on the terrace, and look at everything from a distance, because she couldn't stray too far from Ayato... who seemed to know what he was doing, forcing her to stay with him.

       At least when she worked as a maid, Caiome could go anywhere. Almost anywhere... But at least she wasn't stuck in a tiny square while the world opened up in front of her. She could have at least stood on her little bridge... but when she wanted to do that, Ayato would sing her name, as innocent as he could, and Caiome had no choice.

       She already had a few violations. She shouldn't be impatient. It was one matter to run off and solve certain problems in the city, and another to break the rules just because... She would have broken the rules anyway. She felt like a dog on a leash.

       "I just want to visit Seishin," she complained, pouting.

       "Who?" Ayato asked.

       "My horse?" she said as if it were obvious.

       "It's an... interesting name," Ayato said, still not looking up from his papers.

       "More interesting than yours at least," she commented, feeling slightly offended. "Who names their animal after rice?"

       Ayato sighed, letting his writing brush down, crossing his fingers, and looking at Caiome as if he, too, were offended in turn. Caiome almost laughed at how his cheeks turned slightly red, as if suddenly, from the lord who stood for hours with his back straight in front of a desk, he became a child who didn't like you teasing his pony.

       "Its name," he began with dignity, "means 'white rice,' which in turn means wealth, abundance, and prosperity, the purest form of rice through its clean color. And it suits him very well," he added with a trace of pride. "Hakumai is docile, obedient, quick, agile, elegant, and worthy of being a lord's horse. Even his gaze is cleaner and more charming than many people full of hypocrisy and false loyalty."

       "Oh, my, did I hit a nerve?" she laughed.

       Ayato looked at her for a few seconds, trying not to show any expression, then took back his brush in his hand.

       "Oh, come on," she said, crawling on all fours to the front of the desk. "I was just teasing you. Have you had Hakumai for a long time?" she asked.

       Ayato adjusted his voice slightly. "I need to get back to work and I need to concentrate. Please refrain from talking to me."

       Caiome grumbled. "I was just asking a question," she muttered. "And trying to make conversation." She retreated to her place near the shelves, leaning back on her hands. "It just seemed like you enjoy talking about him, so I was trying to take advantage of that."

       But Ayato didn't respond, although the brush hesitated slightly in the air above the sheets of paper.

       Mitsuko, Ayato's personal servant, who was also mute but not deaf, brought them lunch. Caiome had tried to seize the moment and run out the door, but Ayato almost caught her by the collar and pulled her back before she could leave, while Mitsuko set up the two tables. Caiome hadn't eaten the chef's food until then, or at least not while it was hot, and Mizuki was probably right, the food really was spectacular.

       Caiome was also surprised that she was served the same dishes as Ayato: smoked trout with spices, donburi rice, tempura shrimp, and tamagoyaki. Mitsuko then poured them some sake into small cups. While Caiome gulped hers down, Ayato took small sips, savoring the taste; and while Ayato ate the fish with an almost macabre elegance, Caiome dug her fingers directly into it, eating it with her hands and dipping it in sauce until her hands were dirty, licking her fingers. Ayato kept his back straight as if he were still reading files, while Caiome sat on her bottom, with one leg bent beside her, hunched over and as close to the food as possible, to smell it.

       "It's so good," she said at one point. "It reminds me of this guy from Sumeru who sat by the roadside and grilled fish all day, then took them and walked around the village, trying to sell them. They were pretty good, but a bit dry. Did you know Fontaine is trying to recreate the tamagoyaki from Inazuma? Of course, they didn't succeed, at least it doesn't taste the same. But they settle for it. Hey, since you've started cultural exchanges, maybe teach them some culinary dishes too. I haven't eaten so royally in a long time. I think the last time was two years ago, when I entered the house of a lord from Natlan. You should have seen their faces when they saw the pantry empty," she chuckled.

       Ayato, on the other hand, responded dryly, only with replies like "Really?" "Indeed" and "I understand," seeming not very attentive, but at least Caiome could talk without being told to shut the hell up.

      When Ayato finished eating, Mitsuko approached him and began to make some signs with her hands and fingers, and Caiome frowned. She looked at her own hands, trying to copy the movements, but she couldn't even remember what Mitsuko did. She knew that this was her way to communicate, through sign language, but it was even more impressive that Ayato understood enough to answear to her.

       "Of course," Ayato said with a smile, and Mitsuko began to gather all the half-empty plates of her lord and completely empty and licked plates of Caiome's, then withdrew from the office.

       Caiome was about to say something, but Ayato ignored her, turning back to his desk.

       Her freedom came with dinner when Mitsuko didn't come to bring her anything to eat. Instead, Ayato got up from his desk and told Caiome she could go eat with the other servants. Caiome left the office as if she had just been released from a cell she had been in for the last ten years. She wasn't exactly hungry, but she was craving and curious to see what the servants were eating if Ayato received something so tasty.

       Hurrying through the halls and turning the corner, she almost bumped into a Mizuki who had just returned from the dining hall where the servants gathered, dropping a box from which spilled several pieces of soap wrapped in smaller packages.

       "Sorry," Mizuki said quickly, making eye contact with her only for a second. He lowered his gaze, then bent down, starting to gather the soap packages, which seemed to be at least two dozen.

       Caiome looked down at him as he began to throw the little packages back into the box, therefore not all fitting, at least not enough to close the box properly and make it presentable. He seemed very rushed to gather his things and leave, and Caiome was confused about the reason. She and Mizuki hadn't spoken since they had somewhat argued on the bridge; they hadn't spoken even after Ayato made everything okay. And Mizuki didn't even want to look at her.

       Caiome sighed as Mizuki placed the last few packages back into the box, and she sat down on the floor, pulling the box towards her. She began to empty it silently, then arranged the soap packages.

       "I saw your father today as I was heading to the city," she said. "He looked... well, without pain."

       "Uh... yeah," Mizuki replied, also starting to arrange the packages, now somewhat calmer. "He's feeling better now."

       "I see," was all she said, then Mizuki took the box and they both stood up at the same time, looking at each other.

       It wasn't like her to approach things like this. Usually, she was more volcanic, even she knew that, but it wasn't like she could control herself. But looking at Mizuki, perhaps they were no longer friends, and that's probably why Caiome didn't behave... like her. She hadn't had too many friends, and when people turned their backs and left, she wasn't bothered by it, because ultimately, everyone lived for themselves. She had done that for years. That's why she tried to keep her distance from Mizuki, or at least not judge his choice to stay away from her.

       But there was still a difference. Mizuki had been her only entertainment for weeks, the only one who bothered to say a few words to her and the only one who listened when she had something to say, even responding to her. He had gotten into some trouble with her and tried to defend her in front of Ayato, making everything seem sincere. And Caiome didn't like the monotony of the past few days. Not only did she now have to constantly stay hidden in Ayato's office, but Mizuki also didn't want to talk to her. And besides... Mizuki was actually fun. If he hadn't been, and if Caiome hadn't wanted to be around him, she wouldn't have paid attention to him in the first place.

       "Thanks," Mizuki said, gripping the box better, ready to pass by her.

       Caiome clenched her teeth, then raised her fist and hit Mizuki on the forehead with the knuckles of her fingers.

       "Why are you such a scaredy-cat?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest, while Mizuki suddenly took a step back, rubbing his forehead and looking at Caiome with watery eyes, like a deer.

       "I... uh..."

       "Do you have something to tell me?" she pressed him. "Your conversation with Ayato seemed to go quite well, but now you can't even look at me."

       Mizuki's eyes widened, and Caiome sighed.

       "Oh, that," he said, remembering that in the end, she and Lord Kamisato had conspired regarding the whole situation with the jewels and the money. And of course, she needed to know what he had discussed with Lord Kamisato too, considering he also involved her to some extent.

       "So?" she urged him. "At least if you want to avoid me from now on, tell me to my face. I prefer people to be straightforword."

       "I know," Mizuki said, trying to find his words. "It's just that I'm not sure how to say it exactly."

       "Just spit it out," she said impatiently. "That's what friends do, right? Or at least, if we're still friends. If not, I understand—"

      "It's not that!" Mizuki said quickly. "I mean, for me at least, we are friends, it's just that... I misjudged you. To be honest, I misinterpreted your actions. I thought you just wanted to show that you could do something your way, regardless of the methods, and that's why I disagreed. Of course, things could have been done differently, but I guess I didn't see that you were just trying to help me. And I probably wouldn't have seen it if Lord Kamisato hadn't helped me understand better. It also seems very stupid to me and I'm embarrassed that, even though we spent every day together, I managed to understand you so wrongly, compared to Lord Kamisato whom you barely saw in the weeks you worked as a maid. It seems that my ability to judge character is not as good as I thought. I'm sorry," he added finally.

       Caiome sighed. Suddenly, she grabbed him by the neck with an arm from behind his shoulders, pulling him down and starting to rub the top of his head with the knuckles of her fingers, while Mizuki beat her arm.

       "Ow, ow, ow!" he said, and Caiome laughed.

       "You old fox," she said, then hugged him even tighter with her other arm, swaying with him in the middle of the hallway. "I don't care how you see me," she said finally. "I know who I am and what I do, I know the reasons behind my actions, but... Hmph," she chuckled, "I have to admit, not talking to you for a few days was torture."

       "I don't think it was that bad," Mizuki said.

       "Of course it was. Do you have any idea how boring this house can be when you have no one to talk to?"

       "But you're Lord Kamisato's bodyguard."

       "Which is worse than washing bed linens and meticulously cleaning soldiers' armors," she muttered, then let him go. "What I'm trying to say is, you can interpret my actions however you want. If you want, you can even believe that I helped you with the jewels because you so nicely defended me in front of Ayato when Shikaku pushed me into the pond."

       "Well, it really wasn't your fault back then," he protested.

       "And it's not your fault for your father's or your sister's situation," she said. "And if I do something wrong, that doesn't mean they'll go after you too. My actions are just mine, okay?"

       Mizuki hesitated but nodded in the end.

       "Good. Now," said Caiome, taking the box from his arms, "what's this? Do you need to take them somewhere?"

       "To the riverbed," he said.

       "Perfect, let's go."

       "But... don't you need to be with Lord Kamisato now?"

       "I'm trying to take advantage of any opportunity not to go back there," she muttered. "If he catches me in the office, he'll never let me go. I swear he's only doing it to torture me."

       Mizuki laughed but didn't say anything else, both starting to walk towards the exit of the mansion and towards the back gardens.

       "I saw your sister today too," said Caiome, and their voices began to fade throughout the house. "She was helping your mother in the garden."

       "She likes gardening too," he said, and their words were lost amidst some laughter.

🌸

       Ayaka closed her fan, approaching the corner of the hallway, a small smile spreading across her lips.

       "It never crossed my mind that you enjoy spying so much in your own home, brother," she said to Ayato, who leaned against the wooden edge.

       "It has become a habit lately, especially since I caught the mouse," came his response.

       Ayaka leaned slightly around the corner too, watching Caiome and Mizuki disappear into the other hallways.

       "It seems they have solved their issues," she said. "I must admit, the atmosphere among the staff had become very tense since Mizuki and Caiome argued a few days ago. They started to believe that Caiome had harmed Mizuki, and they would be next, or even one of us two. Especially considering how well they got along before, with Mizuki often defending Caiome, training with her, and spending time together. They even started to consider them close friends."

       "Is that so?" Ayato said, pushing off the wall, turning towards his office.

       Ayaka followed, walking shoulder to shoulder. "I thought so too. Lately, I have noticed that Mizuki was more withdrawn and anxious than usual. I couldn't even address him, but I heard you called him a while ago to talk. What was it about?"

       "Just a little help with his family, nothing more," Ayato replied.

       "Well, at least they both seem happier now. Oh, by the way," she said quickly as they reached the door of the office, and Ayato prepared to enter. "Have you noticed that Caiome has something new to wear? I'm sure I haven't seen that jacket in her possession before, and Caiome seems to wear it a bit proudly. Besides, it's the same jacket Caiome tried to steal from Hanamizaka, but Thoma intercepted it and returned it. How did it end up in her hands again? She asked me if I bought it for her, considering I encouraged her to speak up if she needed something crucial, but I didn't, and neither did Thoma."

       "Hmph," Ayato said thoughtfully. "Caiome hasn't had any opportunities until this morning to go into the city, let alone steal a jacket from a store. And even if she did, Koshi would have reported it to me."

       "You assigned Koshi to watch her?" Ayaka asked, slightly taken aback.

       "Caiome poses a closer danger to us than others, so I needed my best man for it, especially if I do not need him right in that moment. And if he did not see Caiome leave for the city, let alone steal a jacket, it means she got it from somewhere else."

       Ayaka looked down, equally pensive. Then she realized, suddenly looking at Ayato. If Koshi was following Caiome constantly, it means he followed her even on the day Caiome wanted to steal the jacket. So...

       "I will go back to work then," Ayato said before Ayaka could say anything, and her brother retreated and closed the door to the office.

🌸

       Caiome decided to return to Ayato's office around nine in the evening, when Mizuki went home and after she visited Seishin, who had just been braided by Toshirou, who handed over the reins of the horse to its mistress, at her request, of course, showing a respect that felt a bit out of place. In fact, Caiome noticed this everywhere in the estate, whether they were servants, gardeners, or guards. They didn't speak to her or even greet her, and they didn't behave in any exaggerated way, but every time Caiome passed by them, they bowed their heads, whether they were acknowledged or not.

       This was probably because she was now Ayato's bodyguard, and they had to show some respect. On the day Caiome confronted Shikaku, Ayato imposed on everyone that no one was allowed to judge her and punish her except him. And probably now they were afraid that Caiome might snitch on them to Ayato one of these days.

       After visiting Seishin, Caiome trained with Hirotatsu's soldiers, after receiving a ten-minute lecture from the captain that she shouldn't leave her position next to Ayato. To which Caiome replied that Ayato allowed her to leave.

       "To sit at the table with the servants, not to roam around the house," Hirotatsu said.

       "This or that, it's all the same to me," Caiome shrugged.

       Then she wasted time in the garden, enjoying the minutes of peace with a bottle of sake she found in the cellar and took without anyone noticing. Then she climbed to the highest roof of the mansion and stood there until half the bottle was empty, then took it back to the cellar where she came out with her head held high.

       Ayato wasn't in the office when Caiome returned, so she shrugged, taking it as a sign that she could go and do as she pleased, if the lord didn't call for her until then. Only to come face to face with a bored and wrinkled-nosed Thoma.

       "Lord Kamisato asked for you."

       "Of course he did," Caiome said, beginning to walk briskly past him. "I'm his bodyguard now."

       Thoma didn't like her comments at all now that she had somewhat advanced in rank. Or that she had received another position much more important than that of a servant. It was a big deal to be named the bodyguard of Lord Kamisato, and that's why Thoma didn't understand why Caiome was named bodyguard. He had a discussion with Lady Ayaka through which they both assumed that Ayato just wanted to keep her under better observation, considering everything that happened at the banquet a few weeks ago. And since Caiome was very angry because of the fake Vision case, Ayato feared that Caiome might resort to drastic actions to get her real shell back.

       But if that was the case, why didn't Ayato get rid of her? They both knew that Ayato valued the safety of his employees more than any conflict, so why risk keeping Caiome around if he was so sure she would cause trouble that would have serious consequences? Neither of them took part in the private discussions between the two, and all they knew were Caiome's cries or Ayato's briefings. And even though they felt like they knew everything they needed to know, there was always another invisible wall they bumped into.

       And the truth was that, even though both Ayaka and Thoma would know all of Lord Kamisato's plans, they couldn't know his thoughts, or even the reasons behind those plans. And Caiome... was Caiome.

       And perhaps precisely because he didn't know anything, Thoma behaved the way he did. He always had to be on guard when it came to Caiome because everything was uncertain regarding her.

       Caiome followed Thoma to the first floor, in front of some wide doors, the only ones along the entire corridor.

       "This is Lord Kamisato's room," Thoma said.

       "I figured," Caiome muttered, and Thoma huffed and opened the door.

       Caiome entered first. "Why did you summon me at this hour?" she asked.

       The room was huge. Caiome had never seen a room so large. She had seen apartments consisting of living rooms and bedrooms and personal bathrooms, but never just rooms. Ayato stood in the center of the room, without his coat, beginning to undo his cuffs, while Thoma just wished them both goodnight and left.

       "I did not think the fed dog would come back to its master, so I sent someone to look for you," he said, flashing her a smile.

       "I should have guessed that's what you wanted. Alright," she sighed, "what do you want now? Do you want me to sit on a chair until you get into bed, then tuck you in tightly and read you a story so you can sleep?"

       "Amusing," he said, then headed towards the usual folding screens.

       As Caiome saw screens painted with traditional images, like cherry blossoms, distant mountains, black trees, bamboo forests, cranes, spirits, and so on, Ayato's screen presented a mountain with tall cypress forests covered in snow. There was nothing else there, just the cypress forest and a few leafless, black, twisted trees.

       Caiome flopped onto the huge bed. The mattress was soft, and the sheets were very fine to the touch, just like the pillow. So pleasant that Caiome instantly closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep.

       "For the sake of your Vision shell, get out of my bed," Ayato's voice came from behind the screen, and Caiome grumbled and got up, sitting instead on a tall chair against the wall, close to the screen, but not close enough. "As for your purpose here, as I said, you are my bodyguard, so you must guard me."

       Caiome snorted. "Yeah, sure. Guard an asleep man? No, thanks. I have my own sleeping hours too."

       Ayato emerged from behind the screen, but Caiome couldn't see more than his eyes. "This is an order," he said. "You know what happens if you do not follow orders."

       "You'll have nightmares?" Caiome pursed her lips, batting her lashes like a puppy. "Do you want me to hold your hand too? Oh, my, if it starts raining, thundering, and lightning tonight? Will you be alright? Will you have a panic attack? Will I have to hug you? Bring you your favorite plushie?" Caiome put her hand to her mouth. "Poor you. It's okay to be afraid, it's not like you're a grown man. Admit it, you just want to get back at me because I escaped from your suffocating office. Seriously, how do you sit there every day when you're not in the city?" she muttered to herself.

       "And even if that is the case, you still cannot oppose it," he retreated behind the screen. "But I understand if you cannot guard me. After all, your body must be so fragile that it cannot handle a sleepless night."

       "You know, even dogs are left alone to sleep overnight, rewarded for their loyalty. So what about giving me something in return for a sleepless night?"

       "Like what?"

       "You let me go with Koshi to bring the servants," her proposal came.

       "No," came his instant response.

       "Oh, come on, I don't understand why you won't agree. Koshi will be with me, so I'll be supervised, and all I have to do is bring them to you. I won't run away, and I won't do anything wrong, considering my shell is still with you."

       "No," he said again.

       "You're impossible," she grumbled.

       "Probably," he said again, and a blue belt was thrown on the screen, followed by a white shirt.

       Caiome crossed her arms over her chest, stretched her legs, and began to swing them, bored. She had to think quickly of something else then. After all, whatever she asked for was in her favour anyway. If she stayed up nights for Ayato - which wasn't going to happen; if he slept, how would he know if she was asleep or not? - she could sleep during the day in his office. This man was so absorbed in work that he barely noticed anything around him. He only spoke to her and commented if Caiome tried to sneak away, otherwise he said nothing as long as she kept quiet. And if she fell asleep with her chin on her chest, all the better: Ayato wouldn't disturb her, and neither would she disturb Ayato.

       "Fine," she finally said. "Then I'll ask for something else. If I'm supposed to stay up every night and guard you, during the day I want... two hours break," she shrugged. "In addition to meal breaks. After all, I need to rest and visit Seishin. And you have Koshi if you need... physical assistance, I suppose."

       There was a rustle from behind the screen, and another colored shirt, a light blue one, settled over the white shirt and belt. Then followed a few accessories.

       "Alright," he agreed.

       Caiome bragged to herself in her mind. She would have sleep, food, and free hours as she wished, and Ayato just agreed.

       Two more shirts made of light materials followed, then cuffs and gloves, and Caiome saw in a hurry half of a bare forearm slipping behind the screen for a split second, which made her curious. Every time she accidentally touched Ayato, either standing side by side or in a fight, she thought this man must work his body in some way, although it seemed impossible, given how little time he had. She felt his muscles, but she never saw him dressed in something tighter to realize the shape of his body. And now she was in his room, he was changing clothes, and she had to act quickly before he put on his evening clothes, so...

       Caiome leaned to one side, trying to see beyond the screen. She tried to move as little as possible, lest Ayato hear her and draw attention to her. She leaned a bit further, managing to catch a glimpse of his arms moving, then his hip still half-covered by the waistband of his pants, then his ribs, leaning more.

       The bedroom door suddenly swung open, and the sound made Caiome flinch and fall to the floor half behind the screen. The rustle and her sudden appearance out of nowhere made Ayato halt with his hand outstretched towards the small wall cabinet where his clean and folded night clothes were, looking at Caiome lying on her back, hands on her abdomen, smiling at him and batting her eyelashes, like she did nothing wrong, surely not trying to spy on him and his naked body.

       Ayato crossed his arms over his bare chest, and Caiome quickly began to study him before he acted shy and quickly pulled a shirt over himself. Well, yes, the man trained at least three or four times a week, or else he wouldn't have those muscles. But what frustrated Caiome was how, even in terms of body constitution, Ayato looked sleek, elegant, and very well-proportioned.

       "What are you doing?" Ayato asked, slightly frowning.

       "Can you move your hands? I want to see your chest," she said.

       Ayato blinked, slightly confused but not surprised. "Do you want to admire me now?" he asked.

       If Caiome had said no, Ayato would have caught her lie. Well, it couldn't exactly be called admiration, considering she was just curious, like when you look at a needle and wonder, "Hmm, what would it feel like to prick myself with it?" You wouldn't admire the needle in your finger.

       "Of course," she said. "You're Lord Kamisato. Not many girls have the chance to see you half-naked. Ooh," Caiome suddenly exclaimed, extending a finger towards him, and Ayato found it ridiculous how she looked lying on the floor and looking up at him. "Can you take your pants off too? Then I could boast to all the maids tomorrow that I could see your thighs and calves too. You're a mystery to me when it comes to this body of yours; I'm just trying to figure out how you got so good with a sword."

       Before Ayato could respond, a weak cough was heard from the other side of the screen, and both raised their eyebrows, with different expressions on their faces. Ayato seemed to say, "Seriously? Didn't you know we're not alone in the room?" while Caiome seemed to say, "Quick, take your pants off."

       Instead, Ayato shook his head. "Mitsuko, could you help Miss Caiome get up from the floor? I think she hit her head quite hard and has a concussion."

       "You're no fun at all," Caiome muttered, getting up on her own and looking at the servant who entered the room with a fairly large basin of warm water. "Is your master always this rigid?"

       Mitsuko simply went beyond the screen, left the basin of water to Ayato who thanked her, then turned to Caiome and, with her hands in front of her abdomen, made a bow. She then turned again towards an Ayato whom Caiome couldn't see anymore and began to make some hand signs.

       "No, thank you, Mitsuko. That will be all," he said, and Mitsuko made another bow to both him and Caiome before retreating.

       Shortly after, Ayato emerged from behind the screen in a very, very pale pink shirt and cotton pants.

       "Aww," said Caiome. "Aren't you adorable? Like a teddy bear."

       Ayato lifted his chin proudly. "They are very comfortable. Not that you would know how that feels," he threw her a glance and a smile that was somewhat superior, then headed to the bed, putting off all the candles except one on the nightstand opposite to where he sat, tucking his legs under the fluffy blanket. He took a book from the edge of his own nightstand, opened it, and began to read silently.

       Caiome tapped her foot, went to the other side, and sat on the bed.

       "What do you think you are doing?" Ayato asked.

       "I'm guarding you," she said.

       "Get out of my bed," he requested. "Those clothes are dusty and dirty, you have not bathed today, and you are sitting on my blanket."

       Caiome turned to him. "Very well, then. Where should I guard you from then? Heaven forbid, an assassin enters through the window and slits your throat."

       "You can admire my sleep from the chair where you were trying to admire me while I undressed, or better yet, admire me from outside. Just do not undress me while I am sleeping."

       "Don't flatter yourself," said Caiome. "I just wanted to study the lord who claims he only has time for 'political matters'," she mimicked with her fingers in the air. "Yet still finds time to train his body. You should thank the gods if that assassin isn't me."

       "Sure, you can try," he shrugged and closed the book, placing it back on the low nightstand.

       He didn't have a chance to read anything peacefully with Caiome around anyway, so he got comfortable under the blanket. He stretched his leg, pushing Caiome off the bed, and she had no choice but to stand up, but instead of sitting on the chair, she sat on the floor against the wall opposite the bed, and Ayato made no comment.

Chapter Text

Chapter 26 ~ The Maids and the Cookies

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       Ayato fell asleep fairly quickly with his back to the candle, and Caiome had no choice but to sit and look around the room. When she thought Ayato couldn't possibly wake up so easily anymore, she started going through all the stuff ine the room, examining them. She found novels, clothes, handwritten poetry notebooks, accessories, combs, a shoe cupboard, and so on. On a stand under the window was his sword placed in its sheath, shining clean, and Caiome wondered if Ayato was the one who cleans his sword, as she did, or if someone else did it for him. Mizuki never did, she had asked him before, but Caiome didn't see anyone else beside Ayato or anyone touching his sword.

       In one of the drawers of the corner table, she found a writing brush in a box with which Ayato transcribed that old poem when Caiome found him in the living room, alongside an old wakan, perfectly cleaned of ink. She put them back in place and then turned to the room. Was there really nothing about this man in this room from which she could learn the smallest detail about him? Apart from his Hydro Vision pulsing faintly on the nightstand, next to the novel, there was nothing else. And even that book didn't provide many details. It was a detective novel or something similar, short and not very intelligent. Three hours later, Caiome had already finished it and realized from the beginning who the criminal was. She wasn't an avid reader, but she would do anything out of boredom.

       She could really have slept. She looked for some linens, but of course, they were probably kept in a separate storeroom. She could go there to get them, but if she fell asleep, Caiome would miss the perfect opportunity for her plan.

       Three hours before dawn, Caiome opened the window and floated lightly to the top of the walls, looking from the darkness at the guards patrolling on the night shift. Then she jumped to the other side, outside the residence, beginning to massage her neck. She had stiffened from reading that cheap novel. She did a few squats to loosen up, and just as she was about to do the last one, standing on her toes, a figure suddenly approached her.

       Caiome jumped aside, drawing her sword and aiming it at the figure lying curled on the ground, only to realize that it was actually kneeling, and the shape of the body was very familiar. She sighed, gripping the sword tighter and putting it back in its sheath.

       "Koshi, what are you doing here? I could have killed you."

       The tall figure straightened up, and the face hidden behind a tenugui was emotionless. "I'm here to follow you, Miss Caiome."

       "Ugh," she said, putting her forehead in her palm. "Of course. On Ayato's orders, right?"

       Koshi just nodded. "Also, to escort you back into the courtyard."

       Caiome put her hands on her hips. "I refuse. I'm going to get the maids for Ayato to interrogate."

       She started to leave, but Koshi stood in front of her, extending his arm in front of her chest. Caiome gave him a nasty look, and Koshi looked down at her.

       "I apologize, miss, but on Lord Kamisato's orders, I cannot let you leave."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow. "Koshi, please tell me, what exactly was your Lord Kamisato's order?"

       "Make sure you're always following her and that she doesn't cause any trouble," was his answer.

       "Exactly," said Caiome. "He didn't tell you to keep me in the courtyard as much as possible; he told you not to let me cause any problems, and since I have to meet those maids anyway, I might as well bring them to him. Especially since I'm bored, but that doesn't matter."

       "Lord Kamisato requested to meet the maids tomorrow..."

       "It is tomorrow," said Caiome.

       "...outside their working hours, so that their disappearance doesn't seem suspicious."

       "You kidnap girls during daylight," said Caiome. "If someone looked for them at home or anywhere else, do you think it wouldn't be suspicious?" She sighed. "Let's go step by step. First of all, can you bring two girls in front of Ayato all by yourself?"

       "Not by myself, miss," said Koshi obediently, lowering his arm. "I'll have a few colleagues to help me."

       "Then think differently. Ayato mentioned outside their working hours, but that doesn't mean they would go home immediately after their shift ends. If they have plans to meet someone, but they won't make it to the meeting, and the friend in question goes and reports their disappearance to the authorities?"

       "The authorities don't record any disappearance that lasted less than twenty-four hours."

       "Yes, but it would still make someone suspicious," said Caiome quickly. "Besides, isn't it best to resolve this before the morning shift?"

       Koshi said nothing. Caiome grimaced a bit. Everyone's attitude had been strange lately. They wouldn't lose anything if they tried a different approach.

       "I think it's best, and we'll solve this before the morning shift," she said full of confidence.

       Koshi seemed to take a small step back, a very, very small one.

       "You have three options," Caiome said. "You can try to stop me, and we'll create a huge fuss around the residence; you can let me leave without following me, which would mean you disobeyed Ayato's order regarding me; or you can let me leave, follow and help me, and kill two birds with one stone."

       Caiome walked past him, and Koshi didn't try to stop her.

       The information about the maids was brought to Ayato last night by one of the Shuumatsuban members who was dressed in black, just like Koshi, and who left just as easily as Koshi did. Caiome was almost jealous of how the two could move so smoothly on their feet without needing a Vision. Caiome learned to do this first with the Vision, and then without it.

       The two maids Caiome noticed wearing ramad aleziam start their morning shift at exactly seven o'clock, and now it was four. They had enough time to bring them to the residence, Ayato to interrogate them, and then bring them back to the city to start their shift.

       "It would take us too long to get to the city and back, miss," Koshi said when Caiome stopped in front of the telepoint.

       "That's because you're not me," she gave him a smile, grabbed his arm, and then disappeared.

       Appearing at one of the telepoints in the middle of the city, Koshi wobbled slightly on his feet, leaning with one hand on the near fence.

       "Be careful," said Caiome, patting him lightly on the back, feeling even his shoulder blades and vertebrae. This man was really thin, probably one of the reasons he was an information gatherer, avoiding physical conflicts. "First time teleporting?"

       "No, miss," he said.

       "Then why do you look like you could vomit in the next second?"

       Although Caiome couldn't see his entire face, only his green eyes in the bright light of the telepoint, she could tell that Koshi was feeling a bit sick.

       "Health reasons," he said shortly, and Caiome shrugged.

       "One of their houses must be around here," she said.

       "Miss," Koshi said quickly, handing her some pieces of fabric.

       "What are these?" asked Caiome.

       "Tenugui and zukin," he said.

       A scarf to cover the face and a detachable hood to hide the features. Caiome hesitated for a second, then took both and placed them on her head and face, even though it probably went against the rules. Only the Shuumatsuban members had access to such equipment, but Koshi was probably just thinking about what was best: if someone saw them in the dark, they would need to cover their faces to avoid being recognized on the streets on ordinary days.

       Then Caiome thought... If they were supposed to hide from the maids, why would Ayato ask to see them face to face? She asked Koshi, and he immediately responded with a nod.

       "Lord Kamisato doesn't want to scare or cause problems for the maids in question," he said. "That's why he wanted the maids to be escorted to the residence during the daytime."

       "And what if the maids go to Lady Kashiro and tell her everything that happened? Wouldn't Lady Kashiro want to revange against him?"

       "Lord Kamisato is very careful about the silence of those interrogated," said Koshi.

       "Meaning he'll pay them?"

       "Yes," said Koshi very firmly, surprising Caiome.

       Who would reveal their lord's secrets to a stranger so easily?

       She sighed in the end. "I have a better idea," she said. "I'll take the maid from the city, you take the one from Komugi village, and we'll meet at the southwest telepoint. Take this," she handed him a little paper package. "It's a sleeping powder, it won't harm her, just numb her, so she won't feel when you take her out of bed."

       Koshi bowed his head, took the package, then disappeared into the deep night. Caiome stood for a few seconds, thoughtful, then quietly made her way to the maid's house. She found her sleeping, a young girl with rashes on her neck, took a pinch of powder from her own packet, and blew it towards her. Although nothing visibly happened, Caiome heard her heartbeat becoming more rhythmic and lighter. She picked her up and carried her to the telepoint, teleporting to Komugi village, a village near the city situated in a wide field where wheat was mainly cultivated, as its name suggested.

       A few minutes later, Koshi appeared near the telepoint with the sleeping maid in his arms. He laid her on the ground next to the other one, both leaning against a fallen tree trunk, and Caiome knelt in front of them, pulling out another package from the leather pouch at her waist. She took a pinch of powder and blew it towards the maids. Both woke up and started coughing, then realized they were outside. Caiome put her hand over their mouths to prevent them from screaming.

       "I won't hurt you," Caiome said quickly from behind the scarf. "I just want to talk." But her tone was no less threatening, as the maids began to struggle. "If you don't calm down, I'll tie you up," she threatened, but that didn't calm the two either.

       Koshi approached, kneeling beside Caiome and looking at the two maids.

       "We'll just ask you a few questions," he said very calmly, "then we'll personally take you back home. We don't have any weapons on us."

       Caiome had her sword at her hip, but she didn't say anything, because the maids were already starting to calm down, even though their eyes were still filled with fear. She finally took her hand off their mouths, but it seemed like she promised them she would leave them unconscious with powders if they were to scream. Anyway, no one would hear them from here.

       "Lately, you've been getting rashes on your neck and face, haven't you?" asked Caiome, and the maids looked at each other. "You don't have to hide it; I already know it is about Razmad aleizam."

       The girls still didn't say anything, and Caiome tilted her head slightly.

       "Let me tell you how we'll do this, ladies. As my colleague said, we won't hurt you... physically, but that doesn't mean I can't play with your social threads. I don't have much time. I already know the situation you're in; I just need evidence, and once I find it, you'll go down with Lady Kashiro if you refuse to answer my questions. And we all know that Lady Kashiro won't save anyone but herself and won't risk her skin for you, considering that for her, you're just rabbits to experiment with if she gave you that lethal powder. Furthermore," she stood up, crossing her arms over her chest, looking down with a dry expression in her eyes, even threatening, "if you refuse to help me, soon you'll be so intoxicated that there will be no turning back. I won't give you the medicine, and you'll die without anyone knowing why. Do you want that?"

       The maids seemed to freeze, not only out of fear but also confusion. Caiome studied them for a moment, then realized. These girls didn't know what ramad aleizam was.

       "Have you ever even heard of ramad aleizam?" she asked them.

       "No," murmured one of them, and Caiome had to pinch the bridge of her nose. She really didn't have time for this. Ayato usually woke up very early, and she still had to take these girls back home.

       "Ramad aleizam is a white powder made from the bones of corpses found in the desert. Exposed to very strong sunlight, it discolors amazingly, so a very white powder can be made from it that can be confused with face powder. It is extremely toxic, instant death if ingested and a very slow death if worn on the skin," she pointed to them. "Symptoms are, of course, irritation in the areas applied, then in random areas, productive and dry cough at the same time, chest pain, panic attacks, chills, and heart palpitations, just one step away from a heart attack leading to death."

       The maids widened their eyes.

       "Now you understand," said Caiome. "And I assume you got that powder from Lady Kashiro, but it seems you didn't know what it was."

       "Uh..." said one of them. "Three months ago, Lady Kashiro received a package of about five kilograms of makeup powder. She said it was more than she uses in a year and that it might expire by next year, so she gave each of us a half-kilogram package as a gift."

       "And you didn't ask any questions?" Caiome snapped slightly at him, and the girls huddled together, afraid that Caiome, frustrated by their stupidity, might strangle them. "You just accepted?"

       "It was a gift from Lady Kashiro, we didn't dare," said the other one, trembling.

       "And that's why you're both idiots. She gave you poison, I hope you understand that. You have the evidence on you. I want you to give me the packages you have," said Caiome. "Also, where does Lady Kashiro keep the powders?"

       "We... shouldn't..."

       "If you don't tell me, not only will you die, but Lady Kashiro will too, and if there's a chance you'll live, you'll get into even bigger trouble that will make you wish you were dead. Don't make me resort to harsher methods, I don't have the time or the patience, especially since I haven't slept at all tonight, alright?"

       "In her dressing room... bottom drawer... right..." said one of them.

       "Great," clapped Caiome, making the two of them jump. "Koshi, escort the young lady from Komugi village back home and don't forget the powder." He took the other one's hand. "I'll take her home. Do you need a ride?" she asked.

       "No, miss," said Koshi, taking the young servant's hand rather gently, probably causing jealousy to the other one for having to be stuck with the mean cop.

       "Then we'll see you at home," and they disappeared in a blue light.

       Caiome took the servant home, and the servant gave her the package. In exchange for the package, Caiome threw her a small bag of some sort of black berries.

       "I knew this would happen," she said to herself, putting the ramad aleziam package in her purse. "Take your friend tomorrow morning and go see a doctor. Eat one of these berries every morning and before you see the doctor, tell him to give you something strong for the flu and some tranquilizers. They're calf-breast. They reduce irritations and symptoms, and the treatment from there is very simple."

       "Uh... thank you," murmured the servant.

       "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I wouldn't have done this if I judged you by both of your stupidity, but since I work for a... benevolent man," she said rather disdainfully, "I guess I can't let you die or be caught with this illegal powder on you."

       Then she disappeared through the window, teleported, and met Koshi at the entrance to the mansion as dawn was beginning to break, and Koshi handed her the package of ramad aleizam.

       "Great," said Caiome, putting a hand on his shoulder, patting it twice. "And don't worry, I'll explain everything to Ayato."

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       "And you did all this behind my back?" Ayato said, standing on his cushion in his office, with his elbow resting on the table and his fingers on his temple.

       "You should thank me," said Caiome. "If those girls had been caught between the authorities and Lady Kashiro, and they knew who interrogated them, you would have been dragged along with the whole flock, and I don't think you would have liked that."

       Ayato didn't seem to be very pleased with the idea. Caiome just burst into his office, and when Ayato was about to say something about not finding her in his bedroom in the morning where she was supposed to be, Caiome just threw the packages of ramad aleizam in front of him and told him everything she had done, without hiding even the smallest detail. As if it wasn't important at all. And now Caiome was lying sprawled on the floor in front of him, looking very... relaxed, and that probably made Ayato even more frustrated.

      "You are aware that you have violated numerous orders I have given, right? First of all, you were supposed to stay by my side, but you left anyway. I specifically told you that you were not allowed to touch those girls, let alone interrogate them personally in my absence."

       "Come on, be serious," she complained. "It would have taken you the whole day to get something out of them. Besides, I've noticed something extraordinarily interesting throughout my life. People involved with people as important as you would rather be killed by bandits like me than answer to you. Your game of trust doesn't work on everyone. It didn't work last night when Koshi tried, and it never will. They're more afraid of a hard life than a quick death, believe me."

       Ayato was silent for a few seconds. "Koshi," he said, and Koshi appeared out of nowhere beside him, kneeling.

       "Yes, my lord."

       "In two days from now, send someone from the civilian disguise department to make an anonymous complaint to Lady Kashiro about a suspicious shipment, and make sure the investigation does not lead to the two interrogated maids."

       "Yes, my lord."

       He stood up, bowed to Ayato, then to Caiome, and disappeared.

       "Koshi and I make a very good team, actually," said Caiome. "I think you should make both of us your shadows and take care of... whatever you told him to do. We can be the good cop and the bad cop."

       Ayato turned to her, then gave her a smile. Then he started to laugh softly, and Caiome frowned in confusion.

       "I'm serious," she said.

       "So am I, Caiome," he said. "Two violations for your actions, which would mean a total of... five? Four more, and you can say goodbye to your Vision case. Although, I cannot necessarily complain, you do not fall below my expectations."

       "Why don't you appreciate how much I've helped you?" she exclaimed.

       "I do appreciate it," said Ayato, "that is why it's not three violations. And the problem is not that you have helped me, but that you interrogated those girls in the middle of the night after kidnapping them from their homes."

       Caiome stared at him for a long time, then scoffed, but the expression in her eyes was cold. "You still have no idea who you have around you, my little lord," she said, and her smile disappeared. "You told me before that at least I could kill for my own purpose, and you seemed very pleased with it. What's a kidnapping compared to killing someone? Furthermore," she raised her chin, leaving an elbow on the table. "I saved the girls. They didn't even know what ramad aleizam was or that they had such an illegal powder in their possession. Therefore, if you want someone as obedient as Koshi, then you shouldn't keep me around you."

       "And that is precisely why I could not let you be part of the Shuumatsuban," came the harsh response, "because you are not obedient."

       Caiome raised her eyebrows, crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned back in the farthest corner of the room to get some sleep.

       Ayato sighed. "What is this attitude now?"

       "I seem to be punished, my lord," she mumbled. "I'm not allowed to utter a word."

       She collapsed on the floor with the sword in her arms, crossing her arms over her chest and bowed her chin. A shiver made her tremble briefly, and suddenly she felt very warm, but also very cold. She raised a hand, putting her fingers on her throat, then on her cheek. Her chest tightened slightly, so she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

       Not again... not now...

🌸

       Two days later, Koshi reported that Lady Kashiro was under investigation for smuggling illegal goods across the border and that she would most likely face the appropriate consequences. Neither of the two maids was involved, and Lady Kashiro did not mention anything about them, probably to avoid getting into even more trouble. However, as Ayato requested, they were involved enough to receive compensation, both for medication and for the danger they were exposed to. Lord Kashiro was devastated, but Caiome couldn't care less. Hinata Kashiro was his wife; how could he not notice that she was conducting illegal business?

       Anyway, perhaps that's how marriages in noble families were - you married for certain advantages, then each went on with their own life without much concern for the future. Not all marriages were worthy of being written about; most were mediocre. The exception was Ayato's parents, who were still favored by Caiome, even though she wasn't much of a fan of romance, or at least didn't dwell on it too much.

       "Thank you, Koshi," Ayato said, setting down his brush. "You can rest for the day."

       "Uh..." Koshi hesitated, looking from Ayato to Caiome, who was lying back on the floor with one leg over the other, gazing at the monotonous ceiling. "Are you sure, my lord?" he asked.

       "Of course it's fine," commented Caiome, closing her eyes. "He wants to keep me all day here, alone, so that I don't say 'You have Koshi nearby, what do you need me for?'."

       She felt tired, especially since she had to stay awake for Ayato the past two nights. And to prevent her from falling asleep on duty, Ayato came up with a brilliant idea: to have the night guards check on her from time to time, knocking on the bedroom door. And if Caiome didn't respond within five seconds, the guards had the right to report her. Caiome didn't want any more violations because she believed Ayato was capable of keeping his word when he said that at nine of them, she would lose her shell, and she couldn't risk another deal with him, especially if it didn't benefit her. And she already had about five violations.

       "You are getting smarter," Ayato commented, and Caiome shot him a dirty look from under her knee, making him chuckle a bit as he turned back to the papers in front of him. "And tell Thoma to come to me when he has time," he told Koshi.

       "Understood," Koshi said, then disappeared.

       Caiome returned to her dozing. Sitting with her hands behind her head and the sword beside her, she tried to sleep a bit. Staying awake the past two nights had indeed been a challenge, especially since she still felt warm, as if a fever was about to come, but it never did. It was always like this, every month, two at most, sometimes lasting a day or two, sometimes a whole week, and she just prayed for it to pass quickly, especially since now she had to stay by Ayato's side all day. Sleep was supposed to help her, along with a pill she constantly kept in the pouch tied to her waist. But she had already taken the pill, with no effect whatsoever, but if she took another one, there was a risk her heart would burst. And she didn't have the shell either...

       About twenty minutes passed when Caiome woke up from a sudden cough. She sat up, coughing into her fist a few times. Oh, this was bad.

       "Are you all right?" Ayato asked after a few seconds' pause, but his tone didn't show if he really cared or not.

       Caiome stretched back on the floor, curling up on her side, taking her sword into her arms and resting her forehead on it.

       "Yes," she said curtly. "Now let me sleep."

       She coughed lightly a few more times, then calmed down completely, but that didn't mean she was calm. She began to fidget, unable to find her place. Sleeping on the floor wasn't a challenge for her, considering she had slept in every possible place in this world, in all the necessary positions: on rocks, on the ground, in trees, on the beach in sand, on roots, on sharp rooftops, and even in poisonous plants, hiding from pursuers. And that room didn't help at all, being so full and suffocating. Everything was a mess, the shelves, the desk, even the tatami mattress.

       She tried to focus on anything else, but nothing in the office was interesting; everything was so static, there was nothing to look at, especially since she had been here for the past few days and already knew everything she needed to know at surface level. So she turned her attention to the only thing that was at least alive.

       Ayato wasn't looking at her; instead, he had an extraordinary calm on his face as he read and wrote. Caiome concentrated all her attention on studying him. It was a beautiful day outside, no wind at all, so the screen wasn't blocking the open window, letting in a pleasant light that surrounded him from behind, outlining his hair and body. His eyes had a dark shadow, but they also sparkled, and his hand moved gracefully across the page with impressive speed when he just made a signature. He wasn't wearing his coat, as it was quite warm in the office, but it was placed on a rack near the side wall. However, he wore his gloves, as if those papers represented some illness and he didn't want to touch them. He had an impassive expression, and he probably had many problems to solve, but he did it with extraordinary calm.

       And Caiome was feeling very agitated and needed to calm down, so she thought that looking at his peaceful face was a good idea, at least until she fell asleep. His lashes were long and elegant, outlining his eyes in a strong contrast. His lips were thin, but soft and pink, touching each other lightly without much effort, and the beauty mark was quite cute too. His cheekbones were sharp, beautifully defined, and his jaw, despite all the elegant features, was strong and well-defined. Even his ears were perfect, fitting into the landscape.

       Now she was starting to lose her mind.

       Eventually, Ayato slowly raised his gaze to her, feeling watched, displaying an almost childish smile.

       "Admiring me again?" he asked playfully.

       "Yes," came her whispered response, then she quickly cleared her throat, feeling another cough coming up. "I'm bored," she said. "I can't sleep."

       "In that case," Ayato said, gathering some files, brush, and inkstone, "how about we continue our activities outside? Some fresh air would do us both good."

       Yes, please, Caiome thought to herself, getting up. Ayato took the papers and handed them to her, briefly touching her hands, then placed the writing brush and inkstone over them.

       "You can carry these for me," he said, then put on his coat, turned his back, and left the office.

       Caiome muttered a few curses, then followed, feeling the clean air starting to invigorate her body. Usually, fresh air and wind were a remedy that had some effect on her. But it had never worked better than the pill... Maybe it would change her mood though.

       Caiome yawned, and Ayato glanced at her briefly from the corner of his eye. Caiome was sluggish and lacked energy, but she couldn't sleep and snore lightly as she did when she thought Ayato didn't know she was actually sleeping when she should have been paying attention to her job. Maybe if he took her outside, it would wake her up better. And it was amusing how she walked with her back hunched, dragging her legs, or how her cheeks suddenly turned red, as did her ears, and her hair was ruffled.

       "I noticed you have a new jacket," he said at one point, when they were almost in the living room.

       "It's very cute, isn't it?" she said, blinking frequently and trying to distract herself from her soft legs. "A gift," she boasted.

       "From whom?" Ayato asked, slowing down, walking shoulder to shoulder with her.

       "A secret admirer," she batted her lashes, seeming proud.

       "Oh?" Ayato said. "Any idea who your secret admirer might be?"

       "The fun is in the mystery," she replied. "Probably the same secret admirer who brings me cookies every evening," she shrugged, but with a big smile on her face.

       Well, that was good, she thought. If she could distract herself with some conversation, it would be better.

       Ayato looked at her questioningly for a few seconds, then resumed his smile. "Cookies," he said. "I am more of a person who enjoys fruit tarts."

       "No wonder," commented Caiome. "Cookies are for normal people, like us."

       "For normal people," said Ayato.

       "For people who are not afraid to get chocolate on their hands or have crumbs falling from their mouths and lick their fingers after finishing eating."

      "When did I ever say that I am afraid to get my hands dirty?"

       Caiome looked at him with raised eyebrows, then at his gloves, then back at him. "Are you kidding me?" she asked, and Ayato instantly understood what she was referring to.

       "I wear gloves to complete my attire," came his response, adopting a rather proud stance, worthy of a lord.

       "Even while indoors?"

       "You never know who might request an audience with me, and I must always be presentable."

       "Have you ever thought of a visiting schedule?" mumbled Caiome. "That way, you'll know for sure that after a certain time, no one will disturb you, and you can relax and do all these things wherever you want," she said, gesturing towards the pile of files she was carrying. "That's what I would do."

       "Ah, you see, that is the thing," said Ayato, stopping in place and turning towards her. Implicitly, Caiome did the same, meeting his gaze. "That is what you would do."

       "Because it seems like the best option," she shrugged.

       "An option that, unfortunately, I cannot afford. Problems do not wait for anyone. Although, if it is your opinion, you could keep it to yourself, so why are you telling me?"

       "Hmph," Caiome scoffed, straightening her back. "This isn't about you, it's about me," she said. "I hate seeing people as stupid as you and so altruistic. It makes me sick. That's all. Moreover, when you were writing in the living room with that old brush, you weren't wearing gloves."

       "It was late," he said. "There wouldn't have been anyone to visit me at that hour."

       "Ayato, I stayed with you in the office until past midnight the other day, and you didn't take off your gloves. And we were in a relatively private room, but in the living room, you were very relaxed without gloves."

       "Do you have to question everything I say?" said Ayato.

       "Hmm," Caiome hummed just to tease him. "Why wouldn't I question everything you say? Do you have something to hide?"

       "Don't you?"

       "This isn't about me right no~ow," she sang.

       Ayato hesitated for a few seconds. "I just like to feel the wood of the brush sometimes, that is all. It's not about political requests. Satisfied?"

       "Was that so hard? Sometimes you make a secret out of such simple things," she muttered.

       Eventually, Caiome turned on her heels and walked ahead, with Ayato following her. She exited the mansion before him, opening the doors, and Ayato sarcastically thanked her, making Caiome curse at him a few more times. She wanted to go outside faster, not to open the door for him!

       They both headed towards the central terrace, among servants and guards who respectfully greeted them with a bow, where Ayato sat on a cushion at the table, and Caiome sat on the floor next to it, leaving the files beside her and the brush and inkstone on the small table, considering it wasn't as large as his office desk. She rested her elbow on the table and leaned her head on her fist, taking a deep breath. Even though there was no wind, the fresh air helped calm her thoughts. Maybe now she could catch a nap.

       "So," Ayato began, reaching out for Caiome to hand him one of the files, "the cookies."

       Caiome felt like strangling him, but she took the file and threw it in front of him on the table "I wonder if you've ever eaten one," she mumbled, closing her eyes. "I think you should stick to your fruit tarts, Your Highness, they suit your image better with those suffocating gloves."

       "This, indeed, might be true," came his response lightly.

       Caiome remained silent for a few seconds, then opened her eyes and looked at Ayato through her lashes. And then the idea hit her like a brick in the head.

       Everything this man did was for his image. The way he stood, even alone in a room, the way he walked, the way he talked, and the way he looked at someone and smiled was all for the image of Lord Kamisato. He wrote with atrocious elegance, had gentle gestures, no sudden movements, soft touches, barely felt. He had equally elegant nightwear, and even while lying in bed, reading a novel, he was still Lord Kamisato. Even how he ate and what he ate was how and what Lord Kamisato would eat, and his approaches to all problems or situations were those of Lord Kamisato. Even the hand-kissing gesture from the banquet day wasn't his kiss, but Lord Kamisato's kiss. It weren't his lips or his hand holding hers, but Lord Kamisato's. In short, Ayato was just an illusion of what he was supposed to be in society. The man didn't even eat cookies, afraid of appearing in any way vulgar.

       Caiome tilted her head, looking at him deeper in the eyes, as if trying to find something hidden. Perhaps that was the answer to all her problems. If she could find Lord Kamisato in Ayato or vice versa, she would find a way out. She had to study him more closely, pay more attention to him.

       She didn't realize she had moved closer to him when Ayato turned his gaze towards her, ready to ask her something.

       But he stopped with the writing brush above the pages when they both caught each other's gaze. Caiome suddenly felt as if she had been caught, again, by Ayato when she was trying to steal something. And in his eyes, nothing distinct could be seen, just surprise, considering how close Caiome had approached him. Not close enough to be any danger of... whatever anyone might have thought who watched them, but Caiome didn't know if she had ever stood so close to him before... except for the moments when they fought, where she almost hit him in the mouth with her head.

       Ayato slightly parted his lips. "Do you need anything?" he asked softly.

       "No," Caiome said quickly. "You just had something on... your eyelashes," was the first thing that came to her mind.

       Ayato blinked, then smiled. "I see," he said. He leaned towards her, closing his eyes. "Would you like to take it off for me?"

       Caiome rolled her eyes. She could just turn her back, but if she did that, Ayato would realize she lied, and she couldn't bear to be humiliated by him with that. So she reached out, caught a few lashes between her fingers, and pulled gently. But she couldn't help but notice his fair skin, which seemed to glow. This man had cleaner skin than a woman under beauty treatments.

       So, of course, she couldn't help but poke him in the cheek with her finger, just to feel the skin under her fingertip, which made Ayato widen his eyes in surprise again.

       "Seriously, I don't understand," said Caiome, poking him again in the cheek. "I don't want to boost your ego, so don't you dare puff up, but how can you look like this? Your entire bloodline looks as if it's descended from gods, you have a fairly attractive body, you're rich, and, even though you're unbearable and boring to me, probably another girl would find your status and... Lord Kamisato's habits very suitable for a luxurious life. How come you're not married yet? Look at your skin, it's like a baby's bottom."

       Ayato slightly parted his lips, frowning a bit. "You are very straightforward, aren't you?" he said.

       "I don't like to waste time," she said, withdrawing her hand, crossing her arms across the width of the table. "I'm surprised you're still single. Usually, attractive men always have a girlfriend."

       Ayato turned back to his file. "For now, my responsibilities do not lean towards a relationship, let alone marriage. It is a complicated matter that needs to be studied from all angles, and about which I could never afford any imperfection."

       "In short," said Caiome, "your marriage must meet the requirements of your status. Right? And not just regarding the Yashiro Commission. I had a little chat with Ayaka. You need to find someone who can coordinate the Shuumatsuban in your absence, right?" She patted him on the shoulder, causing Ayato to move the tip of his brush on the paper, and his signature to be shaky. "I wish you good luck then."

       Caiome took her hand off his shoulder, turning to Thoma, who had just climbed the terrace stairs.

       "You wanted to see me, my lord?" he asked.

       Ayato looked at Caiome for another second, then turned to Thoma. "Yes," he said, taking a large envelope from the stack of files and handing it to Thoma, who immediately took it. Caiome smiled, waving her fingers in farewell. "Please take this to Yae Publishing House for me."

       "Of course, my lord."

       Thoma turned on his heel, ready to descend the terrace stairs and head into the city, but Ayato stopped him with a few words that completely ruined Thoma's day.

       "And take Caiome with you."

       Both Thoma and Caiome turned suddenly towards him, while Ayato quickly wrote something on a small piece of paper. Caiome couldn't see the small text even when Ayato blew over the ink to dry it, then folded the paper and handed it to Thoma.

       "I'm quite sure I can handle this on my own, my lord. I don't need company," Thoma said, taking the piece of paper from Ayato's fingers.

       "I am just afraid you will feel lonely on the road," Ayato said with a smile that seemed to mean more like "listen to my orders and don't question me."

       Caiome quickly jumped to her feet, patting Thoma on the shoulder, who tensed under her touch, glaring at her. "Come on, don't be like that. We'll have fun together."

       "If I had a choice, I'd prefer not to have any kind of fun for a lifetime than with you," Thoma told her.

       "If I had a choice," Caiome said quietly, "I'd prefer to cut my own throat than to go with you into the city again, but I need to stretch my legs."

       "You—"

       "Enough, children, stop arguing," Ayato said, causing Thoma to swallow his words.

       "But last time—"

       "Caiome will refrain from stealing this time," Ayato said as if he could guarantee for Caiome's supposed proper behavior. "Lady Yae is waiting," he said more for Thoma, who had to give up resisting regarding Caiome.

       He turned on his heel, heading towards the exit, and Caiome followed him with skipping steps. She descended the terrace stairs, throwing a single glance back at an Ayato who had already returned to work.

       "Are you coming or what?" Thoma shouted at her, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

       "There are rabid dogs chasing you to the city?" she mumbled.

Chapter Text

Chapter 27 ~ The Shopping Session and the Ninja Dog

🌸

       They teleported in the middle of the city, and Thoma hurried her to the bookstore Ayaka had stayed at some time ago, buying a few novels. Thoma started talking to the shopkeeper, while Caiome looked at some of the novels, especially the crime ones, considering she read one of Ayato's a few nights ago. Not that she had any interest in buying it, or even stealing it, but Ayato really needed to read something more interesting, considering he wanted to maintain this image of the Lord so much.

       "Don't you dare," Thoma said when the shopkeeper disappeared for a short while, and Caiome put the book down, rolling her eyes.

       "Joke's on you, I wasn't even thinking about it. Do you think I don't know you'd run to Ayato like last time? And yet," she grabbed the jacket, spinning around on the street, "look what I got."

       "I still don't know how you got that," Thoma said, frowning his green eyes at her.

       "And you'll never find out," she winked.

       Although she was pretty sure Ayaka had told Thoma about the mysterious appearance of the jacket, Thoma didn't have the energy to comment back or start arguing with her in front of the store. Anyway, the shopkeeper came back with another package, still an envelope with impressive calligraphy on it, which made Caiome pout. Why could others write so beautifully with a brush, and she couldn't even hold it properly?

       Caiome turned away, starting to inspect the nearby shops. Although she had done it many times before, she still couldn't help but look around. And anyway, anything was better than standing next to Thoma doing nothing or enduring his voice.

       Passing by an accessories store, a pair of black leather gloves caught her eye. She took them in her hand, and they seemed to fit her hand well, but at the same time very tight. She tried them on and discovered that the leather was actually quite elastic, made of very good quality, still tight on her hand as if it were a double layer of skin, as if the material stuck to her hand.

       She took them off and put them back on the table, although the shopkeeper caught her curiosity. Caiome raised her chin and headed towards a modern clothing and accessories store. She ran her hand over some blouses and t-shirts, some jackets and pairs of pants and high boots with short heels or flat soles. In one corner were leather bracelets, belts, cuffs and gloves, but they didn't have the same superior quality as those from the accessories store.

       Caiome felt Thoma approaching her as she fluttered her fingers over the belts. It would have been good to take a belt, considering the one she was wearing was of fake leather and was about to break anyway.

       "No, I won't steal anything," she muttered so that the middle-aged shopkeeper wouldn't hear her.

       Thoma sighed, still having an unusual expression on his face, like when Ayato told him to take Caiome with him. And Caiome was still trying to find out the reason behind his decision, because Ayato wasn't the type of person to do something without a reason, that was clear even to her, let alone to Thoma. But it seemed that he didn't know anything either, so Caiome decided to go with the flow and see where it leads.

       "What are you looking at?" he asked.

       "A belt," she said thoughtfully.

       "Take it," he said after a few seconds of silence, and Caiome looked at him as if a god had descended in front of her.

       "What?"

       "I said take it. I'll buy it for you. And you can pick out some clothes from here. Everyone noticed that you don't have many clothes, even Lady Ayaka, so it's good to change them from time to time."

       Caiome frowned and put her hands on her chest. "Okay, what's the catch?"

       "What catch?"

       "You? Offering to buy me something? There must be something behind all this, because I don't think you'd do it out of the kindness of your heart. You've had a problem with me since I got here, and even twenty minutes ago. I don't think you've had a change of heart just like that, so tell me what you're getting out of all this?"

       "If you really want to know," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, "I just feel sorry for you and your appearance. Now you work for Lord Kamisato, you're his bodyguard, you'll have to accompany him to a lot of meetings with officials, so you have to be somewhat presentable. And since you don't have money, I'll make this sacrifice for the Kamisato family's reputation. Nothing more."

       Caiome looked at him skeptically for a few seconds. "Aren't you the most loyal one in Teyvat? Or do you spend your money on the well-being of a thief?"

       "As I said," Thoma retorted, "I'm not doing it for you. Do you want it or not?" he pointed to the belt.

       Caiome weighed the situation. She would still come out on top, whether Thoma had something planned or not. And even if he did, Caiome was confident in her own abilities to get out of a problematic situation.

       "Without anything in return?" she said.

       "Just behave accordingly when necessary."

       "Fine," she said and took the belt.

       Then she spun around the store, and in less than a few minutes she had already chosen at least four blouses, five t-shirts, three tank tops, three pairs of pants, and a pajamas, all in dark colors of black and gray. Then Thoma took her to a shoe store where she got two pairs of high boots, one with heels, one without heels, and two pairs of short boots, with and without heels. She also got two belts and a new belt to hold the sword sheath and a scarf she tied around her neck.

       Although she didn't feel as bad as before, the chills still wouldn't leave her alone, so she had to cover up. She grabbed another jacket and a coat, more prompted by Thoma, saying it would be for winter, considering she would spend some time in Lord Kamisato's service. Then he also picked a pair of boots with fur on the inside and a pair of leather gloves for her, all at Caiome's request, in dark colors.

       But of course, it wasn't easy, considering Thoma made a bunch of comments about her clothing style. As if he dressed more festively or elegantly, thought Caiome.

       "Ugh," Caiome said, slumping onto a nearby stone bench, half-covered by paper bags and packages. She carried the clothes, while Thoma carried the footwear. "What a tough shopping day. Is this how it feels every time Ayaka comes to the city?" she asked.

       "Lady Ayaka orders everything, and the products are delivered to the residence."

       "Of course," muttered Caiome. "I'm hungry. Will you get me something to eat since we're already here?" she asked Thoma.

       "Buying you food doesn't contribute to your image. Besides, it's lunchtime, and we can get back to the residence in a few moments; you don't need to eat anything here."

       Caiome grimaced. "I thought that's usually what happens when people go shopping."

       "We didn't go shopping; we're just fulfilling our duty to the Kamisato family," Thoma said.

       "You're fulfilling it," said Caiome. "I'm just buying clothes. Or rather, you're buying them for me. But since we're already here, let's get some onigiri," she stood up with the bags behind her. "Or if you don't feel like moving from here, give me some money, and I'll buy them for you."

       "I'm not giving you any money," Thoma said.

       "Fine," she said. "Then I'll tell Ayato that you offered as a gentleman to do all this for me, but then you refused to buy me a small onigiri triangle, leaving me to starve and feel weak so I wouldn't be able to work."

       "And do you really think Lord Kamisato will believe you?" Thoma said, getting up from the bench.

       "Maybe not, but we've already been delayed for over almost two hours to get back to the residence because you suggested buying all of this. Besides, it's already lunchtime, which means we're late for lunch, so you've denied me the right to eat," Caiome retorted.

       Thoma sighed. "Fine, onigiri and that's it. You can eat more back at the residence if you want."

       Caiome nodded, and Thoma headed to the first food stand he found. He stood in line, and Caiome already thought she would be standing there for a while and certainly didn't intend to stay with him. Instead, she started playing with the ten coins she took from Thoma's pocket. Seriously, this guy wasn't paying attention at all when he needed to.

       She turned on her heel and headed towards a grilled meat stand, where she bought a portion, starting to chew, walking on the stone stairs in front of the tree at the city's entrance. She suddenly heard a slight whimper, and when she raised her head, Caiome saw a huge dog walking in front of the cherry tree, wagging its tail, slightly agitated. What was even stranger about this dog was that, besides its enormous stature compared to an ordinary dog... it was wearing clothes. And a bandana over its ears.

       Caiome descended the stairs, and the dog sat down when she reached it. It had moist, dark eyes, panting with its tongue out, and seemed to have no intention of moving away from the tree. Caiome placed the bags on the ground, tore off a piece of meat, and offered it to the dog. It sniffed it, licked it, and ate it eagerly, so Caiome tore off another piece. The dog happily chewed it, seeming to have a smile on its face. When it ate the third piece, Caiome managed to put her hand on its head, stroking it between its ears. The dog approached her, sniffed her, then began to lick her face.

       "Hey, hold on a sec," Caiome said before being knocked down, and the dog climbed on her shoulders, licking her ear. She had no choice but to hold the dog's body in her arms, starting to stroke its fluffy fur, and the dog finally stole a piece of meat, munching it in her lap.

       Caiome shook her head, petting the dog. "My intention was to feed you, not to be assaulted," she muttered to the dog, which let out a loud bark after eating, wagging its tail.

       Suddenly, the dog flew out of her lap, passing by her, and barking. Caiome turned to see Thoma laughing towards the dog, leaving the paper bags on the ground, starting to stroke the dog's head, to take its sharp face in his hands and to squeeze it.

       "I didn't forget about you, buddy, don't worry," he said and took a food package from his bag, placing it on a tray near the tree. The dog immediately started eating, occasionally licking Thoma's hands as he knelt beside him.

       "What's with this dog?" Caiome asked softly.

       "He's a ninja," Thoma said in a surprisingly calm tone, in a way he never spoke to Caiome, not even on the first day they met. There was something quite sad in his tone.

       "Shuumatsuban?" Caiome asked. "I read that members of the Shuumatsuban, those who can understand the language of animals, by their choice, can have an animal as a partner, a bird, a cat, or something similar, but dogs are most preferred, considering they learn the fastest."

       Thoma nodded. "Mostly, the survival rate of the Shuumatsuban's animals is higher than that of the members, so it often happens that animals are left without partners. Most are chosen by another, but some, like Inu Shoushou here, prefer to retreat and wait for their master."

       "Hmm," Caiome said. "Is his master... dead?"

       She approached the dog, starting to stroke it between its ears, while Thoma petted its snout.

       "He's been waiting for a very, very long time, but he doesn't seem to give up," he said.

       "Isn't that the loyalty you speak so highly of?" murmured Caiome.

       Now that his master was mentioned, the dog seemed to have a sad look in its eyes. It looked at Caiome once more, then tapped her hand with its paw, then turned around and disappeared behind the tree, then towards the beach. The two finally stood up.

       "I'm still surprised he accepted you so easily around him," Thoma said instead, picking up the paper bags from the ground, and Caiome did the same. "He's usually wary of other people he doesn't recognize as Shuumatsuban members."

       "What can I say," she shrugged. "I'm an animal friend; they all adore me, Shuumatsuban member or not."

       "Or just because you fed him."

       "He was looking at me," she pouted like a child. "I like animals more than people anyway. Plus, it seems he has a conscience, even though I find it stupid."

       Thoma suddenly looked at her. "Stupid?"

       Caiome started walking, leaving Thoma to follow her to the nearby telepoint. "This supreme loyalty you speak of is stupid. To depend so much on someone and wait for a long time, even though you know they couldn't possibly come back. Or to throw money at a criminal just for the image of a family, like you."

       "So, you think it would have been better not to buy you anything? That it was stupid of me?"

       "Of course," said Caiome. "Even if you do it for me or someone else, it's just stupid. To spend so much money on the clothes of a thief you don't even like. And your Lord Kamisato is the stupidest of all, holding onto me like he does. I don't even know what I did to make him so determined to keep my case."

       "It's a punishment," said Thoma.

       "And yet, here you are, buying me clothes."

       "Because sooner or later, you might end up stealing them yourself, and I prefer not to let that happen."

       Caiome glanced at him from the corner of her eye, then turned back to the road, reaching the telepoint. "Whatever," she muttered.

       But her demeanor seemed to change as soon as she stepped through the residence gate. Ayato wasn't on the terrace anymore, so there was only one place she could find him. Ayato looked up instantly as Caiome burst in, slamming the doors of the office and throwing the bags in front of him, on the floor, almost knocking over the wakan that still had ink in it.

       "Look what Thoma got me," she said energetically, starting to pull all the clothes out of the bags and packages, while Thoma barely managed to keep up with her to Lord Kamisato's office. "You have no idea how shocked I was when he said he wanted to buy me something. 'For the image and reputation of the Kamisato family,' he told me. Look at this, and this, and who would have thought I could find pants like these in an Inazuma city? It seems you've really broadened your horizons when it comes to culture. Oh, let me show you the boots."

       And so, Ayato's usually paper-strewn office was now strewn with clothes, boxes, and bags everywhere, covering the entire floor, and Caiome couldn't find anything. Luckily, Thoma was there to make sure everything was put back in place, considering they were still items bought with someone else's money.

       "You really are very reckless," Thoma commented at one point.

       "Thoma, where did you put my belt? I wanted to see how it looks with this blouse."

       "Don't change your clothes here," he said quickly, even though Caiome didn't intend to undress in front of them.

       "Don't be such a child," she said, then found the coat and put it on, twirling in front of Ayato. "How's this? It was the last one in stock. Oh, wait till you see the leather gloves. I think you'd like a pair too. They're not very... you," she twisted her hand towards him, "but they would be good for your training when you have time. They don't let the sword slip."

       Caiome put on the gloves, fluttering her fingers towards him.

       And Ayato just sat and watched. The ink on the brush had already begun to dry, the papers on the desk had long been abandoned under the accessory bags, and he even took the liberty of resting his elbow on the table, covering his little smile behind the fingers spread in front of his lips.

       The last two hours had been spent in total monotony, in a stifling silence Ayato was beginning to grow unaccustomed to, because there always had to be something happening in the residence, whether it was large-scale conflicts or just a few rumors and gossip heard in the hallways from the maids. And now the whirlwind had returned home, throwing up pieces of paper, boots, and shirts, kicking all the packages strewn across the floor. It was actually quite amusing to see her twirling in the middle of the office, constantly bickering with Thoma, crumpling up pieces of paper and throwing them at him, hitting him on the head or hands, laughing, while Thoma gathered all her things.

       Finally, Thoma managed to put all the clothes and shoes back into the bags, placing them at the entrance to the office, except for the coat and gloves Caiome was wearing.

       "There," Thoma said, sighing. "Either take them to your room, or never touch them again," he told Caiome.

       "Still, I can't believe you spent so much money on me. And not because they're for me, but because it was quite a large sum."

       "Don't worry about it," Thoma said. "My salary allows for it. You can still repay me by behaving properly from now on."

       "It depends on the situation," shrugged Caiome, and Thoma gave her a sour look, but said nothing. "But if you can afford it, it means you have a nice salary. Hey, why don't you pay me a salary?" she turned to Ayato who straightened up suddenly as if waking up from a dream.

       "Hm?" he said.

       "I'm not a servant anymore, I put my life in danger here being your bodyguard, shouldn't you pay me a salary or at least a bonus? You're rich, you have money to spare. And maybe I have needs that require money."

       Ayato opened a file, pretending not to hear anything.

       Caiome, on the other hand, took the file from him. "Oh, no," she said. "You won't ignore me this time."

       "There are no needs that the Kamisato Estate cannot fulfill for you. You have a place to sleep and food, a place where you can bathe and change clothes, and you get all of this for free. You can consider that your salary."

       "All the employees here get that besides their salary," she said indignantly. "And compared to servants, I have to endure certain dangers. What if I die trying to save you? It should be worth it."

       "As I said, there are no needs that the residence cannot fulfill for you."

       "Yes, there are," she said quickly.

       "Such as?" he smiled charmingly at her.

       "Well..."

       Damn it, she really got everything she needed in terms of food, which was delicious; the room was somewhat mediocre, but she couldn't complain, especially now that she was supposed to stay awake at night to guard Ayato from possible imaginary assassins; she could stay outside and she could stay inside, she was allowed to go anywhere in the house and if she needed peace and quiet she could retreat to the funeral room, considering that every time Ayato caught her there, he never kicked her out. And now Thoma was buying her all these clothes that were not only her style, but also of good quality.

       "Feminine problems," she said suddenly.

       "Feminine problems," Ayato repeated, ready to catch Caiome off guard.

       "What if I get a pimple on my face and want to cover it up? I don't have makeup to do that, and Thoma just said I need to look presentable for any of your guests."

       "You've had a pimple on your face before, everyone saw it, and you didn't care," Ayato said. "I doubt you care now."

       "Maybe I need a new sheath for my sword."

       "Which you can ask Captain Hirotatsu for, and if there isn't one in the armory, you can order one in the name of the Kamisato family, since, as I have provided you with many things so far, I need to provide you with appropriate equipment as well to do your job right. Especially if it needs repairing or replacement."

       "Underwear," she said.

       "Ayaka can help you with that or any other maid."

       "Pads."

       "You have been here for over two months, where have you been getting them from until now?" Ayato asked, making Caiome suddenly feel stupid.

       "That's none of your business," she said quickly.

       "Then it is none of my business where you get them from now on."

       "But what if I steal them? You have to take responsibility just like me, right?"

       "Well, if that' is what bothers you, when you need pads, you can let me know."

       Caiome tapped her foot frustratedly, because this man didn't get nervous over anything, and Ayato smiled broadly, knowing he had just won the battle. "You're getting on my nerves."

       "Likewise."

       Caiome started coughing a few times. "See? You're giving me an allergy."

       Ayato, on the other hand, just frowned curiosily, looking and studying her, while Caiome coughed a few more times into the glove-covered palm. When the coughing stopped, Caiome looked for just a millisecond at her hand, seeing a few drops of blood covering the leather material.

       "Anyway," she said quickly, clenching her fist and leaving it by her side, "I'll go put away my clothes and have the two hours of break you owe me," she threw at Ayato.

       She turned on her heels, gathering all the bags before Thoma could even grab one of them, then left the office. The bags started to feel heavy, and her lungs began to suffocate. Caiome didn't know how she managed to avoid all the servants, hiding behind the corners of the halls and behind cupboards, until she reached her small storeroom. She pushed open the door, letting the bags fall to her feet, and the next thing Caiome saw was the floor rapidly approaching her.

       She fell to her knees, starting to cough forcefully. Her body suddenly felt much hotter, sweat began to pour down her forehead, and her chest began to tighten, feeling arrows passing through her lungs, struggling to breathe. She crawled to the edge of the bed, clutching the thin mattress with her fingers, trying to get up, but the sudden cough that hit her again made her hunch over, clutching her chest.

       She tried to calm down, but felt something blocking her throat. She knew what was coming, so she let her head hang down. When she coughed again, she spat blood on her worn-out pants. Luckily, the blood didn't reach the hem of the coat she immediately took off, as well as the gloves, throwing them all into the other corner of the room.

       Her skin burned, her lungs wouldn't let her breathe, and she didn't have that stupid shell with her. She took the pouch from her waist, searching for one of the white pills and only bit off half of it. Either she was going to die on the floor of the room, or she was going to stop spitting blood, one of the two. She dragged herself to bed alone, lying down, holding onto the pillow and mattress at the same time, trying to breathe.

       She had overcome worse, she told herself to encourage herself. In the last ten years, she had gone through tougher moments regarding her pains. And even if the pill didn't work, she had the Vision shell. But now... she didn't have it anymore, and going to Ayato and asking for it back was out of the question because she would have to give him a reason. And Caiome didn't want to tell him the reason.

       Her heart began to beat harder, and the pain intensified, a sign that the pill was taking effect... whether it was good or bad, she still didn't know. She held onto her chest, whimpering softly. It was still daylight, and anyone could pass by the door or the window. She couldn't risk being heard and reported to Ayato.

       She fell asleep twenty minutes later, when her heart began to calm down. Good. With a little luck, she would get through the worst of it that afternoon, and then she just had to bring down the fever. She would have tried the onion method, but she couldn't leave Ayato's bedroom for too long, and the room would have smelled terrible. And since she doubted she could find sage in the kitchen, a cinnamon or ginger tea should do the trick.

Chapter Text

Chapter 28 ~ The Little Mouse and the Thief's Power

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       Caiome was awakened by some knocks on the door. Groggily, she half-rose from the bed, feeling her bones rubbing against each other, and a pain in her neck hit her instantly, as if she had slept awkwardly for two nights in a row. She groaned once more, hearing the insistent knocks on the door and cursing whoever was on the other side. It certainly couldn't be Thoma, because he would have barged directly into the room, Ayaka didn't come around here, Mizuki probably had things to do, and anyone else had no business with her.

       She got out of bed and opened the door, but no one was there. She closed the door again, then turned back to the bed, thinking of sleeping a little more, but she stubbed her toe on the cabinet next to it, and a clink caught her attention. On the nightstand was a plate of the usual cookies, but they smelled slightly different, a bit bitter.

       Caiome took one, smelled it, and then took a bite. It was still sweet, but there was also a hint of bitterness, but it wasn't bad. She ate the whole cookie, then realized that her benefactor was the one who knocked on the door and then ran off.

       She suddenly realized that she had fallen asleep, so she quickly opened the window. Good. It was still noon, which meant she hadn't been late to return to Ayato's office. Then she stopped and thought. If the cookie bearer had only wanted to bring her the cookies to eat when she woke up, they wouldn't have knocked on the door, which probably meant they wanted to wake her up. So she made a plan.

       She stood quietly by the door for several minutes, ten, fifteen, until twenty minutes passed. She surely had time before Ayato called her back, if he didn't send anyone after her. Then the knocks on the door were heard again.

       Caiome quickly opened the door, only for the little blond girl to be scared, turn around, and run off. Caiome quickly grabbed her by the collar, gently pulling her back.

       "So you're the little mouse," said Caiome, holding her by the clothes, by the short pink shirt, cinched at the waist with a belt embroidered with flowers, under which she had pants. "Where do you think you're running off to so fast?"

       "P-please let me go," said the girl.

       Caiome did let her go, only to trip her, and the girl fell to the floor, hitting her chin on the ground. Caiome crouched in front of her, while the girl got up on her knees, looking down, hiding her brown eyes.

       "You've been following me for a while now," Caiome began. "And I suspect the cookies are also from you, right?"

       The girl didn't respond, and Caiome sighed, relaxing her facial expression, as it seemed that this was what made everyone misunderstand her. She sat on the floor, scratching herself. "I won't do anything to you," she finally said. "I just want to know why you keep following me without speaking to me and bringing me cookies."

       The girl began to twiddle her fingers and squirm. She didn't even intend to check her red chin or even sniffle from the fall, which wasn't an easy one, but otherwise Caiome had no way to calm her down.

       "Let's start over," said Caiome, then reached out to her. "My name is Caiome. What's yours?"

       "Himawari," she mumbled.

       "We're off to a good start," said Caiome. "What are you doing here?"

       Himawari squirmed again. "You have a two-hour break, right? I thought you would get scolded by Lord Kamisato, so I wanted to wake you up."

       "By knocking on my door and running off?" Caiome said, and Himawari seemed to retreat. "Alright, alright, sorry. I've seen you following me around the estate more than once."

       "It's just that..." she said softly, "I heard there's a thief in the residence... so I wanted to study you better."

       "And the cookies?"

       "You seemed very sad every time I saw you, so I thought if I brought you some sweets, it would make you feel better. You seemed to like it, so I brought it a few times..."

       "You bring them every evening. Where do you get them from?"

       "Uhm... I make them in the kitchen with Mr. Daiki."

       "You make them?" Caiome said surprised, and Himawari slowly nodded. "So you follow me and bring me cookies, but you don't even want to look me in the eye. I call that espionage and attempted assassination. What if you put poison in the cookies?" she threw her a smile.

       "It's not true," Himawari said quickly. "It's just that... Uhm... You're different from all the people here. And I admired your sword dancing from the beginning."

       "It's not exactly a dance," said Caiome. "It's a balance exercise."

       "Still, it looks a lot like a dance," she said a little more confidently. "I think that's why Lord Kamisato wanted you to dance at his banquet, and on the day of the banquet..."

       "What about the day of the banquet?" she urged her on, and the girl's cheeks turned pink.

       "You were very beautiful, and everyone was looking at you. So I wanted to watch you dance more, maybe I would have learned too..." The words got lost in whispers and murmurs that Caiome didn't fully understand, but somehow interpreted correctly.

       "So you're following me just to learn to sword dancing?"

       Himawari slowly nodded.

       Considering that Caiome only had two hours free per day and the two half-hours that were for her lunch break, which she usually spent with Ayato, talking to herself, and Ayato seeming either to ignore her or only half-listen to her, her schedule changed drastically. Hald an hour was dedicated to Mizuki; one hour was spent with Seishin, doing the daily exercises Toshirou had taught her; and the last half-hour was spent on balance exercises. She usually managed to sleep in Ayato's office, but if someone didn't leave her alone, pestering her and commenting on her actions, sometimes Caiome slept instead of doing her balance exercises, considering that she couldn't disappoint either Mizuki or Seishin. So Himawari didn't see her on those logs lately, logs that were left in the middle of the garden, under the old cherry tree.

       "Why didn't you come straight to me?" Caiome asked.

       "Because it's not proper," said Himawari. "You're Lord Kamisato's bodyguard, you probably have a lot to do, so I was content to watch you from a distance, especially since I'm just a servant here."

       "You're a child," said Caiome. "How are you a servant?"

       "Ugh, well, not exactly a servant. Just helping out where I can."

       "What does that rascal Ayato make you do?"

       "Please don't speak like that about Lord Kamisato," Himawari said quickly. "Actually, many children, especially girls, who want to become servants in noble houses start their training from a young age."

       Well, Caiome knew that from Chizuru's case, who, at sixteen-seventeen years old, was already a personal servant, following Ayaka everywhere with a smile on her face and understanding her mistress as if they were friends, scolding Ayaka when she needed to be scolded, and seeming to have immense respect for her at the same time.

       "But unlike others," Himawari continued, "I'm treated very well here. I don't do anything I don't want to, and usually, I'm allowed to go wherever I want in the residence, except for Lord Kamisato and Lady Ayaka's personal rooms and the funeral room. And outside the residence, I can't go without an escort."

       "Of course, you're a child, and there's probably a forest nearby full of more or less dangerous spirits," sighed Caiome, getting up from the floor. Himawari looked up at her, then got up as well. "Let's take a walk, we have some things to talk about."

       "Uh, okay, but... shouldn't you go to Lord Kamisato?"

       "Hmm," said Caiome. "Considering that he didn't send one of his men after me, I think I still have some time."

       When they reached the inner gardens, passing under the cherry trees that had finally lost all their blossoms, and the fruits were starting to ripen, Caiome turned to Himawari, who followed her silently, without making a sound, like a little mouse. That's probably why Caiome usually couldn't hear her footsteps.

       "Do you know how I learned to dance with the sword?" Caiome asked.

       Himawari shook her head.

       "I was about your age, settled in Liyue. I was alone at that time, my only sister had died not long ago, I had no one to take care of me, so all I could do was take care of myself." She lightly tapped the sheathed sword. "I stole this one from a blacksmith's workshop, it was a piece he had worked on a lot, it was beautiful, so I took it for myself. The problem was I had no idea how to use it. I could handle smaller knives or daggers, but a sword was a whole different thing. Nevertheless, I needed it because a dagger wouldn't be able to handle attackers using swords. I was walking among the mountains when I reached Juhua Pool, and there was a woman dressed in hanfu dancing on the ruins in the water.

       Like you, I watched her for a while, then, unlike you, I went to her and asked if she could teach me. I didn't know how to use a sword, and she was the best option I had come across. I had to start somewhere. She was kind enough to teach me how sword dancing, I stayed with her for a few weeks, training every day, until she had to leave Liyue for a tour, and I never saw her again after that. Then I learned to fight with the sword. But what I'm trying to say is that it's not enough just to watch someone, then copy their moves. You need technique. Do you understand?"

       Himawari nodded slowly. In short, she couldn't learn to dance with the sword if she didn't have someone to teach her.

       Caiome lightly tapped her forehead with her finger, then bent down, resting her hands on her knees. "So I'll teach you."

        "B-but..."

       "Take it as a reward for the cookies. They're delicious, and I'd really enjoy eating one or two every evening."

       "O-okay. But I don't have a sword."

       "We can talk to Mizuki about that, but let's keep it our little secret," she winked.

       "So that is the story of the mysterious sword dancer from Liyue."

       Caiome rolled her eyes when she heard Ayato's voice approaching them. She turned to him, only to feel Himawari hiding behind her completely.

       "I can't believe you're so intimidating that you scare children away," Caiome chuckled, while Ayato smiled back at her.

       He leaned to one side, trying to catch Himawari's gaze, who had her head down, fists clutching Caiome's shirt. Her cheeks were red, and her blond curls covered her cheeks and eyes.

       "Good day, Miss Himawari."

       Himawari shuffled behind Caiome. "G-good day, my lord," she mumbled.

       "It is a very pleasant afternoon, isn't it?"

       "Of course, my lord."

       Caiome blinked in surprise at Ayato. Or rather at his smile. Unlike the usual polite smiles he shared with other servants, or the outright fake smiles he showed to clan heads or other officials, or the smiles full of superiority and malice he gave her, this time Ayato seemed to smile genuinely... sincerely. It looked very much like the smile he had on his face when he was in Ayaka's presence.

       "I heard that Miss Caiome will teach you sword dancing from now on. If you need anything, you can come to me to ask, alright? You do not have to hide or involve Mizuki in your schemes."

       Himawari nodded. "Thank you, my lord."

       "By the way, your father came to visit today. He is a busy man and has a lot of work, don't you want to go and greet him while he is around? Miss Caiome and I have some things to discuss."

       Himawari stepped out from behind Caiome, releasing her shirt, then made a deep and very, very short bow. "Have a good day, my lord, Miss Caiome."

       Then she turned on her heels and fled, her blond and curly hair tied in a low ponytail fluttering behind her. She moved fast, disappearing through the doors of the mansion, and Caiome thought she might have actually become a great sword dancer.

       Caiome suddenly felt cold when she turned back to Ayato. She had forgotten to take her jacket from the room, considering she had suddenly run into Himawari. But at least the pill had some effect. Setting aside the muscle and bone pains, she only had a bit of a fever, which would pass that night, thank the gods.

       Ayato sighed suddenly. "She is always like this, no matter what I do."

       "You mean the fact that she avoids you like you could tear her head off with your teeth?" Caiome chuckled. "Well, who wouldn't?"she shrugged, teasing him. "Did you see the bags under your eyes? I think you might need a bit of makeup. Oh, wait, that's just to show your status, I forgot. Who is she, anyway?"

       "One of the servants in training," he replied. "I am more surprised that you two bumped into each other, though," he turned from Caiome, starting to walk among the tree trunks with Caiome following him.

       "Why?"

       "Because she seemed to avoid you at all costs, too, which does not make you any better than me."

       "Just because I'm more cunning. All I had to do to keep her from running away from me was not to talk nicely to her, but to trip her up beautifully."

       "Please, do not hurt my employees anymore," Ayato said.

       "But I'm not hurting them," Caiome defended herself. "The duels with the guards are duels where both parties agree to and accept the consequences on their own responsibility. Plus, they're supervised by Hirotatsu. If I did something wrong, he would have told you immediately, you know that," she smiled with a false innocence, batting her lashes, but an innocence based on real facts because she never broke anyone's word.

       "What am I going to do with you?" Ayato sighed.

       "You got yourself into this dilemma when you decided to keep me here," Caiome shrugged. "And I still don't know why you do that."

       "As I said, to punish you for trying to steal from me. You are paying for what you stole."

       "But I didn't actually manage to steal anything," she excused herself.

       "The thought matters."

       "Oh, now the thought matters, but when I tried to help Mizuki with the money for his family, you went to the jeweler and took it back."

       "But I solved the problem for you, didn't I?" he gave her a smile, and Caiome couldn't comment further. "You reconciled with Mizuki, and now you both seem a bit relieved of a burden on your shoulders. I did not believe it was so important to you or him."

       Caiome crossed her arms, puffing. "Don't puff up so much, you had only a small part in all this, the rest we solved between us like two responsible adults."

       "You hid in the funeral room because you were upset, just like a child does," Ayato chuckled.

       "That's not true!"

       "Then what were you doing there with that expression on your face?"

       "I was gathering my thoughts," she said with a superior tone. "That's what adults do when they seek solutions. You just happened to come up with one faster than me. And you said you wouldn't use that against me!" she accused him.

       "But I am not," he replied.

       "Then why are you throwing it in my face?" she huffed.

       "Because it is amusing for me to see you agitated; you have an interesting expression."

       "Has anyone ever told you that you're very sadistic when it comes to the people around you?" she grumbled.

       "Behind my back, but of course."

       "That should be written on all the walls in the city," she gestured volcanically with her hands. "So that the whole world knows."

       "That would not be good for my reputation."

       "Have some more tarts; maybe that will help," she threw at him, wrinkling her nose.

       Ayato chuckled lightly. Neither of them had realized which direction they had taken through the inner gardens, continuing forward, and when something blocked their path, they just turned and ended up walking in circles among the trees. They walked with relatively small steps, swaying, and Caiome took pleasure in hitting the ground with the soles of her old boots. A silence fell over them, and Caiome coughed lightly, trying to hide quickly. She no longer spat blood, but her throat still irritated her because of the fluids she spat out along with the blood.

       She began to look around her because she intended to look at Ayato while they both remained silent. Not that he could look at her. He studied the trees and branches and trunks and sticks that had fallen on the ground, the neatly trimmed grass, and the small beaten path flanked by colorful clumps of wildflowers. Caiome had to admit, the residence was a pleasant place if you knew where to hide when you didn't want to be with anyone, and there were plenty of people to approach if you wanted to talk to someone.

       Since the employees no longer paid any exceptional attention to her, and the gossip had dwindled, Caiome was no longer the center of everyone's attention. In the evenings, she dueled with Hirotatsu's guards, had recent meals, and spent time with Ayato, who even when he ate looked over some documents, trained with Mizuki, occasionally met with Ayaka, and they sat together for tea for a few minutes, chatting about this and that. Ayaka had asked Caiome to tell her about her travels, but without lying this time, and Caiome swore on her heart that nothing from the adventures she had told so far had been false. Whether Ayaka believed her, Caiome didn't know, but she had promised not to lie anyway.

       And when she had her free time, she still liked to sit on the little bridge in the middle of the garden, dipping her feet in the water, and now she had discovered the inner gardens. When the situation called for drastic measures, she hid in the funeral room where she didn't run into Ayato anymore. And she hadn't passed through there either lately. Maybe she should have greeted Mother and Father. Ayato had even let her stay outside the office, albeit nearby, and today he even let her go to the city when she was supposed to stay near him. It seemed he realized it was stupid to keep her constantly in the office without reason, in the middle of the residence, among so many other guards.

       "How did you get along with Thoma today?" Ayato asked, and Caiome shrugged.

       "Like always. I don't know why that's important to you," she muttered.

       "Of course, it is important to me. After all, Thoma is also my employee, and I have to take care of how your relationship with others progresses, to make sure you do not throw them into the pond."

       "It was only once, and those three idiots deserved it. You can ask Mizuki."

       "I know, I know," Ayato said in an attempt to calm her and return to the subject. "And even though I have noticed your relationship with Ayaka improving, Thoma does not seem to be as forgiving."

       "Have you ever heard the rumors about him on the streets?" Caiome asked.

       "Yes," he replied, somewhat unsure. "But I would have thought that if you worked closer to me, you could get along better with others."

       "That was the reason you made me your bodyguard? To improve my relationships with others?"

       "No," he chuckled lightly. "That was just a bonus that came with the other reasons."

       "In any case, your idea was wrong. I don't improve my relationships with anyone; others just become more cautious, and the same goes for Thoma. You let me be in the room during your conversations with the Shuumatsuban members and let me in on your plans. I don't think Thoma likes me knowing so much about what's happening in your secret circle, and I don't blame him. I wouldn't trust me either if I were in his place, which makes me think... Why do you let me be present when you talk to other members?"

       "I take back my words," Ayato said. "You are not that smart."

       "Hey! It's one thing to be stupid, and another not to understand or know something. You're not omniscient either, but unlike you, I don't have a network of spies trailing you day and night. So... is that why you sent me with Thoma to the city? To try to fix my relationship with him as you did with Mizuki?"

       "I just gave you an opportunity; the rest depended only on you," he said.

       "We both failed then," she shrugged. "Thoma can't stand me, and probably will always be that way, not that he's more bearable than me. Ayaka sometimes has to send him away from us so we can talk quietly without his interference."

       "Well, you do not take him lightly either," Ayato said.

       "Don't try to blame me," Caiome threatened him with a pointed finger, and Ayato chuckled. "I've been an exemplary model until now."

       "Except for the conflicts between you, soldiers, and maids, a few thefts here and there, sneaking through the whole house, and sneaking out the residence and interrogating some maids."

       "About which I still feel proud, if you must know. Koshi even let me keep the tenugui and zukin, so I'll take that as an approval."

       "If that is what you want," Ayato said, looking at her for a few long seconds, while Caiome went on her way.

       Something was wrong with her; he could tell. Though she had been a tornado of energy earlier in his office, it wasn't hard to see the paleness in her cheeks, the dry lips, the way her eyes flies around, or how she lost concentration for a second, trying to figure out where she actually was. Now she looked like she had just woken up, considering her tousled hair and the pillow marks on her jaw, and she probably would have slept more if she could. She walked a little more hunched over, even though she tried to show her pride as a peacock.

       "I think, however, that something has changed," Ayato continued, and Caiome looked at him questioningly. "Between you and Thoma, I mean."

       "How so?"

       "He does not seem to have the same attitude towards you as he did at the beginning. Even if it has not improved, Thoma is probably trying, as you called it, to gather his thoughts and find a solution. If it had been the Thoma you know, he would not have accepted any of your teasing from earlier, in my office. Maybe he is trying to see you in a different light, and that takes time, as it did for everyone."

       "What do you mean by that?"

       Ayato stopped in front of the cherry tree under which Caiome danced on the banquet day, looking up through its branches at the sky barely distinguishable from the dark leaves swaying gently in the light wind.

       "When you first came here, you gave everyone the impression that you were this humble heroine that saved my sister, then the image shattered. It was a major event for them, and fixing broken glass is harder than breaking it. You did not accept anyone either, and no one accepted you. Instead, you got closer to Mizuki and the other guards, built a bridge between you and Ayaka, even though I do not know what itis about and I do not intend to find out, that is just between you two, ladies. Now you have befriended Himawari, and as hard as it is to believe, you are now walking beside me in my gardens without trying to kill me."

       "That doesn't mean I wouldn't want to," she sang, mustering.

       Ayato just let a smile cover his lips, then looked at her. "You have an unusual method of getting people to approach you, without anything insincere involved and without even trying. Even if it is something you do or say, you have no idea how much you can influence the people around you, and it seems you are not even aware of your own power. I hope my honesty has not given you any ideas about how to manipulate them," he chuckled.

       Caiome tapped her foot lightly, pouting. "I didn't immediately think of that," she said.

       "I just do not think you were aware of it. You think people just come up to you, but there is much more to it."

       "Stop it," Caiome complained.

       "What?"

       "Trying to read me like this, and then giving me these lectures as if you know everything about me."

       "I do not know everything about you, Caiome," he mimicked her tone lightly. "I am just trying to get to know you better so I know who I am up against, as anyone should do when it comes to their enemy, as I have told you before." He turned towards her, taking a step closer, invading her personal space as if he wanted to intimidate her. "Besides, you study me quite a lot when you look at me and you do not even have the decency to deny it."

       "That's because it would be pathetic to deny it. And if you're so bothered that I look at you, you can look at me too if you want to get even."

       "I am," he said softly.

       Caiome parted her lips slightly, and even moved her whole body, trying to find the right words, but there was nothing more to say. Ayato seemed to know exactly when to fuel the fire and when to end a discussion, and Caiome felt frustrated because of her own personality, which betrayed her in front of him.

       "I don't like you," she said instead.

       "Yes, you have told me that before," came his response.

       "My lord," a guard appeared out of nowhere, stopping a few steps away from the two, who turned their gaze towards him. "Yamamoto Shichiro is waiting for you in the Grand Hall."

       Ayato nodded, and the guard retreated.

       "Another meeting?" Caiome asked.

       "They never end," Ayato said. "Now you see why I always wear gloves? And you will accompany me, of course."

       "Of course," she said, rolling her eyes.

Chapter Text

Chapter 29 ~ The Long Game and the Glove

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       Caiome immediately recognized the name, Yamamoto Shichiro, as belonging to the family that, a year ago, had decided to gain independence from the Kamisato family, and Ayato had given them free rein with a smile on his face. Only that a few months later, they went bankrupt due to market competition in the paper industry, and when Yamamoto Shichiro begged Ayato to take him back into the fold of subordinate clans, Ayato was not swayed by his pleas. Instead, all of Yamamoto's employees were laid off, and the members of the family, the two spouses and their three children, were to work for the Nobutoshi and Masaru families, the other two families working for Ayato in the paper industry, which included paper manufacturing, paper-derived products, and writing instruments.

       And Caiome had always liked drama and was curious about why Yamamoto Shichiro was now in Ayato's house. Although... she could guess.

       Arriving in the Great Hall, the only person there was a man of medium height, with hair half white, half black, wearing glasses, his eyes sunken in their sockets, with drawn cheeks and modestly dressed. When he saw Ayato approaching, Yamamoto Shichiro paid little attention to Caiome, instead focusing on making a deep bow as Ayato passed by with his chest held high and chin raised.

       Suddenly, the expression on Ayato's face turned to stone as he sat on the purple cushion at his usual table. Any sparkle in his eyes he had in the garden, Caiome noticed, had faded once he stepped into the Great Hall and laid eyes on Yamamoto, which probably meant that the whole situation was bad.

       "You wanted to see me, my lord?" Yamamoto asked humbly.

       "That is why you're here, isn't it?" Ayato replied curtly, causing Yamamoto to delay his bow. It seemed he didn't have the courage to lift his eyes to look at Ayato, and quite rightly so.

       For Caiome, Yamamoto was a fool. He stretched himself farther than his blanket, thinking he could fight on his own against Ayato and the two families in the paper industry, when the difference between the two sides was clear from the beginning. Yamamoto had no chance of success, neither financially nor socially. Not even Caiome did such impulsive things when she knew she couldn't succeed. When you wanted to do something on your own, you had to take all necessary measures and study the terrain well. Which Yamamoto didn't do, so he deserved to work for others instead of having others work for him. He deserved his fate because of his stupidity.

       Ayato raised his hand, pulling a scroll from the wide sleeve of his coat and placing it on the table. Caiome immediately recognized it as the scroll of papyrus that Ayato had taken from her for the investigation of a shipment of such paper. And judging by Yamamoto's reaction, it seemed he recognized the type of paper as well.

       "I was informed," Ayato began, looking down at Yamamoto, "about a suspicious shipment. I did not say anything then because the shipment disappeared subtly, and I needed all the evidence to make an accusation, but judging by your expression, it seems I could have confronted you without it. Do you acknowledge this?" he gestured towards the scroll of papyrus. "I do not need to tell you what will happen if you dare to lie to me from now on."

       Yamamoto quickly fell to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground, trembling from head to toe. "Please, forgive me, my lord. It was a mistake, I was wrong. Please..."

       Ayato just lifted his chin. "A year ago, you declared in a rather arrogant way that you no longer wanted to depend on the Kamisato family or the Yashiro Commission. You begged for my forgivness and I gave it to you. Now you beg for my forgiveness once again after a few months, as a result. It seems I did not take enough drastic measures back then."

       "Please, I beg you, my lord."

       "Oh, stop your whining," said Caiome, and Yamamoto quickly raised his gaze to her, frowning. He didn't know her and didn't recognize her face. Then he realized he was still in Ayato's presence. "Lord Kamisato comes to the best part, don't interrupt him." She gave Ayato a smile. "My lord," she added somewhat sarcastically.

        Ayato decided not to respond. For now.

       "Thanks to Miss Caiome here," he began, looking down at Yamamoto, "we managed to detect your illegal shipment from Sumeru. The price of papyrus paper is much higher than that of local paper made in Inazuma, which you surely intended to sell to make a small fortune to get back on your own feet, isn't that right? The problem is, I made it quite clear that this would be impossible, at least as long as you stay under my name and leadership. That was your punishment, and instead of accepting it humbly and trying to take the right path, you deepened into the hole you dug for yourself. We found the box hidden in a stash in Mount Midoriyo."

       Caiome didn't need to ask how Ayato knew that the shipment belonged to Yamamoto. Ayato already had spies for everything, he certainly knew from the beginning what Yamamoto intended to do, but he let him sink deeper so he wouldn't have an escape route. And, as Ayato mentioned, he wanted to have the evidence, namely the box with the papyrus papers.

       "My lord," Yamamoto quickly said, crawling two steps on his knees in front of him, standing with his hands pressed to the ground. "You must understand, please, I beg you. I have lived my whole life as the heir of the Yamamoto clan, then I became its head. Everything started to fall apart for me even before I distanced myself from the Kamisato family, everything I did was for my family, for my wife and children, for—"

       "Do not... bring your children into this," Ayato said with a chilling calmness, but with an impressive hardness that Caiome had never seen in him before. Sure, she had seen him serious, but never angry, not in the way Ayato was looking at Yamamoto now as if he could tear him apart if given the chance. "It is not their fault for having a lowly father like you. I know about their innocence in this matter and I asked you not to lie to me. I know very well your activities from before you distanced yourself from the Kamisato family and the real reason you did it."

       Now Caiome became even more curious.

       "I would have rather accepted you losing your money gambling," Ayato continued, "than investing in the actions of the Kanjou Commission, thinking that greed would be satisfied if you were under their protection and name. You wanted to be independent of the Yashiro Commission and the Kamisato family to align yourself with them. Since I found nothing compromising, I let you work for the Nobutoshi and Masaru clans, but remember that I did this for your children who should not have to go through anything you forced them to. I even offered them special treatment, although I had to cut their ties between them, which is why one of them works for the Nobutoshi family, one for the Masaru family, and one for the Kamisato family. But trying to implement other plans behind my back after I have been generous enough to you... You should thank the gods that at least your children are not treated with cruelty by others just because they pity them," he sighed.

       Caiome immediately understood what it was about.

       "My lord, my lord, please... Please forgive me this time. I swear by the blood of my ancestors and my lineage that I will never stray again. Do not abandon me, I beg you."

       "You should pray for your children rather than yourself, considering that you claim to have done everything for them," Ayato said coldly. "As for the consequences you have to face..." he said thoughtfully.

       "Isn't clear?" Caiome chuckled. "We should just cut off a few fingers," she shrugged.

       "You..." Yamamoto started to say, looking at her, but the way Caiome smiled, leaving her hand on the sword's hilt, made him quickly look back at Ayato who was smiling in the same cunning way.

       "Could the idea appeal to me? Should it be the ones from the feet or the ones from the hands?"

       "The ones from the hands are more satisfying to cut," she replied, drawing the sword from its sheath a few centimeters, letting Yamamoto see the silver shine of the blade. "One for each child you disappointed, and the rest for your actions," she added.

       "My lord, I beg you..." he pleaded, trembling.

       "Hmph," he chuckled, then raised his hand towards Caiome, who clicked her tongue when she had to put her sword back in its sheath. "You have no dignity at all," he told Yamamoto.

       Exactly what Caiome would have liked to tell him.

       "Unfortunately for you," he continued, "I have no intention of forgiving you a second time. You will sever all contact with the Yashiro Commission and any of the families subordinate to the Kamisato family. For your own good, you will leave Inazuma with your wife as soon as possible. Every activity of yours will be monitored by my people until your departure, and, to prevent you from losing either your fingers or your head, I advise you not to try to contact the Kanjou or Tenryou Commission anymore. You have worked under my leadership for so many years, I hope you remember that nothing passes me, as nothing has passed until now. As for your children... You will sever all ties with them as well. The name Yamamoto will no longer exist in our records in any form, and the surnames of your children will be changed, as will yours and your wife's. You will have a different name from your children's, because I do not want to punish the innocent. Except for your youngest child, who will remain under my observation, the other two will sever contact with the Yashiro Commission as well, living separately. One of them will work within the temple, for Lady Gujii Yae, who has already been informed of the situation. The other is going on an expedition to Tsurumi Island, which is supposed to last at least a few years, so he will be sent there with another one of my men. I hope you understand where I am going with this."

       In short, Caiome thought, the three children will be constantly monitored, while Yamamoto Shichiro, along with his wife, will be exiled from Inazuma. She was impressed that Ayato had even such kind of power.

       "A ship will depart tomorrow morning from Inazuma to Liyue," he continued. "I will ensure that you and your wife are on that ship when it leaves the port. You may leave."

       Yamamoto hesitated to rise, but he finally did so with tears in his eyes and his head bowed. He made one final bow before Ayato, as if he could appease him in the last moments, then withdrew.

       As the door closed behind him, Yamamoto clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He knew it was all over for him, but the thing he thought about most at that moment was not his own or his children's future, but the two who had stood before him. The smiles on their faces, which seemed carved from the same stone, and the looks that changed their entire demeanor in a second from when that woman began to speak. If until then, that woman only looked with interest, and Lord Kamisato barely looked at her, when she opened her mouth, her gaze became intense, and Lord Kamisato no longer looked at Yamamoto, but at her. Even the atmosphere of the room changed in that split second, and that shook Yamamoto more than Lord Kamisato's punishment. Especially when he thought of her bloodshot eyes, his chest filled with a feeling akin to fear.

       That woman was death itself, he knew it. He felt it.

       Caiome crouched beside Ayato once the door closed, covering her cheeks with her palms, looking like a sulking child because she hadn't been given the requested toy.

       "Why didn't you let me cut off his fingers?" she complained, as Ayato began tapping his fingers on the table. He didn't seem to want to leave that room, at least not yet. "It would have been fun, and it would have been a wonderful punishment for that lying hypocrite."

       "Look who is talking," Ayato chuckled slightly, looking at her.

       "At least I'm not so stupid or pathetic," she retorted, nudging him with her shoulder. "Let me guess... Is he Himawari's father? That's why no one makes her do anything she doesn't want to, and she can go anywhere."

       Ayato simply nodded slowly with a blink of his eyes.

       "I understand sending the other two children away from any branch of the other two commissions, but why keep Himawari here?"

       "Yamamoto's two sons are already teenagers. They had no involvement in his plan, true, and it probably would not be fair to them to suffer the consequences of a disgraceful man's actions, but I cannot risk it. I trust they can start over and manage. However, Himawari is still young and has not seen much of the world. She knows almost nothing of what her father did, she only knows that her family ran out of money and now she has to work like any ordinary person."

       "So you keep her here... to take care of her."

       "You could say that. It is not unheard of for girls from smaller noble families to work for larger ones, as personal servants or ladies-in-waiting. Although I am not confident that Himawari will achieve such a status. However, for her age, she does not need to do many tasks, so she can stay around for us to keep an eye on her."

       "Hmm," Caiome made. "I think there's another reason behind all this. I don't dispute what you said, considering how decently you treat her and no one asks her for anything impossible or treats her badly, probably all on your orders. But honestly, children are much more malleable."

       "Oh?" Ayato raised his eyebrows curiously and amused at the same time. "And what are you insinuating?"

       "Changing their names doesn't mean changing their blood," she said. "Changing their names gives them some protection from others, but you know who they are. The Yashiro Commission had three families in the paper business for a reason, the businesses will be much harder to achieve only with two of them. If Himawari is under your influence and becomes what you want her to become, nothing would stop you from giving her the name back and naming her clan head. You had your coming-of-age ceremony when you were eleven, right? When your dad got sick. Theoretically, you could call her an adult from now on, but as you said, she's still inexperienced. It's a plan that requires patience. But once you're satisfied with the statue you're molding out of her, you can place Himawari on the board, and no one would contest your choice. Yamamoto's departure had negative effects on the Yashiro Commission as well, so Himawari is your solution, but you can't rush into it."

       Ayato smiled slightly, seeming content with the thought that Caiome was thinking about all this on her own. And somehow... he wasn't bothered by it.

       "I was wrong," he said slowly. "It seems you are quite clever for someone who has not lived among noble families and politics until now."

       "I like to listen to the dramas on the streets," she confessed with a proud smile. "I've picked up a thing or two. And I needed information when I was making a hit, so don't be surprised if I know things about you that you didn't know I knew, just as you do with me."

       And even though things stood as they were, when Caiome looked at Ayato, she couldn't see a man manipulating a child. Although his kindness could be just a mask for a future strong influence on Himawari, Caiome doubted that Ayato wouldn't have cut off any contact between Himawari and her father long before, especially after Yamamoto made the papyrus shipment. Instead, Ayato offered Himawari the chance to see her father one last time before parting ways forever.

       And Himawari, although she had hidden behind Caiome the whole time when Ayato approached her, didn't seem to have done it out of fear, despite the jokes Caiome made, but rather out of embarrassment, because she at least knew that her family was no longer under Kamisato clan's influence when her family ran out of money and now she had to work in Ayato's mansion who was kind enough to accept them back in some way. And because she was a shy child. If Himawari constantly avoided Caiome, who was just a thief, and she a child of a noble family, it seemed normal to her to also avoid Ayato, who was this great lord of Inazuma.

       "He didn't seem like such a good father after all," Caiome continued. "In the end, he didn't even beg for the well-being of his children, he just got up and left. Was he abusive with them?"

       "As far as I know, only sometimes," said Ayato. "That is why his children do not seem so close to him. And Himawari is a child who still feels like she has to respect her parents no matter what. But I do not think it will have a big impact on her. Since she came here, apart from the times when Yamamoto Shichiro was called to the residence, Himawari did not mention him to the maids even once, nor her mother."

       The truth was that even to Caiome, it didn't seem like Himawari was thrilled when Ayato told her that her father had come and she should go and greet him. At first, Caiome thought it was someone who came here frequently or whom Himawari saw regularly, so she wasn't especially excited. But now that she found out that Yamamoto was actually her father, Himawari didn't seem happy at all. She did it rather out of obligation because a child always had to greet their parents, whether they loved them or not.

       "In any case," said Ayato, "she still needs an education."

       "Wouldn't it seem strange to others if you brought teachers for her, especially if you take away her Yamamoto name? What kind of servant receives superior education funded by the family they work for?"

       "That is why Ayaka will be the one to educate her, not other teachers, in terms of sciences, literature, mathematics, and economics. Ayaka is more than capable of helping her."

       "So you don't plan to hide this from Himawari," said Caiome.

       "Yes and no," said Ayato. "We will not tell her anything. And if she figures it out on her own, it will be her gain, and we will not confirm or deny it. She is a smart child, she does not resemble her father at all. If she figures it out, she can choose for herself whether to continue this charade or not. As for other activities..." Ayato looked mischievously at Caiome. "Let's just say it is a good idea to start teaching her practice activities with sword dancing. Maybe she will follow the path you had, starting from a dance, then learning to use the sword for other purposes, such as fighting."

       Caiome raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she said. "You know that would mean giving me more free time, right?"

       Ayato finally rose from the purple cushion with a smile on his face, and Caiome stood up after him.

       "I still don't understand," she said. "If you don't need Yamamoto anymore, why didn't you let me cut off his fingers?"

       "Do you really want to torture my servants by making them wash the blood off the tatami matress?" he asked, walking with his hands behind his back as Caiome hopped around him.

       "It would have been quite satisfying to see the fingers of those abusive hands fall to the ground one by one."

       "I am sure his children would have thanked you," said Ayato, "but I would not have wanted Yamamoto to enter my house intact and leave in pieces."

       "I guess you're right," mumbled Caiome. "You really have a nice house."

       "Exactly, and I intend on keeping it that way."

       When dinner time came, and Mitsuko had set the two tables in the middle of Ayato's office for him and Caiome, bringing the dishes, Caiome realized that her fever still hadn't completely subsided. She had managed to squeeze in another hour or two of sleep in Ayato's office while he worked, but the chills hadn't left her.

       "Could you bring me some ginger tea?" she asked Mitsuko.

       Mitsuko raised her hands, but then changed her mind and turned to Ayato, making a few quick gestures that Caiome didn't understand.

       "I do not think she will need it," Ayato replied, and Mitsuko bowed and left the room.

       Caiome quickly looked from Ayato to the door and back. "What did all that mean?" she asked.

       "If you want honey or sugar in your tea," he replied, starting to gently tug at the fingers of one of his gloves, a gesture that caught Caiome's attention. "Come closer," he requested.

       "Why?" she leaned back slightly, as if Ayato could strike her from that distance, about two meters between them.

       "Just come here," Ayato told her.

       "Are you going to hit me?" she frowned, and Ayato raised an eyebrow.

       Caiome sighed and knelt down in front of his table.

       "Closer," Ayato requested, and Caiome took another step. "Closer," he said again.

       Caiome sat on the width of the table, cautious.

       "Even closer."

       "Do you want me to climb on you?" Caiome said, then sighed when Ayato remained silent, touching his thighs with her knees this time.

       Ayato withdrew his hand from the glove and reached out to Caiome, placing it on her forehead, sliding his fingers under her strands of hair. Caiome stiffened, looking at him with wide eyes, leaning back slightly, but Ayato followed her. He had a serious look, a bit tired, and certainly not in the mood for her games to make everything more amusing or less boring.

       "Just as I thought," Ayato said, pulling his hand away from her forehead, looking at her slightly blushing cheeks, putting his glove back on.

       "How—"

       "For how long have you had a fever?" he interrupted her words, and Caiome pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

       "It's none of your business."

       "Is your room too cold?"

       "I've been in your room the past few nights, how could it be from the cold?"

       "Then something you ate?"

       "I've been eating the same things as you, smarty. My body can't be weaker than yours," she said slightly offended, as if Ayato tried to mock her. "How did you know I had a fever anyway? I don't blush so much, and I don't become too pale from the cold either."

       "You asked for ginger tea, which is usually consumed for a fever," Ayato said simply, picking up the two chopsticks between his fingers. "You do not like ginger."

       "How do you know what I like to eat? Did you have spies to know that too?" she leaned her palm on his table. She didn't seem to be hungry enough to go to her own table to eat, looking at Ayato in the same way she promised: studying him.

       "I do not need spies to notice that two days ago you ate everything on your plate except the ginger salad."

       "It had carrots," Caiome grimaced.

       "And yet, you ate the carrots from yesterday's salad," he pointed out.

       "Don't stare into my mouth when I eat then," she said, getting up from beside him.

       Later on, Mitsuko brought the ginger tea, and even though Caiome barely managed to swallow it, she drank it all. In the meantime, Ayato asked Mitsuko to prepare a medicine to reduce the fever, then told Caiome to go get some rest for the night. Caiome insisted to stay, because she didn't want to give Ayato the chance to see her vulnerable because of a fever, but the lord took out the "It's an order" card, and Caiome had no choice.

       She barely reached her room and changed into the night clothes that Thoma bought her from the city, when a knock was heard on the door. Caiome thought it was Himawari bringing her more cookies, but when she opened the door, Mitsuko stood on the other side with a wooden tray with some caramels on a small plate, and next to it another cup of ginger tea.

       Caiome took the tray, looking at Mitsuko's monotone expression. "Thank you?" she mumbled, and Mitsuko just bowed, turned, and left.

       Caiome left the tray on the nightstand at the end of the bed, discovering a note halfway hidden under the cup of tea.

       Ginger tea is bitter, it read. It couldn't have been from Ayato, considering that wasn't his handwriting, and Caiome knew his handwriting too well. Besides, Ayato had already asked for medication for Caiome, so there was no reason for him to force another cup of tea on her. And the only person who knew about the ginger tea was Mitsuko...

       She drank the tea and ate the caramels one by one, then slept through the whole night like a child.

Chapter Text

Chapter 30 ~ The Quiet One and the Sword Dancing Lesson

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       The next morning, after breakfast, Caiome accompanied Ayato to the entrance of the Great Hall where Ayato forbade her to enter.

       "What?" she exclaimed. "Why?"

       "Because last time you were inside for a meeting, you were on the verge of sabotaging everything," Ayato said with a smile that conveyed nothing but contempt for her in a subtle way. "Instead, you can look for Himawari and start your first lesson of sword dance if you think you will get bored. You should be happy that you do not have to stay next to me for a few hours, quietly, in front of everyone."

       "Who says I would have stayed quiet?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

       "Now you see why I do not want to take you inside?" Ayato said, and Caiome lifted her chin, half turning away from him.

       "Very well. Go and deal with your boring meetings."

       And with that, she left.

       Ayato shook his head slightly, watching Caiome until she disappeared down on one of the corridors, then entered the Great Hall where he was greeted by the other clan heads who had already heard about Yamamoto Shichiro's departure from Inazuma, but no one dared to ask questions.

       As she began to wander through the mansion's rooms, Caiome finally found Himawari together with Mrs. Nakamura in one of the upstairs rooms. Himawari had just tied her blooming sash around her waist, while Mrs. Nakamura tied her hair into a low, curly ponytail.

       "Hey there!" Caiome waved as she entered.

       Himawari quickly lifted her gaze to her, blushing in her cheeks. "Good morning," she murmured softly, starting to fidget with her hands.

       "Haven't you learned yet to knock?" Mrs. Nakamura asked after tying a bow with the colorful thread in the girl's hair.

       "We've known each other for so long," Caiome said, "do we still need to be so formal?"

       Mrs. Nakamura had nothing to respond but to sigh.

       "Lucky you," she said to Himawari, "Ayato has a meeting he doesn't want me at, so we can start the first lesson."

       Himawari raised her brown eyes to her. "So soon?"

       Well, Caiome couldn't tell her that these lessons were part of her entire education that Ayato wanted to provide her with so that one day she would be able to lift the Yamamoto clan once again. But if Himawari was already asking questions... she probably would put everything together soon, no matter what excuses Ayaka would have given her when the lessons were supposed to start.

       "The sooner, the better, right?" Caiome said. "What happened? Until now, you were following me everywhere, and now when you really have my attention, you don't want to be around me anymore?"

       "Uh... it's not about that," she said quickly, raising her white hands.

       Caiome took one of them, studying her fingers. Although Himawari was small in stature, her fingers were long and quite firm, so it wouldn't be a problem for her to hold a wooden sword.

       "Then what are we waiting for?" Caiome said. "Let's go."

       "Just be careful," Mrs. Nakamura managed to say as Caiome grabbed Himawari by the wrist, already leaving the room. "This girl..." she murmured to herself, then took her embroidery, starting to crochet with the thin threads.

       Caiome sneaked into the dojo and took two wooden swords, one longer for her and one shorter for Himawari, even though the girl kept holding onto her shirt, continuously saying that she shouldn't be there, but Caiome didn't listen. Then they went out into the backyard garden, standing next to the logs that Caiome had placed there a long time ago and which no one dared to move anymore.

       "The first step is how you hold the sword during the balancing exercise," Caiome said, adopting a teacher-like demeanor.

       The truth was she never had the chance to teach anyone anything, at least not in the proper style of a teacher. As in the duels with the mansion guards, she adopted a slightly tougher style, but she couldn't do that with a twelve-year-old who probably never held a sword in her life, no matter if it was made of steel or wood.

       "The hand should be as close to the end of the handle as possible, like this," Caiome showed her, holding the sword in front of her.

       Himawari tried to do the same with her own sword, but even though it was made of wood, the sword leaned forward due to its weight. She straightened it, holding it firmly, but it still swayed from side to side.

       "Hmm," Caiome said, looking at her. Maybe she was wrong about her hands. Or maybe it was just a matter of time and practice. "Now let's see how well you balance on a log," she said and urged Himawari to climb up.

       Himawari turned towards the log, but hesitated. She looked left and right, and couldn't help but notice all the servants and guards sneaking glances at her. So Himawari leaned more towards Caiome, half hiding behind her.

       "They're all looking at me," she muttered.

       "So?" Caiome said. "They have nothing better to do. That's how they looked at me too."

       "But..." Himawari started, hiding her head in the ground.

       "You can't hide forever," Caiome said, but that made Himawari hide even more, her cheeks reddening.

       She had a lot of work to do...

       "Then..."

       Caiome glanced around the garden, trying to find some sort of privacy, but the riverbed was always occupied by laundry women, the stables were already a negative response because they could scare the horses, and the horse training grounds were already occupied by the stable boys doing exercises with the guards' horses. The inner gardens were cleaned by gardeners, and the dojo was to be used by Ayaka that morning. She had nowhere to hide Himawari... which was shocking, because the estate was huge.

       Then Caiome noticed Mizuki... who was talking to Kouta and Daisuke, which was odd. Mitsuki rarely talked to the other guards, but he probably managed to make friends with the two.

       Caiome whistled loudly at them.

       "Mizuki! Kouta, Daisuke, come here!" she called out to all three, and they turned their gaze to her, hesitating, the they looked at each other, and Mizuki was the first to come to her, followed by the other two.

       "It's not time for you to make me eat dirt yet," Mizuki said, looking rather pale.

       "And we can't duel until tonight, otherwise we'll have problems with Captain Hirotatsu."

       "I didn't call you for a duel," Caiome said, then looked behind her where Himawari was clutching her shirt sleeves. "I have a little mouse here, and I'd like you to help me with her."

       Himawari glanced at the three for a second, then hid again.

       "G-good morning," she muttered.

       "Good morning, miss," Kouta greeted her in return.

       "She wants to do some balancing exercises on the logs, but she's too embarrassed with everyboy looking at her."

       "Miss Caiome, please," Himawari said quickly, but Caiome ignored her.

       "So I have a favor to ask you. How about you do the exercises together with her? That way, she won't be alone."

       "Can't you do that with her?" Daisuke said, frowning slightly, standing with his arms crossed.

       "Of course not," Caiome said. "I need to supervise her, but she wouldn't feel so embarrassed with the employees passing by if there were more of you."

       "Wouldn't she feel even more embarrassed if we did it together?" Mizuki asked.

       "Miss Caiome, it's okay, I don't need company," Himawari said.

       "Then are you going to climb the logs alone?" Caiome asked, and Himawari hesitated again.

       "I don't know," Kouta said, "we're on working hours."

       "Weren't you starting your shift in the afternoon?"

       "Sometimes we switch," Daisuke said.

       "So the problem is with Ayato?" Caiome said, then snorted. "I'll talk to him, don't worry," she waved her hand, but none of the three seemed to have enough confidence in her. Caiome sighed. "Alright, fair enough. What do you want in return?"

        "I don't think there's anything you can help us with," Daisuke said, and Caiome raised an eyebrow.

       "If you climb those logs, I'll help you with that date with that girl you like and to whom you write poems. Or did you think I didn't know you were hiding behind the house, trying to write poems?" she told Kouta, then turned to Daisuke. "And I'll teach you how to ride a horse, I know you're afraid of horses to some extent," she smirked. "And you," she turned to Mizuki, who suddenly twitched, "you're my friend, you should help me no matter what."

       All three looked at each other again, then reluctantly agreed. Not necessarily because they wanted Caiome's help, but because they were afraid that Caiome would go to all the employees and tell them how Daisuke was afraid of horses, and Kouta was writing love poems to a girl who didn't even know he liked her. And Mizuki... probably would see it as some kind of repayment after the whole situation with the jewelry.

       "Fine," Daisuke said.

       "Now people won't look at you," Caiome told Himawari, "but at these three monkeys."

       Himawari didn't seem very pleased, but at least she gathered the courage to climb on one of the logs. And, surprisingly, she held the balance better than the other three. Mizuki was somewhat used to the exercise, considering that Caiome forced him to do the same thing since he started his own training, but Kouta and Daisuke were truly funny. Caiome tried to focus on Himawari, but their attention was always drawn to Kouta, who fell to the ground head-first, or Daisuke, who struggled as much as he could to stay on the log on one leg, weighed down by all the armor. Mizuki was the only one who somewhat held his position.

       In the end, Kouta and Daisuke gave up, and Mizuki took his leave back to the armory. And that made Himawari want to end the lesson for the day as well. Probably if she had known that these lessons were requested by Ayato, she would have stayed on the log all day, but she only had the impression that Caiome was doing it as a reward for cookies.

       "I promised Mrs. Nakamura that I would help her in the salon today," she said quickly, as an excuse, then took her leave without much enthusiasm for conversation.

       Ayato hadn't finished his meeting yet, so Caiome took the opportunity to do her own exercises. After another hour, Ayaka decided to take a walk through the gardens, so they chatted for a bit, strolling through the garden paths. When Ayaka retreated for her own business, Caiome sat on the small bridge, dipping her feet in the water. It was already early June, and the sun was becoming increasingly warm, so these moments were very precious to her. She waved her hand in front of her, letting a cool breeze pass through the branches of the trees and over the surface of the pond, causing gentle ripples to touch her fingers.

       She leaned her head back, closing her eyes, listening to the silence around her. She took a deep breath, swinging her legs, while fish and ducklings passed under the bridge and back. She opened her eyes, looking at the clear sky, and sighed deeply.

       She didn't dislike Ayato's garden. She had the freedom to wander anywhere in it or in the house. It's just that she wasn't used to living in a house. Like truly living. Usually, she wandered anywhere in the world, and if she didn't sleep outside somewhere, she would find a room in an inn or in some barns. And somehow, the sky here was different from the sky she always had above her when she roamed alone through all the nations.

       But here she wasn't exactly alone. She knew almost everyone by name and by face, and she conversed with some of them. It felt strange to know that she was in a place where she actually knew someone and where, strangely, she didn't get into fights with anyone.

       She straightened up, and a blue spot caught her attention. Looking to her left, in the distance, she caught Ayato looking out the window of his office directly at her. Caiome frowned, while Ayato gave her a smile, then moved his hand slightly, as in a greeting, but not quite.

       Now that his meeting was over, Ayato probably wanted a report on Himawari's first lesson, and Caiome had to return to his office anyway. However, Caiome stood up, took her short boots in her arms, and walked barefoot to the open window of the office, while Ayato never took his eyes off her even when she sat on the engawa terrace, leaning with crossed arms over the window sill, looking bored. Ayato also stood near the window, probably taking a break before tackling the new stack of files that had been brought in this morning by his secretary, so the two ended up face to face, separated only by the low window.

       "I see you have enjoyed your break," Ayato said.

       "Don't you dare say that this was my two free hours per day," she threatened Ayato. "You told me not to enter the Great Hall, and since I didn't have anything else to do, I spent my time as I wanted, so it's your fault that you didn't want me there," she shrugged a bit arrogantly, and Ayato smiled sweetly, like a thief inexperienced in fact.

       "Alright, I will not do that. But just for today. How did the lesson go?"

       "Without any problems," she shrugged. "I thought it would be more difficult. And yet, do you have any idea how boring it is to be a teacher? I'm more of an action person."

       "I know that," Ayato agreed. "But you offered from the beginning to teach Himawari sword dancing."

       "That's because at the time I didn't know your entire plan to offer her an education," she grumbled. "Now I feel like it's a task to be completed, not a favor."

       Ayato laughed again, but more at her annoyed expression than at her words. Caiome truly became bored very quickly; she always had to be kept engaged with something, otherwise she loses interest. She wasn't the type to stay in a room with nothing to do and no purpose, probably that's why she traveled so much in her little adventures, unable to stay in one place.

       Ayato raised his arm, resting his elbow on the window sill, leaning his temple on his fist, looking at her. "It will not last long, just until she learns a few basic things. Then I will ask Ayaka to teach her how to use a sword in duels, just as she learned when she was little."

       "Why her?" Caiome frowned. "I mean, I'd probably be even worse when it comes to real duels and fighting techniques, but I also know how to fight."

       "How can I keep my bodyguard too far away from me?" he replied, and Caiome rolled her eyes. "Besides, Ayaka is gentler. I have seen how you teach Mizuki. I cannot leave a twelve-year-old girl in your hands."

       "I feel offended."

       "Good, because it was an offense."

       "You..."

       Caiome waved her hand, sending a strong gust of wind towards him, tousling his hair and causing a few papers from his desk to fly to the floor. Ayato just tried to put his hair back in place, combing it with his fingers, but a few strands still stood up.

       "I asked why Ayaka, because Himawari is shy, apparently, in front of anyone, especially you and your sister."

       "I trust that Ayaka will approach her with care."

       "Towards someone specific, I assume," said Caiome.

       "Something like that."

       "Hmm," Caiome said, crossing her arms over the window sill again, resting her chin on her forearms. "I don't know if your plan will work out."

       Ayato blinked, and his expression became serious and somewhat thoughtful. "Why do you say that?"

       "Himawari doesn't seem like the kind of person who can handle the political battles that you, the lords, raise. She will grow up, it's true, but her personality is too soft. She barely speaks to anyone she knows, let alone strangers."

       Thinking, Ayato's train of thought was interrupted when Mitsuko knocked on the door, then entered with a wooden tray in her hands containing two cups and a small porcelain teapot from which steam emerged. On the side was a saucer with honey biscuits. Mitsuko left them on Ayato's desk, then poured a cup of tea for each of them. She stood up, looking at the two and making some hand gestures towards Ayato, while Caiome looked curiously.

       "That is all, thank you," he said.

       Mitsuko looked at Caiome for a second, then made other gestures towards Ayato, and he started chuckling, while Caiome frowned. Did she just say something about her?

       "I have noticed the same thing since this morning."

       "What did she say?" Caiome asked, but Ayato ignored her. He tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't ignore me!"

       Mitsuko made a few more gestures.

       "Isn't she always like this?" Ayato said.

       Caiome felt a vein throbbing on her forehead. "Don't talk about me in your secret language," she yelled slightly, and Mitsuko made some hand gestures again.

       "She is a bit too naïve for that," Ayato said.

       "Hey!" Caiome climbed over the window sill, wrapping her arm around Ayato's neck, grabbing his other arm, pulling him back, but not hard enough to choke him. "Who do you call naive?"

       Ayato started tapping her arm lightly. "I surrender, I surrender, I apologize," he said, and Caiome let him go.

       Mitsuko started chuckling lightly, covering her lips with her fingers, making both Caiome and Ayato look at her slightly confused, while Caiome withdrew her arms, leaning back on the window sill. Instead, Mitusko just bowed, then left.

       "I think we were her show for today," said Ayato, and Caiome nudged him in the shoulder again.

       "I was her show for today because you guys are making fun of me."

       Ayato shrugged. "That is not our fault," he said.

       "But seriously, what did she say about me?"

       Ayato began to take off his glove, pulling its leather fingers. "That you look more bitter than ginger tea, but you are as energetic as a dog when it sees its master."

       "Why does no one ever say anything nice about me?" She rolled her eyes. "I haven't done anything wrong in the last few days."

       "You just threatened my subordinates to cut off their fingers," Ayato said.

       "Yamamoto is not your subordinate anym—"

       Ayato suddenly raised his hand, resting the back of it on her forehead, which made Caiome stay as still as stone for a few seconds as Ayato took her temperature, blocking her words in her throat, looking into his lilac-blue silver eyes as they looked somewhere behind her, focusing.

       "You do not have a fever anymore," he finally said, looking at her. "That is good."

       "It was just a fever," she mumbled, as Ayato took his hand off her forehead, putting his glove back on, then turned back to the table covered with papers, taking his brush between his fingers.

       "Feeling sick affects your concentration during your responsibilities," he said.

       "You know that from experience?"

       Ayato snorted lightly. "I cannot remember the last time I was sick," he said. "It does not usually happen to me."

       "Hmm," Caiome said, resting her head on her crossed arms on the window sill. "Hard to believe considering the late nights spent in this office and, you know, fulfilling all these tasks of yours."

       "I am not going to explain anything to you," he replied almost in a smile, and that seemed to end the discussion.

       However, Caiome didn't move away from the window sill, standing with her eyes inside the room. As Ayato read file after file, as he did every day, a routine that became monotonous and boring for Caiome, but so important to him, Caiome looked at his back as if she wanted to dig into him, as if she could see his facial expressions if she looked hard enough at his straight back and perfectly arranged hair, at his hands dipping the brush in ink and beginning to write and sign. Even from the window, and even through the mess on Ayato's desk, Caiome could see the subject of the documents, which today were mainly the funds provided to various institutions and a few reports on the most popular industries of the Commission, those that had very high demands, paper, wood, and textiles, which meant he was going to have a lot of work today.

       He did everything quietly, and the brush made no sound when it moved on the paper, and everything was quiet around her. It seemed that everything suddenly became static. No guards moved through the garden, no servants were seen doing their tasks, no ducklings swam through the pond, and the only thing that could be heard was the wind moving the trees' branches, rustling the leaves, and the white bedsheets hanging to dry fluttering slowly, as if the whole world was slowed down. A few small birds chirped, and the sun filtered its rays through the window, illuminating the room's floor, outlining Caiome's body which became a shadow character next to Ayato's table who could now see every movement of hers. Every movement of her hand, her fingers, every time she moved her head, passing it from one arm to the other.

       And yet, Caiome still couldn't understand what kept Ayato tied to his monotonous desk. He was a lord, he did his job, she knew that. But everything seemed senseless at the same time.

       And yet, it wasn't her job to ask questions. It was just to stay around him, protecting him from... whatever imaginary thing could attack him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 31 ~ The Nobel and the Common

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       Caiome helped Himawari with her sword dance lessons the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and although she made progress, the girl never climbed the logs if she was alone, nor did she talk to Kouta, Daisuke, or Mizuki, who were rather forced by Caiome to climb those logs too.

       Himawari was the same girl with rosy cheeks whom Caiome took every morning while Ayato was in meetings or private meetings with various clan heads. She didn't speak much, as usual, and when someone other than Caiome or Mrs. Nakamura approached her, she found a place to hide... usually behind Caiome, holding onto her as if she could be kidnapped. And no matter how much Caiome told her there was no need to hide, Himawari persisted. And Caiome didn't have the patience to say the same thing a thousand times without any change. It was easier to coordinate her dance lessons, which still amounted to maintaining balance in various positions.

       Even more so when on the third day Ayato himself came to watch them, and Himawari barely wanted to pick up her sword, embarrassed and intimidated by Lord Kamisato's presence. And after the lesson ended, Himawari quickly took her leave from the garden.

       "I cannot be that scary, can I?" Ayato said.

       "You have to admit," Caiome shrugged, "you're quite intimidating for someone her age."

       "It seems to be the case for you too," Ayato told her. "At first, I thought I should get more involved in her affairs," he said thoughtfully, "but even though she always stays close to the employees, she seems scared of them too. Especially since yesterday she had her first meeting with Ayaka, and Himawari didnot know how to get away from her as fast as possible. Ayaka was quite subtle, strolling both of them around the mansion, telling stories, but Himawari seemed to only half-listen to what my sister told her."

       "Don't look at me," Caiome said. "I haven't spent much time around children in my life."

       Ayato sighed. "So what solutions do we have?"

       "Um, my lord," Mizuki said, approaching the two to take the wooden sword from Caiome. "If I may intervene, I believe there is something that might help you. I don't mean to imply anything," he quickly added, seeming slightly agitated, "but I think I could help, considering I have a younger sister the same age as Miss Himawari."

       Ayato looked at Caiome, and Caiome nodded slightly towards Mizuki, but still looking at Ayato. Ayato smiled at the guard.

       "Please, speak freely."

       "Well, it's normal for you not to realize this, considering you don't spend enough time around children," Mizuki began. "And you are terrible when it comes to little things like these," he said to Caiome, who frowned.

       "Hey!"

       "What I'm trying to say is," Mizuki continued quickly, "Miss Himawari is still a child, and around the estate, there are only adults, people who, in one way or another, are stronger than her, physically and socially. And if we consider the fact that she is also aware of the entire situation with the Yamamoto family, everyone is equally knowledgeable about her and her family, so she probably doesn't feel comfortable around the others for fear of being judged. I haven't spent much time around her either, I've only just met her, but not only is she a withdrawn child, but she's also afraid to say or do the wrong thing."

       Caiome and Ayato looked at each other, then sighed simultaneously, knowing full well that Mizuki was right, neither of them could know what a child was thinking, especially since they don't spend much time around them.

       Caiome had never been around children at all; her entire life had been solitary and without this kind of responsibility. Furthermore, since she was little, she had never sought companions her own age, but, on the contrary, adults to help her survive. And if she didn't have anyone, she still had her Vision's shell.

       And Ayato, although naturally caring for everyone, didn't know how to read a child's expressions.

       "Therefore," Ayato finally said, "are you saying that Himawari should be around someone who knows nothing about her situation at all, and a child at that?"

       "Something like that," Mizuki replied.

       Ayato pondered, and so did Caiome. Then suddenly they both had an idea, looking up at the guard.

       "Mizuki!" they both exclaimed at the same time, and Mizuki seemed to startle at the excitement both of them seemed to have in their eyes.

       "Y-yes?" he said.

       "What if Himawari befriended Uta?" Caiome said.

       "My sister?" Mizuki asked.

       "Do we all know another Uta?" Caiome asked.

       "B-but... I don't think Miss Himawari could be escorted to Konda village every day, in the middle of the day, and my mother is very busy, so busy that she can barely spend time with Uta, let alone two children. It's true that my father is home, but—"

       Ayato chuckled, making Mizuki stop talking. "I do not want to ask your parents to do anything for me," he said. "On the contrary, I would like your younger sister to be brought here for an hour or two a day to get to know Himawari, and maybe they will become friends."

       "They're the same age," Caiome quickly added, "and there's plenty of playground here if it comes to that, and apparently Uta doesn't have too many friends in the village either, right? She should always have a companion, and your mother can't always accompany her, so she can't go out of the yard much either."

       "But here..."

       "There will always be someone to keep an eye on them, whether it is Caiome or anyone else. The place is crawling with employees. In addition, you are here," Ayato said, "and you are the most suitable person to watch over them. They are both perfectly safe here, I assure you."

       "Well, it's okay if Uta comes with me in the morning, but I'll have to take her back home eventually; she can't stay here all day. And my mother can't leave the house and leave my father alone."

       "I'll take her back home myself," Caiome said. "Have you ever been teleported? It shouldn't be a big deal for Uta," she added with a mischievous smile.

       "I don't think it's such a good idea for Uta; she might refuse."

       "Why don't you let her decide that?" Caiome said. "She's a big girl. If she can decide for herself that she wants to be a seamstress, she can decide whether she wants to be teleported or not."

       "Okay, okay," Mizuki said quickly, backing off. "Actually," he said after some thinking, "it might be good for her too. As you said, she doesn't have many friends or children to play with. But... are you sure, my lord?" he asked Ayato, who displayed a pleasant smile, as if already anticipating what Mizuki was going to say. "Uta doesn't have much education, she's a child with health problems. She's a very good girl, but Miss Himawari comes from a noble family."

       "I think that is exactly what Himawari would want after what you said, right?" Ayato said. "Someone normal, without any special power and who knows nothing about her situation, like other children from other noble families would. I cannot see a better choice than your sister, who comes from a common family. I am sure they will both be delighted."

       Mizuki had no more arguments to bring, especially since Lord Kamisato had just used his own words against him, which he couldn't deny. So in the end, he gave in, agreeing that the next day, before the dance lessons that would be moved to the afternoon, Caiome would go to Konda village to pick up Mizuki and Uta.

       When Mizuki left, Ayato turned to Caiome, crossing his arms over his chest. "It seems you've found a way out to leave the mansion."

       Caiome smiled widely, raising her chin and puffing her chest. "Me?" she said with false innocence. "I didn't do anything, I just offered to escort a little girl too young for such a long journey all the way from Konda village here. Plus," she added, adopting her everyday personality, "it's just teleportation, it's not like I'm going there to have a chance to change the scenery, like you should from time to time."

       "Do not worry," Ayato said, turning around and heading towards his office. "In a few days, you and I will really change the scenery. I have some business in the city."

       "Finally," Caiome said. She jumped beside him on tiptoe. "Who else do we need to investigate? Who else from a noble family needs to be thrown in jail? Someone from the Tenryou Commision?"

       "Unfortunately for you," Ayato said, "there are just a few diplomatic meetings."

       Caiome seemed annoyed. "Boring."

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       The next morning, Caiome teleported to Konda village, rather jumping in a bouncing stride to Mizuki's home. She saw from a distance all the members of her friend's family standing in the front yard, waiting a bit agitated. Uta was all smiles, fidgeting, and having rosy cheeks, even though it was already early June, while her mother was arranging her black, curly hair tied with a bow at the back. She didn't seem calmer herself, given the way her hands trembled and how she always adjusted her long bangs.

       Mizuki was looking in a backpack, starting to count on his fingers if he had everything he needed for Uta, such as some medicines, an extra shirt if it got colder later—even though the plan was for Uta to stay for about two hours at most at the Kamisato Estate, while his father stood on the terrace, leaning on a crutch, watching the other three.

       Caiome leaned against the low fence. "We're not going on a trip across the sea, you know," she said to an agitated Mizuki, drawing everyone's attention.

       Uta smiled even wider, slipping out of her mother's hands, coming to the gate and opening it, almost jumping on Caiome.

       "You really came!" she said excitedly. "I was expecting Mizuki to tell me at the last moment that it was all a joke."

       "I would never play with a child's feelings like that," mumbled Mizuki, taking the backpack on his shoulder and leaving the small courtyard as well.

       "You can't judge me," Uta pouted, elbowing him in the ribs. "It's not normal for a child like me to be invited to Lord Kamisato's residence. Do you think I'll get to meet Lord Kamisato?" She turned to Caiome, and her blue eyes sparkled. "Or lady Ayaka. I saw her and Lord Kamisato at a festival only once, and she was so beautiful, like a princess from fairy tales. Oh, and Lord Kamisato." She put her hands on her cheeks, which became even redder, starting to fidget from side to side. "He's so handsome, like an emperor, but looks so kind."

       "Uta," her mother said, almost scolding her, putting her hand on her shoulder. "I've told you so many times not to talk like that." Uta pouted, and her mother looked at Caiome with a polite smile. "Please forgive her. She was only seven when she happened to see His Highness and lady Ayaka around the city, and now she just lives in her own fantasy."

       "No problem," Caiome waved her hand, then put her palms on her knees, leaning towards Uta. "And just so you know, Lord Kamisato is not all that great. He stays indoors so much that he's actually very pale. And tired."

       "Of course, he has a lot to do," Uta put her arms over her chest, looking a bit arrogant. "That's why when even the emperors left the palace, it was like an event, and people were satisfied with that, because he had many responsibilities to fulfill for the good of the people," she said proudly. "That's why I tell my brother he should be proud to work for Lord Kamisato."

       Caiome poked her with her finger. "Why don't you marry him, then?"

       "I couldn't!" Uta said, her cheeks even redder.

       Exactly the same reaction as Chizuru. What did they all see in him? Oh, if they only knew what was hiding behind that perfect man's mask. Although, she couldn't be totally against Uta, because Caiome, among other things, cursed his beauty too.

       "Please, don't feed her imagination," Mizuki said. "We should go, or else we'll be late."

       "Be good," Uta's mother said. "Don't go anywhere you're not allowed, listen to Mizuki and the other employees, and don't cause any trouble, understood? And if you happen to see Lady Ayaka or Lord Kamisato, remember what I taught you."

       "Of course," Uta said, grabbing Caiome's arm and pulling her along. "Can we leave now?"

       Once they reached the telepoint, Uta seemed very excited to be teleported by a Vision bearer, while Mizuki paled, looking horrified.

       "Oh, come on," Caiome urged. "Are you afraid?"

       "N-no!" Mizuki said, grabbing her arm, while Caiome put her arm around Uta's shoulders, pulling her close as if in an embrace. "Just... be gentle."

       "Gentle?" Caiome laughed. "It's not like I can control teleportation. We'll just end up there."

       "Ignore him," Uta said, holding onto her waist more firmly. "He's just a scaredy-cat."

       "Hey!" Mizuki exclaimed.

       Uta stuck her tongue out at him, then hid in Caiome's abdomen.

       "I thought the same thing from the beginning," Caiome said.

       "Whose side are you on?" Mizuki said, feeling a bit offended. "I know she's younger, but on—"

       "Yes, yes," Caiome said, then they disappeared and reappeared near the residence.

       As soon as their feet touched the ground, Mizuki let go of Caiome, swaying and clutching one of the tall courtyard walls, holding his stomach.

       "I think I'm going to be sick," he muttered, as the two girls looked at him with crossed eyes.

       Uta still held onto Caiome's arms, embracing her, but she didn't seem to be green-faced.

       "Oh, come on," Caiome said, approaching him and giving him a hearty slap on the back. "Not even your sister is like you."

       "And I thought I had balance issues because of my sight," Uta said as if disappointed in her brother.

       "You have no mercy for me," Mizuki breathed deeply. "I'll never teleport again. How come you're fine?" he asked Uta, who shrugged, making Caiome wonder the same thing. Even Koshi, who was a trained ninja, felt a bit dizzy after teleportation.

       "Anyway, let's go," Caiome said, and all three entered through the front gate.

       Mizuki gave his sister a relatively short tour, while she looked wide-eyed around the courtyard, and other employees stared at them, wondering who the girl who simply entered through the front gate was. But it wasn't hard to tell that she and Mizuki were siblings, considering their eye and hair color, and common facial features, including the shape of their chin and lips. This raised another question. Why was Mizuki's sister here?

       They didn't enter the mansion, as Mizuki insisted it wasn't necessary, and Uta was content with the gardens. Arriving in the back gardens, Caiome quickly searched for Himawari, who was waiting quietly near the garden stumps.

       "That's another kid," Uta said, approaching Himawari, who still didn't realize she was being watched.

       "Oh, yeah, that's right," Caiome said. "I almost forgot about her."

       Because the plan was for Uta to think she was going on some sort of tour of the residence without being told that her actual purpose there would be to meet Himawari and make friends.

       Only then did Himawari raise her gaze, noticing Uta for the first time. Only to quickly hide behind the tree trunk, making Uta frown slightly.

       "Uta, this is Himawari; she works here as a trainee maid," Mizuki said. "Himawari, this is my younger sister, Uta. You're about the same age, so I hope you'll get along."

       "Hello," Uta waved.

       Caiome sighed and went to Himawari, grabbing her collar and pulling her gently from behind the tree trunk. "Be polite and say hello back," she tapped her shoulder.

       "H-hi," Himawari mumbled.

       "You really work here?" Uta asked, clenching her fists and her eyes gleamed.

       Caiome kneed Himawari's leg, signaling her to speak.

       "Uh... yes."

       "Where are you from?" Uta continued. "Are you from a village? From the city? From Ritou? Or from another island?"

       Himawari blinked a few times at Uta and her huge smile. She... seemed not to know who she was talking to. The first person who had no idea who she was.

       "I live here," she mumbled later, sounding slightly more relaxed, considering she wasn't clenching her fists anymore and wasn't keeping her head down.

       "Really?" Uta burst with excitement. "It must be amazing to wake up in this mansion every day."

       "I'm just a trainee maid, though."

       "Let's leave the details aside," Uta laughed. "I came to visit. I've never been to a lord's residence, so I didn't expect to meet a kid here."

       "How did you get here?" Himawari muttered as if trying to gather all the information about this girl before saying too much, to test the waters. Of course, she was Mizuki's sister, but that didn't explain why she was here when Himawari was supposed to be the only child and kept under observation to avoid too much contact with the outside world.

       "Lord Kamisato probably wanted to do a favor for my brother, Mizuki, as a reward for his services as a guard."

       Caiome and Himawari frowned, and Mizuki suddenly seemed agitated.

       "What?" Caiome asked.

       "I think you've said enough about me," Mizuki covered his sister's mouth. "Well, since both I and Miss Caiome have a lot to do, Miss Himawari, how about you give my sister a tour and maybe spend some time together? I'm sure you'll get along just fine."

       "But... my lessons..." Himawari said to Caiome.

       "We can do them later."

       "Great!" Uta said, grabbing Himawari's arm and starting to pull her along. "I'll be accompanied by someone who lives here. Show me your favorite places."

       And off the girls went, and Mizuki sighed in relief.

       "Your services as a guard?" Caiome looked at him, standing with her arms crossed, and Mizuki realized he wasn't out of danger after all.

       "Uh, about that..."

       "Your family has no idea what you're doing here, do they?" she said. "That's why you let me train you to improve your skills. You lied to me! It seems that Mr. Mizuki is not as honorable and honest as he appears and claims to be, is he now?"

       "It wasn't intentional," he quickly apologized with his cheeks reddening. "I just—"

       Caiome suddenly put her hand on his shoulder, tapping it a few times, looking rather... pleased. "I'm proud of you," she said.

       Mizuki looked genuinely disappointed. "You shouldn't say that."

       "I'd be a hypocrite if I complained about it."

       "You're always complaining that Lord Kamisato has lied to you repeatedly and deceived you."

       "Because I expect it from him, not from you." Caiome seemed to jump slightly excited on her feet, clenching her fists. "Oh, I have to tell someone."

       And with that, she disappeared from beside Mizuki, bursting through the doors of the Great Hall.

       "Ayato, guess what!" she said excitedly, chest forward, approaching the table at the end where he was seated. "Mizuki, the benevolent Mizuki, just lied to me. Now that is what I call a good-bad influence on someone, you should be proud of me."

       Ayato displayed a strained, forced smile, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. "Miss Caiome," he said, "you chose a rather inappropriate moment for such a report, don't you think?"

       Caiome blinked curiously, then looked around at all the clan heads in the room. Oh, she thought. It was one of the days when Ayato attended a general meeting. He usually had meetings in the morning, but not with all twenty clans at once. This kind of meeting was held once every two to three weeks for a general report, and the last such large meeting was when Caiome had held onto Ayato's leg until he let her go to the city with Thoma and Ayaka.

       Caiome vaguely remembered Ayato telling her the night before that he would attend this meeting.

       But instead of backing away from everyone, Caiome just smiled and plopped down on the floor next to Ayato's table, putting her sword in her lap.

       "Great," she said. "I'll listen in, too."

       A man from the first row of tables cleared his throat. "Meetings are usually confidential, Miss... Caiome."

       "Dude, I'm his bodyguard," she said, pointing towards Ayato. "I pretty much have to be wherever he is, right?" she smiled at Lord Kamisato, who began to regret his words.

       "And at the same time," Ayato said with the same strained smile he only showed to the clan heads, "you have not been present at the morning meetings in the past few days. I could tell you to wait for me outside."

       "But, my lord," she said with a false shock on her face, putting a hand on her chest, "how could I leave you alone? What if an assassin enters through the window and threatens your life?"

       "You..." Ayato murmured, then sighed. He had no intention of having this conversation in front of the clan heads, so he turned to them. "It is all right, I trust Miss Caiome."

       "You haven't said that before," Caiome mumbled to him, leaning her elbow on her knee.

       "Do not push it," Ayato whispered back. "Just be quiet now."

Chapter Text

Chapter 32 ~  The Uncle and the Counterfeit Gemstones

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       The meeting proceeded quietly, without Caiome exhibiting any inappropriate behavior anymore—especially considering she was supposed to adopt the image of a responsible bodyguard. On the contrary, she had been very attentive, especially when the discussion turned to the gemstone industry, which, since last time, hadn't resolved its issues, and no one knew where the loophole was.

       Caiome had never seen Ayato so thoughtful before he announced his decision, and that he would investigate it himself by asking Tetsuya Shoichiro to stay after the meeting to discuss the details.

       The problem boiled down to profit. It was clear that the workers delivered a certain quantity of verified mined gemstones to their destination, but after processing and putting them on the market, there were many controversies raised by customers who refused to pay the full amount; so the industry had been paused for a few days to discover the cause, but Tetsuya Shoichiro, the head of the Tetsuya clan, hadn't found anything even until now. Nothing was wrong with the merchandise or the final products put on the market. Later, even the jewelers stopped buying gemstones.

       "In that case," Ayato sighed when only the two of them and Tetsuya Shoichiro remained in the Hall, "why did you not come to me earlier?"

       Shoichiro let his silver eyes fall to the ground for a few seconds, and a somewhat sad smile appeared on his lips. He seemed tired, and his shoulders were slumped.

       "It seems that my powers and mind are leaving me at the same time, and wisdom is deserting me," he sighed. "I admit it was a mistake not to come to you, my lord. Probably, I just wanted to prove that I'm still useful to you somehow. I didn't even rely on my son, who knows nothing about all this, although he's supposed to take my place in a few years. It seems that that time will come sooner than I thought."

       Caiome leaned her elbow on Ayato's table, looking at Shoichiro from one side to the other. Something about his figure seemed familiar, very, very familiar, and those eyes... Not to mention how strange it seemed for someone to speak so casually in front of Ayato when until now Caiome had only witnessed how his subordinates either behaved as respectfully as possible or begged and cried for mercy.

       "You know I canot deny your decisions," Ayato responded with perfect calm, almost relaxed. "But if you encountered any problem, you should have reported it to me immediately."

       "I know," Tetsuya Shoichiro said. "I apologize, my lord."

       The way he apologized, with only a half bow, kneeling on the tatami mats, seemed so sincere and effortless at the same time.

       Then it clicked to her.

       Caiome let her hand drop down, lightly hitting the table, and a smile appeared on her lips, feeling very smart inside.

       "Uncle!" she said, and the two men looked at her curiously. "You're Ayato's uncle, his mother's older brother. Of course," she scolded herself as if it were obvious. "One of the ships sent after Father's silver hairpin for his wife was yours. It makes sense, considering you work in this industry and wanted to help your brother-in-law with such a gift for his new wife."

       "Uh..." Shoichiro said, displaying a weak smile. "I'm honored that Miss Caiome recognizes me."

       "Of course I do. See?" she turned to Ayato. "I can learn from a book."

       "The only reason you could remember his name is because he has been involved in violent conflicts a few times," Ayato said with an extraordinary calm, expressionless. "If I were to ask you about a few political events he attended, you wouldn't know anything. Do not mind her," he told his uncle. "She likes to stick her nose into everything."

       "Well... it's interesting seeing a personality like her around the Kamisato Estate," Shoichiro said, then made a half bow towards her out of politeness, and Caiome frowned. "I'm glad to meet you, miss."

       "Uh... sure," Caiome said, then moved closer to Ayato, as if trying to hide behind him, whispering to him. "Did you see what I saw, or was it just my imagination? Am I going crazy? Are you going crazy like me?"

       "It is just politeness," Ayato said, raising his hand. He quickly grabbed the top of her head, pressing it down, making Caiome bend uncomfortably towards Shoichiro, almost hitting the table. "You should do the same. Come on, introduce yourself properly."

       "Hey, let go of me," Caiome said, trying to move his hand aside, while Ayato dodged and pressed her head in the same way, causing a show for his uncle.

       "There's no need, my lord," Shoichiro said, making both of them look at him. "It's clear that Miss Caiome doesn't know our culture well enough to follow each of our customs. When she learns and feels comfortable, then she can introduce herself as she wishes."

       Caiome quickly moved away from Ayato, who barely let go of her, getting closer to Shoichiro.

       "Uncle, you're an angel. Do you know how much your nephew torments me? Let me tell you, under that mask is hiding a demon who finds pleasure in my suffering."

       "That because you do not understand basic things that I have repeated to you so many times," he said, and Shoichiro couldn't help but chuckle, and at the same time, he was slightly confused.

       It was like watching two children arguing and blaming each other, victimizing themselves; but at the same time, it was strange to see Ayato like that. He couldn't remember the last time he had had such a relaxed meeting with him for several years, feeling like he was always missing something from Ayato's life, but he couldn't intervene too much. For the first time, Ayato seemed a bit... uncharacteristic.

       "I'm sure Lord Kamisato only thinks about what's best for everyone," Shoichiro told Caiome.

       "I take back my words, no one here is an angel," she said.

       "If you are done throwing a tantrum, we have more important matters to discuss," Ayato said.

       "Fine," she said and stood up, ready to leave the Great Hall. "Then I guess you don't want me to tell you how your gemstones are not actually the natural mined gemstones, right?"

       "Excuse me?" both men asked at the same time, and Caiome grinned and clicked her tongue, crossing her arms over her chest.

       "See how the tables have turned,"she smiled. "Oh, come on," she looked at Ayato. "You knew from the start that something fishy was going on, so surely you sent someone to investigate, they just didn't find anything. And I went around your market too. Do you remember when I went to the jeweler to sell Mizuki's jewelry? The jeweler was working on a set with rubies. I didn't question it too much back then, but now that I think about it, the stones were weird."

       "Weird in what way?" Shoichiro asked.

       "They shone very brightly, even though we were in a dimly lit room. In short, they weren't natural gemstones, but synthetic ones."

       "And what do you mean by that?" Ayato asked.

       "Alchemy. Counterfeit gemstones made in labs. They're very easy to mistake them, even at a much higher level than the confusion that can be made between lapis lazuli and sapphires. If you can bring me a ruby from the jeweler, I can demonstrate."

       Ayato frowned slightly. "Koshi," he said, and Koshi entered the Great Hall slowly, emerging from the shadows. Caiome waved to him, while Koshi bowed twice, once to Ayato and once to Caiome. "Bring me a ruby from the treasury and a ruby from the jeweler to whom you sold the silver set some time ago."

       "Yes, my lord, miss Caiome," he said and left.

       "Alchemy," Shoichiro murmured to himself after Koshi left the Hall. "But how is it possible? We've been extracting gemstones from the same mines for years."

       "Obviously, there is an exchange happening somewhere," Ayato said. "While the genuine gemstones are taken by the attackers, we are left with only the counterfeit ones."

       "What's even more worrying is not the recovery of the gemstones, but the appearance of the fakes on the market," Caiome said. "Or rather, the buyers' refusal to procure or pay the full price. As I said, they're extremely easy to confuse, so they couldn't raise problems, much less immediate ones that create scenes during the transaction and not afterward. My guess is they already know about them."

       "Maybe they just have a very keen eye," Shoichiro suggested.

       "But have they ever mentioned that they're counterfeit?" Caiome asked, but Shoichiro couldn't give her an answer. "Plus, uncle, you've been in the industry for as long as you can remember, and you surely have a trained eye. Have you seen any of these gemstones with your own eyes lately?"

       "Of course, every day since the case was opened."

       "And have you realized if they're real or counterfeit?"

       Shoichiro sighed, embarrassed. "I must confess that I haven't."

       "That's what I'm talking about. So, those people want to disrupt the gemstone market just to create such crises for you."

       "But we've already investigated the buyers' list," Shoichiro said. "They're the same as always, whether they come in person or send proxies to make transactions on their behalf."

       "We just need to dig deeper. In any case, we are fighting on two fronts," Ayato concluded. "The alchemists behind the theft and the strange behavior of the buyers."

       After some time, Koshi entered the Hall unnoticed, which made Shoichiro startle surprised when he saw his tall, dark figure again in such a short time. Koshi placed the two red stones on the table in front of Ayato, indicating which one was taken from the family treasury and which one from the jeweler.

       Caiome approached the stones, as did Shoichiro. Indeed, one of them seemed to shine much brighter than the other.

       "And that's not all," Caiome said, taking the natural one.

       She sat on the floor between Shoichiro and Ayato, holding it in her palm. The Anemo Vision pulsed slowly, and a small whirlwind formed in her hand, lifting the gemstone a few centimeters above her palm. In the next second, the ruby cracked and shattered into two. Caiome left the pieces on the table, then took the synthetic one. Passing it through the same process, it shattered much faster, and instead of a smooth cut, the edges of the false stone crumbled, becoming jagged.

       "No matter how advanced alchemy is in creating the same image of the gemstone, it won't be able to have the same density as a genuine stone created by nature. Alchemy can fail, but nature never does; there are no imperfections."

       "Amazing," Shoichiro said, but he didn't know what he was referring to, whether to the mastery of alchemy in copying the same image of the gemstone to the point where they were identical or to Caiome's explanation. "How do you know all this?" he asked.

       "She has an affinity for these type of domains," Ayato said instead. "As for many other things related to sales and product quality."

       "I've traveled a lot," Caiome shrugged innocently. "I know many things."

       "I see," Shoichiro said. "In that case, what will we do from now on?" he turned to Ayato.

       "I will investigate the buyers, while you will ensure security at the gemstone mines. And if alchemy can do something as impressive as copying a gemstone, I will also inform Clan Head Kazumi about the precious metals. Gold and silver must be even easier to counterfeit. Wait for my orders," Ayato told Shoichiro, who got up from the floor, then bowed to him.

       Turning to leave the room, Caiome led him to the exit, standing close to him. "Keep an eye especially on the extraction point," she advised him. "Since the mines are further from the city, the exchange is likely happening somewhere nearby."

       "Of course," Shoichiro said, then sighed, both of them leaving the Great Hall. "This has never happened before. Usually, the thefts and robberies were much simpler in the past. Now it's about alchemy. Even if we catch the culprits, we need to find the hornet's nest, as they say."

       "Not even thieves are honest anymore," Caiome said somewhat ironically.

       "It seems not," Shoichiro said with a smile. "I didn't expect to be such a problem for Lord Kamisato at this point."

       "Even you call him Lord Kamisato?!" Caiome snorted.

       "It has been too long since I last addressed my nephew informally," he chuckled, sounding almost like a father. "It has become rather a habit."

       "I know all about this respect for nobles and the honorifics especially when you're not alone in the room, but he's your nephew, your sister's son. How hard can it be?"

       "To tell you the truth, Miss Caiome," he said thoughtfully, looking towards the halls of the mansion as if reliving memories within those walls, "Ayato doesn't remind me of his mother at all. If it weren't for my memory of Yuna holding him in her arms right after giving birth and if she hadn't declared him her son, I wouldn't say that they, and implicitly we, share the same blood in any way. He's different in so many aspects from both his mother and his father. In some ways similar, but in most... it's as if the Ayato I'm looking now is the son of neither of them."

       Caiome mulled over the thoughts but didn't have much time for it.

       "Anyway, it's not good to talk so much about this," Shoichiro said, "especially in his own house with all the employees in the halls. The walls have ears, and the wind carries words far."

       "True," Caiome said.

       "I'll wait for your word," Shoichiro said finally, then left.

       Caiome watched him until he disappeared down the halls, then returned to the real problem, namely those precious stones. She entered back into the Great Hall, closing the doors behind her, leaning against them with her hands behind her back. Koshi was no longer in the room, and the stones were still on the table, while Ayato looked deeply at them.

       Caiome had seen his pensive expression so many times, for hours, staring at his boring papers, but now the atmosphere in the room was much more pressing. Because it was no longer just about a few signatures and reports and some relatively simple plans, but about the entire gemstone market, which had already been in danger for almost three weeks. If they didn't solve this problem quickly, they would suffer the consequences, and Caiome understood at least that much. After all, who wouldn't fight for the little empire they had created with so much work, sweat and sacrificies?

       "You know that just a few investigations won't be enough, right?" she said.

       "I am aware," said Ayato.

       Caiome stepped away from the doors, sitting in front of Ayato, leaning her elbows on the table, resting her cheeks in her palms. "And you know that the theft occurs right in front of the mine when the goods are transported out of the tunnels, right?"

       Ayato closed his eyes, then looked at her, indicating that yes, Ayato already knew that. He was too smart not to already know that.

       "You didn't tell Shoichiro," she continued.

       "Neither did you, for that matter."

       "How could I? Betray my lord's intentions?" she chuckled.

       Ayato raised an eyebrow. "Stop playing around," he said.

       "I was just curious about the reason. Don't you trust your own uncle?"

       "Whether I trust him or not has nothing to do with the fact that we are related," he said, beginning to poke the red stones with his fingertip. "And it is not relevant in this case anyway."

       Caiome frowned. As Ayato poked the red stones, she began to poke him in the forehead.

       "Weirdo," she said. "But let's say I believe you. So, we'll handle this in the Shuumatsuban style? It's clear that it's more important to find the thieves than to investigate these quarrelsome clients. Anyway, we could do both at the same time. So," she smiled, combing his bangs with two fingers until Ayato finally raised his gaze to her, "does this mean you're letting me be part of the operation? I might have a few ideas on how to catch the rats. It depends on how subtle you want to be."

       "I am pretty sure I could—"

       "Ah, you see, that's not going to happen," she said. "Not with the experience you have." Ayato frowned, seeming slightly offended, considering that Caiome was just trying to call him inferior to her. "Of course, in my case, you were able to catch me with lies, but that's because you're just as perfect a liar. But here it's about theft, not lying. You need a thief to catch a thief, right? You know what they say, keep your friends close, and your villains closer."

       "Enemies," said Ayato.

       "And what did I say?" she shrugged.

       "Fine," he sighed. "Let's hear it."

🌸

       As Shoichiro promised, security was reinforced around the gemstone mines, and Kazumi Yuuji, the head of the precious metals industry from Yashiro Commision, reinforced security around the precious metal mines, but this wasn't where Caiome's plan, somehow accepted by Ayato with a few changes here and there, would focus.

       Firstly, even alchemist thieves would need a theft plan, so since the extractions had already been stopped for over a week, their plans were likely disrupted because they had nothing left to steal. And to create those fake stones, they needed funds, funds most likely coming from stealing the stones; without funds, they couldn't continue their plans.

       "We're going with the idea of a wealthy man desperate for money," she said in the presence of Ayato, Koshi, and two other Shuumatsuban members who were dressed similarly to Koshi, all of them with their faces covered, being just as silent. "When an industry starts to decline, the wealthy consider any possible solution to make some money. We'll pick one of the mines, the most valuable one possible, and on the way to the depot, we'll put up a bunch of guards as security."

       "To give the impression of fear," said Ayato.

       "Exactly," she said. "Every high-level thief, as in our case, has a pattern, they never steal randomly, because it goes against their principles. And they don't rush into things when there are risks, especially when it comes to such a big theft, like, hmm... three or four crates. Also, the stones need to be easy to replicate to attract attention. Thieves need time to decide if they want to strike and time to fabricate the stones they'll use for the exchange, so the plan will take place in about three or four days. The more of the route to the warehouse we cover, the more confident they'll be to strike right at the entrance to the mine. In short, we play the fools."

       "If we give the idea of the desperate rich person, four crates will be too few. We will make a transport of six crates of blue diamonds," Ayato said.

       "Blue diamonds?" Caiome was genuinely surprised, placing both palms on her chest, and her eyes moistened, playing theater. "I haven't seen blue diamonds very often. Are you doing this for me? I didn't think you loved me that much."

       "You said you wanted a valuable stone that is easy to replicate and attracts attention," Ayato replied instead, ignoring her obvious theatrics that made the other three look weirdly from one to another. "Do not think too much into it," he added more for the others. "Anyway, that would further reinforce the idea of desperation, fear, and risk. If we did not have a stone like the blue diamond, we wouldn't have so many guards for a transport like this."

       "True," Caiome said, putting the play aside and suddenly becoming as serious as Ayato.

       "The guards will be members of the Shuumatsuban from the Information Department," Ayato told the three. "The ambush will be carried out by members of the Shuumatsuban from the Operations Department. Now, as for the signal to start the operation..." he turned to Caiome. "I guess we will have to let the expert thief make the move."

Chapter Text

Chapter 33 ~ The Rain and the Blue Diamonds

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       Three days later, at midnight, at the entrance to the blue diamond mine in the southern head of Tatarasuna Island and along the entire road to the warehouse in the eastern head where they were to be loaded and transported by sea to Narukami Island, dozens and hundreds of soldiers with torches in their hands stood guard. The entrance to the mine was relatively empty, four soldiers – all Shuumatsuban members – and a few miners were placing the crates with the blue diamonds whose glassy surface Caiome glanced at only once before they were covered.

       The other members participating in the ambush were hidden and, of course, relied on Caiome to give the signal. But Caiome had told them from the beginning that it would be a risky operation because they only knew the thief's pattern but not the methods: how, when, and in what way they were going to make the exchange between the crates with the real diamonds and the counterfeited ones. She needed to focus as well.

       However, it was her great pleasure to wear a complete Shuumatsuban member-specific costume, a black suit, very light and pleasant to move in, elastic and with all the necessary accessories. Koshi brought her all the equipment she needed, from clothes to weapons, of which Caiome chose only a few small ones, such as shurikens and kunais, considering that she relied more on her sword, the power of her Vision, and balance, so the others were useless to her.

       Like all the others, she was hidden behind a wide tree that completely concealed her, hiding her Vision among the clothes, so as not to create unnecessary light that could attract attention. From the previous thefts investigated by the Information Department, most were done after midnight, at one or two o'clock, because that's when the precious stones came out of the mine. Although there was still time until then, Caiome wasn't one hundred percent sure it wouldn't happen sooner, considering that the alchemist thieves were going through the same level of desperation as Shoichiro. They depended on the gemstone industry if they wanted to continue their research.

       She let the breeze pass through the trunks and branches of the trees, through bushes, making them rustle, through blades of grass and over dusty roads, through the flames of the torches and through the salty smell of the sea, through the waves crashing against the rocks, bringing all the sounds to her. Birds flapped their wings, agitated by the unexpected wind, and she heard the soldiers' breaths, their steps, and the wood crackling in the campfires at the entrance of the mine.

       Suddenly, she heard some footsteps approaching her, footsteps that were foreign. She grabbed her sword and turned ready to strike, but the figure dodged inches away from the sword's edge, then grabbed her wrist. Caiome frowned, quickly studying the stranger dressed in black, in the Shuumatsuban clothes.

       Somehow, she first recognized the torso under the black clothes, and the narrow waist she had seen naked at some point, and then she saw the very faint shimmer of the Hydro Vision hidden among the clothes. Unlike his elegant clothes worn as Lord Kamisato, the Shuumatsuban clothes made his body appear thinner and more agile at the same time, outlining his muscles, shoulders, and long legs.

       Ayato took off the tenugui covering his face, but left the zukin on his head, covering his hair, which stood out very easily. Caiome smiled under her own tenugui, retracting her sword and putting it back in its sheath.

       "I could have killed you," she whispered, and Ayato covered his mouth and nose again with the tenugui.

       He moved closer to the tree trunk, standing between the roots, and Caiome followed him, to stay as covered as possible. "Are you sure they would take the bait?" he whispered back a few seconds of complete silence later.

       "The gemstones extractions stopped suddenly," said Caiome. "It certainly caught them off guard without having previously decided what they would do next. That much I'm sure of, so yes, they'll take the bait."

       Ayato turned away from the cart guarded by a few people, looking at Caiome who was still attentive to her surroundings, letting the wind gently hit her zukin, which allowed her eyes to be somewhat visible. Although they were hidden behind a tree, they were not very far from the mine entrance, so the campfires and torches cast lights that reached them and subtly touched their faces. Which, aside from the way the zukin shaded her face, her eyes shone just like the rubies Caiome had cut in front of him. During the day, they had the color of an intense sunset, but at night, her eyes took on the shade of fresh blood. It was hard not to look at her.

       Caiome was very attentive, focused. Like all the others, she didn't want to mess up, probably especially because Ayato had practically risked and bet on her ability. And although she had that amused look, like a jester making puppets dance, Caiome always tried to accomplish a task in the best way possible, as was the case with ramad aleizam. Ayato had to admit, the fact that the maids were interrogated anonymously... might have been a good idea.

       And even now, although Caiome was joking, her body said otherwise. She stood completely turned towards the mine entrance, ready to signal at the slightest movement. Her hand was on the sword handle, and the Vision subtly pulsed under her clothes, seeming impatient.

       "It's still uncertain how many of them will attack and their variety," she whispered later, leaning against a tree trunk.

       "I trust my Shuumatsuban," said Ayato.

       "It's not about that," said Caiome. "Koshi, Nami," she said into the darkness, and from among the trees came the two figures dressed in black, bowing to the two of them. "Keep an eye out for Visions. Any spots of color you see, report them to me. All units to stay close, but spread out. Take positions in tall, bushy trees, on branches facing outward. Make sure not to be seen."

       "Yes, miss," they both said, then disappeared.

       "Are you afraid of Vision bearers?" said Ayato.

       "Not for me," she replied.

       "Even if not all the Shuumatsuban members have Visions, I believe they can handle them."

       "Well," said Caiome, "I don't know them all and don't know their abilities, so it's best to be on guard, right? It would be even worse if two Vision bearers attacked one Shuumatsuban member."

       "The organization's training is specifically tailored for any situation," he whispered back. "If there really are Vision bearers among them—"

       Caiome quickly grabbed him by the nape with one hand, while covering his mouth with the other. She pushed suddenly against him, turning Ayato's back to the tree. He stumbled against the tree's large roots and relatively easily hit his back against the tree trunk, standing with his legs stretched out in front of him. Caiome pushed herself against him, slightly bent backward, pressed against his body, so Ayato, rather instinctively, caught her not by the waist, but somewhere higher, placing his fingertips on her ribs.

       "Quiet," she demanded, still covering his mouth with her hand, looking behind the tree trunk.

       But Ayato couldn't move even if he wanted to, and he couldn't turn his head in another direction as well as Caiome was holding him so well. So most likely, the way Caiome was pressed against him, she was leaning on his body.

       So Ayato could, more than see, feel the shape of her body, the muscles of her legs and abdomen, and the strength of her arms when she pushed him against the tree. And more than that, Caiome had a presence, because there was a difference between touching someone and forcing someone, when touched, to feel. Like her body, her heart beat calmly but strangely strong at the same time, and Ayato realized that this wasn't fear, but excitement.

       Caiome was entirely made of ecstasy and adrenaline.

       And although her nose was covered by the tenugui, considering that Caiome was so close to him, he could smell the fresh rain scent coming from her hair. It was an intoxicating, soothing, and even peaceful smell that sometimes Ayato wanted to feel – it didn't matter where it came from. But even so, even on rainy days in the past few weeks, every time he smelled the damp scent, he couldn't associate it with anything other than...

       He closed his eyes for a few moments, forgetting where he was and what he had to do. He forgot that behind him an ambush was about to unfold. He was back at his office window, watching Caiome who even in the rain was dancing with her sword on the logs, seeming even happier than on sunny days. She didn't seem to care that she was going to catch a cold, she didn't care about the cold biting her exposed skin, she only cared about how the sword cut through the raindrops. She even had a smile on her face, enjoying the rain.

       Ayato slowly opened his eyes, looking through his eyelashes at Caiome, who had a serious expression, with her eyes focused behind the tree.

       A sudden gust of wind hit Caiome a few seconds earlier, causing her Vision to pulse as if it were on alert, but Caiome saw nothing beyond the tree and bushes. Everything seemed just as quiet, but the atmosphere was a bit oppressive. Insisting, Caiome finally saw a streak of whitish-gray rising near the campfires.

       "There," she said.

       Ayato leaned toward the edge of the tree, standing side by side, breathing the warmth of the other. Caiome withdrew her hand from his mouth and from behind his neck, and Ayato saw what she was referring to. They looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, and Caiome smiled under her tenugui.

       "We've got them," she said, but didn't get signal yet.

       Not yet.

       The whitish streak began to intensify and cover the mine entrance. Mist, of course, to confuse the soldiers and miners.

       Only two minutes later, when the mist covered the cart with crates, causing the two horses to move restlessly from side to side, Caiome saw an unknown movement near the cart.

       Ayato didn't realize when Caiome left him at an odd speed, stepping on air. She jumped on the stacked crates, making an arc with her arm, and a strong gust of wind dispersed the mist around the cart, revealing to everyone some strangers dressed in black, but not in ninja costumes.

       "Look what we've caught in the trap," she laughed.

       Caiome leaned her sword on one of the crates, leaning slightly forward on it and smiling. She waved her fingers at three of the thieves who looked at her wide-eyed, their faces covered with cloths made from rags.

       "Hello, boys. Have something for me?"

       The soldiers tried to approach to capture them, but the group of thieves took their positions and attacked, which didn't suit Caiome as much as she would have thought.

       She raised her hand and created another whirlwind that took the fire particles with it, raising reddish lights in the air – the signal to the others.

       The ambush began, and as the Shuumatsuban ninjas emerged from among the trees, so did the villains from a dense fog, all engaging in a battle of shadows, the stake being the cart with the blue diamonds.

       Caiome jumped off the cart, attacking one of the thieves, managing to bring him down quickly enough, just like all the others who approached the diamonds. Caiome couldn't let them lay hands on such beauties and replace them with those damn fake stones. And in her whirlwinds of wind, she felt the water droplets, which could only come from Ayato who was fighting somewhere nearby, but Caiome couldn't see him.

       She moved quickly when she felt something was wrong, just as a spear of earth suddenly rose towards her. She twisted, pirouetting, and in front of her, next to a Geo Vision hung from the waist of the thief, appeared a relatively short and thin man, playing with a dagger on his fingers. His face was covered, and his hair was tousled, but his attitude alone made Caiome smile.

       "I was wondering when you, Vision bearers, would show up," she said.

       The thief clenched his fist and raised his arm abruptly. Caiome moved quickly, jumping back as sharp earth spears emerged quickly from the ground, even from under her. After a few meters of retreat, Caiome jumped on a gust of wind and landed on the top of a spear – admiring her sturdy leather boots. She pushed against the spear, prepared her sword, and prepared to strike the thief, but he also retreated, then struck her long dagger against her sword.

       "You're not so tough," he commented amused.

       "No," she said, "but I'm faster than you."

       She pushed against the blade of the dagger, spun quickly, and struck with the sword towards his neck. The thief barely had time to parry with the dagger, so he fell to the side with a bloody wound on his arm.

       Caiome approached him and attempted to strike again, but the thief put a Geo shield between them. Caiome stopped her sword before it hit the shield that came quickly towards her. She dodged, avoiding a blow from the thief, and from there the fight became more intense. Both infused power into their weapons, turning it into more of a duel than a battle. Caiome hesitated to use her Vision's power around her because of the Shuumatsuban, and it seemed her opponent had the same reason. Neither could risk injuring their colleagues.

       But for Caiome, it became annoying to fight against a dagger. So she didn't care enough about the restraints, pushed against the cart, jumped up, and flew towords him in a whirlwind, strucking him with her sword. The power of the wind clashed with that of the earth, throwing everyone back within a five-meter radius. The thief was left unconscious due to the impact he couldn't parry fast enough, and Caiome laughed to herself. The area was secured.

       In the crowd, she recognized Ayato, and as he parried the blow of another sword, another enemy approached him from behind. Caiome pushed into the ground and clashed her own sword against the other's, pushing him back.

       "Hmph," she huffed as Ayato also escaped his opponent, "I would have thought you could concentrate better so that I don't have to save you from certain death."

       "Then what is the point of you being my bodyguard?" he replied.

       The fight ended relatively quickly after that, and all the thieves were tied up and gathered, the unconscious ones separated from the conscious ones. Caiome and Ayato didn't bother too much about finding the location of the lab – especially considering Caiome didn't refrain from threats. Koshi was sent to investigate, and when he confirmed the location, which was actually relatively close to the mine, Ayato ordered the lab to be burn to the ground. With everyone inside, if necessary.

       Also at Ayato's orders, the thieves were to be escorted to the Tenryou Commission, this time without keeping their identities as Lord Kamisato anonymous, as it wasn't another Commission's problem, but his own, and the diamond transport was to be escorted by ninjas from the Information Department, along with miners they had to ensure were not harmed in any way.

       The ninjas immediately complied, starting to clean up the place. Caiome played around with the thieves a bit, poking them or asking for more information about the counterfeit stones, just out of curiosity. Some answered, others didn't, and those who didn't...

       "Kusa," she said to a ninja, "could you make sure this thief walk on all fours to Narukami Island?"

       "Uh... of course, miss," he said.

       "Hmph,"she mumbled looking at him. "It doesn't matter, just escort him and the others," she quickly added, changing her mind.

       Then, looking for Ayato, she found him somewhere at the edge of the small camp set up by the ninjas, considering it was too late to return to Narukami Island. It was something new for Caiome, considering she hadn't slept in tents in her life, but directly under the open sky, regardless of whether it was winter or summer.

       Caiome approached him, taking off both the tenugui and the zukin. She put her hands behind her back, jumping next to Ayato, both looking towards the waves crashing in the distance on the beach and rocks. She had a big smile, nudging him with her elbow.

       "Did I do a good job or did I do a good job?" she said. "I definitely deserve to be your bodyguard for fewer days out of the two thousand and something."

       Ayato chuckled into a smile. "Is that why you got so involved in this case?" he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He also no longer wore the zukin and the tenugui, now that the thieves had been taken out of the small camp and he didn't need to hide from the organization. "To be excused?"

       "My services are never for free," she said arrogantly.

       "Well, the case is not over yet," Ayato said. "We need to find out what is going on with those clients. The alchemists confessed they were being bribed to cause problems in the industry, but it seems to be more than that."

       "It's alchemy," Caiome shrugged, "anything can happen."

       "We will interrogate them subtly," Ayato said. "I will send the Department to ask them a few questions about the situation. Then we will start an investigation to eliminate all the fake stones," he turned to her with a smile, and Caiome understood what Ayato had in mind faster than she would have wanted.

       "Me?" she asked, with a slight hope that she wouldn't be asked to roam all over Inazuma for that.

       "I thought you were bored sitting in my office all the time and wanted a change of scenery."

       "I take back my words, I want to be locked in your office for the rest of my life."

       Ayato leaned suddenly towards her, and Caiome leaned back. "That can be arranged," he laughed.

       Caiome put her hand on his face, pushing him away. "I'll think about it, so for now, I'll say pass. By the way, Koshi has already sent a message to your uncle that everything is over. You have serious trust issues when it comes to the other clans. Lucky, you have me to help you get through this."

       "Since when did you decide that you have to gain my trust?" he laughed.

       "Well, since I'm supposed to work for you for another five or six years, I better start making allies. Plus, I have a lot of gain from your trust, I'm not that stupid to refuse it. And you have to admit, you need me more than you know, like today."

       "I am pretty sure I could have handled it on my own."

       "Lone wolf," Caiome commented, then straightened her voice. "Anyway, I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

       Ayato smiled, amused. "Goodnight," he whispered softly, but Caiome was already too far away to hear him.

       Only when she reached her tent, she realized that Ayato didn't ask her to stay with him, guarding while he was asleep. Maybe he just wanted to give her a night off after the operation concluded. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 34 ~ The Beautiful Shuumatsuban and the Mosquito Bride

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       The next morning, when sleep was sweetest, Caiome was awakened by Koshi in a very gentle way compared to Thoma's torture methods. Still confused from drowsiness, she didn't even realize when Koshi urged her to be teleported to the city before the others left for Narukami Island. Only after they had teleported, and Caiome regained her senses, did she understand that Ayato had actually ordered Koshi to take her to the city to deal with the fake gemstones and return the money paid by the jewelers.

       "Miss, are you alright?" Koshi asked, but all the energy drained from her when she realized that, due to her drowsiness from not having slept more than three hours, Caiome had been deceived. Again.

       "No," she replied like a ghost. "I'm not okay. I want to sleep," she complained, leaning against the fence.

       "The sooner we finish, the sooner we can return to the residence," Koshi said.

       "Don't talk to me," Caiome said, raising a hand and standing quietly for a few minutes, but she couldn't sleep standing up. "Fine," she sighed. "But once we're back at the estate, no one bothers me anymore, understood?"

       "Yes, miss," Koshi replied.

       "Where to?"

       Koshi pointed her towards a teahouse that Caiome recognized as Komore Teahouse, under the jurisdiction of the Kamisato clan and receiving only certain clients. Not even members of smaller clans were automatically allowed here. However, Caiome had nothing to do there except to receive some biscuits and coffee from one of the hired waitresses. Meanwhile, Koshi disappeared for a few minutes, and when he returned, if it hadn't been for his body constitution and his intensely green eyes, Caiome wouldn't have realized it was him.

       Additionally, Caiome almost fell off her high chair when she saw him climbing down the stairs to the ground floor.

       Koshi was beautiful. He was hella beautiful. Underneath the mask he constantly wore, young, sharp, thin, elegant features, velvety skin, and full, rosy lips were hidden. Even though he was dressed in street clothes – albeit dark ones – Koshi somehow stood out.

       "It's the first time I've seen you dressed like this," Caiome said.

       "I can't wear my costume during daylight in public," he replied, and Caiome couldn't help but stare at his mouth.

       "It's the first time I see your lips moving while you speak. And the first time I see your neck; have you always had such a long neck?"

       She studied him from all angles, and Koshi took a step back, his cheeks blushing.

       "Miss, please..."

       "You can't judge me, boy," Caiome said. "It's like finding a pebble on the road, and when I cracked it open, I found diamonds inside."

       Koshi sighed, and Caiome stared at his expression, finally seeing it all. "We should get to work, Miss Caiome."

       A whole day. That's how long it took Caiome to find and check all the stones sold by the Yashiro Commission in the last few weeks and refund the money with which the stones were purchased. Koshi always stood by her side, at her disposal, bringing her coffee and snacks when she was hungry, gently patting her shoulder when Caiome sat near a tree to doze off a bit, just as she did before visiting the last jeweler who had bought a large quantity of diamonds, which meant a lot of work.

       Caiome sat curled up by the roots of a tree near the immense statue in the city, under a bush, hiding her eyes from the sun's rays, enjoying the warmth of early summer. She lay on her back, with a pleasant smile on her face, while Koshi stood beside her.

       "You don't have to watch me so obsessively," she said. "I'm not running away."

       Koshi seemed confused. "Running away, Miss?"

       "You know, Ayato's immense fear. Anyway, you should relax a bit. Those jewels aren't going anywhere."

       "Uh... thank you, Miss, but I'll stay here. I'm quite comfortable."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow. Koshi had a relatively serious expression, and apart from a few frowns, Caiome didn't see anything else on his face.

       "Oh, come on," she nudged him with her elbow. "Stay beside me. Since you see, I have no one to talk to, and now that I see you... completely, I'm curious about you."

       "About me, Miss?"

       "Well, first of all, it's going to be hard for me to get used to you looking like this."

       "It's just for today," Koshi replied.

       "Yeah, yeah," she waved her hand. "How was the teleportation? You told me a while ago that you had some health issues. What health issues?"

       "I'm anemic, Miss."

       "And yet, you don't get dizzy when you jump through the trees?" she frowned.

       "It depends on the situation," he replied. "It's late, Miss. We should finish quickly."

       "Fine," she sighed.

       It took her about two hours to check the diamonds bought by the jeweler, then they returned to the residence. Caiome went straight to bed, only to be awakened the next morning by being hit with a pillow in the face. Of course, it was Thoma.

       "What do you want?" Caiome said as Thoma held the pillow under his arm.

       "You have work today, remember? You have to check the precious stones from Ritou, then you'll go to Watatsumi Island to identify those bought by the people there."

       "What now?" Caiome said. "I'm not going to an island..."

       "You can teleport," Thoma said.

       "... or walk the entire port aimlessly."

       "Koshi knows the way."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, her hair messy. She hadn't even changed into pajamas since the day before.

       "And if you don't, at least two more violations will be added," Thoma said with a smile.

       Caiome raised an eyebrow. "I hate you."

       But she had no choice. She changed clothes and passed through the dojo, where Ayaka was doing her daily exercises, asking her for a favor that came with a price, then she met Koshi outside. He was dressed just as casually, and around him were a bunch of maids close to his age or even a little younger. This was because Chizuru was also there. They all seemed to have glassy eyes and big smiles, laughing, while Koshi didn't know what to say, and when he did, all the girls giggled and laughed.

       "Alright, alright, that's enough, girls," Caiome said, pushing through them and pushing them away. "Do you want to suffocate my companion with how close you're standing to him?"

       "Companion?" one of the girls said. "Aw, you're so lucky," she said, teasing.

       "You can flirt with him after we're done," Caiome said, grabbing Koshi by the shoulders and turning him towards the exit.

       "Thank you, Miss," Koshi said once they reached the telepoint.

       "Don't thank me," Caiome laughed, patting him on the back and holding onto his arm. "Are you ready for a longer jump?"

       But Koshi didn't get to say anything, because they teleported, arriving at Watatsumi Island. There they were greeted by a soldier who proclaimed himself their guide for the day. Fortunately, since they had more time to prepare and organize, all the jewelry was gathered in a very well-lit room, sorted into boxes. Caiome checked each box, which belonged to a buyer, and then refunded the money.

       But instead of returning to Narukami Island, Caiome went shopping, looking for someone special who had something special, which turned out to be a book. After some negotiations between Caiome and the man that she seemed to already know, she turned to Koshi.

       "Koshi, can you lend me some money?"

       "Lend?" Koshi said. "I have the money right here—"

       "Thanks," Caiome said, taking it and buying the book – because she couldn't steal it and anyway, most likely she would have been asked for the receipt.

       Then she found a shady tree and collapsed on the grass, waiting for the day to pass.

       "Shouldn't we return?" Koshi said.

       "Nah," Caiome said. "Everything will be fine."

       They returned in the evening to the residence, and Caiome hid from Ayato and Thoma wherever she could, considering she hadn't even walked through Ritou port in search of fake gemstones. Caiome was tired of sitting and studying them with attention without using the cutting method, considering that if by chance she would cut a natural gemstone, it would have destroyed its value. That's why it was such a long process. And apparently, if not even Uncle Shoichiro had been able to see the difference, Caiome seemed the most suitable for the job to avoid mistakes. And because it was the responsibility of the Yashiro Commission, as Thoma had said, they had to deal with the misunderstanding. Meaning Caiome had to deal with it.

       The next morning, during one of Ayato's private sessions – not that Caiome particularly cared to see him considering yesterday's truancy – Caiome headed briskly to one of the terraces overlooking the ocean stretching out before them and towards the distant small islands. Ayaka was already there, standing at a long table with a cup of tea in front of her and a few biscuits, ready to receive the few guests.

       Caiome plopped down beside her, handing her the square package. "Your payment."

       "Just to be clear," Ayaka said, trying to adopt a serious tone, "I didn't do this because of what's in the package."

       "Of course, of course, the secret stays between us," Caiome replied.

       Ayaka took the package and opened it, her eyes sparkling when she saw the book cover. And when she read the title, she became ecstatic.

       "The second volume of How to Steal a Rainbow? When you promised me a rare book, I didn't expect this. How did you find it? I've been looking for it for months. It's my favorite book by Yu Xi Lao, and one of the rarest books ever known."

       "I have my methods," Caiome shrugged. "I know a lot of people."

       But Ayaka seemed too engrossed in flipping through the book to listen further. Her whole face lit up, seeming to outshine even the sun. "But I kept my promise too," she finally said.

       The back gates opened, and ten men with boxes approached the terrace. They were all clients from Ritou who had purchased the gemstones. The agreement between Caiome and Ayaka was that, while Caiome was away on Watatsumi Island, Ayaka would make a list of the Ritou clients and summon them to the residence the next day, to the back terraces so as not to have too much contact with the rest of the estate, sparing Caiome the hassle of roaming the entire port. In return, Caiome promised her a very rare gift that would be bought, not stolen, considering that Koshi would be a witness to the purchase.

       Caiome got to work, quietly investigating the stones, separating the genuine ones from the fake ones, while the clients watched intently, learning. Some of them even ventured guesses. Sometimes their answer was correct, but most of the time they were confused, and Caiome scolded them.

       "And you call yourselves gemstone lovers?" she mumbled, gesturing for them to stop poking around after explaining at length why they were wrong. From there, the clients became even more anxious to open their mouths, so Ayaka engaged them in pleasant conversations, offering them tea and snacks while they waited.

       When Caiome reached the last three jewelers, Uta and Himawari appeared out of nowhere, sitting beside Caiome.

       "What are you doing?" Uta asked cheerfully, while Himawari seemed like she had been dragged here rather than coming willingly.

       It wasn't strange. Since the two had met, Uta was curious and running everywhere, trying not to interfere with the employees' affairs, playing with Himawari who, although she started to speak more than before and was a bit more open – or at least no longer hiding behind trees – became much quieter when she had to talk to someone who wasn't Uta, Caiome, or Mrs. Nakamura.

       "I'm sorting the real stones from the fake ones," Caiome said, carefully examining one of them, a beautiful emerald, then placing it to her right.

       "Is this genuine?" Uta asked, and Caiome nodded.

       "Would you like to try?" Ayaka proposed, but her gaze was more focused on Himawari.

       Perhaps this was part of her education as a future clan head. Considering that Himawari had to know more fields, including jewelry, she had to learn at some point. Moreover, maybe Caiome could teach her how to tell the difference, despite all the other clients.

       "Can we?" Uta said with flushed cheeks.

       Well, Caiome wasn't sure if Uta could study them with an eye as clear as Himawari's, but she still handed each of them an emerald.

       "Hmm," Uta hummed, examining the emerald from all angles. "Real," she said.

       "And mine," Himawari said, handing the stones to Caiome to study.

       "You're right," Caiome said a bit shocked, then handed them two more.

       "Fake," Uta said.

       "Real," Himawari said.

       Again, they were right. Caiome narrowed her eyes, then handed them two more emeralds that you could hardly differentiate, even if you looked at them closely.

       "Real," Uta said as if she had just defeated a monster.

       "Fake," Himawari said a bit reserved.

       Ayaka and Caiome looked at each other, then at the two girls, blinking.

       "Is something wrong, Lady Ayaka?" Uta asked, straightening up.

       It wasn't so shocking that Himawari could study gemstones, considering she had lived within the Commission. But Uta...

       "How do you know all this?" Caiome asked Uta. A girl with her status shouldn't have had much contact with gemstones to be able to tell if they were fake or real.

       "I did not know we were organizing a tea party this afternoon," Ayato's voice was heard, and everyone turned to him as he came from the large gardens alongside Thoma and Mitsuko who followed him from behind.

       "Lord Kamisato," Uta murmured, then quickly got to her feet, followed by Himawari. While Himawari made a calm, reserved bow, Uta made a quick, powerful one, and her face turned red. Her knees began to tremble, clutching her long shirt, tied with a belt, in her fists. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Kamisato," she said quickly, barely breathing. "It's an honor to be in your presence. My name is Uta, I'm Mizuki's younger sister."

       Everyone looked silently at Uta, then Ayato smiled sweetly.

       "A young lady with pleasant manners," Ayato said instead, and Uta lifted her red face, raising her chin and adopting the same straight posture Himawari had. Ayato brought his hand to his chest, making a short bow in return. "The honor is mine."

       Uta trembled, full of emotions.

       "I see you get along well, you two," he added.

       "Very well," Uta said quickly. "Thank you for the ocasion, my lord."

       "No problem," he said. "You are welcome here anytime, Lady Uta."

       Uta chirped softly, hearing her name alongside a title.

       "Be careful," Caiome said to Ayato with a grin, "otherwise, she might have a panic attack. You're the prince from her dream stories, after all."

       "Caiome!" Uta exclaimed, pouting, then seemed to realize something. "Kayome! From now on, you'll be Kayome."

       Caiome frowned. "What?" she asked, because she didn't see the difference.

       Everyone laughed, even Himawari seemed to giggle, but Caiome just looked confused from one to the other.

       "What?" she insisted. "It's the same."

       "Not exactly," Ayaka said. "It's about how you write it. Ka-yo-me. K and Y."

       "I still don't get it," she said.

       "It means mosquito bride," Ayato said. "Ka from mosquito and Yome from bride."

       Caiome blinked a few times, then turned to Uta. "Mosquito bride, huh? Fine. In that case, I guess we can forget about the mosquito bride that brings you here every day and takes you back home. And since Mizuki can't take you home, it means you can't come here anymore. At all. Ever."

       "But... b-but... I'm sorry," Uta said firmly. "But now we're even. Even."

       "Hmph," Caiome said.

       "Anyway," Ayato said, looking at the three men who were left with the unchecked stones and who were still bowing to him. "What is happening here exactly?"

       Caiome turned to him, and this time she really looked at him. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen him in the last two and a half days, since the ambush night, but his eyes seemed a bit lost. Although most of the time, Ayato forced himself to have a sparkle in his eyes and a bright, pleasant face for those outside the house, this time it seemed like his acting game wasn't so perfect. His back wasn't as straight, and it seemed like he was forcing his arms to keep them behind his back, probably just to give the impression of a noble position.

       Caiome looked more carefully at his eyes. Ayato wore foundation, covering possible dark circles, and his lashes were more curled. His lips shone slightly, probably coated with lip balm to avoid looking so cracked due to dehydration.

       "I called them here," Ayaka said just as Caiome opened her mouth to give a response, considering that Ayato was practically staring at her. "Miss Caiome had two busy days, so I thought to lighten her workload and, instead of her going to Ritou port, to bring the clients here."

       Ayato remained silent for a few seconds. "I understand," he said defeated. He had nothing to comment against his sister, although, looking again at Caiome, he instantly understood that this couldn't be anyone else's plan but hers due to laziness. And it seemed he didn't have the mood to comment anyway. "In that case, I will let you continue your tasks."

       He greeted the two girls, then turned and headed back to the mansion. Caiome quickly got up, grabbing Thoma by the collar, dragging him along.

       "I'll borrow him for a bit," Caiome said, and Ayato couldn't even open his mouth before the two disappeared.

       "Hey, hey, slow down," Thoma said, trying to loosen Caiome's grip on his collar. Finally, Caiome let go. "What do you want?" Thoma asked, adjusting his jacket.

       "I want to ask you a favor," Caiome said.

       "Yeah, sure," he mumbled.

       "Just... listen to me," she said, tapping her foot.

       When she finished explaining, Thoma frowned at her. He had been frowning at her ever since she started talking, as if Caiome was spewing nonsense.

       "And why do you want this?" he asked.

       "Because I have too much time on my hands," she said sarcastically, then hit his arm. "Because I need it if I have to spend so much time around Ayato. And since he doesn't have time... And since I don't want to be anyone's joke, including and especially his..."

       Thoma raised an eyebrow. "There must be something behind this," he said, and Caiome clicked her tongue.

       "Are you going to help me or not?"

       "What do I get in return?"

       "Excuse me?"

       "Isn't that what you do?" Thoma asked. "Deals? Like you did with Lady Ayaka earlier. If I help you with this, it will consume my own free time."

       Caiome clenched her fists but couldn't retract her proposal. "Fine," she finally said. "What do you want?"

       "For you to be a decent person."

       "Excuse me?" she said, getting slightly nervous. "Haven't you seen what I've done so far? I've helped the clan and the Commission, and I've fulfilled my responsibilities quite well. You should praise me for coming to you for help, which I don't usually do. I've set aside my pride, that should be enough for you."Caiome smiled sweetly, clasping her hands behind her back, swaying. "But I could do something else for you."

       "Like what?" he asked.

       "I could put in a good word for you to Ayaka, to find out if she likes you back or not. I can be your wingman! I love being a wingman!"

       "What are you talking about?" Thoma said, instantly blushing. "You're just talking nonsense."

       "Oh, come on, it would do you good to at least not hope like a fool. That way you will know to not waste your time on her when you could be with another girl instead."

       "There is no other girl—"

       "Oh, yes," Caiome sighed theatrically, putting the back of her hand to her forehead. "There can't be anyone else for you except Ayaka, consumed by the desperate feeling of love and admiration."

       Thoma grabbed her by the nape, putting his hand over her mouth, looking around. "Fine," he said, letting her go. "I'll help you with what you want, just shut up and don't do anything stupid."

       Caiome looked cunningly at him, and Thoma understood he had lost the battle with her. If things didn't go her way, she would pave her own path, creating unpleasant situations for the other party to corner them.

       "Thank you, my dear Thoma."

       Then she turned on her heels and continued her work.

🌸

       Caiome found it strange that even several hours after finishing her work with the gemstones, taking Uta home, having her lesson with Himawari, and then training with Mizuki, having her first session with Thoma regarding her favor, and a few duels with Hirotatsu's guards, Ayato still hadn't called her into his office. Evening fell, and the candlelight spilled from the office, yet Caiome wasn't summoned.

       Out of curiosity, she headed towards his office. She opened the door, expecting to find him sitting at the desk, with a brush in his hand, and starting to scold her for all the commotion in the backyard, calling the Commission's clients to the residence instead of going to the port herself.

       But instead, Caiome saw a different sight. Ayato stood in front of the table, one arm bent on its surface holding his head, while the other hand rested on the table with a brush between his fingers, touching a sheet of paper, staining it. He wasn't wearing his coat; it was placed on a nearby stand. It was past dinner, and most of the employees had gone home, so there was no one to disturb him.

       Caiome could tell she was still confused by the situation. She had never seen Ayato sleeping anywhere other than in his own room, dressed in pajamas, hidden under the covers. He went to bed late and woke up early, even before dawn.

       Caiome approached the table, circling to the left, the direction where Ayato had his face. She lowered herself to her knees, then onto the floor, resting her cheek in her palm, tapping her nails on the table with her other hand, waiting for Ayato to sense her presence in his sleep and wake up. But that didn't happen.

       Caiome reached out, pushing aside a few strands of his hair, tossing them aside. In the candlelight, Ayato looked even paler, and the foundation on his face had already begun to dry out, considering it hadn't been wiped and replaced. His lips were slightly parted, and his long lashes cast sharp shadows on his cheeks. He seemed relaxed in his sleep, not furrowing his eyebrows or showing any tension as he did when reading reports and signing documents. It didn't look bad on him, to be honest...

       Caiome poked his cheek with her finger. "Ayato," she said softly, then a bit louder. "Ayato."

       But Ayato didn't move.

       Caiome shook him a bit, calling his name, but Ayato didn't budge either.

       "Hmm," she hummed, studying him for a few more seconds, then grinned from ear to ear.

       She gently took the brush from his hand, dipped it in ink, and started drawing on his face, making three twisted mustaches and two circles around his eyes, then a triangle on the tip of his nose. If Ayato didn't wake up when Caiome shook him, of course he wouldn't wake up now. Caiome put the brush down and moved behind him, grabbing a few strands of hair from the front, braiding them and securing them with a desk clip. She quickly went to the garden, where she picked a few pink and white flowers, which she pinned in his hair, and even found a duck feather near the pond, which she pinned next to the flowers. She also took a bit of red ink and colored the edges of his lips with her fingertip.

       At least Caiome found it very amusing and already made a plan for the next day when Ayato would wake up.

       After fixing him up, she looked at him again, this time with a wicked smile on her face, imagining what expression he would have in the morning when he woke up. She felt quite satisfied, and revenge began to taste sweet.

       Then her eyes fell on the papers he was sleeping on, and she even managed to read Tetsuya Shoichiro's name upside down, as well as others. Caiome gently pulled the papers and files, then began to read them. It seemed that while Caiome ran from store to store, from one island to another, Ayato did his job, bringing the gemstone industry back on track. No wonder she hadn't been called into his office for three days. Ayato hadn't even been home enough to accidentally bump into her; he had been running from one clan to another to make sure there were no more unknown problems that needed his attention.

       Everything had already been turned upside down since the theft of the gemstones. For as long as she stayed in the city, Caiome heard rumors. Given that the bribed clients had caused such a stir in recent weeks in plain sight, people started talking about the Yashiro Commission and what was really happening. So Ayato not only had to make sure the clans didn't encounter any more problems, bringing in experts to check for any traces of alchemy in all industries, but also to calm the waters among the civilians, otherwise their trust towords the Commission would be lost.

       That's why Caiome didn't like getting involved in such big things like public satisfaction. No matter how much good you did, when you did something wrong, people didn't remember the good you had done in the past. And gossip was always stronger than praise. Judging by all the contents of the files and how much time it should have taken him, Ayato didn't seem to have slept in the last three days, and all of this followed right after the ambush at the blue diamond mine.

       Caiome sighed, setting the files aside, annoyed as she looked at him again, at the way the ink stained his face and the flowers in his hair.

       "You never take a break, do you?"she mumbled. "Of course not," she answered to herself after a few seconds of silence. "You're just a goody-two-shoes."

       She arranged the papers and files in one corner, then began to pick up the others. She opened them, read them, analyzed them as much as she could, then set aside the ones that were completed or signed. She also read the incomplete ones and placed them in another pile. Having spent so many days and hours here and listened to so many discussions, Caiome wasn't entirely ignorant to not know that Ayato's style was rather... messy. When she finished reviewing the papers, she gathered them all and slammed them into a file that Hanako, the secretary, would later take and distribute where needed.

       An hour later, there were two piles on either side of Caiome. She left the pile on the left near the entrance door, on the shelves, while she put the other one on the right side of the table. She took the wakan and the brush, washing them, and a cold wind blew in from the window. Caiome pulled the screen in front of the open window to let the air in nonetheless, then took the coat from the rack and put it on Ayato's back.

       "You owe me," she said proudly, raising her chin and sitting back at the table's width.

       Out of boredom, since she didn't really feel sleepy, she picked up a file from the table, opening it. It was a report about the textile materials Ayato had ordered from Fontaine a few weeks ago and was supposed to arrive in the following days.

       There was a light knock on the door, and it opened, revealing Mitsuko gazing at the whole scene: Ayato sleeping on the table while Caiome read from a file next to him. Mitsuko instinctively raised her hands, but lowered them when she realized that Caiome wouldn't understand her anyway. She searched for a brush or at least a pen, but Caiome beat her to it.

       "He won't go back to bed if you wake him up now, even if you tell him to go to his room."

       Mitsuko nodded in acknowledgment, but still entered the office, leaving the door open, meaning that she wouldn't stay long. She pointed to the file Caiome was holding, then to the others neatly arranged.

       "I was getting bored," she shrugged, lowering her eyes to the textile file.

       Mitsuko stuck her hand into the wide sleeve of her kimono, from which she pulled out a rather long, dark-colored woodstick, with a thicker end sculpted into a bird with its wings spread open and instead of eyes, it had a small stone that shone in shades of white and yellow. She went behind Caiome and knelt down. Caiome was about to turn to her, but Mitsuko grabbed her shoulders, stopping her.

       "What are you doing?" Caiome mumbled.

       Mitsuko lifted her hair, twisted it a few times, then stuck the wooden hairpin in, letting a long, wavy ponytail fall down her back, then arranged the few shorter strands left as bangs. She leaned to one side, putting her fingertips under her jaw, lifting her face, looking from side to side, then smiled at her.

       Caiome looked confused at her, while Mitsuko let her go, taking a small piece of paper and a pen from the desk drawer, writing something. Caiome looked over her hand as Mitsuko handed her the paper.

       It's hard to work with your hair loose... This one suits you.

       "Oh," Caiome said, looking up at her. "If you say so," she added mumbling.

       Mitsuko smiled at her again, then got up from the table. She bowed to her and left the office, closing the door behind her. Caiome looked at the door for a few long seconds, as if Mitsuko could come back in and kick her out, but that didn't happen. She raised her hand, feeling the wooden hairpin and the ponytail, trying to figure out what Mitsuko had done to her hair, especially since there was no mirror in this office.

       She finally gave up the idea.

       "All your employees are weird," she told Ayato.

Chapter Text

Chapter 35 ~ The Hair Pin and the Painted Face

🌸

       Ayato mumbled, feeling something shaking his shoulder. He squinted and tried to get up, feeling his neck stiff from the uncomfortable position he fell asleep in, leaning on the table. He felt his coat fall off his shoulders, although he was pretty sure he didn't have it on when he fell asleep. He rubbed his eyes, looking at Mitsuko who was bent over next to him, with her hand extended.

       "Mitsuko..." he mumbled, shaking his head slightly, looking around. He immediately noticed it was daytime, although he remembered very well eating dinner, then returning to work. "What time is it?"

       "You slept in, Ayato," Caiome appeared out of nowhere, grabbing his arm and pulling him up as much as she could. "It's morning, and your uncle and Kazumi Yuuji are waiting for you outside, you know, to discuss what you still need to discuss."

       "Uh, wait..." Ayato, who could barely look at her, said.

       He looked over his shoulder, at Caiome who was having an impressive amount of energy for someone who had to accompany him to a meeting. But Caiome was always unpredictable, as usual. What was different about her, though, were her eyes, which suddenly seemed much bigger, and her hair in a ponytail. Ayato couldn't remember the last time Caiome had her hair tied back, probably back when she still worked as a servant, not to burden herself. Otherwise, her hair always remained loose, as the ponytail weighed her down during her balance exercises.

       Mitsuko didn't manage to say anything, and maybe Caiome took advantage of that, although it wasn't exactly polite, pushing Ayato out of the office. She arranged his cuffs and accessories with her hands, while Ayato felt dizzy by the way Caiome seemed to be everywhere. By the entrance doors, Ayato felt presentable, while Caiome tied his cuffs better.

       Caiome clicked her tongue. "This silk slips," she complained when she tried for the third time to tie a bow from the cuff ribbons.

       Ayato blinked at her, without responding.

       Where did she get that hairpin? And who fixed it like that for her? Well, it was normal for him to ask questions, considering he hadn't seen her much in the last three days, except when they met on the terrace. Who knows what she had been up to in the last few days, because Caiome always had something up her sleeve.

       She frowned, slightly wrinkling her nose and tight lips. "Done!" she finally said.

       Ayato looked at the cuff, adjusting it on his forearm, then back at her. She was strangely cheerful today.

       "Who styled your hair?" he asked, pulling up the cuff a little bit.

       "Hm?" she said, then the smile began to fade, touching her wooden hairpin with her hand, tilting it to one side. "Oh, uh... Mitsuko did it when I got to your office this morning. She said it suits me."

       Ayato raised an eyebrow slightly. Indeed, it suited her. Although Caiome didn't have a body as slim as other noble girls, she had drawn cheeks and sharp, delicate features, and big eyes with wavy lashes, thicker towards the outercorners. The fact that her hair was tied in a ponytail made her face stand out even more, her jawline more defined, and the tufts of lashes seemed to elongate her eyes now that you could see them. It made her look narrower at the waist, with bony shoulders and more pleasing proportions. Even her face seemed brighter.

       "Let's go," she said, taking his arm, "we wouldn't want to be late and upset your subordinates, would we?"

       Caiome tried to drag him, but Ayato didn't move, pulling her back slightly, and Caiome felt like she was flying on her feet, looking at him. He had a strange look in his purple eyes, something between pending and exciting in the same time. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't upset either. He had this serious face, but he spoke like in a whisper, pulling Caiome toward him gently.

       "Turn around," he asked mildly.

       Caiome blinked a few times. "Why?"

       Ayato pulled his arm back, making Caiome turn on her tiptoes, standing with her back to him. Then she felt her hairpin touched by his hands, then being caught more securely in her hair. She couldn't look at Ayato, considering he practically forced her to stand with her back to him, but she felt the ponytail combed with his fingers. In passing, Ayato accidentally touched her bare neck and the upper vertebrae of the spine without realizing he was touching more than just her hair.

       Caiome quickly jumped forward, turning halfway to him, holding her hand over her shoulder, sticking her ponytail to her back.

       "I think that's enough," she laughed nervously. "We don't want to be late, do we?"

       Ayato still had his hand slightly raised. He blinked a few times, more surprised not only by her reaction, but also by her look, then cleared his throat.

       "Right," he added, straightening up. "Let's go."

       He was the first to go out through the mansion's doors, followed by Caiome. The morning air hit him full, heading towards the terrace, and everyone's eyes turned to him. Well, it was normal, considering he didn't leave the house often, or even the office. And even so... everyone's eyes were a bit...

       Once on the terrace, next to his uncle was a slightly shorter man, with bright chestnut hair and a short beard, a man almost forty-five years old, another of Ayato's uncles, his father's sister's husband who was also the head of the precious metals industry, Kazumi Yuuji.

       Ayato cleared his throat. "Good morning," he greeted, and the two men turned to him, first with a smile... which disappeared when they saw Ayato.

       "Good... morning... my lord?" said Kazumi Yuuji.

       "I apologize for being late," Ayato added. "I had some morning tasks to take care of."

       Kazumi Yuuji and Tetsuya Shoichiro looked at each other, then back at Lord Kamisato, whose hair was braided and decorated with flowers and duck feathers, and he had a small triangular beard, just below his colored lips, and his eyes looked as if he was trying to copy a panda bear.

       What morning tasks did face painting entail? Shoichiro couldn't help but notice Caiome standing next to him, pursing her lips, desperately trying to lift into a smile, on the verge of bursting into laughter.

       "No problem," Shoichiro said.

       "It is a beautiful day," Ayato continued, not even noticing the looks of the other two. "Mitsuko will bring us some tea. We can discuss on the back terrace," he pointed towards the way, and they followed him.

       Seated on the terrace where Caiome sat a day earlier, Mitsuko brought them each a cup of tea, including Caiome, who seemed very pleased with herself. Mitsuko was about to make a few gestures, but Caiome's pleading look stopped her, and instead, she asked if they needed honey. It was one of Caiome's little revenges for all the tasks Ayato subjected her to, and he had no right to say anything... or find out too soon. The longer it took, the better.

       The great Kamisato Ayato was painted on the face, looking like a girl with flowers in her hair, and he didn't even know he was standing in front of officials who should show the utmost respect for his position. Although... Caiome thought... the colors really suited him. Especially those flowers that made him look so... adorable.

       Kazumi Yuuji and Tetsuya Shoichiro gave reports on the current situation, which had considerably improved in the last three days, then they moved on to talk about sales during the end of June festival.

       "We could propose a face painting stand," Shoichiro said towards the end of the discussions.

       "A face painting stand?" Ayato asked. "Where did that idea come from?"

       "Well, it seems that my lord is secretly passionate about it," Kazumi Yuuji said. "I'm sure children and even young people would be delighted."

       Caiome burst into laughter, turning her gaze away from the three, clutching her own clothes. Ayato glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then looked at the other two.

       "Passionate?" he asked with a polite smile. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

       Yuuji and Shoichiro looked confused again at each other.

       "We assumed that because of the style you adopted today," Yuuji said.

       Ayato became even more confused, and Shoichiro pointed to his own face. Ayato put his hand to his face, but felt nothing. Only then did he notice that it seemed like his hair was pulled back slightly. Touching his hair, he found the braid, then the flowers and the feather.

       "Here's a mirror," Caiome said, giving him a pocket mirror that girls usually kept in their purses.

       Ayato took the mirror, and when he looked at himself, he froze. Not only was his hair full of flowers, and his lips were red, but his face was painted in all the places the brush could reach. Caiome didn't need to laugh for Ayato to know she was the one behind it all.

       Now he understood why Caiome was so excited for the meeting earlier.

       He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting the mirror down. "Miss Caiome," he said.

       "Yes?"

       "Bring me a handkerchief. Then you will do a hundred laps around the horse training field."

       "What?! Why?!"

       Ayato gave her a single look that made her frown, knowing they would discuss more later. Caiome brought him a wet handkerchief, then went to the training field. She didn't intend to do any laps, but Koshi appeared out of nowhere, reminding her that he will be counting the laps and report to Lord Kamisato. Until then, Caiome was not allowed to leave the field if she didn't want to get some violations.

       So Caiome kicked the ground with her foot and did the hundred laps... which took quite a while, considering how large the field was, and she couldn't use her Vision, because Koshi was watching her.

       Then she received orders to accompany Mrs. Nakamura into the city for some errands, which meant just following her around, always standing up, without any chance to relax. Then she had to help Hirotatsu with the monthly inventory, standing and counting every weapon piece, inspecting them with Mizuki. Then she had to carry boxes in the kitchen pantry and saddle the horses with Toshirou.

       Caiome knew too well what that meant, Ayato was getting back at her. And she couldn't refuse, considering that any refusal would bring all the violations at once, as Koshi told her.

       And now Caiome was in the middle of the office, standing up, with her arms crossed over her chest. Ayato was sitting at the table, now clean and with his hair combed as usual, lightly tapping the table surface with his fingers. They both looked at each other with frowns. The tension between them could be cut with a knife, and if you looked closely, you could feel the battle between their gazes like lightning.

       "What do you have to say for yourself?" Ayato was the first to speak.

       "That you're a child," she said.

       "I am the childish one? Are you aware that you put me in an unpleasant position in front of my two subordinates, right? They probably laughed at me once they turned their backs, but you found the whole situation very amusing," he crossed his arms over his chest.

       "It was just a joke," she rolled her eyes.

       "This joke of yours could cost me a lot."

       "It didn't cost you anything," she retorted. "You should relax more, seriously."

       "Caiome, maybe you do not care and you never will, but my image is very important to everyone, not just to minor clans, but also to the population. If anyone even catches a word of what happened, me looking like—"

       "Looking like what?" Caiome interrupted him. "You're smart, but not that smart to realize things outside your political circle. If Kazumi and Tetsuya laughed at you, they didn't laugh at you, the Lord Kamisato, they laughed at you as their nephew, and that didn't even happen. And the only reason they looked at you so strangely is because they're not used to seeing you in any other way than as the head of the clan, so serious and gloomy. Did you know that your uncle doesn't even call you by your first name anymore? You are just Lord Kamisato up, Lord Kamisato down, Lord Kamisato everywhere. It's very boring, and no one knows you any other way."

       Ayato clenched his teeth slightly. "I am not here for your, or anyone's, entertainment," he said.

       "You should take a break. Why do you think I was able to do all these things to you last night? You didn't even move when I painted your face or did your hair. Not even a mumbling. And the makeup didn't even help you much. Your dark circles are visible from a mile away."

       Ayato didn't say anything else, sighing. "I hope you have learned something from today's punishments," he said instead.

       "Yes," she replied sarcastically, "like how to carry a box and how to stand on my feet, listening to the gossips of some two middle-aged women."

       "Then here is another punishment," Ayato said, taking one of the files from the stack placed on the table by Caiome the night before. "I intended to give you a reward for your plan regarding the gemstones theft, but I do not think it is appropriate now."

       "What reward?" she said excitedly.

       "It does not matter now," he replied. "You will not receive it because of this joke."

       Caiome crossed her arms over her chest. "Very well. In that case, if you can't stand me that much, me and my jokes, I think I can leave. I've worked like a mule all day, I deserve at least a break."

       She turned on her heels, leaving the office and slamming the door.

       Ayato sighed tiredly, then opened the file, reading the report about the textile order for the costumes of the animators at the end of the month festival. All types of fabrics and their quantities were listed, along with each piece to be made from a certain quantity of the total amount. Ayato read them all, turning page after page, then signed and sent it to Takashi Kei, the head of the textile industry, and to Hideaki Yuudai, who led some of the visual arts: dance, theater, and music.

       When he reached the last page, a note fell from among the papers directly into his lap. Ayato picked it up, turned it over, and read the letters written with such messy handwriting that Ayato immediately knew who it belonged to.

       The amber stones match the red color of the fabrics. It's a summer festival, buy more warm-colored fabrics. Don't forget the accessory stands.

       In the lower right corner was drawn a very small bowl full of noodles with two chopsticks stuck in the food.

       Ayato sighed, leaving the note on the table, by his side.

       Then he resumed reading the order, adding larger quantities of pastel colors.

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       "Plea~ase!" Caiome whined.

       "No," Ayato said, ignoring her.

       "Plea~ase!"

       "No," he said again.

       "Why~y?"

       "Because, first of all, you are holding onto my leg again," Ayato said, looking down at her.

       Ayato tried to pull his leg away while Caiome held onto it, clutching his pants with her fists, lying belly-down like a pie in the middle of the hallway. Caiome found the perfect moment when Ayato left his little office even for a second, so she jumped on him directly. She thought that maybe that would convince him again to do what she wanted, but Ayato, now that he didn't have a meeting to attend, became even more stubborn.

       "Secondly, I have clearly explained to you that you will not get any reward because of your little jokes. When you will erase that image of me from everyone's memory, then I will reconsider."

        He forcefully pulled his leg, and finally, Caiome let go, landing face down on the floor. She got up and clenched her fists.

       "Fine!" she said. "Don't give me anything then. After all the trouble I've been through without knowing I could be rewarded with something. I've been doing this for free from the beginning, and now it's like you're dangling honey in front of a bear, then taking it away. I don't even understand this obsession. I've done worse things and haven't been fooled like this."

       Ayato smiled sweetly, a smile behind which lay acidic words. "You haven't done anything for free; it was your responsibility as my bodyguard," he said. "Furthermore, this reward is not exactly a reward, but a bonus that you can do without if I feel like it."

       "Fine!" said Caiome, then turned and left. She had so many other things to do that day.

       After Ayato finished his work, he retreated to his room... Only to find Caiome on his bed, not only dressed in her outdoor clothes but also wearing her dusty boots. And worse than that was the fact that the soles of the boots were stuck to his sheets, one foot on the bedsheet and one on the blanket, while the pillows were captured in her arms.

       Ayato rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing?" he said, standing in the bedroom doorway.

       Caiome looked at him intensely, threatening him telepathically. Then she began to vigorously rub her boots against his bedding. By the time Ayato reached her and stopped her, the beds were already dirty with soil. Caiome jumped out of bed on the other side, standing with her chin up.

       "The silk beddings are not a reward for you; they're just a bonus you can do without. Others sleep on rags, hmph."

        Ayato sighed deeply, putting a hand to his forehead. "You know I have others to change, don't you?"

       "You don't anymore," said Caiome, passing by him with that arrogant yet amused look. "The other bedsheets of yours were the first ones I destroyed by dirtying them. As for other beddings in this huge house... I hid them."

       Ayato glared at her then smiled, a smile as strained as the one he had the day Caiome burst into the Great Hall during the general meeting.

       "So, that's how it is?" he said.

Chapter Text

Chapter 36 ~ The Song and the Black Nettles

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       Caiome threw the linens into the small river outside the residence, where she used to do her balance exercises, and the water splashed her clothes. She had at least six sets of linens to wash, bedsheets and pillowcases alike, although she hadn't touched the pillowcases when she enacted her little revenge.

       That was Ayato's punishment, and honestly, Caiome didn't understand it. Ayato didn't give her any violations, but if she refused to fulfill the punishment he gave her, then the violations came into play. It was probably like a second chance, but something made Caiome not believe that.

       So she had no choice, she rolled up her T-shirt sleeves over he shoulders, left her sword by the rocks, and started washing the linens. She took one at a time, submerged them in the water, and then began to scrub. Although it was warm outside, and the sun was beating down hard, the river water was as cold as ice, but she didn't mind anymore.

       "What are you doing here?"

       Caiome gently pulled the linens over the rocks, looking at Chizuru, who approached her with an empty basket in her arms.  "I'm washing your lord's stupid linens," she muttered angrily.

       "Here?" said Chizuru. "Why don't you wash them in a basin of warm water? Even the pond in the residence isn't as cold."

       "Because if I wash them in warm water, even for as much time as possible, they'll still dry out by tonight with this sun," she stubbornly said. "Cold water removes stains more slow, so I'll stay here and scrub them just so Ayato doesn't get the chance to sleep on clean linens tonight."

       Chizuru sighed. "You know you bring this upon yourself, don't you?"

       "It's his fault," commented Caiome, annoyed. "Him and his 'the world is at my feet' attitude. Such arrogance. What are you doing here anyway?"

       Caiome submerged the bedsheet in the water again, pulled them onto the rocks, and began to beat and scrub them. Chizuru looked confused at her, at the determination with which she washed that bedsheet as if it were a monster she had to kill. Her hands were red from the low temperature, so red that it hurt Chizuru just to look at them.

       "I'm going to gather some wild fruits," she gestured to her small basket.

       "There are some bushes down there," said Caiome pointing down the valley. "It's daylight, so I don't think anything will happen to you."

       "I see."

       Chizuru was about to leave, but she stopped, looking again at Caiome's hands, which were rubbing and rubbing and rubbing. If she stayed too long with them in that cold water, her fingers would fall off, but Chizuru knew that if she said something, Caiome wouldn't listen. Everyone knew about her impulsiveness and stubbornness; a few words wouldn't stop her.

       "Do you want to come with me?" Chizuru finally asked.

       Caiome looked at her, stopping her washing. "Why?"

       "Well," Chizuru hesitated, "Lady Ayaka wants them for the afternoon tea, but I don't think I could gather them all fast enough, not the quantity needed. A little help would be good."

       Caiome frowned, looking at the linens. "Are you telling me not to do the order Ayato gave me to help you?"

       "Let's be honest," said Chizuru, "you fulfill his order just as an excuse for you to get back at his lordship. The fact that I'm asking you to come with me changes nothing."

       "Probably. Fine," she said finally.

       Caiome put the bedsheet down and stood up, following Chizuru down the path, looking for wild fruit bushes. They found a few near some rocks, some blackberries, so they started picking them up. Chizuru was gentler, while Caiome was plucking and throwing them into the basket with hatred, probably thinking about her little revenge.

       "More gently," said Chizuru. "We don't want them to turn into juice before I can take them to the kitchen."

       Caiome grunted, pulling the bushes somewhat gentler. "Why do you want so many fruits anyway? Are you making a pie?" she asked.

       "Forest fruit pie is my specialty. I have a very good family recipe. Lady Ayaka keeps asking me to make it whenever she has important guests."

       "Today?" Caiome asked. That afternoon, she and Ayato were supposed to go to the city, so that's why she was trying to stall with washing the linens.

       "Yeah," said Chizuru. "Lady Guuji Yae and Lady Kokomi are visiting Lady Ayaka today, and in the evening, they'll go to the Ritou port for the opening of a local library."

       "I understand," said Caiome.

       Caiome had seen this Lady Guuji Yae once last time she was in Inazuma. She had stolen a pair of amethyst earrings from her room because the stones looked so clear that they passed as diamonds. In the end, Caiome discovered that they were just amethysts, and since she had nowhere to sell them, she returned them. She never spoke to her, nor did she even face her, but Caiome now knew that Guuji Yae was somehow involved with the Shuumatsuban organization.

       As for Kokomi... she had been to her island, but Caiome wasn't so interested in her.

       Chizuru began to hum, standing on one side of the bush, and Caiome on the other. It had been a minute or two when Caiome realized that she knew the song from somewhere, but couldn't figure out where.

       "What song is that?" she asked.

       "It's a lullaby," said Chizuru with a smile. "Mom used to sing it to me when I was little, and now she sings it to my younger brothers.

       "How many siblings do you have?"

       "Two older and three younger," she replied. "The youngest is four, but he sleeps with mom and dad because he's scared, especially on stormy days," she laughed. "Why?"

       Caiome shrugged. "Just curious. That's all."

       "Do you want to learn it? The song."

       Caiome snorted. "Why would I want that?"

       "I don't know," Chizuru shrugged. "Maybe you'd want to sing it to your children one day."

       Caiome began to laugh. "I'll never have children in this life," she said. "I don't even want to. It's not my thing, and it would be an extra problem."

       "Seriously?" Chizuru said, genuinely surprised. "I thought any woman, to some extent, wants a family."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow at her, plucking a few more blackberries from a branch and tossing them, leaves and all, into the little basket.

       "But you're right," Chizuru continued quickly before Caiome could snap at her. "I think it also depends on the lifestyle we lead. Being you, it seems natural. I just thought that one day you'd find someone to spend your life with."

       Caiome had an expression of "are you serious?"

       "You don't have to look at me like that," Chizuru said.

       "Have you read too many romance books from Ayaka or something?"

       "It's not like thieves can't fall in love. Moreover, considering how much you stick your nose into other people's relationships, I thought you might be looking for one for yourself too. That escort from a few days ago was quite cute," she teased.

       Caiome bit her lip to suppress a laugh. "I think he's too old for you," she said.

       Chizuru pouted even more. "Why is everyone too old for me?" she sighed. "How old is he?"

       "He... Actually, I have no idea how old he is."

       Because she really had no idea of Koshi's age. Considering his dark circles, tired face, and the many tasks he had to complete, Koshi seemed to be around 25. But if Caiome took all of that from him, he was left with just the image of an attractive young man. She definitely needed to ask him.

       Chizuru continued picking blackberries, this time a little upset, with red cheeks.

       "I'm sure you'll find someone eventually," Caiome said, patting her shoulder. "You're still young anyway, why rush?"

       "It's not about being young or rushing," she said. "It just seems like nothing goes right. I've liked boys too, but none of them liked me back. I was always pushed aside for a prettier girl, or smarter, or funnier," she sighed heavily, letting the blackberry bush alone. "Seriously, what am I doing with my life?" she wondered aloud.

       Caiome glanced at her, unsure of what to say. She didn't usually interfere in these critical moments when someone felt demoralized.

       "Blackberry pie?" she tried her luck, attempting to smile.

       Chizuru clicked her tounge, and Caiome sighed.

       "Boys are stupid," Caiome said. "They don't understand that 'no' means 'no,' jokes are just jokes, they don't know what flirting is even if it hits them in the face, and the only way to make them understand anything is if you tell them to their faces."

       "I thought you didn't want anything to do with boys," Chizuru said. "But you seem pretty experienced in these matters."

       "Hey, I said I didn't want kids, not that I don't talk with boys. They are a complete nonsense anyhow," Caiome clarified. "And, as you said, the lifestyle doesn't allow for just anyone to have children."

       "Yeah, but with you, it's different," she cupped her cheeks in her palms. "You're smart, you know how to fight with a sword, you're beautiful, you know how to dance, and no matter what nonsense you do or what behavior you have, you attract attention, whether for good or bad."

       "Hmm," Caiome shrugged, Chizuru's words echoing Ayato's, who had told her she had a certain power to attract people one way or another.

       "You're exactly the kind of girl boys would leave me for."

       "Hey, don't blame me," she said.

       "Sorry, sorry."

       Chizuru went back to picking blackberries, while Caiome occasionally glanced at her and her disgruntled expression. Caiome knew that this was what normal girls did, they talked about boys and frustrations, but she didn't usually do that. She barely managed to make friends enough to complain about personal stuff, let alone know what to say in return.

       Chizuru leaned further towards the edge of the bushes, picking the blackberries, and Caiome noticed other types of leaves among the blackberry ones.

       "Chizuru, don't—"

       But Chizuru already stuck her hand into a bush of stinging black nettles. She quickly pulled it back with a pained scream, and Caiome jumped next to her, grabbing her wrist and lifting her hand. White blisters were already starting to appear on her skin, and Chizuru winced, trying to pull her hand back to hide it.

       "Don't touch it," Caiome said, pulling her up. "Stupid girl..." she muttered, pulling her towards the stream.

       Caiome almost slammed Chizuru to the ground, who gritted her teeth in pain, frowning and starting to cry. It hurt a lot, and her skin felt like it was burning. Caiome plunged her hand into the cold water, and Chizuru let out a cry of pain, covering her mouth with her healthy hand.

       "How can you be so blind?" Caiome scolded her, starting to wash her hand, rubbing the blisters with her fingers, while Chizuru struggled.

       "It hurts," she cried, but Caiome held her in place with much greater force.

       "Good," said Caiome. "Maybe this will open your eyes. Black nettles are much worse than the green ones, as you can see. They're poisonous."

       She lifted her hand out of the water, looking at her hand covered in redness and white blisters. This clearly couldn't be solved with just water and cream. Caiome looked from side to side, searching for anything, anything that could help.

       "Koshi," she said, and next to the two girls appeared Koshi's tall figure, covered in black clothes. "Do you know how the Emperor's-flower looks like?"

       "Yes, miss."

       "Pick me a bunch with the roots."

       Koshi immediately disappeared, while Chizuru grabbed her wrist, squeezing it, trying not to touch her skin at the same time, but it seemed futile, considering that every movement pierced and burned her skin. Caiome stood up, grabbed a pillowcase, and tore it into narrow strips.

       "Miss Caiome!" Chizuru cried when she saw her tearing apart Lord Kamisato's bedding.

       Caiome sat down next to her again, took her hand, and put it back in the water. "Hold it there," she ordered her until Koshi appeared with a handful of small, white flowers, with long, thick roots.

       Caiome took the flowers, broke off a fistful of leaves, and put them in her mouth, starting to chew them. She took a knife from Koshi, cut off the tips of the roots, then took Chizuru's hand. She held the roots above her hand, and from them began to drip a whitish, almost transparent liquid. Chizuru tensed as the liquid made contact with her skin, feeling the blisters begin to burn, and consequently her dead skin.

       Caiome threw away the flowers, then spat out the leaf paste she had been chewing and began to spread it on her hand until no piece of skin was left visible. She took the improvised bandages and wrapped her hand and fingers.

       "Don't move it," Caiome said, taking the last, thicker strip and passing it under her arm, then over her neck, tying a knot on one of her shoulders. "This is just temporary so you won't have scars and to protect your hand," muttered Caiome, lifting Chizuru up from the ground. "Let's go back. If I'm not mistaken, Ayato had in his office a dragon-fruit paste and some eucalyptus lotion, then I'll make you some black cherry stem tea to ease the pain."

       "B-but... the fruits... and the linens..." Chizuru mumbled.

       "Really?" Caiome asked raising her eyebrows. "Is that your concern now?"

       "I have to make the pie," she said through the tears that were beginning to dry on her cheeks. Although her hand still hurt, the leaf paste was starting to calm her down.

       "I'm sure that fox and that priestess won't die if they don't eat pie today," Caiome snapped. "Koshi, can you bring the linens and that precious fruit basket?"

       "Yes, miss."

       Caiome grabbed Chizuru by the healthy elbow, both heading towards the mansion. At the entrance, Captain Hirotatsu stood vigilant, looking at the two girls as they entered his vision field.

       "Done playing the maid?" he chuckled a bit to Caiome.

       "Very funny," said Caiome, passing by him. Only then did Hirotatsu notice Chizuru's bandaged hand.

       Caiome dragged Chizuru through the halls of the mansion, telling a maid in passing to make a black cherry tea, opened the doors of Ayato's office, and almost pushed Chizuru inside when she hesitated to enter Lord Kamisato's office. Caiome let her go and began to search through drawers, while Chizuru stood like a statue by the door, ready to run away.

       When Caiome found the two jars, she sat Chizuru down at the table, left the jars on her, then took her hand. She unwrapped the bandages, and the improvised leaf paste began to fall into dry pieces. Chizuru tensed, feeling the pain piercing her hand again.

       "It will get better after I put this on," said Caiome, taking a thin cream of a light green color on her fingers, then applying it to her hand.

       Chizuru clenched her fist, but Caiome opened it, massaging her wounds. Then she took a thick and fragrant paste from the other jar, a beautiful pink, and layered it a little thicker.

       "It stings," said Chizuru.

       "That's how it's supposed to be," said Caiome, blowing over her hand as she applied the paste.

       The office door opened slowly, and the only one who raised her eyes was Chizuru. When her eyes met Ayato's confused look, she jumped up, and a few thick drops of cream fell on the floor. She quickly made a bow, and her face turned red. She felt like her whole body was now covered in black nettles.

       "My lord," she said quickly. "I apologize for my presence here, I just..."

       Ayato quickly studied her, rather surprised by how Chizuru began to speak, fast and stuttering, with her head bowed down. He looked at Caiome, who still had her hands stained with cream, and at the two jars painted with cranes and peach blossom branches on the table. He also saw the white strips with floral patterns on the floor, patterns that seemed very familiar to him. Then he looked at Chizuru's hand.

       "Did something happen?" he finally asked.

       "Chizuru stuck her hand in black nettles near the residence," Caiome said.

       Chizuru began to fiddle with her fingers, feeling guilty not only for being in Lord Kamisato's private office, but also for using his precious creams and causing Caiome to tear the pillowcases because of her.

       "I was careless, my lord," she said, bowing again, holding her hands together in front of her, although with every movement and every word, she felt the stinging sensation engulfing her hand.

       Ayato reached out his hand towards her. "May I?" he asked.

       Chizuru looked up at him, then at his hand, and extended hers. Ayato gently took her wrist, both because he couldn't touch her irritated skin and out of courtesy, studying it.

       "Does it hurt a lot?" he asked.

       "N-no, my lord," Chizuru said quickly.

       "Lies," Caiome muttered. "She even started crying. But she'll be fine, I treated her with the Emperor's-flower and your expensive creams."

       Chizuru flinched, pulling her hand away from Ayato's. "I apologize for this, my lord. I will pay for them, I promise."

       Ayato sighed lightly. "You do not have to pay for them," he said, slightly uncomfortable. He always felt that way when someone wanted to pay him back him for a sum of money that meant nothing to him, but for the other person, it meant even a small fortune. "You are my employee, I should be more careful and provide treatments for all of you anyway."

       "N-no, my lord," stammered Chizuru, "I'm fine, and you already think of us too much, I couldn't..."

       "Just be quiet and sit down," Caiome said, grabbing her healthy hand and almost slamming her back next to the table.

       Chizuru stumbled and sat down in front of her with her injured hand stretched towards her. Caiome took two more fingers of dragon fruit paste and spread it on her hand, while Ayato opened a side drawer and took out some gauze bandages, leaving them on the table.

       Caiome scoffed when she saw them. "Why do you keep gauze bandages in the office?" she laughed.

       "You never know when something might happen," came his calm response, as Chizuru squirmed.

       Chizuru had never believed that Lord Kamisato would not only inquire about her injuries, but also help her treat them – even if it only meant giving her a few creams and some bandages.

       "How did you manage to touch the black nettles?" he asked her.

       "I was picking berries for Lady Ayaka, and Miss Caiome was nearby, helping me," Chizuru replied. "She tried to warn me, but I wasn't careful enough, and ended up like this. She tried to give me first aid, but..."

       Chizuru and Ayato looked at the pile of torn material near the girls' knees.

       "I apologize, my lord," she lowered her head again. "I promise I'll do everything possible to replace them."

       "He has about a hundred of those," Caiome muttered, "I'm sure he won't break out in hives if he doesn't sleep on flower petals and violet perfume tonight. And there's a reason why it's called first aid, because you use what you have at hand until you get to a place where you can receive better treatment. Especially if it's about poisonous plants. If I hadn't torn those pillowcases, you would have been left with a red hand and no skin," she scolded her, but she didn't know if she had said that to Chizuru or to Ayato.

       "Black nettles are very dangerous," he said. "You were lucky that Caiome was around."

       "Aww," Caiome clicked her tongue in a proud and arrogant smile, "that means you finally recognize my importance and intend to give me that reward you were talking about so much?"

       "Have you finished washing my linens?" he asked, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

       "You're so obsessed."

       "It is not called obsession if I respect my own words," he said, adopting his usual noble manner. "It is called determination, honesty, and ambition."

       "It's called madness."

       "Madness is what you are doing, insisting like that with the reward, when I have clearly stated my answer," he persisted.

        Chizuru blinked silently, looking from Caiome to Lord Kamisato and back. The atmosphere was strange; if until then, Chizuru only thought about her hand and how she could explain to Lord Kamisato that she used his creams and because of her, some pillowcases were ruined, now all she could focus on was the interaction between these two in front of her.

       Caiome was massaging her hand, while Ayato stood beside her, bickering like two children. It was no longer surprising how Caiome behaved in general, but it was surprising that Lord Kamisato seemed to respond to her in the same way. He was being provoked, but... he didn't seem to realize what he was saying, doing, or reacting to.

       Chizuru burst into a soft giggle, covering her mouth with her healthy hand. However, this didn't mean that the two didn't notice her, turning towards her.

       Chizuru quickly composed herself. "I apologize, my lord," she said.

       Caiome and Ayato looked at her for a long time, then at each other, and then both sighed at the same time.

       "Just be more careful, alright, Chizuru?" he said, getting up from the floor.

       "Of course, my lord," she quickly replied, unable to get up as Lord Kamisato left the office because Caiome held her too tightly.

       "See?" Caiome said once Ayato closed the office door. "Nothing happened."

       Although Chizuru didn't exactly know what the reason behind this "nothing happened" was. Normally, no one except Lady Mitsuko entered his office in his absence, and anyhow, Lady Mitsuko didn't bring someone here who wasn't summoned by Lord Kamisato himself. Caiome was his bodyguard, it was normal for her to be here, but bringing Chizuru, an ordinary servant, into his office?

       Chizuru flinched when Caiome touched a more sensitive area of her hand, and the latter slowed down her movements.

       "I didn't think you were also skilled in medicine," said Chizuru. "Now you really have it all, Miss Caiome."

       Caiome was silent for a few long seconds, almost obsessively staring at Chizuru's hand, so deeply that Chizuru wondered if she had touched a sensitive chord.

       "I'm not that skilled," she said finally. "I learned a few things from some kind of companion, that's all, for moments like these when she's not around."

       "Are you two good friends?" Chizuru asked instead.

       "She hates my guts," Caiome spat in a smile. "If she could, she wouldn't see me ever again in her life, but she's kind of forced to."

       Chizuru frowned. "And where is this... acquaintance?"

       Caiome puffed in an almost wicked way, as if finding satisfaction in her next words. "Somewhere where I hope she suffers, to be honest."

       Chizuru blinked frequently. She didn't know exactly how to interpret Caiome's words, considering the situation seemed odd. This unknown person seemed to know a lot about medicine and seemed to have willingly taught Caiome some things as well, so their relationship couldn't be that bad, right?

       "In any case," said Chizuru, "that doesn't make you any less skilled. I can hardly feel anything now."

       "That's because your hand has numbed due to the pain," Caiome retorted. "But don't worry, by tomorrow night, most of your wounds should be gone, then they'll start healing. Avoid using this hand until then."

       "But I have to do Lady Ayaka's hair—"

       Caiome ran her fingers as if in a caress over Chizuru's fingers. Chizuru, on the other hand, gasped because of the pain that went through her muscles.

       "Good luck with that," Caiome told her. "So, you said you wanted to teach me that song from earlier?"

       Chizuru smiled at her, then started humming the song without lyrics. Caiome refused to sing along with her because she wasn't good at singing, but she could learn the song if she listened a few times, so Chizuru just hummed until Caiome finished tying the gauze bandages.

       "Thank you," Chizuru said softly, looking at her fully bandaged hand.

       "Just be more careful from now on, alright?" Caiome told her. "You should still go to Ayaka and explain the situation, though."

       "Of course." Chizuru finally got up, made a bow – which felt very strange coming from her – then left the office.

       Caiome gathered the remaining pieces of gauze and the two jars that were now half empty, putting them back in their place.

Chapter Text

Chapter 37 ~ The Lord who doesn't see and the Second in Command

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       Caiome said goodbye to Thoma and headed towards the stables, but Toshirou looked very confused at her when Caiome told him she had to go to the city with Ayato.

       "I wasn't ordered to prepare the horses," he said, and Caiome frowned.

       Just then, Hirotatsu appeared and told her that Lord Kamisato was waiting for her at the front gate. Caiome frowned in confusion and went to the main gates. Ayato was standing there with Thoma, who, when he saw Caiome, bid her farewell in a more polite way than usual as he looked at her.

       "Did you see what I saw?" Caiome asked after Thoma wished them a good day and good luck in... whatever Ayato had to do in the city.

       "What did you see?" Ayato feigned ignorance, though the smile on his face said otherwise.

       "Well, whatever," she shrugged. "Why are we here? Weren't we supposed to go to the city?"

       Ayato stepped aside, gesturing for Caiome to follow him, leaving the courtyard.

       "We do not need guards today," he said. "I just need to check a few things, no need to draw attention."

       "Shocking," Caiome muttered.

       They teleported to the downtown of the city, but Ayato turned to Caiome, pulling out a rather thick scroll from the wide sleeve of his suit and handing it to her.

       "How about you check these for me until I finish my visit?" he said.

       Caiome took the scroll, unrolling it a few inches. Written with a brush were several instructions and locations noted on the paper. Alongside were some objectives, the real things that needed to be checked, such as some stands, a workshop at a school, a theater hall, a new park, and so on.

       "No chance," she quickly said, almost hitting him with the scroll over his chest. "I have no idea about any of this. That's your job, not mine. I'm your bodyguard, not your manager."

       Ayato grabbed her wrist, pushing her hand back with the scroll.

       "Unfortunately," he said with a nervous smile that was supposed to maintain public appearance, "I do not have time, Ayaka has some important guests, and Thoma has other tasks to do for my sister. Plus, I did not say you would go alone."

       "I'll go with you, miss."

       Caiome flinched, stepping aside just as Koshi stopped next to her. He was dressed in normal clothes, once again leaving his handsome face exposed.

       "How did you get here so quickly?"

       "I left the residence earlier, miss."

       "Koshi is quite capable of helping you," Ayato said.

       Caiome scowled. "Fine," she said. "I just need to make sure everything is as written here, right?" she opened the scroll again.

       "Exactly," said Ayato. "Nothing complicated, nothing extra for you to do."

       Then he turned away, taking his own path, while Caiome read through all the points they had to go through. It wasn't a difficult job per se, but she wasn't thrilled about touring the entire city for Ayato. Well, she thought, maybe if she took it as a walk and an opportunity to check out what's new on the market, it would be more exciting.

       The first point on the list was Hanamizaka, where the Yashiro Commission, on the occasion of the upcoming first major summer festival, had opened several temporary shops with limited editions of writing instruments, summer decorations, talismans, and some for personal creation, where people could buy material and learn to embroider or paint it to decorate their homes during the festival, or wooden statues carved by Kaito clan employees, or make their own dolls. These stands were to be open the following week and would remain open until after the end of the festival, which would take place in two weeks.

       Caiome, along with Koshi, checked the quantity and quality of materials at each shop. Although Caiome had no idea what she was doing. While Koshi took care of the actual check, Caiome circled the materials, studying various statues and decorations and silk canvases that, in her opinion, would be ruined by inexperienced people and their attempts at painting and embroidery.

       Not to mention that she wasn't the only one who felt out of place there. Koshi only needed to show the clan's camellia-shaped seal, and the owners became compliant, but not before casting a surreptitious glance at Caiome, probably wondering what that foreign girl was doing there.

       "Rain will come soon," Caiome said at one point while one of the owners was talking to Koshi, and the two turned to her. She didn't look at either of them, but at the pieces of material. "Wrap the canvases in paper and place them in a room that doesn't get damp quickly, and after the rain passes, put them in the sun."

      The two blinked, then looked at each other.

       "Of course, miss," said the owner. Since she had come with Koshi, and Koshi had the seal, there was no reason for the owner to think that Caiome was from outside the Commission.

       Then they visited a theater hall, and Caiome couldn't help but comment on the shining curtains.

       "Turn them inside out," she said. "The shine catches the audience's eye. The back is matte, it will look better."

       Hideaki Yuudai, who was in charge of the Commission's visual arts branch, muttered something to himself. He recognized Caiome because he had been on the banquet day when she caused a stir, and on the day she held onto Lord Kamisato's leg, and the day she simply walked into the Great Hall so enthusiastically, forgetting the presence of others, fixated only on the Lord. And now she was here to make checks?

       Although it wasn't impossible. If she was the Lord's bodyguard, it meant he trusted her enough to let her do these checks. And yet, why wasn't Miss Caiome by Lord Kamisato's side in that moment? And if he had such great trust in her, why didn't she hold the seal, but her companion, whom Hideaki Yuudai had never seen before?

       "What?" she said, shrugging.

       Hideaki Yuudai cleared his throat. "Of course, miss."

       Then they headed to the school for children up to fourteen years old, like a middleschool, to check if the workshop opened a few weeks ago had any success. Caiome and Koshi were greeted by the headmistress at the entrance, led through the building corridors to the workshop... from which came a deafening noise.

       Children of all ages were in the spacious workshop, sitting at tables or running around, and it was a mess everywhere. They were all cutting, drawing, painting, sculpting in clay and plaster, or making paper shapes, while in one corner some were even singing and weaving bamboo strips, making baskets, hats, and umbrellas. Caiome saw some kites flying through the room as gliders, while others were chasing each other with paper origami representing animals and soldiers, pretending to be in a war.

       "Although many of them have finished their classes, they prefer to stay in the workshop to have fun with their friends," said the headmistress with a pleased smile and even a proud expression. "The older ones are on break, and they prefer to come here rather than go outside."

       "Therefore," said Koshi, who always thought only about business, "the workshop was a success."

       "Of course," said the headmistress. "The children are very happy, and they haven't been bored since Lord Kamisato funded the workshop. Many of them even insist on taking their works home or materials to practice, but that's against the rules," she laughed a little anxiously.

       Then they visited the park, which, although not officially open, was already full of people, adults, children, and the elderly holding hands and admiring the surroundings. The roads were paved, spring-summer flowers had been blooming for a long time, the benches were spacious and clean, and here and there were nearly two-meter statues that brought the place to life and were also a great point of interest for children, playing around them and admiring them with wide eyes.

       Koshi and Caiome walked along the paths with the park manager, and while Koshi and the manager discussed certain things, Caiome just swung her legs forward, looking around. There were too many people, and Caiome could easily slip her hands into their pockets... but she wouldn't stand a chance with Koshi around. Which was quite sad, considering Caiome's fingers were itching.

       She had already managed to steal something resembling a miniature painting on canvas with huge waves, which she slipped into the pocket of her pants, and a small statue of a youkai from the shops in Hanamizaka. They were worthless items, but it was a habit Caiome couldn't shake off. She did it involuntarily, without much thought.

       A little later, when they reached the other side of the park, Ayato came from afar.

       "How was the walk?" he asked, as Koshi handed him the scroll and the file.

       "Everything was fine," he replied.

       "I'm glad. Then we can go back."

       Caiome frowned. "Is that all you can say?" she asked on the way to the nearest telepoint.

       Ayato blinked slightly confused at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

       Caiome and Ayato looked at each other, and Koshi at the both of them.

       Was this guy really so clueless? Caiome wondered. Did he just need "everything is fine," and that's the end of his curiosity? It was odd coming from Ayato, considering he was the kind of person who wanted to know everything that was happening. But given that "everything was fine," he didn't need to know more than that.

       Because one thing Caiome noticed during these checks was the effect on people, which was the same: everyone seemed happy. But Ayato seemed not to know that, at least not truly. The purpose of all these projects was to make people happy... in theory. But Ayato, even though he knew people were satisfied, hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Because he didn't go out in public, avoiding as much as possible to make an appearance on the street or anywhere else, staying locked in that office of his.

       "No matter," Caiome said finally. "I just thought you'd want to see it for yourself."

       "Why would I do that?"

       Caiome opened her mouth slightly. "Are you dumb?"

       Surely Lord Kamisato didn't receive those words in the middle of the street from someone before, making a few people turn towards the three of them.

       "You've been a Head Lord for such a long time, and you're still like a kid," she sighed. "Let's go."

       Koshi and Ayato looked at each other, Ayato seeming to seek answers to a question, while Koshi just shook his head, speaking silently so Caiome couldn't hear, admitting he had no idea what was wrong with her and didn't want to guess. And Caiome didn't even insist on staying in the city longer than necessary, unlike that Caiome who had clung to Ayato's leg in the Great Hall just to get away from the residence for at least an hour.

🌸

       Three days later, in the morning, as usual, Ayato kicked Caiome out of his office where he had a small meeting, but still a meeting. He needed to discuss the final details about the Shakunetsu no taiyō festival with some clan lords, which was less than ten days away, and everyone was always in a rush, so agitated that Caiome couldn't stand anywhere without being pushed or rushed by someone. And while Ayato was stuck in his office talking about... textiles, as if that was the big secret he had to keep from Caiome, Ayaka had just returned from the city after personally checking the ceramic workshops and tea and calligraphy rituals.

       Caiome lay sprawled over the table in one of the garden pavilions, in front of which layed the ocean and the small islands with cottages and lush fruit trees, while behind her the mountains were rising still hiding the sun, though it was light. The wind was somewhat chilly for a day like that, and Caiome rested her cheek in her palm, watching and imagining what the people on the islands were doing, how they loaded boats with goods and came to Narukami Island every day, returning home in the evening. Hmm, she thought dully, she missed being at sea. She should have left Inazuma by now. She should have been gone from here a long time ago, but somewhere at the bottom of the same ocean she was gazing at, her shell had probably started to rot.

       "Miss, it's your turn," Koshi said, and Caiome directed her attention to the shogi board in front of her and to Koshi.

       Just as Caiome accompanied Ayato almost everywhere—except his secret meetings—Koshi was in a way her companion too. Koshi's role was to make sure Caiome didn't do anything disastrous within or outside the residence, and at the same time, he kept her company when Mizuki, Kouta, or Daisuke couldn't. And occasionally they played something Caiome had heard of but never played, namely shogi.

       Caiome had played chess before, not often, but enough to know the rules. Shogi was similar to chess, and no matter how much Koshi told her it was more fun and easier to understand, Caiome seriously doubted that.

       Caiome moved a golden general, and Koshi immediately captured it. Soon he reached the first three rows of Caiome's side and promoted one of his pieces, and Caiome felt the game would be over soon.

       She was somewhat skilled at strategizing, but not this kind, which followed strict rules about moves. That's why she didn't like chess too much either. Instead, she preferred to rely on human unpredictability and the infinity of moves an opponent could make against her, where they weren't limited by 81 squares with wooden pieces that only move in certain directions.

       "I seriously think you're cheating," Caiome said.

       "I'm not cheating," Koshi said with a deadly calm behind his tenugui mask.

       It was mandatory for him to wear the dark attire. Basically, he had to stay hidden, Caiome knew that, and still wondered why Koshi appeared in front of her every time she called his name, even when she was in front of others. It was imperative to hide his face, especially since the servants had seen him before dressed in normal clothes, which was an even better reason to stay hidden behind the mask and hood.

       But no one asked questions, because every employee here was part of the Yashiro Commission, so they knew about the existence of the Shuumatsuban under the Commission's jurisdiction, therefore, members of the organization had to be at least ignored, while the employees were pretending they didn't exist and weren't here.

       "Aren't you hot in all that?" Caiome asked.

       "I'm fine," Koshi said. "It's your turn," he drew her attention back to the wooden board.

       Caiome sighed, tapping her fingers on the table. It was their fourth game, and Koshi was beating her way too quickly for her ego to endure.

       "I'm pretty sure I have no moves left from here on," she muttered.

       "You just need practice," Koshi said.

       "That doesn't make me feel better."

       "That's the last of the images I thought I'd see of you," Ayaka's voice was heard climbing the wooden steps of the terrace, and Caiome turned her gaze to her.

       She was dressed in pleasant, pastel colors, a pale pink and lilac purple, her hair was braided, and in her hands she held not only the fan she moved lightly to cool herself, but also a fairly large rectangular package wrapped in colored paper, without a bow. Behind her came Thoma who probably didn't want to be here, but had to take care of Lady Ayaka.

       Koshi stood up and sat behind Caiome, standing, while Caiome picked up the shogi pieces. Ayaka and Thoma sat on the other side, while Ayaka asked a passing servant to bring them each a cup of tea.

       "I would have thought I'd see you training instead of playing shogi," she continued, placing the rectangular package on the table, to one side.

       "I've already done that," she said, seeming even more bored than before. "Then I trained Himawari after taking Uta home, and now I'm here, and Koshi keeps me company with a game like... this. It's so boring when you're kept in a courtyard like this one," she grumbled.

       "I'm pretty sure you would have had other things to do if you were living your old life."

       "It's not the old life," Caiome said, "it's my current life, it's just that for now I'm stuck here with your brother ordering me around all the time. Anyway," she waved her hand. "Where have you two been, lovebirds, all these hours? I didn't think it took that long to check a few things."

       Ayaka adjusted her voice politly. "We did some shopping," she gestured to the package beside them, but Ayaka didn't intend to open it and show Caiome what was inside.

       "I thought you always order things and the packages come here," said Caiome.

       "If that usually happens," said Thoma, "that doesn't mean Lady Ayaka can't enjoy a few personal purchases."

       "I had a little free time, that's all."

       "And yet, you didn't want to take me with you," Caiome complained.

       "I'm pretty sure you would have found something to do that would have caused us even more troubles," Thoma commented.

       Caiome displayed a smile that made Thoma regret his last words.

       "What have you done?" he asked.

       "Nothing," Caiome quickly said.

       "Caiome..."

       "You said it," she shrugged, and Ayaka sighed lightly, seeming to not want to witness what was happening in front of her anymore. "Anyway, how's it going with Hima?" she asked Ayaka instead.

       "She's a smart girl," came her reply. "I'm pretty sure if she hasn't figured out by now what's really going on, it won't be long before she realizes there's a purpose to all this."

       "I've already told Ayato she'll notice that something's wrong, but he didn't want to listen to me."

       "And yet, she doesn't say anything," Ayaka continued.

       "Do you really think she would?" Caiome laughed. "She avoids anyone who isn't us two or Uta. She freezes every time she just feels Ayato looking at her from the office window, not to mention she runs in the other direction when he approaches."

       "I feel sorry for her, I have to admit," said Ayaka. "Not only were her parents exiled, but now she can't even contact her brothers."

       "Ayato didn't say she couldn't send or receive letters," said Caiome.

       "But that doesn't mean she can either," said Thoma. "Things are still delicate."

       With that, Caiome had to agree. And if Himawari felt sad or angry or any other negative emotion, she didn't tell anyone. She was young, but she knew how to keep quiet too well and for too long. And no one could force her. If Himawari realized why Ayato did what he did, she didn't say anything and seemed to want to remain that way. But if she still didn't realize anything, no one could tell her either.

       "By the way," said Ayaka, "thank you for the past few days."

       Caiome frowned, still with her cheek in her fist, slumped over the table. "For what?"

       "For helping Chizuru with her injuries. I don't know if you've had a chance to talk to her since then, but her hand is much better now."

       Caiome knew that. Besides having some confidence in her medical abilities, Chizuru came to her the next day and brought her an entire pie of berries. When Caiome gave her a frowning look, Chizuru quickly assured her that her mother made the pie and brought it to her as thanks. And now Caiome received gratitude from Ayaka too. In a way, it made her think of the night she saved Ayaka and had the same look in her eyes when she promised to reward her, then brought her to the residence.

       "Good," said Caiome. "Maybe that way she'll learn to be more careful."

       "You can't judge her, she's just a child," Ayaka laughed. "Especially because of the discussion you had. It's quite possible that you distracted her with something. "

       "Don't blame me," said Caiome. "And how do you know what we were talking about? Do the girls really have no shred of privacy?"

       Ayaka laughed. "It's a subject she approached with me as well."

       "You two are girls with illusions about romantic stories, no wonder you keep talking about it," she shrugged.

       "You should be grateful that someone is actually talking to you," Thoma said.

       "What's your problem?" Caiome replied. "If you think about it, you're the only one who insists on not talking to me as if I am not a human being. You should be grateful for that, and for the other thing. I get it, you hate me because I stole Ayaka's hairpin, I got over it, she got over it, and Ayato is already punishing me for it. According to your master, I should stay here for a few more years, so you better get used to me instead of having all these frowns on your face, otherwise you'll get wrinkles sooner than you should."

       "As aggressive as always."

       "You wanna see aggressive?" Caiome said.

       "Please, stop," Ayaka said, feeling caught in the middle again.

       Caiome reaffirmed once again that Ayato was a fool for trusting that if she and Thoma spent a few hours alone together, things would be fixed. There was nothing to fix between them because there was nothing.

       "But..." Thoma began.

       "Thoma," Ayaka started, "I forgave her for the theft, and now Caiome is just serving her punishment. Is she really as bad as you think she is? Didn't you have fun when you were in town just the two of you? As far as I know, you didn't even argue or anything."

       Thoma and Caiome looked at each other, but Thoma didn't say anything. Mostly because he had been saved by the bell, as one of the servants came with a wooden tray in hand containing three tea cups and a teapot of cold tea, along with a plate of kawara senbei biscuits.

       The servant placed the tray on the table and served tea to each of them, then arranged the cups. Only three, because the Shuumatsuban members were supposed to be at least ignored to the point where their existence didn't need to be acknowledged.

       For the Commission's safety, but most importantly for their own, Ayato had told Caiome one evening when Mitsuko brought dinner only to the two of them, even though Koshi was in the room with them. Caiome understood the logic: if you pretended they didn't exist, you couldn't find out their identities. And it wasn't like the employees were cruel to them; they all knew very well the important role the organization played in the Commission, but they were contractually obligated to act as if the Shuumatsuban members didn't exist.

       But Caiome also knew that rules, though unbreakable, could be easily bend.

       "Can you bring me another cup?" Caiome said to the young servant she knew by sight and had exchanged a few words with before. "This one is too colorful."

       The servant blinked a few times at her.

       "Of course," she eventually said and reached for the tea cup in front of Caiome, but Caiome covered it with her hands.

       "You can leave it here. I'll clean it later; I don't want to bother you with my whims," she huffed, and the servant, after looking at her once again for a long moment, nodded.

       A few minutes later, she returned with another cup filled with orange tea and ice, placing it in front of Caiome, while Caiome placed the earlier cup in the spot next to her. She tapped her fingers on the table after the servant left.

       Maybe the residence's employees had signed a contract regarding the Shuumatsuban, but Caiome hadn't signed any. And since she didn't tell the servant anything about a Shuumatsuban member, the servant didn't violate the contract either.

       "I'm fine, miss," Koshi said.

       Caiome glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "It's just tea and biscuits, not the entire existence of the Commission," she said. "Now sit down."

       Koshi hesitated for a few seconds as Caiome stared at him as if she could kill him on the spot if she wanted to, then sat very quietly next to her.

       "Thank you," he said, but he didn't touch either the tea or the biscuits, as he had to take off his tenugui to taste them.

       "Good boy," Caiome said, patting him on the black hood on his head. "I didn't think everyone here was so obedient," Caiome said to Thoma. "But then again, someone at this table keeps reminding me all the time how loyal you are. But sometimes it seems like they associate loyalty with fear."

       "What are you talking about?" Thoma rolled his eyes.

       "What do you mean what am I talking about?" she said. "As soon as I became Ayato's bodyguard, everyone suddenly started acting nicer to me, or at least they don't want to throw me into the pond anymore, probably for fear that I'll go to Ayato and rat them out, considering how furious he was when someone touched his hostage and threw me into the water," she gestured to herself. "And the same goes for the Shuumatsuban members. I wouldn't have thought Koshi could be so easily... convinced by me to do something."

       Thoma and Ayaka looked at each other, and even Koshi seemed confused, although only his green eyes were visible, intense, but they said enough.

       "It's not fear," Thoma said. "People are just doing their job and respecting their duties to the hierarchy, both of the house and the organization."

       Now it was Caiome's turn to look confused along with the others. Hierarchy... What hierarchy were they talking about? She wasn't part of any—

       Oh...

       Oh.

       OH!

       Caiome quickly looked at Koshi, who was already looking at her, then at Ayaka and Thoma, and suddenly straightened up.

       "She just realized," Thoma mumbled to Ayaka.

       She felt like a fool. Of course, the others treated her differently because of her position, but not because she could rat them out to Ayato, but because now she was part of this hierarchy that the ordinary employees had to obey, because she was still Ayato's bodyguard, receiving direct orders from the master of the house. Here she was on the same level as Hirotatsu, but what differentiated them and placed Caiome one step above Hirotatsu was the fact that she literally stood next to Lord Kamisato. Which meant that, immediately below Ayato and Ayaka, was she, and the employees could receive orders from her since she was so close to the Head Lord, and practically she was supposed to know everything he does, says and hears.

       She looked at Koshi again.

       And if this logic applied within the estate, then within the organization... everything started to make sense.

       Why Koshi responded to her calls, why the other members listened to her orders when she caught the jewelry thieves, why Koshi let her interrogate Hinata Kashiro's servants that night. And more importantly, why each of them bowed to Ayato, and then to her, when normally, if Caiome wasn't part of the organization, and if she didn't have any position superior to theirs, they shouldn't do that. And there was a hierarchy in the organization as well.

       Ayato was, of course, the one giving the supreme orders; then came the Commander who dealt with training the members and passed on orders to them from Lord Kamisato; then the masters, the teachers, who occasionally participated in missions, but generally had nothing to do with them and couldn't give orders except to current students regarding their training, just like the Commander, or if they were specially designated by Ayato to lead an operation; then the ninja ranks: jonin, chuunin, genin. Usually, once you became a jonin, the ninja member answered directly to Ayato, somewhat put on the same level as the Commander – only that they didn't have the right to train the young members - and spent much of their time with the Lord, while those of chuunin and genin ranks obeyed their superiors, such as teachers, the Commander, those of jonin rank, and when they came into contact with him, Ayato.

       And if someone of jonin rank, like Koshi, obeyed Caiome's orders...

       Seriously, where did she fit into all of this?

       "Oh, that little bitch," she mumbled to herself, looking around the garden as if Ayato was right there. "That little rascal fucking bitch."

       "Uh, Caiome..." Ayaka began, but Caiome had already gotten up from the table and left the terrace.

       "So," Thoma said, "who won the bet?" he smirked.

       "Isn't it obvious?" Ayaka sighed. "You said she'd figure it out by mid-next month, and I said a week after the fifteenth, but Ayato said she'd figure it out by the festival."

       "Actually," Koshi said, just covering his mouth again after taking a sip of tea while Ayaka and Thoma looked after Caiome, "the winner would be me. I bet with Lord Kamisato that she'd figure it out by the full moon before the festival. Tomorrow is the full moon."

       Caiome wasn't running, but she wasn't walking either, somewhere in between. She was hurrying and trying to gather all her thoughts at the same time... or rather, what words to throw at Ayato when she saw him face to face.

       "Hey, Caiome," Mizuki greeted her, holding some swords in his arms.

       "Don't talk to me!" she said, passing by him like lightning, and Mizuki looked at Kouta and Daisuke, who looked just as confused after her.

       The search didn't take long, because Ayato was right there, in the front courtyard, at the gates, with Takashi Kei and Osamu Yousuke, the two heads of the textile industry. If Caiome hadn't rushed by then, the moment she saw the smile on his face and his posture and those eyes that thought they could deceive her, Caiome lunged at him.

       And in the next moment, she threw herself at him. Maybe Caiome wasn't heavy per se, but because of the inertia and the force, and because of the element of surprise, Ayato lost his balance, and both fell into the grass of the entrance garden.

       "You little bitch!" exclaimed Caiome during the fall, grabbing him by the neck with her arms and pinning him with all her might.

       Caiome let go of him after the impact, and now both of them were kneeling in front of each other, Ayato coughing because of the way Caiome clung to his neck, and Caiome standing with her hands on her chest, slightly dizzy from hitting her head on the ground.

       "You have a lot of explaining to do," she demanded.

       Ayato gritted his teeth, then smiled in the same way he did when he discovered that Caiome decorated his hair with flowers and painted his face, then let him stand like that in front of his uncles.

       "I am not the only one who has to do that," he said nervously.

       "My lord, are you alright?" Takashi Kei said, leaning over to grab him by the arm to lift him up, but Ayato raised his hand towards him and stood up on his own, straightening his black coat with white and gold accessories.

       "I will have to apologize to you for not being able to escort you to the exit of the residence," Ayato said instead, looking at Caiome, who was still on the ground. "It seems I still have some... internal issues."

       "Of course," the two lords said, then retreated, but not before looking at Caiome, who had a frown on her face, staring at Lord Kamisato.

       "My office," Ayato said. "Now."

       "No," Caiome said. "I'm not going to the hidden execution chamber until you answer my questions. You lied to me."

       "Let's talk about this inside. The organization is not a topic that can be discussed anywhere, right?"

       "But you can lie openly if you want, can't you?"

       "I did not lie."

       "You told me I wasn't accepted in the organization," Caiome said.

       "Caiome, please, let's talk inside."

       Caiome clenched her hands even tighter to her chest, turning her gaze away from him, while a few glances began to turn towards them, wondering what the spoiled brat was up to now. She would cling to his leg when he wanted to go out, jump on Captain Hirotatsu and insist, spinning around them just to get what she wanted, and now she was making a scene in the middle of the front yard, standing on the ground, dirtying her new pants with mud and grass and showing no signs of getting up.

       So Ayato was left with no options.

       He quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her up, this time catching Caiome by surprise, especially when, stumbling, she hit her chest against Ayato's body, bumping her knees against his knees and her hip against his thigh. If she hadn't leaned on him, she would have fallen face down on the ground for sure.

       His eyes were locked onto hers, breathing calmly as Caiome tried to pull her hand away from his, but the way he held her wrist showed that no, Ayato had no intention of ever letting her go.

       "We will talk about this," he said slowly, "inside."

       Caiome gritted her teeth, and noticed a few curious glances, hidden behind the wooden terrace pillars, directed straight at them, especially from some girls who couldn't have been more than eighteen and seemed to always be the same two whenever Caiome confronted Ayato about something and they end up so close.

       "Hmph," she snorted and pulled forcefully from his hand, rubbing it, then walked ahead.

       Fuck, her hand really hurt.

       "So," she said when Ayato closed the office door, staying there, while Caiome was the one who stood on the side with the wooden desk, "why didn't you tell me I was part of the organization? Ah!" she quickly interrupted Ayato as he opened his mouth. "Short and to the point."

       "I did not say you were not part of the organization, I just said you did not pass the exams," he replied, walking past her and sitting on his purple cushion.

       "You said it as if it's the same thing!" she protested. "I read the rules, if you don't pass all the exams, you can't go into the field and you stay under training."

       Ayato, on the other hand, chuckled colorfully, and Caiome felt as if he was mocking her.

       "Caiome, there are many ninja members who do not have the ability to memorize the entire 800-year history of the Shuumatsuban, but who have the ability to memorize entire conversations on the spot, especially those in the Information Department. And the most important thing they have to memorize are the codes of the others, something you have already done well enough to recognize Koshi right away. Moreover," he continued, leaning his elbows on the table, crossing his fingers which he placed in front of his chin, having the same smile, "they have years to learn all this and always a second chance. The fact that you got that score when you took the exams is actually impressive for someone who only had two weeks to study."

       Caiome couldn't come up with any argument, especially when his words implied certain... good words.

       "Are you praising me?"

       "Do not flatter yourself too much," he said, picking up one of the files and opening it in front of him, then preparing his wakan and his brush. "You still had scores that would embarrass the organization if anyone saw your tests."

       Caiome approached the table and slammed herself in front of it, leaving her hand on the file sheets, preventing Ayato from reading them.

       "Okay, then why did you accept me into the Shuumatsuban?" she demanded.

       "You said a few days ago that I am naive, but it seems you are just the same," he raised his hand and hit her forehead with his finger, and Caiome narrowed her eyes. "I do not rely on scores alone when it comes to the promotion, not for you, not for any other member of the organization. You are capable of many things that I weighed very well before making this decision, and the jewelry thieves' ambush confirmed to both me and others that I was right about you."

       Caiome rubbed her forehead. "But your members are different. They're supposed to be loyal to you and would do anything to gain your trust. Instead, I'm being held here by force, and the only reason I'm not leaving is because of the Vision shell."

       "And?" Ayato took her hand that he had grabbed earlier and moved it away from his file this time with ease, looking at his papers.

       "I'll bring back one of our previous discussions," she grumbled, batting her eyelashes like a fox. "You gave me an interesting position, a very high one. Sure, I'm under your orders and maybe you're keeping an eye on me, but if, in some way, I no longer want the Vision shell back and only seek revenge on you?"

       Ayato raised his gaze to her, and his expression wasn't harsh, not even curious or mocking. His eyes were slightly moist, like a deer's, and his eyebrows were slightly raised, lips touching each other, rosy like rose petals.

       "If I use all the information I have access to, to take down your entire organization and the entire Commission at the same time? There are impressive secrets hidden up your sleeve that could reorganize the entire Inazuma government, you could take down the other Commissions and be the only one supporting Inazuma under Raiden Ei's leadership. You wouldn't do it, because no matter how many bad things there are in the Commissions, there are even more good things, and you're trying to maintain those ones. I've known this since I visited the Kashiro family, which doesn't even depend on the Yashiro Commission. But what if I wanted to destroy you? I've lied to you before and I'm still lying to you about certain things, I assure you of that, and you know it. There is no trust between us, you prove it to me every day, and it seems I do the same. So why am I actually here?"

       Ayato remained silent for a few seconds as he stared long at her. Her words echoed throughout the room, lit only by the sunlight coming from behind him, outlining his silhouette and illuminating her face and making her eyes shine in a dark crimson that contrasted with the silver of her hair brushing against her cheeks. They were heavy words, but so fitting for the two of them. Neither was honest with the other, both had secrets, and they couldn't judge each other. Their secrets were also their weak point that could destroy them in seconds, they had to keep them hidden.

       There was a wall between them that neither could even touch, let alone break.

       Then Ayato closed the file so slowly that it made Caiome feel anxious, insecure enough to withdraw her hand from the table, and she hated the feeling. Ayato stood up slowly and came with small steps towards her, followed by her gaze. His tall figure stretched out, and the dark suit outlined him in a way the light-colored ones never had, creating a strong contrast between the clothes and his pale skin and the light-blue hair, while his eyes somehow shone darkly.

       Finally, Ayato gently took her still reddish wrist in a tenderness that made Caiome tense up and grit her teeth even harder because she didn't know how she would react.

       No one had touched her like this before... ever.

       Ayato led her and made her rise just as slowly, pulling gently, seeming to realize how hard he had squeezed her wrist earlier, standing face to face. Then he let her hand go and sat back behind her, and Caiome watched him out of the corner of her eye as he raised his hands, and flinched when she felt his fingers moving through her hair, then gathering and lifting it, twisting it in the same way Mitsuko did a few evenings ago. She felt the hairpin passing gently through the ponytail that now touched her back and the strands of the long bangs that touched her forehead and cheeks.

       "I will take the risk," came the answer to her question at last, and his breath hit her neck.

       Caiome turned her head slightly back, but she couldn't see him, he was hidden too well from her gaze, as if he didn't want her to look at him, pretending to adjust her hairpin better. The sun hid behind the clouds again, and the light in the room began to fade, leaving only a trace of cold air, and their shadows were swallowed up and disappeared from the floor of the room.

       "I always take risks, you are no different," he added. "You just happen to be a slightly more dangerous one. Maybe we do not trust each other, but you trust yourself and I trust myself. And if you do decide to get revenge on me, I will not have any regrets about doing the same to you and no reason to spare you. If you hurt me," he almost whispered, and Caiome shivered when she felt the knuckles of his fingers tracing her neck vertebrae in the caress of her hair, "I will be forced to hurt you back. Even though I have a naughty habit of having too much confidence in my own intuition."

       Caiome let her head fall slightly to the side, her eyes closing, as the words seemed to imprint themselves in her bones and mind, and her vertebrae were still touched by his fingers, descending towards her shoulder blades. She breathed deeply, then opened her eyes and turned slowly towards him. The sun began to emerge from the clouds again, spreading the same light, and her eyes shone again, while his seemed to turn into something empty, almost detached, but his hand was stretched towards her, with the silver strands still slipping through.

       Caiome took a step closer to him, raising her chin, studying his face and expression, trying to unravel him, to see beyond the mask. But Caiome couldn't find anything to grasp and discover. Maybe Ayato had lied before, and maybe there were many other things he would lie about in the future, but Caiome had no doubt that his words he just said were true.

       If fate demanded it, and if the different worlds in which they lived and from which they couldn't detach demanded it, and if their pride demanded it, they would destroy each other.

       She gently parted her lips, and Ayato seemed to lean in more towards her, urging her to speak with a slow movement of his head. The scent of his skin passed through her clothes and touched her senses, a fresh smell, like flowers after rain.

       "I've killed more than three hundred and seventy-three people," she whispered.

       Ayato blinked slowly, letting the strands of hair slip through his fingers, but didn't lower his hand. He didn't seem to know this.

       "I'm fit if you want to kill someone," she said. "And that should be the thing that makes you think twice about me. I'm fit to kill anyone. Including you."

       Ayato almost mimicked a smile. "I know," came his answer.

       "I want to meet the Commander. And the other members. I want to know about them."

       This time, Ayato let himself smile. "Of course."

       "And I want to leave the residence whenever I want."

       Ayato nodded.

       "I guess I won't just be your bodyguard from now on," Caiome finally managed to sketch a smile. "I'll just be the image of a bodyguard, because it seems you have more plans for me which I'll find out about in time. I think I'll take on more tasks from now on, won't I?"

       "You can take whatever you want."

       Caiome chuckled softly, but couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety in her chest, namely that the person in front of her was not Lord Kamisato at all, but just Ayato. She could use that to her advantage as well.

       "Believe me, I will."

       There were a few knocks on the door, and after a long pause in which they continued to look at each other, the two separated, taking a step back.

       "Come in," Ayato said after clearing his throat, and the door opened.

       Mitsuko entered and made a short bow, first to Ayato, then to Caiome, and somehow Caiome, although she felt just as odd, finally understood why the maids were required to show her a certain respect. She was the next person after Ayato and Ayaka they had to listen to if she gave an order, but Caiome wasn't stupid. Maybe she would allow herself a few extra things regarding the organization, but regarding the residence, apart from that small respect and a few minor requests, she knew she couldn't order anything to the employees.

       "Is it already lunchtime?" Ayato said with false surprise, and Caiome shook her head with a smile as Mitsuko arranged the tables and left the food on them, along with cutlery.

       Ayato took his seat, and Mitsuko made a few gestures towards him.

       "Do you need anything else?" he asked Caiome.

       "No," she shook her head, making her ponytail bounce, a ponytail Mitsuko lingered her gaze upon for a few seconds, as if wondering who had done it for her or if Caiome had done it herself, because in her hair was the wooden hairpin she had given her a few nights ago.

       Mitsuko bowed, then withdrew, and Caiome followed her, stopping her a few meters from the office door, because she didn't want Ayato to hear. She touched her shoulder, and Mitsuko turned surprised towards her, especially because she didn't know what she wanted, couldn't ask her, and didn't have anything to write with.

       Instead, Caiome raised her hands and made some clumsy gestures with her fingers.

       You... can... talk... to me.

       Mitsuko widened her eyes, surprised.

       "I'm still a beginner," Caiome said with a nervous laugh, lowering her hands. "Thoma helped me a few times with the basics, so there are many words and signs that I don't know, so..."

       Mitsuko, on the other hand, let a huge smile spread across her lips, and her eyes sparkled, and Caiome didn't know if she was about to cry with joy or if the sun was just shining through the open windows. Nevertheless, Mitsuko raised a hand and ran her fingers over Caiome's forehead, pushing her strands aside and tucking them behind her ear, looking at her intently.

       She made a few signs in the air, slowly, until she saw in Caiome's gaze that she understood what she said.

       I'm happy. Thank you. Ask me...

       When you want to know something, Caiome thought and nodded.

       "Of course. I'll have you write them for me."

       Mitsuko nodded gently a few times, then turned and went on her business, and Caiome returned to the office, sitting at the table, facing Ayato.

       "So I guess Mitsuko received your gift happily?"

       Caiome rolled her eyes, grabbing the chopsticks in her hand and starting to eat the rice. Surely Thoma had told Ayato what the little favor she asked for was on the day she checked the fake gemstones.

       "That snitch..." she muttered and began to eat.

Chapter Text

Chapter 38 ~ The  Moruga  and the Rice Symbol

🌸

       There were ten days left until the Shakunetsu no Taiyō festival, and it was already past noon when Caiome decided she could still pay a visit to the Commander. Now that she knew she was just playing the role of a bodyguard for Ayato, but wasn't actually one, she could easily refuse to spend the whole day stuck with him in the office. So the rules had changed again: considering that the Shuumatsuban members actually knew her position in relation to both Lord Kamisato and the organization, there was nothing to hide from them; and the employees rarely saw Lord Kamisato leaving his office, and only a few people were even allowed to approach the office doors, so no one would know if Caiome was inside with him or not. And if they saw Caiome outside, knowing everyone was aware of her personality and conflicts with Lord Kamisato, they could only assume she had been sent away or given some tasks.

       So no one raised any questions, and for that, Caiome thought, Ayato should thank her, because she made his theatricals and the strings behind the curtain much easier to manage.

       From what Koshi had told her, Caiome was supposed to find the Commander in Ritou at that hour, overseeing a testing of chuunin-ranked members, so the two of them headed towards the port, especially towards the market near the docks, to a stall selling fresh fish. The vendor was a man just over forty, with short-cropped hair, a haircut that seemed to be the standard for men their age, because even Hirotatsu had the exact same cut.

       Damn, if you tried to look for similarities between them, you could find many.

       He was tall, but not very muscular, probably just so as not to stand out as a fighter or guardian, as Hirotatsu seemed to be. He had a big smile and a cheerful attitude, blending into the atmosphere of the port market, shouting to the other vendors, making jokes, and selling fish to the customers, promoting his products well.

       "Hello!" said Caiome, hopping from one foot to another as she approached the Commander when he had just set aside the payment for some fish he had barely sold.

      "How can I help you, young lady?" he addressed them both with a smile, putting the golden coins into the waist pouch, which was quite full.

       Koshi didn't wear dark clothes, and Caiome tried to dress somewhat normally, like the people here, borrowing a kimono shirt from Chizuru that was a bit small for her, light blue with a few pink cherry blossoms, but at least it blended in better with the scenery; although her features didn't help much, everyone could tell she wasn't from here, but probably a few other itinerant vendors recognized her from her first days when she always came to the port to gather information about the Kamisato clan.

       Caiome looked over the fish stall, carp, sea bass, catfish, trout, and many other varieties.

       "I want two of these," she pointed to the box with blue mackerel.

       The Commander complied immediately and wrapped the fish in thick paper, then tied them with jute twine, and Koshi gave him a few mora.

       "I heard there's a lot of hustle and bustle in Ritou this afternoon," Caiome told Koshi, handing him the fish package.

       "I'm sure it's just your imagination, miss," Koshi replied, taking the package. "It's a busy day today, probably people are out shopping."

       "But don't you find these people a bit strange?" she continued, pretending the Commander wasn't there, while he counted his money into the pouch and arranged the fish in the boxes. "It's like everyone... asks too many questions," she said with a smile, then shrugged. "But maybe it is just my imagination."

       "As the young man next to you said, miss, it's a busy day, many ships have docked to unload their goods, the Shakunetsu no Taiyō festival is coming up, and so on," the Commander replied with a chuckle.

       "Yes, maybe your right," she shrugged. "And with all these ships, I'm sure stories are being exchanged all over the port. It's a good opportunity for those who don't leave Inazuma to discover things from outside their nation, interesting, fascinating, frightening at the same time. And I would be curious too if I were in their place."

       The Commander glanced at her, followed by a smile.

       Ah, he figured it out, thought Caiome, but said nothing and continued to smile.

       "I'm sure that's true, who wouldn't be curious about adventures, especially from travelers like ours? Every week they leave for Liyue, and from there who knows where the seas and winds take them, but one thing's for sure, they come back with rich, quality goods that stay fresh in salt boxes. That's why I'm proud of my goods," he tapped the boxes. "And a lot is invested in such goods, and rightly so. You'll see when you prepare that fish," he pointed to the package he sold her. "Next time you pass by here, you should buy some carp, it's sweet, it has a perfect aroma, especially when using spices from the West. The spicy ones have been causing a stir lately, ships bring in huge quantities every time."

       "There must be someone who discovered this spice gem and brought it here," Caiome joked. "I'd love to meet them. And all the way from Sumeru. Many goods have been brought from Sumeru these weeks."

       "It's a large nation with many resources," said the Commander. "It would be a shame not to keep up with the news, especially since the borders have opened and we have free trade."

       "Indeed," said Caiome.

       In short, since the borders opened and transportation became easier to use, many financiers became bolder, trying to make all sorts of illegal transports, like the Kashiro family did with the ramad aleizam and how Yamamoto Shichiro did with the papyrus papers. They didn't use Liyue because Liyue had a strict policy regarding transport checks, but the Ormos port in Sumeru could be easier to fool. And since this was about border control, Caiome found a connection between Yamamoto and Kashiro: one was part of the Kanjou Commission, and the other had attempted partnerships with the Kanjou Commission. It made sense.

       And from what the Commander had told her, now it was about this spice, which, surpri~ise!, also came from Sumeru; it was about this miracle salt that kept the fish very fresh even after a long journey, surpri~ise!, also from Sumeru, and they all passed through the borders without too many questions, which led to one conclusion: someone was making a business out of these two spices, but had heard about what happened with Kashiro and Yamamoto, so they hid better than the other two. Considering the manipulation of borders and the easy passage of goods, it had to be someone from the Kanjou Commission.

       And it had to be an honest business. With spices gaining popularity, every merchant and trader wanted to buy it to use in their own merchandise transports to keep them fresh, and the spice stalls wanted big sales, so they used this moruga, from what Caiome could guess, considering it had not long ago left Sumeru, and moruga became the most popular spice.

       But a few weeks before Caiome left Sumeru, she heard that moruga had been banned because of stomach burns that came over time and destroyed the acids in the body, making them sick, and overall killed some people. It was a slower process than applying ramad aleizam, but it certainly affected the population more, yet they still couldn't give up consuming moruga, as if it gave them an addiction. People began to buy this spice secretly from dealers, and the cases were closed, so it was possible that Inazuma hadn't even heard of the name moruga, let alone of what happened in Sumeru in the middle of last year.

       Moreover, it could have another name here, as Caiome noticed they did with many other things, such as the traditional noble robes from Liyue and Inazuma. Although they were similar, these two diverged from a common point thousands of years ago, and while those from Liyue called that robe hanfu, Inazuma called it kimono, and that still persisted millennia later, evolving separately, but the names remained in history. It could be a similar case here.

       The question remained: who was bringing the spice to Inazuma? If the financier's name and usage were unknown, it meant they knew moruga had been banned in Sumeru and that rumors would soon spread about a possible name for the spice, which implicitly would catch on with the public and distance them from moruga as much as possible.

       What's more, the information the Commander had given her didn't seem to be known to the general public, such as this spice being brought by sea from another nation. If the financier cared about the borders, they wouldn't let it be heard in the market that the spice was brought from the outside, so they had to somehow make it seem like this spice was produced here, in Inazuma, and from there it would be even more plausible to name it after their terms and be successful.

       Even though moruga caused health problems in Sumeru, it was because the people there didn't primarily eat fish, like those in Inazuma, and moruga combined with fish had a lighter effect. But that didn't mean it couldn't be banned later, but until then, the financier could make a whole business out of it, and people might not even think that a seemingly innocent spice, which only provided aroma, was to blame.

       Moruga was banned continent-wide, but if the financier masked the name and usage, recommending it to be used in fish dishes – which, obviously, were the most common in Inazuma – they could at least get away with it for a few years. And if the spice had already gained popularity, this business must have started a few months ago, at least two, at most five.

       And this had to be the test in the form of an operation for the chuunin members. They were given a certain interval to gather information and discover the financier's name, and from there, if they received permission from Ayato, to bring down the business. But first they had to find him.

       "You're right," continued Caiome. "Maybe I'll use this atmosphere to discover more about the outside world."

       "Of course, miss," said the Commander. "Just be careful, many like to lie that they've been to sea on such adventures, even with Captain Beidou's ship, the Crux."

       "I'll gladly take your advice. And maybe I'll buy this spice you've been talking about so much and praising. I'm sure my master will like it."

       Then she and Koshi left, climbing the dock stairs and finding themselves in the bustling port market. Caiome didn't head straight to the Commander when she arrived in Ritou, but she was attentive to her surroundings and, knowing exactly what she was looking for, managed to find a few whom she thought were Shuumatsuban members: a young boy next to the huge tree in the center, playing the flute for a few mora thrown by the public, a middle-aged man who went shopping with his wife – obviously a couple – a girl with short hair advertising a bakery, and, if you looked closely, a few members disguised as ordinary people passing through the market from time to time.

       And since no one was paying attention to the unimportant people, no one paid attention to them either.

       They first went to buy a package of the popular spice, which was intensely dark red, almost black. It was beautiful and would make a wonderful contrast placed on cooked fish, not to mention the taste might actually be as divine as others praised it to be.

       Then she and Koshi adopted the same strategy as the other chuunin, shopping and asking questions. It seemed she was right about the name of the spice, because a woman who was buying from the same fabric store as her and Koshi told her she heard in town that people were already starting to call it akiha – red leaf, which was far from the name moruga, which meant devil's stone because of the hardness of the chili variety it was made from.

       Caiome didn't like not knowing how things were going. And since this was more interesting than moping around Ayato's office all day, and since she still had a fairly high rank in the organization, she could stick her nose in a bit. So she started gathering information with Koshi.

       From what the merchants knew, Caiome thought, the seasoning seemed to have first appeared somewhere at the beginning of March. Using her oh-so-theatrical talents, she pretended to trip and dropped the seasoning pouch at the feet of a housewife, sparking a conversation about it, and the woman confessed it was so good that she almost cooked with it daily. She mostly bought it from the Ritou market, but the largest quantity sold was in the city, of course, and everyone used it. If there was a larger quantity sold in the city, that didn't necessarily mean the financier lived there to check on the business, but it would have been more convenient for him to live near the collection point, meaning in the port. However, that would mean another ten families, and the chuunin members of the organization had to figure out quickly which of these ten families was the culprit.

       But Caiome couldn't be so audacious as to steal all the glory for herself. First of all, she couldn't ask too many questions. If anyone here had seen her even once with Ayaka and Thoma, implicitly with Ayato when he came to the city, and if anyone had remembered her different features compared to the people of Inazuma, someone could have recognized her and made the connection to the Yashiro Commission. Secondly, it was the chuunin test.

       But that didn't mean she couldn't talk to each of them to observe their progress regarding the operation. They all had good methods of infiltration, but Caiome had to find the one who had the most contact with the world, namely the girl with short hair from the bakery, considering everyone needed bread every day.

       "What warm products do you have?" Caiome asked, and the girl, who didn't seem to be more than eighteen years old, smiled at her and almost jumped when she saw her, her cheeks red and deer-like brown eyes sparkling.

       "They're all fresh, just out of the oven, for the afternoon rush," she said. "Loaves, shokupan, buns, melonpan, yakisoba, and more."

       "I want something that goes with a fish dish. I've heard about this new seasoning, akiha, and I want to try it."

       "Of course, miss," the girl said and turned to the vendor, asking for kare pan. "It will be ready soon," she turned back politely to Caiome.

       "I've heard it was introduced recently, a few months ago, this seasoning."

       "Indeed, everyone seems to be satisfied with akiha," the girl replied.

       "Have you tried it?"

       "I don't think there's anyone who hasn't tried it," she replied.

       "Hmm," Caiome hummed. "You seem to know a lot about bread if you work here," Caiome said. "Can you help me with some recommendations on baking and pastry? I'm sure I've seen another bakery around here; I want you to tell me what you think about it and what foods it can be consumed with."

       The girl blinked confusedly.

       "Ma'am, I'll be taking your employee for a bit," Caiome yelled, but the baker could barely hear her, let alone comment or refuse.

       Caiome grabbed the girl's arm and began to pull her along, seeming just two ordinary girls accompanied by their attendant carrying bags bought by Caiome from various stores. She wasn't forced to buy anything, Koshi knew that, but Caiome said she had to keep up appearances.

       What appearances?

       But instead of going to another bakery in the market, Caiome pulled the girl into a secluded corner.

       "So, how are things going so far, Mumei?"

       The girl, as if she suddenly transformed, abruptly pulled her arm from Caiome's grip and adopted an annoying attitude. Caiome, on the other hand, just smiled at her.

       "What?" she said. "Were you sent to check on us or something? I saw you wandering around here, and if I'm not mistaken, weren't you the girl who spent time with people a few weeks ago to find out about the Kamisato clan? If you were someone trustworthy, you wouldn't be acting like a rat, sneaking around to find out things about Lord Kamisato. And who are you to question me anyway?"

       "You should watch your words," Koshi said slowly, but Caiome waved her hand.

       "She has no idea who I am, and anyway, that's not important here. You're Mumei, right? You have the rice symbol, you wear your hair like that to be recognized by your colleagues."

       "And what of it?" Mumei asked.

       "I'm here just to do a routine, considering your Commander can't leave his post, only to trust you to find the financier," Caiome said.

       "So you're some kind of messenger," Mumei concluded boredly.

       "Something like that," Caiome said, even though she felt Koshi wanting to say something.

       Since that morning when everything became clear about her position among the others, Koshi became a bit more protective. Of course, it was his responsibility not to let anyone even touch his superiors, not even with words, but while Koshi relied on the imposed rules and hierarchy, Caiome completely disregarded that, given that in the games between her and the people causing trouble for the Yashiro Commission and for Inazuma, there was no such hierarchy. She had learned that a long time ago, in other circumstances.

       "Then tell the Commander that we're doing a good job, especially me," Mumei said.

       "You're a bit arrogant, don't you think?"

       "Hmph," she said. "Even though I don't like playing the informant, I'm quite good at it, so you don't need to worry."

       "Then let's hear it," Caiome demanded, and Mumei clicked her tongue.

       "The three most associated names with akiha are Shirakaba, Tomorokoshi, and Kumori. They showed the most interest; their associates came to the bakery in the last three days, and all of them asked about the seasoning's popularity. One of them must support the business, while the other two are trying to gather information to bring down the other and take over the business. I think they should be investigated specifically."

       "I agree with you," Caiome murmured thoughtfully.

       "Can we leave now?" she asked impatiently. "I just want to catch the bastards."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow. "And do what, exactly? Jump on the clan head? This is not a situation that is resolved by force."

       Caiome felt Koshi behind her, rolling his eyes, saying in his mind, "Like you're the one to talk."

       Caiome straightened her voice. "Continue gathering information. There must be a crack somewhere between the three associates sent to the bakery, considering it's the most visited shop around here."

       "I've already done my part," Mumei revolted. "I've been here for four days, and I haven't found out anything more no matter how hard I tried."

       "Miss Mumei," Koshi spoke, "those were your orders from the Commander, and now, from us. If you can't follow orders, then you can't perform on the field."

       "I didn't say I wouldn't follow them," Mumei sulked quickly, suddenly becoming obedient. "Just that I'm bored here, and anyway, I'm more of an action person."

       "As far as I know, a Shuumatsuban needs all the skills to do a good job," Caiome said. "That's why you're still undergoing these field tests, within an operation. Once your Commander decides, he'll assign you where he thinks you'll do a better job. But if your agitation compromises the operation, you can say goodbye to your rank as well."

       Mumei rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said.

       Not that she had a choice.

       "Once I discuss all this with your Lord Kamisato, we'll pass on new orders," Caiome continued, and Mumei frowned.

       "To discuss with—"

       "Bye-bye," Caiome said quickly, waving her fingers.

       "Hey, wait a minute!" Mumei shouted after her, but Caiome paid no attention.

       She picked up her bread from the bakery, and they both returned to the residence.

🌸

       "So, that's how it is," Ayato murmured, looking at the paper packet that Caiome had given him a few seconds ago, then sighed, leaving it on the table. "You know, when I told you that you were free to meet the Commander, I did not mean you could intervene with the others," he told Caiome.

       She just took a bite of the warm, seasoned bread, sitting on the floor with her head leaning against one of the bookshelves, one leg crossed over the other. The hairpin was poking into her scalp, but she was too comfortable to move, and the bread was delicious.

       Caiome rolled her eyes. "I didn't intervene," she said. "Just asked them a few questions. If I had intervened, I probably would have found the culprit already," she shrugged. "I give them space, just as anyone of my rank and position should do," she added with an arrogant smile.

       Ayato exchanged a glance with Koshi, who stood to his right, hands behind his back, nodding slowly, as if telling him not to bother. Ayato turned back to the paper packet and poured the red powder onto one of the ceramic little plate in front of him. It had a dark color, like dried blood, forming a pleasing contrast with the white ceramic. Leaving aside the taste, it was a very important visual part; no wonder it had become so popular in such a short time.

       "Akiha you said it is called?" he asked again thoughtfully.

       Caiome pulled another paper bag from beside her, taking out a bun as warm as the bread, filled with yogurt and strawberry jam, one of her favorites since she came here and hadn't enjoyed it while under house arrest because of Ayato.

       "I wouldn't call it that," she requested, biting into her bun. "That's moruga. And don't stand so close to it, otherwise, you'll inhale it and might not sleep well tonight. Actually, if I think better," she said with a mischievious smile, "go ahead and eat the whole thing."

       Ayato gave her a look, letting his forearms rest on the edge of the table.

       "And how did you buy all those with what money exactly?" he asked pointing to the paper bags that were laying around Caiome.

       "Organization funds, of course," she shrugged. "I had to maintain a normal behavior and go unnoticed among people. Who would have believed I was there shopping if I didn't buy anything?"

       Ayato raised an eyebrow, looking at the six paper bags and the three packages tied with string next to her, all emitting smells of pastries and food. "So many?"

       Caiome shrugged, taking a final bite of her bun. "Why would I have an escort with me if all I bought were two fish and a loaf of bread?

       Ayato looked at Koshi, who shook his head again. "She insisted," was his answer.

       Ayato took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Let's put that aside," he said. "I am sure Miss Caiome will find a way to pay for all her purchases."

       "Are you serious?" she said with her mouth full. "You give Mizuki thousands of mora without asking for anything in return, but you can't buy me a bun for all the effort I've put in so far? What a heartless man," she muttered.

       "So, Shirakaba, Tomorokoshi, and Kumori," Ayato said. "It is impressive how all three stayed out of trouble, only to now stand out so much for the organization."

       "I have to admit," Caiome said, licking her fingers of jam, "whichever of them brought moruga here without first passing through the Liyue port is even more impressive. Do you have any idea how hard it is to pass through the Liyue port? Believe me, very hard, the customs are very exaggerated when you enter their territory," she shook her head. "What?" she asked, as both Koshi and Ayato were looking at her.

       "I am sure there is a story I will want to hear later," Ayato murmured, "but now we have other things to focus on."

       Caiome neatly packed the paper bag, placing it next to the one that held the warm bread, then crept closer to the little plate containing the moruga powder. She licked her finger and dipped it into the powder, then put it in her mouth.

       "Mmm," she said. "It's just as spicy as I remember."

       "Uh... miss..." Koshi started, blinking fast.

       "What?"

       "Earlier you said..."

       "Oh. I said he shouldn't eat it because he has such a sensitive stomach, like a princess who cries when her sheets get dirty," she threw a smile that almost looked sincere to Ayato, but he knew very well what was hidden behind it, namely pure mockery. "I, on the other hand, am used to it, I ate quite a lot while in Sumeru."

       "And you did not get sick?" Ayato asked.

       "In a way. Let's just say I was luckier than others at that time."

       "So... what do you plan to do from now on?" he asked.

       Caiome blinked a few times. "About what?"

       Ayato gestured towards the plate with the moruga powder.

       "There are three families that stand out according to our informants," he continued. "One of them is behind the transportation, the other two are trying to steal the business for themselves. If you were to follow your instinct, which do you think is behind it all?"

       Caiome fell into thought, because she had to evaluate her options very well - although the world saw her as too impulsive, as Hirotatsu had repeatedly told her, when it came to such big things she knew how to keep her composure. The associates of the three families had shown equal interest in the popularity of the seasoning, but as long as a closer investigation was not conducted, Caiome could not be sure of anything.

       "I would say we should investigate each family separately," she said. "And, considering this is not my test, we should let Mumei and the other two handle it for us."

       "And if one of them fails and gets caught?"

       "Then it's their mistake," Caiome shrugged. "That's why their identity is hidden regarding the Shuumatsuban, and during missions they keep a poison pill in their mouth. If they're caught, and to avoid any connection to the Yashiro Commission, and for their own protection, they're forced to take the poison, so you don't have to worry about that, and neither do I," she smiled.

       However, during her individual study, Caiome read about all the families in the Kanjou Commission. Of course, she didn't struggle as much as she did when it came to the families in the Yashiro Commission, but when Mumei mentioned the name Kumori, Caiome remembered something, information gathered, of course, by Shuumatsuban members.

       Masahiro Kumori, the head of the family, had a brother who wanted to marry a woman from Sumeru, Ahjika. But, since the noble families of Inazuma followed the principle that noble blood members should only marry noble blood members also from Inazuma, Yumei Kumori and Ahjika could not become husband and wife in the true sense of the word. Yumei chose to live separately from his family, and Masahiro, driven by anger, removed Yumei from the family register.

       That was the only connection between Masahiro Kumori and Sumeru, and if Caiome decided to follow this lead, she had to ask herself... If Masahiro Kumori was against his brother's marriage to Ahjika, a woman from Sumeru, clearly showing he hates an outside change, why would he do business based on a Sumeru spice. And especially, how did he know where to procure moruga in such large quantities?

       "In any case," she said, "we still have time. Moruga doesn't act so quickly since it's used in fish dishes. The large amount of iodine in fish slows down the effect of moruga, although it doesn't neutralize it completely, so your population in Inazuma is still safe. Some members of the organization are public doctors, right? Tell them to keep an eye out for similar symptoms, regardless of age or body configuration. As for the rest, leave it to me. I actually wanted to have a discussion with the Commander."

       Ayato seemed to smile, but what appeared on his face resembled more an expression full of curiosity, and what was in front of him fulfilled this curiosity.

       "But I still need your money a little longer," Caiome finally said seeming very proud.

Chapter Text

Chapter 39 ~ The Gossips and the Lies

🌸

      Although she said that, Caiome didn't seem to want to wait too long. She could control her impulses, but not her patience, especially if it was such a long period of time. So what she did was give exactly the orders that... well, not Ayato pass them on, but considering he didn't deny them either, Caiome believed he agreed with her idea.

       So, dressed in another floral shirt and with her hair tied in a ponytail with the hairpin Mitsuko seemed not to want back, Caiome waved at Mumei when she came out of her little house in town - or rather from the building where her small two-room apartment was located.

       Mumei almost tensed, but more than that, when she saw Caiome waving her fingers towards her and smiling like that, she came running towards her, grabbed her sleeve and pulled her aside from the street, somewhere around the corner of the building, behind a tree, hidden by a bush.

       "Are you stupid?" Mumei said. "How can you appear like this, on the street? Don't you think it's suspicious?"

       "The fact that you pulled me here is even more suspicious than two girls talking on the street, believe me," Caiome laughed.

       Mumei finally let go of her sleeve.

       "Why won't you leave me alone? I'm not going to disobey the Commander's orders, no matter how bored I am."

       "In fact," said Caiome, crossing her arms overs her chest, "I have a new little mission for you. While Kusa and Kin investigate the Shirakaba and Tomorokoshi families, we'll focus on Kumori."

       "Us?" Mumei asked, frowning.

       "I'm the type who can't stand on the sidelines either," she shrugged, "so I'll come with you. I won't get involved, just watch over you."

       "And who's going to watch over Kusa and Kin?"

       Caiome just smiled as she had before, and Mumei let out a sigh. She had to realize that the Commander would put someone to keep an eye on her, or rather, she had to realize that this woman was going to be so involved in gathering information, considering what she had said yesterday.

       "Are you afraid that if they find something even a little compromising, they'll arrest Masahiro Kumori?" Mumei asked.

       "Sure, you can assume that too," Caiome shrugged. "But I'm coming with you just because, unlike Kusa and Kin, you seem the most interesting to watch."

       "With you here, I should be stupid to disobey orders or to act somehow interesting."

       "Just that you don't have any orders to follow," said Caiome, and an even bigger smile spread across her lips, almost wickedly, and Mumei frowned when she saw her blood-red eyes shining more like ecstasy for adrenaline. "I just gave you a little push."

       "It's not like I hadn't thought of investigating each one separately," Mumei snorted, rolling her brown eyes.

       "Alright then. Pretend I'm your apprentice, and you show me how an investigation should proceed."

       Especially, Caiome thought, since she wasn't going to tell her anything about Ahjika or Yumei. As far as Caiome could tell, all the drama of the family had happened over twenty years ago, which meant Mumei wasn't even born then. If she hadn't read the reports recorded about Yumei and Ahjika, Mumei had to start from scratch, which seemed to be the case. And, to be honest, Caiome wasn't even sure there was a connection between Masahiro, Ahjika, and moruga.

       "Okay, then," said Mumei thoughtfully. "We have to start from scratch. What do we know about Masahiro Kumori? Head of the Kumori clan, 54 years old, active position for twenty-six years. Wife, Shizuko Kumori, 49 years old. Three children, Ritsuko, 32 years old, Daiki, 28 years old, Enji, 25 years old. He only has one brother, Yumei, who lives in seclusion and doesn't have much contact with his family."

       So far, everything was true. Then Mumei began to recite some information about Masahiro Kumori that had no specific relevance to the current case, but it seemed she liked to go through all the clues, although it seemed pointless to Caiome.

       "Okay," she said after fifteen minutes of Mumei's non-stop talking. "How can we find out more about him?"

       "Hmm," said Mumei. "The best way is to ask around the area, being careful not to make everything too obvious. And not to approach Ritou, because that's where his residence is, and words can easily reach him, that someone asked about his family, so we risk him taking action and trying to hide even better before we get to him."

       "Then what do you suggest?"

       Mumei stood and thought for a moment. Then she snapped her fingers, with a huge smile on her face.

       "His wife, Shizuko, has an oat-based transportation business from Mondstadt for drinks which, since the borders opened, take place on Tatarasuna island, on the north beach, since it's easier for ships to dock there. If we manage to infiltrate, we can ask the employees, since they don't have anything better to talk about than work and their bosses. Every morning a ship with supplies leaves for Tatarasuna, but that happened at least an hour ago, so we can't catch it anymore," Mumei sighed. "Besides, if we infiltrate, we need a disguise, so we have to request funds from Lord Kamisato. I don't doubt he'll approve it immediately, but-"

       Caiome raised her hand, holding a small bag full of mora between her fingers.

       "You mean these funds?" she asked.

       Mumei raised an eyebrow, very skeptical. "Yeah..." she said unsurely. "Where did--"

       "As for how we get there," Caiome took Mumei's hand, pulling her after her, "I have a better and faster way."

       "Hey, wait a minute!"

       But Mumei was picked up, and after Caiome bought only a few second-hand clothes that looked half-used, they stopped by one of the teleports.

       "Have you teleported before?" Caiome asked.

       "Uh... no..."

       "You'll like it."

       Before Mumei could protest, the two disappeared in a beam of light.

       "I think I'm going to be sick," said Mumei kneeling next to the statue of Raiden Ei she was leaning on, while Caiome looked around, looking towards the beach. It seems they had arrived just in time, as the supply ship had just stopped, and a boat was lowered alongside some supplies.

       "You're all so dramatic," said Caiome, grabbing Mumei's arm and pulling her up, then handing her the clothes. "Change and let's go."

       Well, that took Mumei by surprise. Even though the basic training of the Shuumatsuban included detecting a Vision, Mumei felt nothing when she met this woman not only the first time, but not even the second time, and she didn't see any light pulsating, signs that she was hiding her Vision. But every Vision bearer had something extra compared to other people, a strange, pleasant aura, a fragment of power that differentiated them.

       "Why couldn't I feel your Vision?" Mumei asked as she changed her shirt behind the statue. "You had special training or something?"

       This was really a sight, two girls changing clothes next to the divine statue of an Archon, hidden behind a bush so that no one could see them.

       "Hmm," said Caiome, pinning her hair up in a bun covered with a piece of white cloth. "Let's say that, a long time ago, before I came to Inazuma, I met someone who wanted to teach me a few things."

       Mumei realized since yesterday that this girl wasn't from around here, so it wasn't something she needed to keep secret. And yet...

       "You shouldn't give information about your life outside of the Shuumatsuban," she muttered.

       "In that case, my life would be very short," she chuckled. "Are you ready?" she asked when Mumei was just about to ask what her she meant.

       Disguised, the two sneaked up to the shore where people with tables, set up under tents, received crates full of oats that they had to clean and send on to the drink producers, back on Narukami Island. Caiome and Mumei pretended to work there, starting to carry the supplies brought in, and no one asked them any questions, considering it wasn't their job.

       And when they faced the other employees, they pretended to be ship girls responsible for transporting supplies. And while they stood there, they overheard a few discussions, but nothing useful, until Caiome heard Yumei's name mentioned by someone. She pulled Mumei after her.

       "Are you talking about Yumei Suzuki?"

       The middle-aged women looked confused at her.

       "Of course not, we don't even know who that is," said one of them with a puzzled expression. "We were talking about Yumei Kumori," she added in a whisper.

       "Ahh," Caiome said, "I've heard a few things about him. Were you talking about how he lives separately from his family?" she added in a whisper. "If you ask me, it's very strange, as if he's hiding something."

       "Exactly what we were saying," said another woman, all standing around a table with oats. In wicker baskets were clean oats, while on the table, among the oats to be cleaned, were other bits of debris that had mixed in. "I have a friend who works as a servant at the Kumori family's residence, and she told me that one of the rooms is completely locked, no one is allowed in."

       Caiome nodded quickly.

       "I have a friend who works there too, a boy from the stables, who told me the exact same thing." Caiome looked left and right, more for effect, while Mumei had no idea what to do, listening to the conversation.

       How the girl who seemed so impatient half an hour ago became so gossip-hungry was beyond her. Anyway, she understood what was happening around her, but her temporary partner's features seemed to change suddenly. And now that she thought about it... Mumei didn't even know her name.

       Caiome signaled the three women to come closer to her, and they all leaned over the table.

       "My friend said she saw Masahiro Kumori going in there one day, but no one knows why, considering no one has ever seen Masahiro go in there. It almost makes you wonder what secrets are hidden there."

       "But what does that have to do with Yumei Kumori?" Mumei asked, trying to adopt the same interest in gossip as Caiome.

       "That's a very good question," said the third woman. "There were rumors a few years ago that that was Yumei's room before he left the family home."

       "Then why would Masahiro Kumori enter the room that belonged to his brother? And why should that room be closed just because his brother left willingly? Is there something sacred inside?"

       That's what Mumei wondered, but Caiome just smiled, seeming very excited about the conversation.

       "Wouldn't it be wonderful to know?" Caiome said. "I'll have my friend keep an eye on them as much as possible, and if I find out anything, I'll come and tell you in the next few days."

       The three women seemed very pleased.

       "I'll ask my friend to do the same," said one of them. "She's quite close to Lady Kumori, maybe she can find out something."

       Then they said goodbye, and the two teleported to Ritou, with a Mumei trying not to vomit this time, leaning against a fence, behind a tree.

       "See you tomorrow morning," said Caiome, then left as suddenly as she appeared.

       "Hey, wait-"

       But Mumei was too focused on not emptying her stomach in the middle of the telepoint garden.

🌸

       Caiome spent her afternoon chatting a bit with the Commander, then walking around and talking to different people, and when she returned to the residence, she changed clothes and sat in the middle of Ayato's office, to one side, at a small table, with papers with various symbols in front of her.

       The office door opened slowly, and Ayato slipped inside after having dinner alone in the backyard, as Ayaka would stay at the city residence that night with Thoma, and Caiome refused to join him, as she told Mitsuko when she asked if she wanted to go to the gardens.

       Ayato looked at Caiome and all the papers in front of her with a slightly odd look, approaching and leaning over her shoulder.

       Caiome closed her eyes, and let out a sigh. "Do you need something?"

       "I was just curious," he replied.

       Caiome put her hand on his face, pushing him away from her. "Then be curious from a distance, you smell like-"

       Caiome stopped and turned abruptly towards him, leaning closer and smelling his skin and clothes. He smelled slightly of food, but it wasn't the pungent smell she had sensed earlier. She grabbed his wrist and lifted his hand towards her, then, without asking for permission in any way, pulled his glove off. Ayato tried to pull his hand out of hers, but Caiome held it too tightly, studying his fingers.

       The skin on the fingertips was slightly reddish, stretched pleasantly, just like Chizuru's eyeshadows that she applied on Ayaka's eyelids.

       "Did you cook moruga?" Caiome asked, looking at him, and Ayato slowly closed his eyes, feeling like a child caught red-handed.

       "Really, are you some kind of hound with these senses?" he muttered.

       "Hey!"

       Ayato finally pulled his hand out of hers, then put his glove back on and sat down at his own desk. "I just wanted to see why everyone praises this spice so much, that is all."

       "And?" said Caiome.

       "Nothing special."

       "You say that because you know it could harm you? Because I, at least, used it everywhere when I was in Sumeru, before it was banned."

       "You and I have different tastes in everything, Miss Caiome," he said, smiling, then opened one of the files placed at the end of the table.

       "Aham," Caiome said skeptically, displaying a smile. "I believe you actually liked it. And since when do you cook? Since I've been here, I've never seen you cook for yourself," she tapped the wooden table with the back of her quill, resting her cheek in her palm.

       "A man can have passions," he replied calmly.

       "You should make me something to eat too," Caiome demanded.

       "Aren't you afraid I might give you something poisonous?"

       "Poison?" said Caiome. "Sure, you can try, we'll see where we end up. But I don't think Lord Kamisato would have such a bad heart as to kill someone as innocent as me, and especially the one he practically appointed as second in command regarding the organization."

       "It is a temporary position based on what you can do, Caiome," he said, picking up the brush between his fingers. "If you fail, I can get rid of you. You have this position as long as you bring satisfactory results."

       "I see," she said again with a particularly calm smile, allowing a pleasant evening silence to settle between them, while the candles flickered softly in the office.

       It had been dark for some time now, considering Ayato agreed to sit at the table only after most of the servants had left the residence. Probably so he could cook quietly without anyone bothering him or asking him questions. So, it was already dark outside, and Mitsuko had lit the candles, while Caiome was too absorbed in her papers to pay attention to the sunset.

       "So..." Ayato spoke after a few minutes that were too quiet for him, considering he was in the same room with Caiome, "what are those?"

       "Notes," Caiome mumbled.

       "About...?"

       "Your Shuumatsuban members. I've met some of them. And a few teachers. You should have seen their faces when they realized who they were talking to," she chuckled, causing Ayato to look up from his own files. "Fujiro stumbled through the whole conversation, but he's a good kid, I suppose, and Kanon was very formal until the last moment. I think I may have seemed a bit intimidating to them. And Suisen and Botan, your flower-named teachers, nearly fainted and even started calling me in a different way than they should, which made things even funnier when I told them I don't have such a position with you. It was hilarious to see their confused faces."

       Ayato blinked a few times, without making any gesture, and he probably had to thank the gods that Caiome wasn't looking at him at that moment, otherwise she would probably have asked him some questions or teased him for looking at her so... as if he were studying her again, as if he were seeing her for the first time in his life.

       Because it was strange to see Caiome laughing heartily. Of course, her smiles were always immense, especially when she knew she had something on you or when she was playing with you, and it wasn't strange that when she got bored or had something to say, she spoke without stopping. But it was rare to see her cheeks so flushed, truly amused by something that had just happened to her during the day, standing with her hair tied up, helped by the hairpin, with her wavy bangs brushed aside, highlighting not only her eyes and lashes, but also her sharp cheekbones.

       "I understand," Ayato finally said, his lips getting lost in a smile. "So, how did Suisen and Botan call you that amused you so much?"

       "You wouldn't understand," she waved her hand. "You're too serious for such situations."

       "It's not like I cannot laugh at a joke when it is good."

       "Oh, the joke was good, but it was at the expense of a subject that would make you tense in the next moment. I don't want to ruin that good memory with your twisted face that you would surely make if you heard it."

       "As I said," he said again with exceptional calm, because he didn't like Caiome's refusal, "if the joke was really good-"

       "If you have to say 'if the joke was really good,' you've already lost me," Caiome interrupted. "You'll never find it funny, so you might as well give up."

       "Fine," he sighed, "but at least stop teasing me about it."

       "About the fact that you can't joke?"

       "I can jo-"

       "I can't talk right now, I'm busy," she called out lightly, then turned back to her papers, causing Ayato to grit his teeth slightly.

       "Don't you even want to tell me how today's investigation went?" he asked.

       "Nope," she mumbled, chewing on the wooden quill while simultaneously staring at the papers written in ink. "I'm second in command, right? If I consider something to be so important that you need to know, I'll tell you. And don't worry, Koshi is with me all the time. If he thinks something is wrong with my orders or actions, he'll tell you immediately, and I'll be gone before you can blink. I'm not about to risk that after spending so many weeks here."

        Ayato couldn't understand why he had this feeling, but it seemed that, at that moment, Caiome was sincere. And the whole situation was to her advantage anyway. She could leave the residence when she wanted and come back when she pleased, especially since she was accompanied by Koshi almost constantly, she didn't get bored, she wasn't required to do any work related to the residence, as she did before, she had things to consume her adrenaline, and her shell was safe.

       And Ayato had his benefits too - Caiome made his work easier and used her abilities. One thing was to have the Shuumatsuban members carry out an operation against those who posed a threat, and another was to use the knowledge of a threat to reach a better and faster conclusion, as in the case of the gemstone thieves.

       They could say they were both in some sort of partnership, but neither of them intended to call it that.

       "Indeed," said Ayato, then turned back to his own work.

       And although they occasionally glanced at each other, they didn't utter a word. Either because they had nothing to say - unlikely in Caiome's case - or because the silence was also comfortable, and they didn't want to disturb it, neither seemed to know. But that didn't mean they weren't aware of each other's presence.

       Caiome somehow managed to sneak a glance every time Ayato set his brush down in the ink, especially after he pulled the glove off his right hand - to feel the wood, as he said - and Ayato always seemed to lift his gaze to Caiome when she rustled, as if he were ready to get up and leave.

       But neither uttered a word, leaving only the crickets to chirp in the garden and the candles to flicker slowly until they both retired to their rooms, bidding each other a simple "good night."

🌸

       Three days later, dressed in the clothes they bought yesterday, Mumei and Caiome headed towards the group of women and immediately started the promised gossip.

       "Come, come," quickly signaled on of the women, and all three leaned over the table. "We found out that Yumei Kumori visited the family residence yesterday."

       "How can you be so sure?" Caiome asked. "Are you sure it was him?"

       "Absolutely, my friend could swear by it. She had only seen him once before, ten years ago, but she swore she couldn't forget his face and that it was him. But she said it was very strange. I mean, obviously Yumei Kumori would hide if he visited the family's house, but this time he was completely disguised."

       "Hmm," murmured Caiome. "There would be easier methods if he wanted to visit someone in the family, such as calling them to a secret location."

       "Do you think that's the reason?" another woman asked. "To visit someone in the family?"

       "But it doesn't stop there," said the woman. "My friend said that when Yumei left, he took some men's clothes with him, but they definitely didn't fit his stature, they were too small. And a few hours later, a woman returned with the same clothes and left without them."

       "So who could the woman be? And what was she doing with the clothes?"

       "Let's not get carried away," Caiome quickly said. "And let's keep this between us. If someone hears a rumor like this, it could create problems for all the employees there, including your friend."

       "True. And we could create problems for ourselves too, like getting fired."

       "We'd better leave this story dead," said a third woman.

       The five bid each other goodbye, and Caiome and Mumei stopped at the statue on Tatarasuna.

       "So, what do we do next?" asked Caiome.

       "This Yumei is strange. I think we should follow him. But he lives somewhere hidden, so people won't notice him because of the drama with his family."

       "And yet, he returns to the same parental home," said Caiome. "Why is that?"

       "I'm more curious about that woman," murmured Mumei. "Why did she return with the same clothes and leave them there? She must have some connection to Yumei. But first, we need to find out where he lives."

       "I think I can help you with that," said Caiome, and before Mumei could protest, they both teleported.

Chapter Text

Chapter 40 ~ The Truth and the Sleeping Beauty 

🌸

       "Where are we?" asked Mumei when she recovered from the dizziness of teleporting again, looking around at the towering mountains above them.

       "On a small island, north of Narukami Island," said Caiome, already leading the way. "Grapes are cultivated here, and since the national transport demand is so difficult, usually only Vision bearers come here or leave with the goods in question. Fujiro and Kanon are responsible for this part."

       "And what are we doing here?"

       Caiome stopped in front of a huge rock. She put her hand on it and, letting elemental power gather in her palm, and the stone rolled aside as if pushed by a huge force. Underneath was a small pit from which Caiome pulled out a rather bulky package, which she opened and handed to Mumei.

       "Our equipment."

       Mumei frowned. "Why are these here? I didn't know there was any supply point here..."

       "There isn't," said Caiome. "I brought them."

       Mumei only grabbed the dark blouse in her hand, then everything flashed before her. There was no way this woman could be so sure of all the information if she hadn't investigate for herself first. That's how she knew about the locked room in the Kumori house.

       "Did you know we were going to end up here?"

       "It's obvious, isn't it?"

       "But... why didn't you say anything...? We could have saved so much time!"

       Caiome already began to change into the black clothes, putting her zukin on her head and the tenugui over her mouth, smiling under the mask.

       "As I said, I don't interfere in anyone's investigation. I'm just curious, that's all, and I don't have anything better to do."

       "You don't have anything better to do?" said Mumei. "There are so many operations happening somewhere on these islands, and you have nothing to do?"

       "Believe it or not, I can't stray too far from Narukami, not for too long anyway, and this island is no exception," she sighed, looking around. "So, no, I don't have much to do on my own, but with you, it's a different story."

       Mumei was about to say something, but she knew she didn't stand a chance. She changed into the clothes and covered her head and mouth. In less than ten minutes, they arrived at a small courtyard with a house that didn't seem to consist of more than three rooms, and smoke rose from the chimney, a sign that someone was cooking. Roles were immediately assigned, with Caiome keeping an eye on the front yard while Mumei was to watch the back.

       Over the next few hours, Caiome noticed not only Yumei and Ahjika, who was obviously different, with a beautifully shining dark skin in the sunlight, but also a third boy who didn't seem to be more than 25 years old. He came in and out of the yard as if it belonged to him, and he had the skin color of a caffe latte, and both Caiome and Mumei concluded that he must be the child of the two. His age matched the year Yumei left the family, and his stature matched the description of the clothes, considering that the boy was shorter than his father.

       And yet, something seemed odd to Caiome, and Mumei agreed with her. There was something strange in his features that didn't fit the family itself.

       And at that moment, Mumei barely learned about Ahjikai's identity. You didn't have to think much about the fact that she was from Sumeru and that Yumei had a child with her, which raised the question: Did Yumei leave or was he expelled by Masahiro?

       "As a second in line, leaving the family for a woman you can't marry isn't absolutely necessary in order to be with her," said Mumei, turning back on the way to the telepoint. "You could never marry and the woman in question could be your love for the rest of your life. There are so many cases in noble families. And there are so many illegitimate children; even that isn't a reason to be erased from the family record."

       "Only if there's something more to this whole story," said Caiome. "Like the axis of time," she suggested.

       "What do you mean?"

       "Think for yourself," she winked.

       Mumei listened, trying to put all the information together.

       "There wouldn't have been any reason for Yumei to leave the family. He could have remained unmarried, considering he wasn't supposed to become the head of the family, so he wouldn't have been obligated to marry and have children. And if he had a child with Ahjika, it would have been illegitimate, it wouldn't have caused chaos in the family's succession or its influence."

       "But, of course, it would have caused enough chaos because of his features," said Caiome.

       "Of course," said Mumei. "Anyone looking at him would know right away that he was Ahjikai's son, and since Ahjika is a woman who attracted attention, coming from Sumeru, especially at that time, they would know he was her child with Yumei, considering they were lovers. And yet, even if he had been declared illegitimate..."

       "Maybe Yumei didn't want this," Caiome said. "No matter who you ask, Yumei is a staunch family man; he would have wanted children to call his own. Let's assume Ahjika got pregnant, Yumei would have wanted to marry her and have a family, sharing the same name. If she hadn't become pregnant, Yumei wouldn't have had a reason to marry her as long as they stayed together. The only one who might have been against it would have been Masahiro Kumori."

       "But if he had something against Ahjika, as the head of the clan, Masahiro Kumori would have tried to separate them from the beginning, from when their relationship started. Which means..."

       "Masahiro Kumori had a problem with Ahjika from the moment she became pregnant," Caiome finished, pulling her tenugui down from her face, displaying a smile.

       "Yumei couldn't have decided to leave on his own, without any money, considering he had a child on the way, so most likely Masahiro drove the two out of the family house and removed Yumei from the family register."

       "But Yumei still visits the house from time to time."

       "But maybe not because he wants to, but because he's forced to. I've already made the connection between Masahiro and Sumeru, meaning Ahjika. He might know about the moruga from her."

       "But what reason would Ahjika have to contact Masahiro and tell him about such a spice only months after it was forbidden in Sumeru? What does she gain, she who was expelled along with Yumei from that house, if it increases Masahiro's wealth?"

       "And why did Yumei visit Masahiro just before Ahjika did?"

       Mumei began to ponder, but when she looked at Caiome, at the smile on her face and the way she patiently waited, she was sure that the girl in front of her already knew the answer, she just wasn't going to say it, but had it on her to let Mumei figure it out. Mumei wondered if Kusa and Kin had two such supervisors playing with them. And at the same time... she couldn't condemn her, neither for her methods nor for not telling her name.

       There was something more about this girl, that was clear.

       She turned her thoughts back to Masahiro when she made eye contact with her again.

       Masahiro... Ahjika... pregnancy... visits... hmm...

       Then she realized, and a gleam lit up her face again, looking at Caiome who smiled just as broadly, as if saying "finally."

       "The son is Masahiro's child," Mumei said. "That's why the features are strange, as if they don't fit, because they're not Yumei's, they're Masahiro's."

       "Ten points for the chuunin," Caiome laughed, and Mumei rolled her eyes. "In short, Masahiro wouldn't have had any problem with Ahjika being around the residence, because while she was in a relationship with his younger brother, and even though Masahiro was already married and had children, he fell in love with Ahjika. Since Ahjika came from Sumeru, she needed stability here, so she came to the conclusion to seduce Yumei, but in the meantime, she was seduced by Masahiro, and that's how she ended up pregnant. Ahjika would have at most become a concubine and would have led a harder life than before, so she told Yumei that it was his child, in order to continue being together and not to create problems with Shizuko, so they secretly got married. Masahiro didn't take the news well, since he was so in love; he felt it as a betrayal, so he drove them out and removed Yumei from the family register. But Masahiro is still in love with Ahjika, so at her request, he put together a new business, and he puts aside the profits for his illegitimate son whom he sees from time to time in the locked room of the house. That's why you can't see a sudden increase in his reports, because all the money is deposited in a private account for his and Ahjika's child."

🌸

       "All we need now are the proofs that he indeed runs the business," Caiome said, leaning back on the terrace under Ayato's office window, as he stood with his elbow resting on the window, looking down at her.

       Caiome played with some blades of grass she plucked from near the terrace, tearing them into small pieces and sending them flying towards the stream at the back of the courtyard where the servants - with whom Caiome still had a problem because of the way they had retaliated against her a few weeks ago - were washing clothes and to whom she gave extra work, to gather the blades of grass from the clothes.

       "But Mumei and the others can handle that on their own, I'm not made to sit among papers and reports and... nothing of the sort."

       Ayato chuckled lightly. "You do not seem very excited that it's over," he said.

       "I'm not thrilled about how it's over, because I know that soon you'll find all the information you need, you'll use your anonymous technique to crush Masahiro Kumori to the authorities, just like you did with the Kashiro family, and I won't have any action. Sure, it was an interesting disguise and drama, but it seems everything stops here," she sighed disappointedly.

       "Should I send you disguised as a soldier from the Tenryou Commission, to arrest Masahiro Kumori?" Ayato asked, more in jest, of course. "You would make an excellent spy for me."

       Caiome wrinkled her nose. "The Tenryou Commission follows too strict of a protocol. Do you see me following someone else's orders?"

       "Considering I am still dealing with it myself..." Ayato mumbled.

       Caiome released the blades of grass, and they flew towards the stream, and the servants murmured discontentedly. Where did all that dust and grass come from anyway?

       "Well, whatever," she took a few more blades of grass, starting to tear them, "it just proves once again that people are so stupid. If you want to cheat on your wife or lover, why risk a pregnancy? Even twenty-something years ago, there were contraceptives, hello? People should think more about consequences and repercussions."

       Caiome opened her palm, ready to let the blades of grass be taken by the Vision's wind again, but Ayato leaned over the ledge, covering the blades of grass with his own palm to prevent them from flying away.

       "Like you do?" he laughed, then took her fingers and closed her fist. "And stop tormenting my employees."

       Caiome snorted and straightened up, and Ayato withdrew his hand, resting his temple on his fist again.

       "They tormented me first," she muttered, then got up from the ground.

       "Where are you going?" Ayato asked.

       "Isn't it obvious? Koshi has free pass from you once we find all the evidence for the anonymous accusation, I'm going with him. Better than just standing here doing nothing."

       She moved a few meters away from the window, standing barefoot, when Ayato's words stopped her.

       "In that case, if you are so eager to work, how about you make the reports for me to receive tomorrow afternoon?"

       Caiome turned almost mechanically towards him. "Are you kidding me?"

       "You have a high position in the organization, don't you?" he chuckled, finding a strange pleasure in her discomfort. "I need a report from each member who participated in the operation, and two from you, as an involved party, and as a general part where you gather all the information found and all the actions executed by the other members."

       "But I've already told you everything I found out," she cried.

       "Sure, but everything needs to be recorded in the archives, with my signature and yours, too."

       "What a nuisance," she muttered.

       "I thought you liked getting involved in the organization's operations, since I barely saw you these days, and when I did see you, you had your eyes only on... your notes, as you call them."

       "Fine!" Caiome said. "How hard can it be?"

       "In fact, you are right," Ayato said. "It should not be that hard, so surely you have time until tomorrow morning."

       Caiome gritted her teeth, turned on her heels, and made a gesture with her hand. The power of the Vision hit the open wooden windows outside, causing them to close abruptly, hitting Ayato in the forehead.

       "Oh, come on," Caiome said, mocking him. "It's not that bad; maybe the bruise will go away by tomorrow morning," she tossed back, then left.

🌸

       Masahiro Kumori had been caught with the illegal business just towards sunset, which meant another two to three hours until Caiome received the reports from Kin and Kusa, and after them, Caiome had to visit Mumei to get her report as well.

        "By the way," Mumei said, her cheeks slightly reddening, "I think I should thank you."

       "For what?" Caiome blinked confused.

       "For... anything and everything," she murmured. "I think I've learned something from you, and I'm glad you didn't let me rush ahead, but encouraged me to be more patient with the information. Although I still don't like just sitting around and listening to people."

       "Ah, about that...," Caiome said, taking the sealed report in an envelope. "I have to see your teachers now, and the Commander, so we'll see each other later."

       "Uh... wait a minute," Mumei said. "You never told me your name... your code name, I mean."

       "Oh," Caiome said, pulling out a pen with a refill from the small backpack she carried with her.

       She grabbed Mumei's hand and rolled up her sleeve, starting to draw a symbol that made Mumei frown when she saw it. It was a name she hadn't seen before, although in the Shuumatsuban, when the bearer of a code died, the code was taken over by the next one, but not in the case of this strange woman. Usually, the codes designated normal objects or terms, to be easier to remember, but the one of the silver-haired woman who appeared out of nowhere was quite unusual.

🌸

       "Youkai?" Ayato asked surprised.

       "Yes, milord," Koshi said, handing him a rectangular piece of paper on which stood a tremblingly drawn symbol, surely made with a brush and by an inexperienced hand.

        The paper fluttered slightly in the daytime breeze, as Ayato stood in the corridors of the terraces in the back garden, looking towards the ocean and the distant small islands.

       Ayato first smiled to himself, then laughed.

       It was obvious who had tried to use the brush and who had failed miserably; there was no doubt. Koshi blinked a few times at him but didn't dare say anything, hiding from the others' eyes behind a wooden column.

       What was on the paper didn't just mean "Youkai," but it was a symbol Ayato knew all too well taken from a poem he had copied not long ago in his notebook and which seemed to fit perfectly:

       In this world full of evil, what is more beautiful than a youkai?

       "When did she choose such a name for herself?" he wondered more to himself.

       "Just before taking the exams," Koshi answered as if in an echo.

       Ayato sighed and wrapped the paper, which he slipped into one of the sleeves of his suit, then put his hands behind his back.

       Caiome was indeed full of surprises when he least expected them.

🌸

       It was late when Caiome managed not only to gather all the reports but also to read them, write her own, and collect them all into a general one. Ayato had already gone to bed when Caiome settled in his office, and Mitsuko brought her some tea and biscuits before going to bed herself. She wanted to keep her company, but Caiome wouldn't let her. She already knew she was going to spend too much time there even without being distracted in a conversation, so she sent Mitsuko to bed.

       And she did indeed spend too much time there.

       When she signed the general report, it was already almost four in the morning. But she wasn't going to leave it on Ayato's desk, of course not. She wanted the first thing he saw when he woke up to be her report, so she closed the file, putting off the candles in the office, and headed to his room.

       Ayato was sleeping, of course, but like all the nights when Caiome had to play guard for him, he had a light sleep. Caiome tiptoed, although her steps wouldn't make any noise anyway, and placed the file next to his head, gently touching his face. Normally, she would have smacked him in the face with the file, but knowing Ayato as she did, he would probably punish her to do something on the spot, and she was very tired.

       So tired that, looking at his bed, her thoughts wandered to the little chest in her closet. Instead, she remembered sitting on that soft mattress for a few seconds before Ayato pulled her out of bed and for a few minutes when she dirtied the sheets with her dirty boots before being sent to wash them.

       It was official; her body was craving to sleep on a soft mattress and her head to rest on an equally comfortable pillow.

       She took off her shoes and climbed into bed on Ayato's other side, with her back to him, and her body immediately sank into the mattress, which was probably made of clouds, warmth, and goose feathers, given how soft it was and how beautiful it smelled, as if she were in a field of flowers. Caiome smiled broadly, then hummed.

       It was fine. She taught herself to sleep very lightly after all these years; if she had felt Ayato moving even in his sleep, she would have woken up immediately. It was impossible for Ayato to wake up before her and catch her in his bed.

🌸

       Except Ayato slep for another hour and a half, so he blinked, rubbed his eyes, and sat up in bed, only to hit a thick piece of paper, the color of tree bark, lying on his pillow.

       Ayato frowned, picked it up, and opened it, being hit from the first hour of the morning, when dawn was barely entering his window, by a terrible handwriting that even with a thicker pen was still ridiculously ugly. And he certainly wasn't going to read such a monstrosity when his eyes were still bleary. He had somehow suffered through the night, tossing and turning in his own bed. And when he did finally fall asleep as a normal person, he didn't dream at all.

       He stretched and left the file on the bedside table, then tried to get up, but a sigh from behind him stopped his movements. He turned around only to come face to face with a sleeping Caiome... in his bed... dressed in her everyday clothes. At least she was barefoot.

       Ayato rubbed his eyes as if he were still dreaming, because it was impossible for his bed linen to be defiled like this by Caiome, but when he opened his eyes again, Caiome was still there. And she looked very pleased with herself.

       She was sleeping on her stomach, with one hand under the pillow and the other stretched towards the spot where Ayato had been sleeping a few minutes ago, with one leg stretched out and one bent towards the center, while her face was turned towards the middle of the bed. She looked very comfortable sleeping like that.

       And Ayato had to admit, he doubted she had slept much in the past few days, considering what Koshi had told him. Caiome never told him more about her plans for the day other than the investigation of Masahiro Kumori, but Koshi had told him that this woman, now bearing the code name Youkai, had tried to find most of the Shuumatsuban members not only to introduce herself, but also to get to know them better: abilities, personality, whether they were Vision bearers or not, and so on.

       She took it very seriously what she had said on the night of the ambush on the gemstone thieves: she didn't know anyone among the members, so she had to change that. And since some were only on the night shift, Caiome had to spend both day and night on the streets or in the most hidden places of Inazuma. And she probably hadn't even finished this... secondary investigation yet, but given her pile of notes, it was impressive that she had met so many people in less than four whole days.

       And with the report she had to work on all night...

       He could have let her sleep a little longer.

       If she had been dressed in pajamas, he probably wouldn't have hesitated to leave her alone.

       But even so, it was rare to see Caiome sleeping, considering he went to bed before her. Of course, he almost always caught her dozing off in his office, sometimes really sleeping, but it certainly wasn't the same sight. Unlike the midday when Caiome sat with the sword in her arms, leaning against the bookshelves, always on guard, waking up at every sound, now Caiome seemed completely immersed in sleep. Which meant she probably wouldn't wake up so easily if Ayato got closer to her, just to study her a little more, as she did in regards to him, grabbing him, taking off his gloves, and touching his hands as if it meant nothing. Maybe he should draw her face as revenge.

       Ayato sat up more in bed, leaning slightly towards her, leaning on his hands. There was something vulgar even in the way Caiome slept, spread out like a pancake on the entire mattress. Ayato was surprised she hadn't been pushed out of bed, poked, or invaded by her limbs. Her hair was tousled, and once Ayato leaned a few centimeters closer, he smelled the scent of rain and wet grass, a fresh and invigorating smell.

       Seriously, how could she have a fragrance like that?

       He didn't realize how close he was to her until he looked at her face, and suddenly her breathing became so light, and her chest barely rose, you would have thought she was dying. He looked at her long eyelashes and the shape of her nose in profile, thin and arched, and her lips looked fuller from this angle, maybe even a little pinker than usual, they were certainly slightly dry from the warm air she exhaled. Even her cheeks seemed healthier.

       And she seemed just as deep in this sleep.

       But Ayato leaned a bit too much over her, because the mattress leaned toward him, and Caiome fell lightly towards his hand on which she was leaning, catching him under her hip. Caiome felt the pit in her stomach, and since Ayato was trapped under her body, she couldn't move away fast enough when Caiome suddenly sat up straight.

       Thus, Caiome hit Ayato straight in the mouth with her forehead.

       They both moaned in pain and turned to their sides. Caiome rubbed her forehead with her palm, while Ayato held his lips with his hand, both trying to get rid of the painful sensation after one bone hit another.

       "What the hell were you doing so close?" Caiome shouted, half leaning out of bed, as did Ayato.

       "You looked like you were not breathing, I was just checking," he retorted.

       "With what? Your fucking face? Gods..."

       "With my ear," Ayato threw back, feeling a metallic taste as he licked his bottom lip. "But you had to get up so fast and hit me with your steel forehead."

       "I think one of your teeth got stuck between my eyebrows," Caiome complained. She didn't like the fact that, not only was she awakened like this, but she probably also got a mark in the middle of her forehead. It would fade away, but by all the gods, she was too sleepy for this.

       "Great, now it's bleeding," Ayato said from behind her as he checked his lip with his fingers, watching not only that his lip cracked, but it split entirely, and now blood covered his hand. "Fuck..." he whispered.

       "My head—"

       Caiome stopped talking. She even forgot that her forehead hurt, quickly turning to the other side of the bed. Ayato stood with his back to her, slightly bent forward, dressed in his beautiful pajamas with wildflowers and cranes.

       "Wait a sec," she said, and her lips lifted into a smile. She climbed the bed, kneeling, stretching towards him like a feline after prey, trying to sneak a peek at his face. "Did you just... curse?"

       "To your amusement, it seem so," he threw back irritated.

       "It's not my fault, you know," she straightened up. "If you weren't so close, and if you didn't invade my personal space, I wouldn't have hit you."

       "This is my bed," Ayato muttered back. "So, technically, you invaded my personal space."

       But Ayato wasn't in the mood to argue about that, not when his lip was completely numb, and now he couldn't even think of where to get a cloth to wipe himself, because Caiome also hit him in the nose – thankfully not breaking it – but his head was a bit dizzy from the impact. How much force did it take for someone to unconsciously hit someone else like this?

       "Don't be such a child," Caiome said, grabbing his shoulders, trying to pull him towards her. "Let me see," she requested. "I promise I won't hit you again."

       Ayato really didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing him with blood around his mouth, but in the end, she would still make fun of it. And of course, once Ayato turned only halfway to her, Caiome burst into laughter.

       Ayato tried to get up, but Caiome grabbed his shirt and pulled him back, almost toppling him completely into bed.

       "Sorry, sorry," she said. "Let me see."

       Ayato rolled his eyes, then lowered his hand. Caiome grimaced a bit. Oh, gods, she had hit him pretty hard. The lower lip was split across its width on his right side, from center to edge. Which meant quite a lot of blood.

       "Wait a sec," she requested and got out of bed.

       She opened one of the drawers of the small nightstands from where she took a cotton handkerchief, then grabbed the cup of water from the nightstand and, leaning over one of the open windows, wet the cloth and squeezed it out, then turned back to Ayato. She sat on the edge of the bed, snapping her fingers.

       "Eyes on me," she said, and Ayato raised an eyebrow.

       He didn't have time to react and take the cloth from Caiome's hand, as she already put her hand on his cheek, while with her thumb she pulled down his lip to dab it. Ayato froze just for a second. There was a difference between feeling her fingers in his hand or kissing them in front of everyone for a show, and unwillingly feeling them on the skin of his cheek. Although it was dawn, and although it was cool in the room, her hands were oddly warm, and the smell of her hair surrounded him once again.

       But he couldn't pay much attention to her, because once Caiome touched his lip with the cloth, Ayato hissed in pain.

       "Ugh, what a whiner you are," she said, half frustrated, half laughing, lifting his head and making him look at her again. "Bite down your teeth, you won't die from this."

       "It's not about that—"

       Caiome interrupted his words by covering his mouth with the wet cloth, but she didn't say anything more, and neither did Ayato, letting her clean his lips and chin, but still bleeding. Her eyes were very focused on him, the cloth touched him a little lighter this time, and from time to time, Ayato could feel the tip of her finger touching his lips, sometimes the top one, sometimes the bottom one, making sure not to touch the wound.

       Does she realize what situation they were in and whom she was touching?

       Ayato sighed in his mind.

       Not that she cared especially about it.

       "Lick your lips," she said. "Saliva stops the bleeding better than water."

       Ayato didn't react.

       "Don't you know how to lick your lips?" she asked.

       "I know how to lick my lips."

       "So?"

       Ayato still didn't react.

       "Do you want me to do it for you?" she laughed.

       And surely he wasn't in the mood for jokes like that, which, no, didn't seem funny to him at all. If that was a good joke, maybe he really didn't have a sense of humor. Or maybe it just wasn't a subject he would laugh about, because nothing in this whole situation was funny.

       "Oh, come on," Caiome said, jokingly. "I was just kidding. You don't have to look at me like that."

       Because his eyes had been too penetrating ever since Caiome leaned against him to wash the blood off his face, and she tried forcefully to look at his lips only so as not to meet his gaze.

       "A little ointment and you'll be as good as new in a few days," she said. "You'll definitely be fine by the festival, and you can dress nicely and be the prince all the girls in this nation sighs about without worrying that a woman broke your lip by hitting you with her head."

       "More like a stone troll than a woman," muttered Ayato.

       Caiome grabbed his cheek, winking and pulling him until Ayato grabbed her wrist to get her hand down. But Caiome didn't release his cheek, holding onto his skin as if her entire life depended on it.

       "Stop it," he said.

       "Who are you talking to? Trolls can't understand human language."

       "Caiome..."

       "I can't he~ar you, I can't he~ar you, I can't under~stand you," she sang.

       Ayato grabbed her wrist a little tighter and pulled it back, making Caiome, who already didn't have a stable balance, go forward, bumping her chest into his. They both held their breath, not only during the impact but also afterward, and Caiome seriously wondered if she could hit him again in the mouth, but on the other side this time.

       Because not only did Ayato pull her so abruptly like that, but he didn't even let go for a few good seconds while they both just stood... and stared. Caiome swallowed dryly, and Ayato clenched his teeth before releasing her wrist. He took the cloth from her hand and got out of bed, covering his lip, while Caiome seemed to freeze in time and space, looking at the opposite wall of the bed.

       "Go back to sleep," he said. "I will just change and leave; I have to read your report."

       Caiome glanced at Ayato from the corner of her eye as he took his clothes prepared by Mitsuko the night before, and hid behind the screen, then she turned back to the bed and lay down, staring at the wall. She closed her eyes, but even after Ayato left the room, she couldn't fall asleep, so she gave up altogether.

       And she really wanted to sleep a little more on that mattress, butLord Kamisato had to ruin everything.

Chapter Text

Chapter 41 ~ The Oni and the Tengu

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       Caiome let out a sigh as Koshi handed her several thick files. She frowned at him. "What are these supposed to be?" she asked.

       "Lord Kamisato informed me that your exam studies did not include the missions that took place under his leadership or his political actions since he became the head of the clan," he replied from behind his tenugui. "He also asked me to mention that you should study them before the festival or at least read them while he is in a meeting this morning."

       "And he decided to dump fifteen years of work on me to read in a few hours and learn in less than three days?" she mumbled, and Koshi simply nodded.

       This guy didn't really understand sarcasm anyway or the irony of the situation.

       "But there are so many," she cried.

       "But... in two weeks, you learned more than that," Koshi pointed out.

       Caiome pushed the files back. "I haven't learned anything," she rolled her eyes. "Just the essentials. Don't worry," she waved her hand, "I'll catch up as I go."

       "But..." Koshi began again, gently pushing the files and papers towards her, "you're a Shuumatsuban member now. Besides, you hold a very high position; I think you should know what it's about."

       Caiome put her hands on her hips, looking at Koshi who gazed at her with his big brown eyes. And even though he was dressed in black, hiding behind the corners of the halls like a true ghost who couldn't make contact with others, Caiome could imagine his uncovered face, pleading through those eyes of his and his lips that sometimes curved slightly, unintentionally, when he pushed Caiome to fulfill her responsibilities.

       And though she hadn't admitted it until now, Koshi was darn adorable, like a child, when it came to his work.

       So Caiome couldn't resist his insistence; she grabbed the files and turned on her heels, heading towards the back gardens.

       "You owe me a yogurt cupcake," she grumbled.

       Leaving the mansion, she hurried first to the armoury door where Mizuki was just coming out with a few swords in his arms, which, it seemed, he wanted to clean by the pond. Caiome rushed past him, Mizuki barely managing to greet her with a smile before he was caught by the collar of his dark-coloured shirt, finding himself being dragged through the entire garden.

       "Hey, hey, wait a minute," he began, reaching out towards Koshi for some sort of help, but as desperate as Mizuki was, Koshi was equally confused, and he didn't know what to do, considering he couldn't oppose his superior's decisions.

       Which was often a curse when it came to Caiome. Just the other day, Caiome felt mischievous and made Koshi play the villain in front of some low-ranking Shuumatsuban members.

       "Just to test them a bit in an unforeseen situation," Caiome had said, and Koshi couldn't object.

       And when Lord Kamisato found out about Caiome's minor abuse of power, he made her help the librarian copy the titles of all the books in calligraphy so they could be recorded in the archive. Koshi had to sit next to her for two whole days and watch her struggle to write somewhat decently with a brush because Lord Kamisato forbade her from using a quill.

       Not to mention that all the trouble Caiome went through was useless since the librarian had made this record two weeks earlier already.

        Sometimes it was strange for Koshi to watch this war of jokes and punishments between miss Caiome and Lord Kamisato. It was like watching a senseless show, yet somehow... pleasant at the same time, and certainly surprising. He didn't think Lord Kamisato was capable of such things. To punish, of course, he had seen Lord Kamisato inflict terrible punishments on those who threatened not only his family, but also the well-being of the people of Inazuma. But to see him giving punishments so... childish, never.

      However, he couldn't object. Even if Lord Kamisato didn't see or realize it, Koshi saw how they both relaxed every time these punishments took place and how he secretly chuckled when Caiome suffered a little. He thought it did them both good, so he didn't dare say anything. Not that it was his place anyway, but the atmosphere was pleasant and relaxing at the same time. Why ruin perfection, especially when he was one of those who felt Lord Kamisato's daytime stress constantly?

        Caiome let go of Mizuki, who almost dropped his swords to the ground, just as they reached the small wooden pavilion where she and Koshi usually played shogi - until Caiome got annoyed and flipped the board onto the ground.

       "I want you to help me with these," she said sweetly, displaying a pleasant smile, handing the files to Mizuki.

       "What are these?" Mizuki asked.

       "Organization missions."

       Mizuki jumped back, taking a few steps away, as if Caiome burned him with hot iron.

      "No, no, no, no, I'm not touching those," he said. "It's not for me to know, to see, to approach, or even to know about their existence. They're only yours."

      "But there are so many," Caiome complained again. "Do you know how much work I have had to do lately? Himawari's lessons, teleporting every day, checking reports and missions and ninja. Yesterday I spent six hours - SIX - in a god damn tree, while monitoring an information gathering, and I couldn't even get involved myself."

       "Isn't that what you wanted?" Mizuki asked. "To be part of the organization without receiving orders, but giving them instead?"

       "Who would have thought it meant so much work?" she rolled her eyes. "I wanted action, not paperwork."

       "I'm sure your heart is breaking," Mizuki mumbled sarcastically, which made Caiome stick out her tongue, "but I won't get close to them and causing troubles. Koshi is here, Koshi should tell you."

       Koshi cleared his throat. "Employees shouldn't mention me," he whispered softly to Mizuki.

       "Oh... I know that, it's just that... I can't convince her alone," he whispered back, making sure no one was around.

       "Mr. Mizuki is right, miss Caiome," Koshi said to her. "Those files are confidential. I can help you instead."

       "It won't work like that," Caiome quickly replied. "Because I made a plan to make everything easier. Mizuki won't even open the files; he'll just look at the date of the report. Mizuki has more contact with the outside world than you, so he can sort them by the time something major happened in Inazuma, while you," she said to Koshi, "will sort out the most important ones. Then you'll give them to me, and I'll read them, okay?"

       "But still..."

       "I trust Mizuki," she handed the files to the two boys. "My word means nothing when it comes to who I trust and who I don't? Seriously, what can Mizuki do with this information? He won't even be able to understand it, and he's totally and absolutely harmless in any situation."

       "Thank you," Mizuki mumbled.

       Caiome, on the other hand, smiled broadly and convincingly. Koshi and Mizuki looked at each other, then Mizuki took the files and they all sat at the table. Mizuki took a file, associated it with certain important dates, then passed it to Koshi, who decided how important it was to review.

        And even with her plan and the fact that there were three of them, Caiome spent her entire morning in the garden pavilion, in the ocean breeze, reading. And Koshi kept an eye on her. Every time she wanted to rest, Koshi nudged her, drew her attention, or started talking a little louder. Once, when Caiome was about to fall asleep, and since Koshi didn't dare, Mizuki hit her over the head with a rolled-up file.

       "Do you realize I could make you carry buckets of water around the training grounds for this, right?"

       Mizuki snickered. "No, you can't. You were the one who told me you only play a role as Lord Kamisato's bodyguard, not that you actually are one. So, theoretically, as long as I'm not part of Shuumatsuban, you can't give me orders."

       Caiome narrowed her eyes at him, then huffed.

       But soon she found something else to do, calling Kouta and Daisuke over, starting to chat.

       "By the way, did you manage to invite that girl to the city?" she asked Kouta, and he blushed. Caiome clicked her tongue. "How do you expect to be with her if you don't even invite her on a date?"

       "It's not that easy, you know? She... she..." he stammered, and Daisuke sighed beside him.

       "She's somehow from a noble family."

       "Ahh," Caiome nodded. "What do you mean somehow?"

       Kouta sighed. "Her name is Senshi Emiko. The Senshi family is one of the clans subordinate to the Kujou clan, which leads the Tenryou Commission. Her uncle is the head of the clan. Her father died on a sea mission a long time ago. Her mother fell ill shortly after and died a few years ago. Senshi Daizo adopted her, but he's very protective of her precisely because of the tragedy she went through. I can't even approach her."

       "But have you talked to her at least?"

       "A few times in the city, by chance... but the conversations were very short; she was always surrounded by guards."

       "And because Kouta stutters at every word," Daisuke added.

       "It's not true!" Kouta said with red ears. "It's just that... She's very... beautiful. If you saw her, you'd understand."

       "Aww," Caiome said, resting her cheek in her palm, looking at him amused. "It's so funny to see you all worked up. If you were in my place, you'd feel my happiness. But fine, I'll try not to make fun of you and help you, as I promised. Let's play a little fate. You said you've talked to her a few times because she rarely goes out in the city, and she's almost always surrounded by guards, right? Then all we have to do is find out when she goes out in the city and magically place you there."

       "But that could be anytime, it could even be unplanned," Mizuki said.

       "Not necessarily. The Shakunetsu no Taiyō festival is coming up, and as much as this girl is being watched, I doubt her uncle will have no mercy on her and let her enjoy the atmosphere. And to participate in the festival, she'll have to go shopping, right? Who knows, maybe she'll even leave the mansion today."

       "Alright, how will we find all this out?" asked Kouta.

       Caiome smiled, then turned to Koshi.

       "The orders to the members of the Shuumatsuban are valid only if they are related to a mission or if they bring any benefit to Lord Kamisato, miss," said Koshi calmly from behind the mask, holding files in his arms.

       "But they do bring benefits," she said, then clung to Kouta, pinching his cheeks between her fingers. "Look at him. The man has a broken heart. She is his first great love, and there are so many obstacles between them. What kind of friends would we be if we didn't try our best to help him? And if little Kouta can't be with the love of his life, do you think he can still do his job properly as the guard of this estate? His happiness," she put her hand on her own heart, "is also our happiness. And if you don't want to help, I myself will find another jonin to help me or I'll give the orders to, let's say, some chunin."

        "Do as you wish, miss," replied Koshi.

        "Please," she pleaded. "Ayato has been keeping me on a short leash lately ever since the joke a few days ago, he won't let me lift a finger. Look at him," she pointed back to Kouta and his puppy expression. "Doesn't this beautiful face deserve true love? He helped me when I needed him, and when you couldn't help me. I'm just repaying a debt, as your Lord Kamisato always does and always says how important it is to reward help."

        "Not when it comes to you, apparently," Mizuki mumbled, and Caiome kicked him under the table. "Ouch!"

       "Well, this is quite a cheerful atmosphere in my pavilion," a laughter was heard, and everyone turned to see Ayato climbing the wooden stairs, a small smile on his face.

        Everyone except Caiome instantly got up from the ground, doing a long bow.

       "My lord," they all said at once, and Caiome clicked her tongue.

       "At ease, everyone," he said. "I am not here to interrupt your fun. I was just curious about what you were talking about."

       All five exchanged glances, starting to stammer.

      "Uh... We..." Mizuki began, and Ayato chuckled softly.

       "So, I understand it is a secret?"

       "Can't you tell when it's something personal?" Caiome mumbled, starting to play with the files in front of her.

       "Something personal that can be shared with three, respectively four, people?" he said, passing by the guards and sitting at the table, facing Caiome. "I thought we were all friends here."

       "Don't mind him," Caiome said to the three guards. "He just wants to make you feel uncomfortable, it's in his nature. Don't poke your nose into other people's business," he said to Ayato.

       "Well, that is my business," he said with a smile on his lips. "Although, if Mr. Kouta does not want to continue his story, I am not going to force him. But shouldn't everyone get back to their own responsibilities now?"

       "Of course, milord," the three said, turning and leaving the pavilion.

       "And here I mean everyone," Ayato continued, glancing briefly at Koshi.

       Koshi just nodded towards Ayato, then towards Caiome, and disappeared into the shadows of the day.

       "You had to come and ruin our plans," grumbled Caiome, annoyed. "I was so close to convincing Koshi... never mind, it doesn't matter anymore."

       "The orders were given, Caiome," said Ayato, and a servant appeared out of nowhere with two cups of cold tea, placing them on the table and then retreating.

       "I was serious earlier, you know?"

       "I know," he said.

       "Kouta really helped me—"

       "I didn't conte~est," he took a small sip of tea.

       Caiome narrowed her eyes at him, while Ayato looked at her with a smile. She opened her lips slightly, trying to read him. "You're also interested in the Senshi family, aren't you?"

       Ayato laughed. "Not at all. Just a routine investigation, to make sure everything is in order, but Senshi Daizou is a decent man, I actually respect him. And you cannot lie, I know about his family situation and I personally know Lady Emiko. As long as your orders do not harm him in any way, I will not oppose, and neither will Koshi."

       "He seemed to oppose quite well earlier," she mumbled.

       "He would have accepted in the end. He is just trying to teach you some basics, that is all."

        "Hmph," she made.

        "So, how was this morning?"

        Caiome just turned her gaze to the ocean stretching in front of her, indicating she didn't want to discuss anything with him. But that didn't mean Ayato wouldn't insist. If not with words, at least with his gaze, a gaze that Caiome felt very well. Ever since she hit him, splitting his lip with her forehead - a wound that still showed on his face and would surely leave a mark, no matter how small - Caiome began to feel his stares much more intensely, as if he was digging into her neck. She couldn't understand why or how, but if before she paid no attention to him when he looked at her, now she felt every glance from him.

        So even now, she tried to ignore him.

        She tried to focus her attention on the ocean, playing with the papers in the file without realizing it. The white light of the sun hit her from somewhere above, it was warm, but the ocean breeze was cool, touching her cheeks, and her mind ran again to the small islands in the distance, to the people there who woke up before dawn, who worked and came by water to the big city or to Ritou to sell their products or to make small transports to the larger clans that owned the businesses.

       Now it became quiet suddenly, with the departure of her four companions, and Caiome found herself thrown back into her thoughts and the surrounding silence. She heard the guards in the courtyard, heard the gardeners joking, and the maids laughing, heard the splashing of the stream where clothes were being washed, and if she concentrated, she could even bring the smell of food aided by the wind.

        But it was quiet.

        Because it was so different from what she knew of the world.

        She always heard someone laughing wherever she was, always smelled the food, and always was among people. But it wasn't the same as here. There, she always had to be unseen, unheard, because that would have meant danger. Here, even though people saw her and heard her and greeted her... It wasn't the same at all, and she couldn't explain the difference.

      "Peaceful," she finally said without taking her eyes off the vast ocean and the small islands in the distance.

       Ayato didn't know what to say to her, so he also turned his gaze to the horizon. "What are you looking at?"

       Caiome shrugged. "Just curious," she mumbled.

       "About?"

       "The people on the islands," she said. "I realized that, although I've been to many places in this world, I always stopped only in big, populated cities, hiding, but I've never been to small places like those, so it's a mystery to me."

       Ayato let a chuckle out. "I see," he said. "Well, it seems we have something in common. My job means visiting big, populated cities, even if my attention needs to be distributed everywhere. Maybe I know about situations in small areas, but that does not mean I have seen them with my own eyes, not really. I would try to find an excuse, to say that time does not allow it, but that does not mean I do not often think about them at the same time."

       Caiome turned to him. "Of course time doesn't allow it for you. Between being a commissioner and the leader of the Shuumatsuban organization, both with the aim of not letting the noble trash disturb the peace of the population or harm them in any way, there's no room for anything else."

       "It is possible," he added slowly.

       "But that doesn't mean you don't need a break from time to time. You'll get sick at this rate, just like your father did."

       "Am I sensing concern from you?"

       "Depends," she smiled foxily. "If you get sick, does that mean I can give orders to those in the Shuumatsuban without you bothering me?"

       "Normally, that is how things would be," he laughed.

       "Then please do fall ill."

       "You will not have that luck anytime soon."

       "A girl can dream," she rolled her eyes. "So, why did you come to disturb my moments of peace?"

       "Right," said Ayato. "I had a meeting this morning, and the subject was a family close to the Kujou clan, from the Tenryou Commission."

       "Don't tell me it's about Senshi and, somehow, everything's perfectly aligned."

       "No," said Ayato, taking another sip of tea. "It is about the Watanabe family, and I am more interested in the recent activity of Watanabe Goichi."

       "The head of the family?"

       Ayato shook his head slightly. "The older brother of the clan head."

       "Older?"

       "Before his father died, he appointed Hiroaki, the younger son, as the head of the family due to his achievements. Goichi did not meet any of the family's expectations, made decisions that were at least unpleasant, and his volcanic personality didn't allow him to be in the political circles that Inazuma needed back then, ten years ago, when his brother was appointed clan head. But that doesn't mean he is not good at making other plans that, instead of being for Inazuma's good, could be against it."

       "Hmm," Caiome made. "I see. He's jealous of his brother, so if he can't have something, he prefers to destroy it? He can't have the family on his side, so he would rather take it down,"

       "And not just the Watanabe family, but also the Kujou clan, implicitly the Tenryou Commission. Just as you told me that I would have the ability to dismantle the current governmental form, it seems that Watanabe Goichi can do the same. So I need you... to steal something for me."

       Caiome's lips curled into a smile, tapping her fingers lightly on the table.  "Ah," she said, crumpling the paper and putting it in her pants pocket. "Here's the reason I'm here. And I was just about to ask why you don't have another jonin do the job for you and you come to me."

       "Isn't that what you are best at?" Ayato said with a smile. "Also, it seems I have enough hope in you to escape without being caught. Of course, Koshi will be around to help you if you ne--"

       "Not this time," said Caiome, then got up from the table, gathering the files in her arms. "This time I'll work alone. No partners, no one to nag me. When it comes to stealing, I'll do it all by myself, in my own way. Got it?" she insisted, knowing that if Ayato wanted, he could have someone on her tail.

       Ayato nodded slightly. "Be it as you wish."

       "And when will this theft take place?"

       "The fourth night from now," he said with a smile as Caiome's face fell.

       "Are you serious? Man, it's the festival. I wanted to go out and have fun, not stay around an old man and in his house just to steal..." She paused. "What exactly do I have to steal?"

       Ayato pulled a small paper wrapped from his shirt pocket, which Caiome opened. On it was drawn a parchment rolled on a golden wooden stick, wrapped in light blue cloth with tassels as golden as the wood.

       "What is this?" asked Caiome.

       "Something that holds very important information for me."

       "Alright," said Caiome, crumpling the paper and putting it in her pants pocket.

       "Don't be upset," he said, leaning his elbows on the table and intertwining his fingers, looking amused at her. "We both know that during the festival, your idea of fun would have meant just small thefts from people's pockets."

       "You don't know that," she frowned.

       "Please do not think I do not know about the small objects that you stole when I sent you to check those projects for me with Koshi."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, clutching the files tighter. "Stay away from my room."

       Ayato just waved his hand. "Good luck with that theft."

🌸

       Caiome managed to obtain the blueprints of Watanabe Goichi's house from Koshi, so that wasn't a problem. It wasn't a complex structure to remember, and Caiome found many blind spots through which she could enter. She also understood why Ayato wanted her to sneak in during the weekend festival night, considering that everyone's attention, especially Goichi's, would be distracted, given that his house from the Watanabe family's estate wasn't far from the main street where the festival itself would take place.

       But the house plan came with a drawback: no one, not even those in the organization, knew which room the parchment Caiome needed to steal could be hidden in. She began tapping her fingers on the table, thinking. How could she obtain this information? Of course, she could look into each room, passing by the guards wasn't a problem, but it seemed that Watanabe Goichi paid great attention to this parchment, so he might even sleep with it under his pillow.

       Or in his office. She knew from Ayato that it was normal for only the respective member along with their guests to enter the offices of noble families' members. And if, by absurdity, Watanabe Goichi had stayed in his office all night, Caiome wouldn't have had any chance to search for the scroll.

       If Ayato had wanted to take the scroll at all costs, even if it led to conflict, he would have sent the jonin directly. But considering that he had come with this request specifically to Caiome, it wasn't hard to figure out that Ayato wanted to obtain the scroll without letting anyone know it had been stolen. So, indirectly, Caiome had been ordered not to fight and not to harm anyone.

       It was possible that Ayato had thrown her a lifeline after all. Or rather, Caiome was going to use the festival in her own way.

       And luck smiled upon her when she heard Thoma humming around the front terrace, and then he climbed the stairs, mopping the floor. When he reached Caiome, he kicked her legs and moved the table, cleaning, then he placed it back.

        However, when Thoma was about to stand up and leave, Caiome reached out and grabbed him - completely unintentionally - by his blonde tail, pulling him back and making him fall on his back, looking up at her.

       "Hi, my ticket to success," she smiled, waving her fingers above him.

       "No," he said.

       "But I didn't say anything yet," she complained as Thoma got up.

       "I won't help you with anything that's not in my contract."

       "Not even if it's a mission personally given by your lord Kamisato?" she grinned.

       "Lord Kamisato doesn't expect me to do anything for you, and if the mission was given to you, then you'll handle it yourself. Moreover, if he gave it to you, it means it's something within your domain that you wouldn't want me to intervene in."

        "Oh, you're mistaken. I don't want you to come help me with the actual mission, but just with a little... diversion. Watanabe Goichi has a child around Himawari's age, right? He surely likes festivals, but I need to make sure he leaves the house with his father on Saturday night. I just need to find something that would interest a twelve-year-old so much that he would pester his father to go together. So what would be so stupid, but charming at the same time?"

       Thoma sighed, looking down at her as she smiled like an angel, hiding her face from the devil who would do anything to make his life bitter. Not that Thoma acted differently, it was a mutual hatred... wasn't it?

       "Have you ever heard of Arataki Itto?"

       Caiome frowned slightly. "That red Oni who roams around Hanamizaka like he owns the city?"

       Thoma nodded. "Exactly. I don't know exactly what he's planning for the festival, some sort of a big show, but whatever it is, it always attracts children."

       "Great," she jumped, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the wooden stairs of the terrace. "Let's go, I need to talk to him."

       "Hey," Thoma pulled back. "I'm not going anywhere with you, I have work to do."

       Caiome pouted. "Fine, whatever. Let me go to him alone and tell him exactly what I need and why I need it. Don't you think it will seem strange for someone from the Yashiro Commission to come out of the blue to check the preparations for the festival? Everyone knows you, there would be nothing strange coming from you, everyone takes your word for it."

       Thoma remained silent for a few seconds. He didn't want to admit that Caiome was right.

       "You're happy to see me running after you, aren't you?"

       "Oh, you have no idea," Caiome laughed. "Shall we?"

       According to what Thoma said, Arataki Itto was supposed to be in the city center, preparing his little stage where he would perform. And as the events were under Lady Ayaka's control, it seems that she - with the agreement of the Tenryou Commission - allowed him to place his little stage in front of Tenshukaku. Following an event that Arataki Itto supported on Watatsumi Island in collaboration with a musician from Fontaine, even Raiden Shogun, at the advice of Gujii Yae Miko, agreed to turn the gates of Tenshuaku into a mini-grand spectacle where people would gather for the summer festival.

       So the entrance to Tenshukaku was guarded by the Tenryou Commission guards, and in front of them, working diligently, was a group of young men who had put together some sort of stage.

        Caiome immediately spotted Arataki Itto. The red horns stood out through his tousled white hair, and the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt covering his abs didn't please the guards in front of the Shogun's mansion at all. Not to mention his loud voice.

        "Hey, Akira, bring more wood here, look at the state of this piece!" he said to a chubby man carrying wooden planks, along with a toolbox with hammers and nails. "Genta, tie it tighter!" he yelled at another slightly slimmer man perched on a ladder above the stage. "We don't want the gang's emblem to fall on the heads of the actors and guests, do we? Mamoru!" he pointed to another who was just munching on a piece of bread. "I see you, buddy. Come here with the paints; otherwise, we won't have time until the festival. Come on, guys," he clapped his hands. "The mighty Raiden Shogun is counting on us for this show; don't slack off, otherwise, no one will see how much we've evolved with our great performance, haha!"

        Caiome looked at Thoma, and Thoma looked at Caiome. Thoma sighed, while Caiome chuckled a bit, approaching the whole scene still under repairs.

       "Seriously, guys. We are the mighty Arataki gang; we should have more pum! and more bam! People should see us from now on, and if they don't see us working for this stage, no one will come to see us, listen to us, and applaud us," he said, not lifting a finger to build the stage.

       "Well, you're absolutely right," said Caiome, stopping with Thoma behind him. "You are making an impression."

       "Who said that with that insulting tone?" Itto said, turning to the two, and Caiome waved to him. But it only took Itto a second to notice Thoma, and his expression changed the next second. "Thoma!" he grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him into an almost forced hug. "My bro. How's it going, huh? Lean in more," he whispered. "If you happen to see some flying cockroaches from Tatarasuna, you haven't seen any flying cockroaches from Tatarasuna, capeesh? I'm glad we agreed," he slapped him on the chest.

        "Hi to you too, Itto," said Thoma.

       "So, what brings you here?" Itto started waving his hands, pointing to the stage. "Did you come to see how the preparations for my amazing, great, flashy show are going? I heard that the actors will be very impressive this year, just like last year and all the other years, if you ask me."

       "In fact, yes, that's exactly why I came," said Thoma. "And also to ask if you need help with something. The Yashiro Commission is at your disposal for anything, as long as you're sure it'll make a good profit, as Lady Ayaka mentioned."

       "Lady Ayaka," Itto said with an admirable sigh. "She's an angel on this earth, in this nation. But we're fine," he waved his hand. "We, the boys from the Arataki gang, can do anything, anytime, at any hour, no matter how hard it is! Setting up a stage is a piece of cake, hahaha!"

       Just then, Genta, who was perched on the ladder, lost his balance and fell with it. Akira rushed to help him, stumbling over Mamoru's paint buckets, rolling on the stone pavement, while Mamoru was covered in red paint. Thoma shook his head slightly, while Itto gritted his teeth. Caiome covered her mouth, starting to laugh, holding her stomach, trying not to attract attention.

       "Just another day in our lives," Itto said quickly, shrugging. "Life needs a bit of fun, you know what I mean? You can't be serious all the time, pff... yeah... uhh... What... can I help you... with... exactly?"

       "Itto, let me introduce you to a new affiliate of the Yashiro Commission. She's Caiome."

       But Caiome tried not to laugh, wiping her tears. Events seemed to align too well with the words coming out of the Oni's mouth.

       "A pleasure," she said smiling.

       "New blood, huh?" Itto laughed. "I haven't seen you around here before. I think I would've remembered someone with... your features. Those eyes... hmm... and that smell."

       "Don't smell me," Caiome frowned.

        "She's not from Inazuma," Thoma said before Itto got a slap on his face. "She comes from... uhh..."

        "Sumeru," Caiome quickly said. "I moved here a few weeks ago because of... family issues."

        "Well," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him, sticking her to his bare chest and starting to walk towards the construction site, "I have to tell you, young lady, how much people rely on the Arataki gang. We're like the sun that enters their homes in the morning and the moon that lights their paths at night. And you'll see how beloved we are and how people can't wait to see us, listen to us, and applaud us."

       "I... don't doubt it," said Caiome under her breath.

       "So, Cai... Can I call you Cai? So, Cai, what exactly interests you in knowing about our gang, considering you came all the way here? Are you somehow drawn to our name? Our name is making waves everywhere!"

       "Especially with the police," Thoma mumbled.

       "Or did you hear that we'll have the biggest audience, and now you're eager to see for yourself how things unfold? Or even better, did you find out from my bro Thoma here that we'll be the biggest event of the festival, so you couldn't wait? All are true, just so you know."

        "In fact, all of it," said Caiome. "And I'm more interested in what your show is about exactly. I heard you talking about actors, so it must be a theater scene, right?"

       "Oh, come on, I can't give you any spoilers here, can I? You'll have to see for yourself."

        "Hmm," said Caiome. "I thought you'd attract even more people if there's something they're particularly interested in."

        "Oh, my dear Cai, you're right. Pay attention," he pulled her down, whispering. "The show will be about warriors whose leader died attacked by a group of assassins, and the goal of the others is to find them and take revenge," he triumphed. "What do you think about that, huh? Pretty impressive and thrilling for a festival, isn't it?"

       "In fact, it's a very pleasant topic," she said.

       And she wasn't lying.

       "But I think at the same time, you should also focus on the audience."

        "What do you mean by that?"

       "How about involving the audience in the game at some point? Like, hmm... in the final battle. You can have the surprise element, an ace up your sleeve, a few people from the audience. And to make it all even more wonderful, you could choose a parent-child pair - obviously, the children are the target audience, and the parents would do anything for them and could strengthen the bond between them. How does that sound?"

        "Oh, ho, ho, my dear Cai, you have such good ideas," he said, slapping her on the back, making Caiome cough twice. "And I just got an even more brilliant idea: one of the revenge group could be the leader's son. Yeeess... that would be very good..." he added thoughtfully. "It wouldn't be hard to change the script a bit."

        "That is, of course, if you can do it quietly," a woman's voice was heard, which Caiome hadn't heard before, and everyone turned to the source.

       A tall woman, standing on red wooden clogs, with short hair and dressed in uniform, approached the three. She sat in front of them, putting her hands on her hips.

        "General Kujou, what a pleasant surprise," Itto said, seeming totally... unimpressed by her presence here. Or rather very relaxed, compared to Thoma who tensed a bit next to Caiome. "Did you come to see how things are going, or are you just as curious about this year's show theme as my compadres here?"

       Kujou Sara raised an eyebrow, looking bored. "When I agreed for this to be the location of your little show, I didn't think I'd have to be called from my office because of your racket," she continued.

       "And that's precisely why you should relax a bit, hm, what do you say? You should see this show as an opportunity to take your mind off all your arrests and so on and have a bit of fun. Look, you've already started frowning. We wouldn't want your wings to lose their feathers, would we?"

      Sara frowned even harder, and Caiome bit her lip inside. Maybe Itto wouldn't be hit by her if he smelled her once again, but Kujou Sara would definitely have no qualms about giving him a lesson.

        "I don't need you to schedule my time," she said sharply. "Instead, how about you keep... your friends under control and make quiet? You're in front of Tenshukaku, you should show a little respect."

        "Seriously, Kujou Tengu," said Itto, this time putting his arm around her shoulders. Sara glanced at his arm, then back at him, probably ready to break his hand. "Look, how about I give you a special invitation to the show in four days, hm? Caiome here - oh, she's new to the Yashiro Commission - Caiome here gave me a brilliant idea to interact with the audience," he said, while Caiome waved to Sara. "Maybe it'll be your lucky day and you'll end up on stage with me, who knows what fate has in store for you."

        Sara, however, grabbed his wrist and in less than a second, twisted his arm behind his back, bending him forward.

        "Ow, ow, ow!" Itto began to whimper, waving his hand, while Sara looked down at him.

        "Don't touch me so casually, Oni," she mumbled. "As for your show, I'll have to decline. I have much more important matters to attend to. So, I'll say it again, keep it quiet until the festival, or else I'll cancel the agreement."

        "I don't think that will be necessary," Caiome quickly said.

        If Itto didn't have his show, her little plan to distract Watanabe Goichi was over.

       "Everyone is eagerly awaiting Itto's show, even Ayato," she chuckled.

       Sara frowned slightly at her, beginning to study her more closely, from top to bottom, noting her features and style of dress, analyzing her body, which certainly didn't belong to a typical representative of the Yashiro Commission.

       Itto pulled himself out of Sara's grip – or rather Sara let him go – being all his happy self again.

       "Aw, bro Ayato is coming to the show? I thought he'd be out of Inazuma around this time, you know, with his fabric business."

       Now it was Caiome's turn to frown confusedly at him. "Fabric?" she asked, and Thoma gently nudged her with his elbow, making her fall silent.

       Oh... This guy had no idea who Ayato was, especially if he called him by his nickname.

       "Anyway," Sara said again to Itto, catching his attention, "keep it quiet. Understood?"

       "Oh, come on, Tengu..."

        Then they started arguing again, and while Kujou Sara spoke calmly, Itto was... equally explosive.

        Caiome clasped her hands together, grinning. "I'm gonna tell him," she said referring to Ayato's identity.

        "Don't you dare," Thoma replied.

       Finally, Kujou Sara turned and left, and Itto clicked his tongue.

       "And that's the tough audience," he said poiting to a leaving Sara. "She's stubborn as a stray cat, always with her head stuck in her tengu feathers. But don't worry, she'll come around once she hears how great we are. Anyway, where were we?" he chuckled again. "Oh, yes, Cai's brilliant idea."

       "You don't have to worry," said Caiome. "We'll advertise your show for you. Surely, many children and parents will come to see you. It'll be their chance to be part of the show."

       "You're both brilliant," said Itto. "In that case, let's get to work. See you later, you two."

       Caiome waved, and Itto even put his hand on a piece of wood to build the stage.

Chapter Text

Chapter 42 ~ The Secret Information and the Lord's Laugh

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       "Lord Kamisato was right," said Thoma, both walking towards the telepoint. "You really know how to use your words to charm someone and lie."

        "Hm?" Caiome looked at him. "But I didn't lie. I actually like his idea. What?" she scoffed. "Just because I'm, oh, such a big villain, doesn't mean I don't enjoy theater or can't appreciate good, suspenseful ideas? I don't read many books," she placed a hand on her chest, "but some topics do intrigue me. Don't you like Itto's idea? It has exactly what you're very much drawn to, loyalty and family."

       Thoma remained silent for a few seconds. "I didn't expect you to be excited about it, that's all," he said instead.

       "Maybe I'm not exactly your type of person, but that doesn't mean I don't have my ideals too. I'm loyal, just not blindly loyal. I wouldn't be loyal to someone just because they did me a favor once. Grateful, yes, but not loyal."

        "Of course not," he sighed. "Loyalty is earned through many other things, such as a good attitude, understanding, respect, mutual help, attachment, memories, and so on..."

       Caiome glanced at him for a second, then smiled small, a smile that disappeared as quickly as it appeared, and Thoma barely caught sight of it.

        "Right," she said.

       Thoma suddenly felt uncomfortable, remembering one of the discussions Lady Ayaka subjected him to a few days ago after he and Caiome... had an argument. Was Caiome really that bad, or was it just him being stubborn?

       Since Caiome started working for Lord Kamisato, everyone's opinions had slowly started to change about her. The guards dueled with her, the maids occasionally laughed with her, Chizuru went berry picking with her, and sometimes Ayaka had morning tea with her in the garden. Caiome was difficult and totally unsuitable to be around Lord Kamisato and Lady Ayaka, but...

       "I think you're the only one clinging to the idea that Caiome is a bad person," Ayaka told him during the shogi game Caiome left behind in the garden.

       "Milady, she stole something precious from you."

       "And for that, I think she's served her punishment," she added. "Or that she's in the process. As for the others, haven't you noticed how much Caiome seems to be integrating among them? She even apologized to me, even if she doesn't exactly regret it, and as for her relationship with the others, I'm actually pleased to see that she gets along well with our employees or at least tries. Including you."

       "With me?" Thoma shifted a gold general.

       Ayaka nodded, and moved a pawn. "You're the only one insisting that Caiome now is the same Caiome who robbed us some time ago, even though no one seems to agree with you."

       "Because we never know when she might do the same thing again. The only reason she doesn't is because otherwise Lord Kamisato wouldn't give her back her Vision shell."

       "And that may be true," Ayaka whispered when Thoma made his move again on the board, "but at the same time, I don't believe about her what I used to, and not just because she's uttered some apologies. Anyone can lie, and we both know how much Caiome has fooled us. But I sat and thought about something else, and that is how I met her."

       "How did you meet her?" Thoma asked confused.

       "If she really was a bad person," Ayaka smiled, "do you think she would have saved me that night from the attackers? She didn't know who I was and who she was saving, and yet she did it and brought me back."

       "It's possible that as soon as the attackers mentioned your name and the family you belong to, they had already put their plan into action."

       Ayaka laughed like a jingle of bells, lowering her fan, catching it between her fingers. "I mean before that, Thoma, before she even saw my face or the wounds or the attackers. She was ready to face anything, throwing herself into battle in the middle of the night, in the middle of the forest."

       "Maybe she thought that after saving you, she could get some reward from you regardless if you were of noble family or not."

       "But I could have been a homeless, poor woman for all she knew. She still rushed and saved me without looking at me once before she made up her mind. A person can lie with words, but sometimes not with their eyes, and I have confidence in my opinion about her this time. After all, how many good people would do that for someone they don't even know?"

       Thoma had no more answers to offer back then, and now, walking shoulder to shoulder with Caiome, looking at her expression and almost... sad smile, Thoma felt strange.

       It was true, though.

       Who would risk themselves for a stranger? Who would try to help a friend with money for their family, even if it meant cheating a jeweler for a set of lapis lazuli? Who would learn sign language just to converse with a mute servant? Who would spend days learning how to adapt to another organization that followed certain rules and principles, even if the person in question had an agenda for themselves too? And what kind of person would feed a stray dog and be happy about small things like simple clothes bought?

       Moreover, Thoma could talk endlessly about loyalty and all the things that provoke this loyalty. But it would all be in vain if Caiome didn't even know what loyalty meant or how it felt.

       Thoma quickly took out a few mora from his pocket and bought two rice triangles from the shop they passed by. He kept one for himself, and handed the other to Caiome, who looked confused at the onigiri.

       "All right, what's the catch?" she frowned.

       "There's no catch," said Thoma. "Do you want it or not?"

       Caiome narrowed her eyes, then slowly took the rice triangle wrapped in dried seaweed and took a bite out of it, continuing on her way.

       "Uh..." Thoma started embarrassed. "I'm aware you don't really like me after all this, but--"

       Caiome snorted, or rather laughed, unwrapping the rice from the seaweed. "Who said that?"

       Thoma stopped in his tracks, and Caiome stopped after him, looking at each other. Caiome frowned, then raised her eyebrows.

       "You... don't hate me?" Thoma asked.

       "Man, you bought me food. Who could hate someone who buys them food?"

       "That's not what I meant," he said.

       "Ohhh," she said. "You mean the times when you were a jerk?"

       "You weren't any better," he replied quickly.

       "At least I didn't kick you every morning with my boots. You gave me a few bruises on my ribs that lasted a week, you know."

       Thoma rolled his eyes. "I knew it wasn't a good idea to start again with you."

       Caiome laughed, then nudged him friendly in the arm, and they started walking towards the telepoint again. "Oh, come on, I'm just teasing you. Sure, we have different lives and different views, but that doesn't mean I hate you. In fact, I respect you."

       "It doesn't show," Thoma mumbled.

       "Well, I do. Maybe because of your loyalty to Ayato and Ayaka, maybe because you have a pretty good heart for this world, or maybe just because you don't accept someone threatening your family or maybe because you stand by your principles, who knows?" she shrugged. "Or maybe because you're head over heels in love with Lady Ayaka."

       "Stop it," he said, looking around them.

       "I understand the concern," said Caiome, poking him. "It's hard for a common peasant like you to love someone from such a big family like Ayaka's. Kouta is going through the same thing. But believe me, no matter how much you try to hide it, everyone can see how you change when you're around Ayaka. You're like a puppy, seriously."

       "Speak quieter. And anyway, it's not true," he quickly took a bite out of his triangle, and Caiome laughed heartily.

       "I'm not an expert in love, I've never been passionate about it, I never read about it like Ayaka does, but... When I look at you two, it's different. Maybe because you two don't seem to be destined, as Ayaka likes to say, but because you really have that trust many people talk about, including you and her. She trusts you with everything, you trust her with everything... So far, it seems to me that you two are a pretty good match. Now the question remains whether she feels the same way about you."

       "I don't want to ever find out," Thoma said defeated, and his cheeks turned red. "It's pointless anyway, so let's end the discussion, okay?"

       Caiome just smiled at the corner of her mouth, then patted him friendly on the shoulder. "Shouldn't loyalty also be based on honesty?" she said.

       "Not in this case," Thoma sang. "You can be loyal without letting feelings like these get in the way. In fact, it's better not to let them."

       "I almost feel sorry for you."

       "Sorry?"

       "Ihim," said Caiome. "I feel sorry for you because it seems like you never want to take risks, and that won't get you anywhere, you know? You scold me about not being sincere, but neither are you."

       "I don't lie, I just... hide."

       "It's the same thing," Caiome said.

       "No, it's not."

       "Yes, it is."

       "The situation matters a lot."

       "Believe me, it doesn't matter at all," she laughed, finishing the last piece of onigiri. "But as you say."

       "Now I remember why I don't like you," Thoma mumbled.

       "I actually think you do like me, you just don't want to admit it. See? Another lie," Caiome sighed. "It seems like eventually, you'll surpass me in the liar of the year department."

       "Just... don't say anything, okay?"

       "Fine, fine," she waved her hand.

       Caiome and Thoma spread the word about the interactive show that Itto's gang was going to perform on Saturday evening during the festival, especially along the streets near the Watanabe family residence.

🌸

       On that night, and every night until the festival, dressed in black, Caiome watched over the residence. Watanabe Goichi was reluctant to be persuaded by his son to attend the show, but they eventually left, with Caiome keeping watch. She had had a few days to memorize not only the layout of the house but also the positions of the guards, their patrol intervals, and even knew them by name and face. She had to thank the organization and the members of the Information Department for that.

       Once Watanabe Goichi left the residence, Caiome enveloped herself in the power of her Vision which was hiding among her clothes, traversing the dark roof of the house. She grabbed its edge and slipped easily through the open window on the second floor, entering the library, which was empty at that hour. Her steps made no sound as she walked, searching every drawer and cabinet.

       She listened at the door, waiting for the guards to leave the hallway, then she exited and entered other rooms. The guest rooms were empty, the living rooms were clean, the bedrooms held nothing suspicious, and no other room seemed to have a hidden purpose. So, Watanabe's office remained.

       Caiome waited crouched on the wooden scaffolding of the house for the guards to pass beneath her. She grabbed the edge and gently lowered herself to the floor, her steps making no sound, her clothes not rustling, and elemental power masking her presence. To the two guards, it seemed as if she wasn't even there.

       Caiome rolled her eyes, considering that she was not even two meters away from the indifferent guards who yawned and relaxed. She turned on her heels and slowly entered the office, closing the door behind her, then began searching.

       Of course, the obvious drawers held nothing, nor did the closets or nightstands, no hidden compartments in the walls or floors. Caiome sighed and pondered.

       The parchment was too important for Watanabe, so important that he didn't trust anyone else to touch it. Caiome had been watching Watanabe Goichi these past few days. He was a proud man, with his nose in the air, who kept everything to himself and didn't say more than necessary. Every guest he had – and by guest, she meant accomplice – came only late at night, and Caiome listened near the closed window of the office. Watanabe didn't hesitate to show his superiority, making the contents of the parchment sound very important, but he didn't show its contents to his partners.

       Caiome didn't know if it was stupid or smart.

       She was curious about what was inside anyway.

       But first, she had to find it.

       She considered the possibility that the parchment might be hidden elsewhere within the residence, such as in the south wings, where his brother's and the clan head's houses were, but Watanabe was too arrogant. He wouldn't let his brother, whom he had been jealous of for so many years, have something he had obtained. So, the parchment had to be here.

       Caiome tried to gather all the knowledge she had about the hidden places of noble houses. Then she remembered how, in Fontaine, she found this pink diamond jewel just under...

       Caiome leaned back under the low desk and began to study it more with her touch than with her eyes. Then she found it. A mismatch. Finding the small space, Caiome pulled, and the panel slid. Tied with jute threads to the bottom of the table, Ayato's parchment lay there.

       "Bingo," Caiome mumbled, taking the parchment, putting the panel back, and then exiting through the window as easily as she had come, then out of the entire residence.

       She hid in a tall tree that stretched its branches just above the main street where bright lights came from. People bustled, laughed, and shouted; children ran from one side to the other with lollipops, cotton candy, and sweets, and many of them held toys in their arms, probably prizes won at game stalls. The smell of food wafted to Caiome, and her stomach began to growl.

       But it was okay; she would make Ayato buy her something good to eat after meeting him at Komore tea house, where she was supposed to hand over the parchment.

       But before that...

       Caiome settled comfortably on one of the high branches, sheltering among leaves and darkness, then untied the small golden string that bound the parchment. She opened it and tried to read, her fingers trembling with excitement to see what information so important to Ayato was there...

       ...only that everything was written in their ancient characters.

       Caiome gritted her teeth and almost wanted to tear the parchment in two. But she refrained. Ayato would never tell her what was written there.

       She sighed and stood up, then jumped through the shadows again, avoiding the festival lights, making her way over the roofs of houses to the tea house, entering through the window upstairs, nearly bumping into Ayato who was quietly drinking his tea.

        "Welcome back," Ayato greeted her, setting the warm tea cup on the table next to a candle in a steel holder.

        Caiome rolled her eyes, leaving the window open to capture the cheerful noise of the festival. "I'm back," she mumbled and sat – or rather, threw herself – on the other side of the table.

       "I understand your mission was a success?"

       Caiome took the parchment from the inner pocket of her shirt, fitting snugly against her body, outlining a dark silhouette in a dark room. Only the candlelight gave her a mysterious shape in the room. She handed it to Ayato, who began to study the outside.

        "Who do you think you're talking to?" she rolled her eyes, pulling her tenugui under her chin and resting her cheek in her palm. "So," she began when Ayato opened the parchment, making sure of its contents, "are you going to tell me what's in there or what you're going to do with the parchment?"

       Ayato smiled slightly, pulling the piece of cloth off the golden stick and folding the parchment in half. "Do not try to ask me impossible things," he said. "There are confidential information that you might never understand, anyway."

       "Are you trying to challenge me?" she smiled, trying to provoke him, leaning towards him.

       Ayato leaned towards her as well, supporting himself with one arm, while with the other hand he played with the cloth, looking at Caiome behind the candle. The flame outlined his face and features, and his eyes gave him a much darker shade, though shining just as brightly, especially in the shadow of his fox-like smile.

       "Do you think I will be easily convinced?" he said. "You cannot cling to my leg this time, insisting."

       Caiome clicked her tongue. "A girl can try. I thought that, considering the trouble I've been through these past few days because of you and this mission, especially since I couldn't leave anyone unconscious, I'd deserve a reward like this."

       "You still have to make up for the last time," Ayato replied.

       "Hey!" Caiome exclaimed, and Ayato chuckled slightly.

       "But I will let you see what I intend to do with it."

       Ayato raised the piece of cloth and placed it over the flame, and it immediately caught fire. Caiome blinked in confusion as Ayato stared blankly at the black and red pieces of paper that began to float and then settled on the steel holder. Eventually, Ayato placed the cloth on the holder until it became just a black pile of debris, and then eventually turned to dust.

      "If you could give me a hand, please," he asked.

       Ayato took the holder, removed the candle, and then poured the ashes out the window. Caiome, disappointed that there would be no further drama, no way to put Watanabe Goichi behind bars, waved her hand in a boring matter, and the wind took the ashes, sending them out to sea where they were lost forever.

       "Well, that's that," Caiome said, then stretched like a cat, rising to her feet. "It's time for some fun. Even though I missed a few days of the festival, that doesn't mean anything, I still have a week left, and I intend to try all the foods from all the stalls, so you better bring out the money," she demanded.

       "Are you trying to bankrupt me?" Ayato smiled, resting his chin in his palm, looking up at her.

       "Have you seen your treasury? I could eat for fifty years from all the festivals throughout Teyvat just to reach half of what you have there. But that's even better for me. Anyway, not that I would do that, I'm not that much of a glutton, you know."

       "My chef might say otherwise."

       "Daiki makes very good food," she defended herself.

       "Then why don't we go back to the residence so you can eat his food?" he suggested.

       "Hell, no," she refused instantly. "I saw this stall that had fresh ramen, and it smelled so good, I almost drooled. And at another one, they had stuffed rice triangles. I have no idea what that means," she frowned, "but that makes it even more fascinating. Grilled meats, stews, soups," she began to count on her fingers, "and let's not forget desserts. Dorayaki, dango, mochi, pancakes, daifuku, daigaki."

       "I did not think you would become so passionate about our culinary culture in such a short time."

       "You need food every day," she pointed a finger up, as if explaining to a child. "The more types of food you know, the better, especially when you're someone who's always on the road, like me. Not that you would know, considering you're treated like a princess."

       "Hmph," he huffed. "Did you forget that I can cook? You did ask me to make you something to eat."

       "I doubt you know how to cook all the recipes from your culinary culture."

       "You are just trying to provoke me to see me cook, aren't you?"

       "Oh, come on," she waved her hand, "it's not like it's shameful. Everyone does it. And if you were ashamed of your hidden talent, you wouldn't have risked coming near me right after leaving the kitchen, would you? In a way," she shook her head, "I think you wanted me to catch your talent so you could be praised a bit, right? Finally, you have a passion that doesn't involve anything related to the Lord Kamisato's status."

       "I never said that, but to accuse me of not being able to prepare something specific... I am pretty confident in my abilities."

       "That's because you have a huge kitchen, equipped with everything you need," she put her hands on her hips. "While I," she said proudly, "am taught to cook anywhere, to hunt with my own hands, to track each prey individually, how to attack it, and how to prepare it."

       "Sounds more like you have acquired wild skills."

       "Hey!" she blushed, and Ayato chuckled.

       He laughed in a way that made Caiome stop from uttering her next words, and even her body seemed to freeze in the center of the room, looking at him. Though there wasn't much light in the room, and though Ayato was here only to set fire to the parchment, hiding from the outside world, and though he wasn't the type to step beyond the role he had to play, the laughter was actually... happy.

        He laughed in the way children laugh when they chase a kite, or when they push each other into the water in summer,or when they run after butterflies in the yards, or after rabbits among the wheat stalks, or like when a magician makes a card appear out of thin air. Maybe his laughter wasn't as powerful as that of carefree children, because in it she felt the tiredness from the past few days, because he had his own difficulties – with the festival and all – but that didn't mean that, for one of the few times, Caiome actually saw him laughing, unlike the fake smiles of the Lord Kamisato's mask.

       Ayato stopped laughing, looking at her with a smile and his eyes shining. There was a little light in the room, but Caiome knew the hue of his irises so well that she could see every ripple of color when she looked at him, catching a different aura in contrast to his smile.

       "Is something wrong?" he asked.

       Caiome seemed to snap back to reality, taking a step back. "Nothing," she said quickly. "It's just that I don't see you so relaxed usually."

       Ayato lost his smile, blinking a few times at her, straightening up a bit. He had an expression on his face as if he realized what had just happened.

       "I understand," he said with a sigh, looking down and smiling again, but this time much more restrained.

       "Anyway," Caiome said quickly, making her way to the door, "let's go. Setting aside all your teasing and rules, you can't deny that I did a good job tonight - in the past few nights actually - so I deserve a bit of fun myself, don't I?"

       "Actually," Ayato said as she reached for the door handle, "I am afraid you will not be able to participate in the festival in any way this time."

       "What do you mean?"

       "While you were handling the mission here, several members of the Shuumatsuban were handling another mission on Watatsumi Island alongside Sangonomiya Kokomi and her generals. You do not have to meet with them, but as the superior of the chuunins, you have to supervise the operation, given its large scale. It might take you a few days at least."

       "What?" she said.

       "Koshi will fill you in on everything you need to know."

       Upon hearing hs name, Koshi appeared unnoticed beside Ayato from the shadows, as if he had been there all along, waiting to make his appearance. He greeted Ayato and Caiome in turn, and Caiome put her hands on her hips, frowning.

       "You are leaving tonight."

       "Are you kidding me?" she said.

       "Not at all, miss," said Koshi.

       "I asked that beggar next to you," said Caiome. "I've worked for days not only to make this mission go the way you wanted, but also regarding the current missions, and now I can't even have a few hours for myself, for the festival, before you send me away without even a single day off?"

       "You wanted to be part of the Shuumatsuban," said Ayato.

       "Yes, but... I didn't expect to be put to work so much."

       "Believe me," said Ayato, "if you were an ordinary member, you wouldn't even have seen the festival, let alone enjoy it. Now," he rose, approaching her, stopping in front of her at the door, looking down at her, "General Gorou is waiting for you."

       And with that, he left through the door.

       Caiome stood for a few minutes behind it, cursing him and all the swear words she knew, and Koshi left her be until she calmed down before stepping on the mined ground and suggesting they should leave.

       "Don't you have anything to say?" she asked him. "I thought you also wanted to see the festival, you could have supported me earlier."

       "Participating in the festival is not in my interests, miss," he said obediently, slipping through the streets towards the nearest telepoint for Caiome to teleport him.

       "Are you serious? Are you all suffering from social depression?"

       "Unfortunately, we don't have time for such thoughts, miss. As for our social life, we are forbidden to have too much contact with those outside the organization—"

       "Yes, I know, I know," Caiome interrupted. "I was being sarcastic, can't you tell? The fact that you've been around me so much lately and still haven't figured that out is worrying. I bet Ayato is having a blast, watching his wonderful festival in full swing."

       "You misunderstood, miss," said Koshi as they arrived at the telepoint on a side street, far from the festival. "Lord Kamisato has a meeting with the clan heads tonight."

       "Hm?" she said. "Really? How come he didn't tell me anything about it?"

       "Because it's not related to the organization's activities," he replied quietly. "If Lord Kamisato needed any of us, he would have asked us to accompany him."

       Caiome didn't respond. While it was normal for Ayato not to let her into the room during his morning meetings - or rather, he made her do something else - Caiome usually found out everything discussed at such meetings. Whether Ayato told her later, or she found out on her own, listening from under the windows, she was usually informed, whether it was related to the Shuumatsuban or not.

       It always happened that way so that if her help was needed, as it was with the jewel thieves, she could already be briefed on the situation. It was possible that today's meeting was too simple if Ayato hadn't even told her about it.

        And even so...

       "He can't even enjoy his own festival?" she said. "That's just arrogance. Does he think he's doing so well that he doesn't need to see people's reactions with his own eyes?"

       "Lord Kamisato has ninjas everywhere, just like ordinary staff," Koshi told her after they teleported to Kanazuka Island, then to Yashiori - given that the distance between Narukami and Watatsumi was too great to make a direct jump. "He receives reports and is immediately informed in case of an urgent conflict. But all this goes through Lady Ayaka first, who usually attends the supported events just to make sure everything is okay," he added after they finally arrived on Watatsumi, in front of the Sangonomiya temple.

       "I know, I know, you don't have to tell me," she waved her hand, then covered her face with the tenugui.

       It made sense now why Ayato suddenly became interested in discussing food with her before dropping the bomb that Caiome had to leave for Watatsumi - that was probably his little breather before returning to his office.

Chapter Text

Chapter 43 ~ The Ocean and the Little Island

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       The one who greeted them was another member of the Shuumatsuban, playing the role of a representative of the Yashiro Commission, who briefed them on the current situation of the mission: a careful investigation of the Tenryou Commission army troops related to an alliance pact that Kamisato Ayato had made with Sangonomiya Kokomi some time ago when the borders were closed and a war had broken out between the two islands.

       And, as Ayato had mentioned, Caiome wasn't forced to meet any soldiers from Watatsumi, or participate in the mission. Although, for six days she hadn't had anything better to do, so she nosed around a bit. Their mission's purpose was to get rid of all the evidence of civilians rescued by the Yashiro Commission - according to Sangonomiya Kokomi's words, even though the war had passed, the waters still hadn't completely calmed down, and if a fragment of information about the Commission's alliance with the Temple were to come to light, it would cause even more problems.

       So everything went smoothly, and on this occasion, Caiome gathered even more information about Kujou Sara. She didn't meet Sangonomiya Kokomi face to face, since she wasn't introduced as a representative from the start, so it didn't make sense, but she kept some connection through notes.

       And after those six days, Caiome returned to the residence, prepared for war. First, she jumped on Mizuki, Kouta, and Daisuke, hugging them tightly and complaining about her frustration to them. She had no one to talk to or play pranks with, even Koshi was mostly away from her, so she had to enjoy herself alone, but it wasn't the same. Then she saw Ayaka and Thoma, throwing a few subtle jokes at him about being in love. She felt mischievous that evening.

       Then she burst into Ayato's office, and not only was it empty, but the candles were also off, and the table was empty, no files, no papers, and even the brush and the wakan were missing. Caiome entered, starting to look through the entire office, maybe she would find a clue about what Ayato was up to now. She threw herself on the purple cushion and began rummaging through drawers, but apart from his notebook with poems, there was nothing else.

       Caiome quickly raised her head when she heard the door open, and Mitsuko entered with small steps, greeting her.

       "Mitsuko," said Caiome excitedly, then jumped up and hugged her. "You have no idea how much I missed the food you brought. I slept in trees and bushes, on wooden stairs, and my back hurts terribly."

       Mitsuko made a sound resembling a laugh, then Caiome let go of her. Mitsuko raised her hands, starting to make a few signs in the air.

       Can I help you with something?

       "Could you kill Ayato for me?" she mumbled, then slumped back onto Ayato's pillow.

       My contract doesn't allow it, Mitsuko said with a smile, and Caiome sighed. And neither does my heart, if we're looking for excuses.

        So what... here?

        Caiome frowned.

        "What do you mean...?" she asked, copying Mitsuko's gesture, and she pulled a pencil and a very cute notebook out of her sleeve, with cherry blossom flowers and cranes flying with outstretched beaks in the background.

       On the back of the notebook was the symbol of the Kamisato family, a blooming camellia.

       You're doing, she wrote.

       What are you doing here?

       "Nothing in particular," said Caiome. "Just looking for Ayato so I can smack his head with the report file. I've written so much that my fingers hurt."

       Mitsuko chuckled again. Lord Kamisato isn't here. He's in the city for a few days, he'll be back...

       "Today?"

       Mitsuko shook her head.

       "Tomorrow?"

       Mitsuko nodded and made a sign immediately after.

       "Tomorrow morning?"

       Mitsuko nodded again, and Caiome let herself fall onto the table and clicked her tongue. Her sabotage plan from that evening was over.

       But suddenly it hit her, and she jumped up from the ground. If Ayato was gone to his smaller residence in the city, that meant...

       Caiome quickly changed into pajamas and somehow, using her Vision, propelled herself into the air and then fell onto Ayato's bed, making the pillows jump and the blanket fly over her. She hugged them both very happily, curling up and hiding under them. At least now she would sleep a whole night in this soft bed without anyone scaring her from sleep and hitting the master of the house's mouth with her head.

🌸

       Ayato crossed his arms over his shoulders, looking at a Caiome sprawled across his entire bed, with the sheets half under her body and half covering her; and as one pillow stayed under one of her arms, the other somehow guarded her back, almost falling to the floor - the pillows were everywhere, except under her head, where they should be.

       Even if he wanted to, Ayato had nowhere to sit, considering the way she was spread out on the mattress.

       He hadn't seen her for six whole days, and somehow he thought Caiome would come back a bit different, but it seemed she was as... mischievous as ever. At least this time she was in pajamas. But the same self-satisfied expression was on her face.

       "And you didn't think it would be a good idea to kick her out?" he asked Mitsuko.

       She fell asleep before I could do that, she gestured.

       Ayato didn't seem to believe her, especially because of the way Mitsuko couldn't hide her smile, but he couldn't argue with her, it was too early in the morning for that, and he had a busy schedule.

       "One of her many talents," he sighed. "Wake her up and tell her to get ready, I will be waiting for her in the backyard."

       Mitsuko bowed as Ayato passed by her, leaving the bedroom, then gently woke up Caiome, even though it was barely dawn.

       "Why can't he let me rest my soul?" Caiome mumbled after Mitsuko led her and sat her on a low chair in front of the mirror in Ayato's bedroom.

       I don't know details, but he said you two need to go somewhere together, she said as she picked up a brush, starting to comb Caiome's silver hair.

       "When does he not need someone to look after his ass?" she clicked her tongue, sitting hunched over with half-closed eyes, grumbling in the chair.

       Mitsuko combed her hair and then put it up in a ponytail with the wooden hairpin.

       "Oh, I haven't seen this since I left," said Caiome, and Mitsuko blinked in confusion.

       Didn't you leave it on the nightstand? she asked.

       "No?" Caiome said.

       But before either of them could question it further, Thoma knocked on the door and entered halfway.

       "Are you ready?" he said. "Lord Kamisato--"

       "Is he so eager to see me?" Caiome chuckled, passing by him. "It's impressive how someone with his everyday personality can have so little patience."

       Not only was it barely dawn outside, but you could hardly say there was more light than darkness. Caiome yawned widely as she approached the back gates where the horses were already harnessed, Hakumai and Seishin, with four guards standing behind them surrounding a small cart with wooden chests.

       Caiome was too tired to even greet Ayato, who stood between Hakumai and Seishin, she just climbed onto her steed after giving it a kiss on the muzzle, humming.

       "Don't you think you should be a bit more awake if you are going to ride?" Ayato asked as he mounted Hakumai.

       "Mmm, whatever," Caiome replied, and Ayato lost any hope of having a conversation with her.

       For the first ten minutes, Caiome didn't realize where they were heading—probably towards the city. She only knew they were descending the mountain, and the small cart behind them clattered noisily, making her grumble to herself. It wasn't until they turned left instead of right that Caiome realized this wasn't the way to the city or even the port, and only when Seishin's hooves touched the whitish sand did Caiome smell the salty scent of the ocean piercing her nostrils.

       They circled the mountain, and after another ten minutes, they arrived at a huge boat, with a ship resting in the distance.

       "Where are we going?" Caiome finally asked, suddenly waking up from any kind of sleep.

       "To be honest," said Ayato, dismounting from Hakumai, "I expected you to take longer to ask that. It's a surprise," he said, and Caiome pouted. "Aren't you going to get down?"

       "Uhh, no?" she said. "I'll stay here until you tell me where we're going."

       "Somewhere I think you will find intriguing," he said as three men began loading the longboat with the wooden crates from the cart.

       "I hope it's where you tossed my shell," she said, "otherwise I'll have no business with you and I'm going back home."

       "Sure," said Ayato, "but then you really won't ever see your shell again."

       Caiome pouted even more, then got off her horse when she noticed a very familiar, worn-out backpack, but loaded. "Wait... What's my backpack doing here? Are you sending me off to sea alone?"

       Ayato chuckled softly. "That is an idea I will keep for later. So, no. You will have to trust me and get on the boat, then onto the ship."

       Caiome raised an eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips. Then she sighed defeatedly. There wasn't much of a choice.

       The boat was loaded, Caiome sat on the bench, and Ayato beside her, but Caiome turned her head in the opposite direction, which amused Ayato once again. They didn't speak until they reached the ship and boarded, and Caiome went straight to the bow, jumped and sat on it, beginning to swing her legs back and forth.

      She had to admit, although she was taken totally by surprise, Caiome didn't complain about finally being on a ship again. She had spent a lot of time at sea and learned many things. She had even been on the famous Captain Beidou's ship, where the gambling was liveliest and the parties unforgettable. Being away from the sea—or rather being away from travels—was beginning to miss her, and she believed that once she returned to the sea, her heart would leap with ecstasy.

       But the truth was she didn't feel the adrenaline like before. More... she felt calm, peaceful.

       She probably wouldn't sail for long anyway, considering the wooden crates were too small for clothes and personal belongings, and they certainly wouldn't stay long wherever Ayato planned to take her.

       She just sat and looked out to the open sea, towards the distant islands, and over ten minutes later, the ship began to move slowly. Caiome leaned on her hands, looking down at the deck, towards the deep blue ocean, then back to the horizon. The sun was starting to rise from behind the mountains and rocks, illuminating their path, and Caiome enjoyed its rays, which were getting warmer and warmer.

       A few minutes later, Caiome heard light footsteps on the wooden surface, and in a few seconds, she smelled the scent of fresh flowers that didn't match the salty smell of the ocean at all.

       Ayato stood beside her, standing—of course—resting a hand on the broad surface of the bulwark. But he wasn't looking at the horizon he had seen so many times from his garden pavilion, even though it had been a while since he had been on a ship himself. Caiome had a satisfied smile on her lips, and her face seemed whiter and healthier now that she was in direct contact with the sun.

       "It seems like this journey is doing you good," said Ayato.

       "You have no idea," she mumbled.

       "Just do not fall asleep on the gunwales, otherwise we will have to fish you out of the ocean," he teased.

       "If I'm not careful, you might push me into the ocean yourself. And if I were to fall from here," she said, "the water would pull me under the ship and you'd fish me out in pieces."

       Ayato said nothing, and Caiome turned abruptly towards him.

       "Wipe that smile off your face this instant! It's creepy, especially since I know what you're capable of."

       "I do not doubt that you would escape even if I tried," he apologized. "Then my crew and I would be the ones in danger."

       "No doubt," Caiome said quickly, inching away from Ayato.

       Only then did she realize that Ayato was no longer wearing the fancy clothes he usually wore, especially at meetings and in the city. His clothes were still expensive, but they seemed... more ordinary. A shirt and hip corset, pants, but he wore short boots, hidden under his trousers, and above all, a tight robe contouring his waist.

       She looked up at him, and Caiome froze suddenly on the gunwale. Not even her legs moved anymore.

       Ayato felt her gaze and turned to her. "Is something wrong?"

       His bangs were styled as always, but his hair was pulled back into a slightly wavy ponytail resting on one shoulder, while on the sides it was braided. His eyes stood out even more; in contrast to the white light of the sun and the shimmering surface of the ocean, his gaze seemed brighter. Although it made his skin appear even paler, it seemed at the same time more childish and rosier in the cheeks, and his lips were better defined now, fuller. Even his beauty mark looked more elegant and innocent at the same time.

       This man could look like a full-grown man in a second—as he had earlier before boarding the ship—and like a teenager the next—as he looked now. If Ayato had paid more attention, he could have hidden his age from the whole world whenever he wanted.

       "No," she said quickly, turning away from him.

       Clearly, Ayato enjoyed giving her heart attacks.

       But Caiome was a woman of steel, a beautiful face didn't shake her, just as it hadn't until now and wouldn't in the future either.

       She sighed softly, and Ayato moved closer to her, managing to make her feel the warmth seeping through his clothes.

       "I suppose you have missed such a view," he said.

       "Whatever," she said. "I wasn't particularly drawn to the ocean; my work took place on land, and when I couldn't teleport from one place to another, or I had too much luggage with me, my last option was the ocean. I couldn't do much on a simple ship so small."

       "Too much luggage?" he asked with a smile.

       "Don't ask questions you don't want to know," she stopped him quickly.

       "But maybe I do want to know the answer."

       "Even so, I don't think I need to tell you in words for you to understand."

       "Smuggling?"

       "I had many clients back then," she proudly shrugged.

       "And what exactly did your smuggling involve?"

       Caiome gave him a sideways glance. "Don't pretend you don't know from your file about me," she mumbled. "Stolen items, magical artifacts, lost things, forbidden powders, weapons of various classes among the many. And, recently, as I've heard directly from you, ramad aleizam."

       A few seagulls cried in the distance as Caiome studied his face again, and this time she didn't look away from him when Ayato turned to her. It wasn't like she had learned about her from a source alone, Caiome had been the one who had told him.

       Ayato had to admit at least to himself if not to me, Caiome told herself. He didn't know everything about her. He didn't know much about her. He didn't know the most important part of her life, and that just meant Caiome had done a good job of hiding from others. She didn't care that Ayato knew how many people she had killed, how many things she had stolen, how many nobles she had duped, and how many she had left empty of their wealth.

       She held his gaze for a few seconds, then looked back towards the ocean.

       "Ramad aleizam isn't always a bad substance," she said. "If you know how to prepare it, you can make a paste that can save your life, ingested or applied to wounds. It can be a disinfectant," she began to count on her fingers, "stop bleeding, intense fever, chills, enhance the regeneration speed of blood cells and can strengthen vision following explosion accidents. But to do that, you need other equally deadly plants when used on their own."

       "I was not told you had knowledge in medicine."

       "I don't," she said quickly, which made her even more suspicious. "I had a traveling companion who taught me a few things."

       "Not your sister?"

       "Kandra taught me only the basics. What to do in case of fever, a cold or severe flu, some open wounds or bleeding. She was crazy, but only with herself," she sighed finally. "She did all kinds of medical experiments. Many were good, and even more were total failures, but she was too ambitious, even for Baizhu. She tried to find an antidote even for red-snake venom, but ended up in bed for a whole week, with nausea and without sleep. I would have felt pathetic if I were in her place," she shook her head. "Then she always told me, 'You should listen to my words, not my actions,'" mimicked Caiome with a much more feminine voice. "Then she promised me she'd buy me sweets, but most of the time I took them myself."

       "And by 'took'..."

       "Don't split hairs," she demanded. "Anyway, between the two of us, I was the sane one, and Kandra was, as beautiful and gentle as she was, a bit of a madwoman."

       Ayato chuckled, and Caiome realized she had just said her sister's name. And that she was talking about her. There were rare moments when she talked about Kandra. Usually, Caiome forgot about her. Most of the time, she really did forget. Then someone like Ayato caught her off guard and brought her up in conversation, and Caiome, without realizing it, talked about her, remembering some episodes from a too distant past.

       "You do not need to keep your guard up about that," said Ayato.

       "You wouldn't be able to do anything to Kandra anyway."

       "Indeed. Besides, you know a lot about my family. I think it is only fair for me to know something about yours too."

       "I think you misunderstand the situation," she said. "Even if you couldn't do anything to Kandra, that doesn't mean I couldn't resort to drastic measures regarding yours."

       "Ohh," Ayato grinned. "Is that so?"

       "I've killed enough people for that Vision shell. Don't test me," she mumbled.

       "So, in a situation where you would have to threaten Ayaka to get the shell... would you do it?"

       Caiome frowned. "Of course," she said.

       "You hesitated," Ayato said just as quickly. "If you're going to make someone believe you, do not hesitate next time."

       "I didn't hesitate."

       "You would have said the same thing if the roles were reversed."

       Caiome pouted. "It doesn't matter, I don't want the shell back anymore. I could throw you overboard right now, right here. You're way too annoying."

       Ayato laughed again, and to Caiome, it sounded just like the laughter in the teahouse, but maybe not as intense, maybe not as amused. She looked behind them, where the crew members were passing by.

       "Oh," she said, looking back at him. It seemed that Ayato was never fully relaxed, because he was still attentive to his surroundings, even if he had to put on a political or warrior front.

       Now she was curious about what Ayato looked like when he didn't have to worry about anything. It seemed that even when Ayato tried to just be himself, he was still somewhat Lord Kamisato at the same time.

       Half an hour later, the ship docked, and Caiome and Ayato got back into the boat and were taken ashore. Caiome got off first. They were immediately approached by a middle-aged man, hunched over and his shoulders pulled made him seem older. He had black hair, with white strands, and a braided bandanna across his forehead to keep the sweat at bay. He wore ordinary clothes, but they seemed to be among those least used. Probably the nice clothes to welcome Ayato.

       "My lord," he said quickly, bowing before Ayato, who had barely set foot on the ground, taking the lead. "I didn't know you were coming in person. We were expecting Lady Ayaka and Mr. Thoma."

       "My sister and Thoma are caught up with other duties, now that the Shakunetsu no Taiyo festival is over. And since my entire authoritative staff is not available, I had to come myself for this check-up."

       "Of course, my lord."

       "I hope my abrupt arrival has not made you feel uncomfortable," Ayato added, and Caiome gave him a frown.

       Yeah, right. The man in front of them was trembling because of Ayato.

       "Not at all, my lord. Whether it's you or Lady Ayaka, we put the same effort into everything related to our work."

       "Considering I've known you for many years, Mr. Narutoshi, I'm sure that's the case. Also, excuse my late introductions. Mr. Narutoshi, this is Miss Caiome. She's my bodyguard and a close confidante of mine. Caiome, this is Mr. Narutoshi, the director of transportation on Tamagise Island and the manager of affairs here."

       Narutoshi bowed just as deeply to Caiome, who began to blink rapidly at the man.

       "I'm glad to meet you, Lady Caiome," he said.

       "Just Caiome is fine," she mumbled, still slightly confused.

       "I insist," Narutoshi said without lifting his head.

       "Sir," she spoke slowly and heavily, "I said just Caiome is fine. 'Lady' is what your Lord Kamisato calls me when he wants to make fun of me."

       "You caught me," Ayato shrugged with a smile towards her.

       Narutoshi didn't know how to respond to that, so he chuckled nervously, gesturing the way with his hand. "This way, please."

       Tamagise? Caiome thought.

       She knew that the direction of the ship was too straight, too familiar, approaching the more well-known island shapes. If you looked back, maybe you couldn't see the garden behind the Kamisato estate, but you could certainly distinguish the outline of the ridge on which it was situated, and at night you could see the telepoint light that stretched for kilometers.

       She had to know where they were going, considering that she had stared at these islands for entire mornings on end and not long before she had talked to Ayato about them. She didn't expect such a coincidence. Especially she didn't expect these islands to be under Ayato's jurisdiction. And yet...

       "Caiome," she heard Ayato calling her, and Caiome took her eyes off the mountains on Narukami Island. Ayato had already descended the small wooden bridge next to which the boat had docked, and Caiome felt again like she did on the day of the banquet, watching him from the logs after finishing her dance. "We don't want to be late," he added.

       "Mm," she said. "By the way," she whispered to Ayato, "If Thoma and Ayaka are so busy, why didn't you send Koshi here, as you've done before?"

       "Do not ask questions," Ayato whispered back, letting Narutoshi walk ahead of them a few steps. "Moreover, Koshi is not free either."

       "But he came with us on the ship, didn't he?"

       "And he is going back tonight without us."

       "Without us?" Caiome said. "Do you mean we're staying here?"

       Now all those small chests and her backpack full of clothes bought by Thoma made sense, most likely.

       "A few days. As I said earlier, it is a check-up, and there are many things to check if I want everything to go as smoothly until next year. Normally, Thoma is the one who comes every season to place various orders in time for different events."

       Caiome was about to ask what exactly the people who worked here were doing, but she quickly answered her own question when she looked ahead after a few meters of walking, after the small boats pulled ashore.

       Maybe you couldn't see it from the garden of the estate, but once you reached Tamagise Island, everything was an explosion of colors. Flowers of all sizes and colors, from perennial plants to blooming trees, stretched across the entire surface of the island. Of course, what struck Caiome first were the summer flowers, which were in full splendor, entire rows of flowers, and in the distance she could see magnolias and wisteria flowers in all three colors, pink, purple, and blue, flowing among branches and leaves like rain.

       Here and there were camps, and around the flower fields were wooden huts where people came in and out with baskets of flowers with a strange glow. Most of the women worked at tables full of flowers, while men stood among the beds, and behind them were children carrying wicker baskets. At first glance, they seemed to be working, but then you saw them chasing each other, seeming more like they were having fun. And aside from the camps in the center of the flower beds, tables were set among the huts, and on these tables were immense wreaths made of flowers and curved garlands.

       At each table stood a Cryo Vision bearer. Caiome didn't actually see them, but she could feel the cool air currents enveloping her, revealing their elemental power to everyone. Only a little later did she see them freezing the flowers.

       "It seems you want to rest first," Narutoshi said once they reached a not very large house. "We apologize that we cannot accommodate you at Tagami, as Lady Ayaka always asks us to prepare the rooms at the Green House."

       "The Green House is fine," said Ayato. "I intentionally didn't send directions, preferring to stay here, as close to the fields as possible."

       "Of course, my lord," Narutoshi said confidently once again.

       "As for today, I do not think we need rest. We can just settle our things, and then we will meet again an hour from now. How does that sound?"

       "Whatever you wish, my lord," Narutoshi said.

       "Hey, I didn't say I don't want to sleep," Caiome protested. "Do you remember what time you woke me up to bring me here?"

       "Come on, Caiome, you are used to waking up in the morning."

       "Because of whom, I wonder?" she mumbled, following Narutoshi.

       The Green House was, not exactly green. Its name came rather from the multitude of bamboo painted on the canvas of the windows and doors, and the immense shrubs surrounding the terraces and garden. It was certainly a house designed to accommodate superiors.

       Narutoshi led each of them to their rooms, which were right next to each other, then gave them space and agreed to meet them in front of the house in an hour. As if Caiome had anything to unpack in an entire hour.

       The room was spacious and beautifully decorated, with clean furniture, a fluffy carpet on the floor, and beddings of pale, pleasantly smelling colors, embroidered with lily flowers and fir leaves. Caiome jumped straight into bed, forgetting the backpack. The mattress was very soft, and the beddings were soft, perfect for sleeping for hours. And what do you know... If you closed the windows, it was pitch dark even in daylight.

       "But she knew that if she tried to fall asleep, Ayato would probably throw her out of bed, maybe out the window, so she left the windows open and threw herself back into bed.

       "Koshi~i," she whimpered into the pillow.

       "Yes, miss?" his voice came.

       "What does Ayato intend to do with me here?" she mumbled, trying to breathe, but she preferred to suffocate than to lift her face from the pillow.

       "I don't know, miss. I haven't received any information or orders."

       "Alright, then what does he intend to do with you once you return to Narukami?"

       "I don't know, miss, I haven't received any information or orders," he repeated. "Lord Kamisato mentioned that I would find my duties in his office when I return tonight."

       Caiome growled into the pillow. If she wasn't feeling so restrained, she'd have torn them all apart with her teeth.

       "Mitsuko didn't know I was coming here," she began, "you don't know why I came here and you don't know what you're supposed to do when you return, Narutoshi had no idea Ayato was coming here... No one knows anything. I almost feel like I'm being played again."

       "I wouldn't say so, miss."

       Caiome turned back in bed, looking at Koshi who was sitting in the corner by the window. 

       "Lord Kamisato seemed very relaxed coming here," he said.

       "Have you ever seen Ayato relaxed before?"

        Koshi slowly lowered his head. "In regards to some responsibilities, he is less tense compared to others."

        Caiome snorted. "That doesn't mean relaxed. What could he have done these six days while we were absent?"

       "I don't know, miss, Lord Kamisato hasn't given me any reports."

       "It was a rhetorical question. This man will die before he tells us anything he doesn't want us to know. So I have an idea!" she jumped in bed, clutching a pillow. "When you get back to Narukami, try to find out everything Ayato did in these six days. I don't know if you've noticed, but the fact that he came here, taking over something that should normally be Ayaka's job, something much easier than usual, must be related to his state of mind, right?"

       "Miss, it's not proper for me to investigate my lord's actions."

       "But we're not investigating," Caiome said. "We're just... curious. Plus, it's an order. As long as Ayato's orders don't interfere with mine, practically you have to do what I say, right?"

       "That would mean I have to inform Lord Kamisato of the order you just gave me."

       Caiome jumped, grabbing his arm, blinking rapidly. "Please? Look at it differently," she said, "if I'm right and all this change of scenario is related to his state of mind, implicitly his health, on the contrary, shouldn't you investigate what causes this to your lord?"

       Koshi looked at her for a long time. "Here... you're right."

       "See?" Caiome said, patting his back. "Ayato is stubborn, you know better than anyone that he doesn't want to show his weaknesses. If he's masking these weaknesses with this visit, it means something happened in these six days and it's still happening. Him coming here must be part of his plan, and he probably doesn't even want to let you know if he sent both of us to Watatsumi."

        "But if he really doesn't want us to know, wouldn't it mean we're disobeying his orders?"

       "Have you heard Ayato saying 'Don't meddle in my affairs from the last six days' before?"

       "Well, no..."

       "Then we have nothing to worry about," she shrugged, still holding onto his arm and smiling sweetly."

       "I feel like you're drawing me into one of your games," Koshi mumbled finally.

       "Even if you are, even if you're not, my arguments remain valid," she shrugged. "Whether it's just my curiosity or your duty, we end up here anyway, so I say we better cooperate than argue."

       "But what if you're right and something did happen to Lord Kamisato in these six days? What will we do then?"

       Caiome froze, stepping back from him. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking towards the window and the vast ocean. She wondered if something had happened to Ayato, but she didn't consider the possibilities. Could it have been a conflict based on the parchment he burned, but if it was serious, wouldn't he have at least called Koshi back from Watatsumi?

       And even if she felt curious, she wouldn't have been caught just standing there, that was for sure. But... in a way... maybe she didn't want to know anything. Or, rather, she didn't want anything to have happened.

       "In any case, we'll see then," she quickly waved her hand, feeling like she was avoiding Koshi's question. "Just send me a pigeon when you find out something, alright?"

       Before Koshi could respond, there were two knocks on the door, then it opened and Ayato entered.

       "I expected to find you in bed," he said.

       "Hmph," Caiome said. "Don't you know you should wait for permission first, then enter? What if I were undressed?"

       "In front of Koshi?"

       "You didn't know if Koshi was here or not."

       "Considering I called him and he did not answer, I thought the only possibility was that he is here, plotting something with you."

       "Even so," Caiome said, "you had no way of knowing I wasn't undressed."

       Koshi coughed into his fist. "Miss..."

       "I was just kidding," she said. "Don't be so serious, both of you."

       "I think Koshi agrees with me when I say you have a very dry sense of humor," Ayato said with a smile that seemed to thank the gods that Caiome hadn't made that joke in front of his employees. "But leaving that aside, shall we go? Mister Narutoshi is waiting for us."

Chapter Text

Chapter 44 ~ The Spies and the Flowers

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       Caiome quickly realized that these checks meant nothing more than what Ayato usually did, which was to read papers and stroll among the employees, making sure everything was going his way. They first passed by the tables with floral arrangements, where skilled women made flower crowns and garlands, while Cryo Vision bearers wrapped the flowers in a thin layer of ice that didn't even melt in the summer sun.

       "Usually," Narutoshi began to explain to Caiome as if specifically, "when flowers are exposed to the cold, they fade and wither. But the elemental power of the Cryo Vision applies a protective layer, keeping them fresh until another Cryo Vision bearer cancels out the applied elemental power."

       "Is it really so easy for another Vision bearer to do that?" Caiome asked, studying intensely the colored flower garlands.

       "It's just an innocent trick, not powerful at all," Narutoshi said, "so yes, it's possible. After being wrapped in the layer of ice, they are stored in boxes and kept in the shade, protected from the sun. Even though the rays can no longer affect them, they are best kept in a cool environment until the day of the transport. And this applies not only to festival or event flowers but also to florists partnering with the Yashiro Commission."

       "So, what are all these for?" Caiome gestured towards the garlands and crowns, all looking festive and lively.

       "We are having a wedding soon," Ayato said.

       "A wedding?" Caiome blinked, then grinned. "Are you finally getting married?"

       "Only if that could get me rid of your teasing, then I probably would, but we both know it is not going to happen," he replied with a chuckle. "Have you heard about the relationship between Chisato Hiiragi and Kujou Kamaji?"

       "They were supposed to get married three years ago, right? But the preparations were abruptly interrupted for some... unknown reason," she glanced at him.

        Ayato definitely had something to do with it. Surely the details were hidden in the files that Koshi had tried to force-feed her ten days ago, but Caiome hadn't gotten around to reading them—mostly because she was too bored. Anyway, it wasn't hard to figure out, but for the sake of the show, Caiome pretended not to know anything.

        "Last year, as soon as they decided on the wedding date after three years of engagement, they made a public announcement. And the ceremony will be at the end of the summer," Ayato said.

       "But there's still about a month and a half until then," Caiome mumbled, poking at a flower with large, sharp, slightly bent petals, feeling the chill of Cryo power as it touched and pricked her skin.

       "Lady Hiiragi and Lord Kujou wanted to have flowers from all seasons at the wedding," Ayato said. "That is why the orders for arrangements were placed last year, along with the official announcement."

       "Ohhh," Caiome said. "That makes sense. But does this power really keep that much?" she tapped the flower with her fingertip.

       "Of course," Narutoshi said. "As long as no other bearer cancels its envelope or the bearer who applied it is still alive, the envelope can last for years."

       If it was such an important event, Caiome thought, maybe it made sense for Ayato to come here himself. After all, Chisato Hiiragi was the head of the Hiiragi clan and the commissioner of the Kanjou Commission, and Kujou Kamaji was the commissioner of the Tenryou Commission; two immense clans were to unite in marriage, just like two Commissions.

       But at the same time... something seemed odd. Once Chisato Hiiragi became Kujou Kamaji's wife, she would resign from her position as commissioner, and another clan had to take the Hiiragi family's place, which would upset the order Ayato had tried to maintain until now. And probably that's why, three years ago, their supposed wedding was canceled. It made sense why Ayato had poked his nose into it, whatever he did about it.

       But considering how relaxed Ayato was now, something must have happened in the last three years that, even if it didn't benefit Ayato, at least didn't change his authority, position, and benefits. Caiome looked at him inquisitively, and Ayato waved his hand lightly, as if silently telling her he would explain everything later.

       Ultimately, the HUGE order for the wedding ceremony was going well, and everyone was sure they would finish on time, neither too early nor too late. And many other flower garlands and crowns with ribbons were for small events or decorations.

       And Caiome stuck with Narutoshi until a Cryo Vision bearer showed her how to apply the ice barrier to garlands, her eyes fixed only on the flowers.

       "Hm, hm," Caiome said, studying everyone's work.

       "It seems Miss Caiome is very curious by nature, if I may," Narutoshi said beside Lord Kamisato.

       "She is always like that when she comes across something that catches her attention," he replied, nodding slightly, both of them looking at Caiome who asked question after question and received instant answers from a boy who didn't seem to be older than twenty. The boy smiled at her, and sometimes even laughed when Caiome seemed to make a joke.

       Something about Caiome's personality, or rather the way she approached things, made others behave more relaxed around her, and soon more and more women joined the discussion, not only explaining how Cryo envelopes worked but also showing how to weave the garlands and crowns.

       And Ayato began to feel a little embarrassed that instead of being in their midst, he just had to watch.

       Because it was impossible not to notice how all the women rose from their seats and bowed to him. Caiome doubted that everyone here knew him personally or had ever seen him before, yet they behaved as if they knew exactly who he was, speaking hesitantly when Ayato asked them something, with flushed cheeks, afraid of making a mistake.

      But maybe that's how things were supposed to go, the consequence of his status of not being able to engage in a relaxed conversation with anyone. Not that he was defined as a relaxed person. Time was always against him, so even if he wanted, he couldn't have a long conversation with someone about... trivialities.

       Even though Ayato seemed to be the polite man who always reassured the employees to speak freely when he asked them about garlands and orders, about the amount they worked daily, where all these arrangements were stored, how many Cryo Vision bearers were currently working, and how the relationships between the employees were.

       The last question seemed to create a bit of panic in their eyes.

       "I am not trying to uncover drama," Ayato told them with exceptional calm, maintaining his charming smile. "I just want to make sure you are working in a pleasant environment, that is all, without encountering any problems."

      "Everything is fine, my lord," a middle-aged woman said. "Mr. Thoma always makes sure of that himself when he comes here, and Lady Ayaka is just as attentive, thank you."

       "I am glad to hear that," Ayato nodded, then moved on.

       The next item on the list was the decorative flower culture—the quantities of flowers that were planted, which were growing and blooming, which reached the right size to be picked and stored for orders.

       The discussion quickly became boring for Caiome, especially when most of Narutoshi's answers were positive, both of them diving into a conversation about statistics, profit, and percentages. So she found something else to do, like examining the varieties of flowers stretching out before her, moving away from the two men who walked slowly among the bushes at their feet.

       Lilies, plumerias, gladioli, irises, gerberas, and various varieties of roses and all the derivatives of all the flowers Caiome had ever seen in her life were here. It was as if she was in the Sky Garden her older sister used to tell her about when she was little, to take her mind off pain when she got hurt or sick.

       Stopping in front of some torch-gold dahlias—which were in a long row of various other dahlia varieties, including the fire-and-ice dahlia, pompon dahlia, or giant dahlia—Caiome sank to her knees. The sun was starting to become hotter as lunchtime approached, and there were still morning dew drops on the dahlias, which wasn't good, considering the water would warm up and wilt the flower petals.

       The torch-gold dahlias had slightly conical petals, which meant that, unlike other flowers that had already shaken off the dew by now, their petals would fade faster, especially since the sun's rays were always unpredictable in summer.

       Caiome reached out a hand, letting a few gentle gusts of wind remove the dew from the petals. Then she noticed another dahlia touched by dew, and another, and another, until she shook all the flowers of dew.

       But in doing so, Caiome noticed small silhouettes hiding behind the giant bushes, then began to hear whispers. She put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot lightly.

       "I didn't expect to find field mice twirling around me," Caiome said. "Come on, get out of there."

       Slowly rising from behind the bushes, two boys and a girl lowered their heads, standing with their hands behind their backs, swaying, as if they were in trouble. All three seemed to be about the same age and were certainly close if they were hiding together.

       "Did you go on an adventure and decide to spy on me?" Caiome asked them.

       "No, of course not," one of the boys, who seemed braver, said, making Caiome put her hands on her hips, approaching him from above with a smirk on her face.

       "Really now?"

       "Just... we rarely have visitors," he continued, nervously chuckling.

       "And then you did this thing, whoosh!" the other boy said, spinning his hands then raising his arms. "And there was dew everywhere on the flowers, and foom! So we just wanted to see everything up close without getting caught."

       "So... you were really spying on me. On me and Ayato ever since we got here, if my senses don't fail me, right?"

       The boys looked at each other, then let out a sigh.

       "What are your names?" she asked.

       "I'm Mahito," the first boy who spoke said, "and they're Aoi and Mika," he pointed first to the girl, then to the other boy.

       "Alright, Mahito, Aoi, Mika, then let me give you a lesson on spying," Caiome said, and all three suddenly seemed much more excited. "First and foremost, you have to make sure you can't be seen, so you have to choose a strategic spot from where to watch your target, a place with a good view but far enough away so the person being watched won't notice. Got it?"

       All three of them nodded.

       "Then, if you're a team, never stay all three in the same place, otherwise you can be found much easier. You need to find a way to communicate between yourselves, to transmit information."

       "Oh, like this?" said Aoi, then whistled a few times like a bird.

       "Exactly," said Caiome. "You're a secret organization now, so you need to have your own language. Does everyone know how to whistle?" she asked, and the boys nodded as well. "Good. In that case, establish some signals for different commands, like withdrawal or mission complete, or when you feel in danger of being discovered. And from there, you can establish many other things. Let me hear you."

       In less than a few minutes, the three children had already set a tone for all the basic things Caiome dictated.

       "Alright," she said. "That being said... why were you following me, exactly?"

       "Oh, uh...," Mahito began to stammer.

        "We wanted to give you something," said Maki, his cheeks turning pink.

        "Such as?"

        Aoi cleared her throat, then pulled out from behind her a flower with large petals, an intensely red lily, with slightly curled petals on the edges and shades of white on their edges. In her other hand was a blue flower with petals in two layers and two shades.

        "It's about the only thing we can give as a gift to strangers," said Aoi.

        Caiome chuckled lightly, then leaned towards Aoi, turning her head slightly towards her.

         "Then you should have the honour," she said, and Aoi suddenly smiled, skillfully placing the lily near her hairpin, securing it neatly.

        Caiome expected that as soon as Aoi put the flower in her hair, it would fall, but that was not the case.

        "As a reward, how about we play a game?" Caiome proposed.

        "A game? With you?" Mahito exclaimed, as did the other two.

        "Hmm. You like strangers, don't you? Those who usually don't come around here."

        All three nodded.

        "In that case, how about putting into practice everything I've taught you so far and spying on Lord Kamisato?"

        The three started to hesitate.

        "But... it's Lord Kamisato," said Mika. "We can't do that, it's not polite towards him and we don't want to upset him."

       "In fact, I think you would do him a favour," said Caiome. "Did you know that even princes get bored in their private rooms? Take his presence here as a kind of... hmm, leisure time for His Majesty."

       "But Lord Kamisato still works with Mr. Narutoshi," said Aoi.

       "I'm around him daily," said Caiome. "Believe me, it will be fine, you're experienced spies now, it would be a shame not to put your talents to use. Your mission is to find out... hmm... how many times Lord Kamisato smiles before noon. One of you will need to stand to the north, one to the south, and one to the west, while I'll stand to the east, so we can watch him from all angles. What do you say to that?"

      The three exchanged glances, then nodded and reached out their hands, stacking them on top of each other.

       After establishing the signals once again, the children dispersed, each finding a place to hide, while Caiome turned back to Ayato with a skip in her step, making sure the red lily didn't fall from her hair.

       "Where did you get that?" Ayato asked once Caiome settled down on his right, keeping watch.

        "This?" said Caiome, touching the flower that was still in its place. "I found it on the ground. I thought no one would use it anymore, so I kept it."

       Led by Mr. Narutoshi, the two roamed through all the decorative flower beds. Occasionally, bird calls could be heard, making Ayato look around, but he saw no one except Caiome, who seemed to be constantly in position, blocking his right side. Caiome just smiled at him, sometimes waved, then Mr. Narutoshi invited him to move on to the next variety of flowers.

      It wasn't as if Ayato didn't notice the same whistled calls or the bushes rustling every few meters he covered in a certain direction or the small footprints on the ground or the dark strands of hair among so many brightly colored flowers or the way Caiome occasionally glanced back at them.

       "Is something wrong?" Ayato would ask from time to time.

       "Nope," Caiome would say, oddly quiet beside him, without commenting, without making remarks, or rolling her eyes.

       When they reached the end of the decorative flower beds, entering the fields for medicinal plants, Caiome let Ayato go ahead, and he realized Caiome had disappeared from beside him when he turned around to ask her how long her game with the three kids was going to last.

      "Let me hear the report," Caiome demanded when Mahito, Mika, and Aoi ran to her, hiding behind tall gladiolus bushes in all colors.

       "I counted fifteen times," said Mika solemnly.

       "I counted twelve," said Mahito.

       "And I only counted seven," Aoi said.

       "Good, good," said Caiome, putting her hands on her hips. "Now tell me, how many times did Lord Kamisato genuinely smile?"

       The question seemed to stump the kids, looking confusedly from one to the other.

       "They all seemed the same to me," Mahito said confused.

       "Me too," shrugged Aoi.

       "Is there any difference?" Mika asked.

       "Of course," said Caiome. "Only then can you reach a real conclusion if you know the intentions of the person you're spying on. If you can't even figure that out, then you'll never be able to call yourselves spies, and each of your missions will fail," she raised a finger.

       "Then," said Aoi, "how many times did Lord Kamisato genuinely smile?"

       Caiome sighed slightly and stood up, looking at the three.

       "How many times did Lord Kamisato was looking for you?" she asked.

       The three looked at each other, hoping that at least one of them would have the answer, but the truth was that they had been too busy hiding as best they could to count how many times they had done it so when they felt too endangered, whistling the signals from time to time.

       Caiome shook her head. "When you find the answer to that question, then you'll know.

       Because, just as Ayato was attentive to his surroundings, trying to bring the kids into the light, and Caiome was attentive to the expressions on his face because she also wanted to take her mission seriously, to count how many times Lord Kamisato smiled. But she seemed to be the only one who, being so close, could tell the difference between his polite smile and the smile that found the whole situation amusing.

       Well, that wasn't surprising for Caiome at all, considering she had seen Ayato a few times with Himawari and Uta.

       And yet... she couldn't help but be attentive to him.

      "But if that's true," said Aoi, "doesn't it mean that Lord Kamisato genuinely smiles when he looked for you too?" Aoi asked.

        Any authoritative attitude seemed to disappear from Caiome, looking down at the three children who awaited the answer with wide eyes.

       "Hmm," she said, shifting her gaze towards the flower fields. "It's different with me," she said suddenly. "He was just amused by the situation, that's all. If you had been with him, you would have noticed."

       "That doesn't sound like an answer," said Mika.

       "If your teacher says so, then it is so, and you shouldn't misinterpret their words, just like with parents," Caiome quickly added.

       "Parents!" Mahito suddenly exclaimed. "We were supposed to help them this afternoon, weren't we, gathering lavender flowers?" he asked the other two.

       "Oh, yes," said Mika. "But we're having so much fun~"

       "Then... can you give this to Lord Kamisato?" Aoi asked, handing the blue flower to Caiome.

       "Why don't you give it to him yourselves?" she said.

       "We can't!" said Aoi. "Lord Kamisato is very busy, we can't intervene."

       "I'm sure Lord Kamisato already knows about you," she laughed.

       "Even more reason not to make eye contact with him now," said Mika.

       "A small flower won't hurt his pride or kill his time."

       "Well...," said Aoi. "Okay, then. Miss Caiome is right."

       "You just want to see Lord Kamisato face to face," teased Mahito.

       "So what?" she pouted, holding the little stem of the blue flower.

       "I've seen this before," said Caiome. "But if it makes you feel better, I'll come with you anyway. Shall we go?"

       The four went out after the tall gladiolus, and as Caiome pushed them - literally - from behind, the kids tried to find excuses to hide behind each other until they reached Lord Kamisato and Mr. Narutoshi, who turned to them, looking from Caiome to the children and back.

       "You're having a special audience, Your Highness," Caiome announced, placing the children in line, then standing beside Ayato, who blinked slightly surprised at the three. He hadn't expected to see them so soon.

       Mahito and Mika took a soldier's position, standing upright, with their hands glued to their bodies, while Aoi held tightly onto the blue flower.

       "So these are the three bunnies who have been following me all morning," said Ayato, and Caiome shrugged.

       Mr. Narutoshi, on the other hand, flinched when he heard his lord's words.

       "Mahito, Mika, Aoi," he said with a strong voice, "how many times have I told you not to run around here aimlessly, especially in front of Lord Kamisato? This behavior is unacceptable." Narutoshi turned to Ayato, bowing deeply. "I apologize, my lord, for their attitude. It seems we have failed to educate them properly."

       Ayato, on the other hand, gave him a smile, and the three suddenly understood what it meant for Lord Kamisato to smile genuinely.

       "What behavior?" he said to Narutoshi. "They are just kids playing." Turning to the kids, Ayato knelt in one knee in front of them, looking at each one. "So, am I to understand that Miss Caiome here has dragged you into her games as far as I am concerned?"

       "Uh... we're sorry if we offended you," said Mahito, bowing his head, starting to play with the hem of his short-sleeved shirt.

       Ayato raised his hand, ruffling his brown hair.

       "Actually, on the contrary," he smiled. "I had fun trying to hide from you. Next time you want to play spies, maybe you let me know in advance, so I can participate, alright?"

       The three quickly changed their attitude, nodding in approval.

       "But do not listen to Miss Caiome anymore from now on, or she might turn you into wanted criminals," he laughed.

       "Hey!" said Caiome, nudging him in the ribs with her knee. "I just gave them a few tips to play with, not to rob Tenshukaku."

       "I understand. But how come such skilful spies as you decided to confront me face to face?" he asked the kids.

       "We just wanted to give you a gift," mumbled Aoi, then gathered courage and handed him the blue flower. "It's a columbine," she said.

       "It is a very beautiful flower," said Ayato, and Caiome nudged him again from behind when he reached to take the flower.

       "It goes in your hair, your lordship."

       Caiome knew that Ayato didn't want to put any kind of flower in his hair, and not because of how it looked, but because it reminded him of the night Caiome had fun decorating him with flowers and letting him go out like that in front of everyone. And Ayato knew that would make Caiome laugh at him.

       "In that case," he said, handing the flower back to Aoi, "maybe you would like to help me?"

       Aoi blushed deeply, but took the flower from Lord Kamisato's hand, who turned his head slightly towards her, and placed it between his side braids that ended in a wavy tail.

       "How do I look?" he asked.

       "It suits you very well, milord," said Aoi, and Ayato placed a hand on her head, patting her gently, then stood up.

       "I think I should thank you for this, considering you chose it for me," he said.

       "I'm sure milord would look good in anything," Aoi said confidently, clenching her fists, trying to show she wasn't trembling with excitement.

       "You overestimate me," Ayato said. "Even I have days when my hair does not cooperate."

       "Really?" Mahito exclaimed. "But you look so cool!"

       "Hm, hm," Mika nodded, adopting a more confident attitude. "I've told my parents so many times that when I grow up, I want to be like you."

       "Oh? Is that so?"

        "Yeah. I want to live on Narukami Island and be important to Inazuma, making life easier for everyone, even those on smaller islands. Not that you're not doing a good job," he rushed, speaking quickly, "but, you know, to continue and maybe make it even easier."

       "Me too, me too," Mahito quickly chimed in.

       "Me too," Aoi mumbled, feeling left behind.

       "Well, you know what that means?" he asked, drawing everyone's attention to him. "It means you have to work very hard. If you consider yourselves so ambitious, I might even be able to help you in the future."

       The children's eyes seemed to fill with stars. "Of course," they all said at once.

       "But for that to happen, you must be obedient to your elders because, for now, no matter how much you like it or not, you are still children. So do not run off to places your parents do not know about, or they will get worried."

       "Of course."

       "Good. If we understand each other, you should go back to them. We will see each other again before Miss Caiome and I leave to go back home, I promise. Is that alright?"

       The children nodded, then bid their farewells and ran back among the flower bushes.

       "You should be careful, milord," Caiome said, teasing him, "otherwise these kids might steal the commissioner position from right under your nose."

       "Do you think so? Well, if there is someone who could do a better job than me, I certainly would not mind." He said that, but in his voice there was a hint of arrogance, like there was no one better than him at his job and he knew it. 

       "You could have been a little easier on them with the spy game and not laugh so much at them."

       "If I laughed at anyone, it was you, Caiome," he grinned. "I am well aware they are just children."

       "When these kids will be your age, you'll be an old man hobbling around with three legs - two legs and a cane - so I suggest you be even more careful, or they'll beat you bare-bottomed. Look, they've already manipulated you into dressing up as a princess," she pointed to the flower slightly tilted in his hair.

       "As I said," he adjusted his voice, "they are children from common families. I do not expect or intend to make them understand strict rules like these."

       "Alright, alright, as you say," she grumbled, sitting in front of him. "Lean down a bit, your flower is crooked."

       Ayato listened without objections and leaned down as she rose on tiptoe, grabbing onto one of his shoulders. She reached out, readjusting the blue flower in his braid, then fixed his bangs so they wouldn't cover its petals.

       "Thank you," he said once Caiome stepped back on her full sole, and Ayato stood up straight again.

       "I don't always get the chance to fix the appearance of the supreme princess of Inazuma," she shrugged.

       Narutoshi approached the two quietly, coughing lightly. "It's time for the employee lunch break," he announced. "I think you two should also have a hot meal."

       "Finally," said Caiome. "My stomach's been growling for hours. What are we having today?" she asked Narutoshi.

       "How about some wine-cooked steak with spices?"

       "Oh, sounds divine. I've been dreaming about it for almost two weeks now."

       "Right this way, please."

Chapter Text

Chapter 45 ~ The King and the Player

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       "Hmm," mumbled Caiome as she pushed her bishop forward on the shogi board, trying to block Koshi's silver general from getting close to her king.

       However, Koshi found an escape route, intercepting her bishop, and not only took it but launched a direct attack towards Caiome's gold general, who was about to promote. But if Caiome moved her general towards promotion, her king would be exposed, but if she didn't, Koshi would take her general.

       "What nonsense," Caiome cried, on the verge of knocking all the pieces off the board, as she had done in the past.

        "You left your left side open, miss," Koshi said calmly, standing upright.

       "I didn't leave anything open; it's just that... This game is stupid," she grumbled, sulking, resting her chin in her palm.

       "Only those who are not good at playing shogi say that," chuckled Ayato from his desk, opening another file in which he placed a few handwritten papers, reviewing them once again to make sure he noted everything he observed that morning.

       After lunch, Ayato didn't go out to the flower fields, agreeing with Narutoshi to look into medicinal plants the next day, as Ayato had to deal with recordings, reports, and a few things from home he had brought with him for the few days he would spend on Tamagise Island.

       And since Koshi had to stay by Lord Kamisato's side, and Caiome wasn't allowed to wander alone - she might ruin something - all three of them stayed in the Green House office with the windows open, looking out at the green expanses in the distance. Ayato stayed in the office all afternoon, and soon Koshi had to head to the small dock to return to Narukami Island.

       So, with nothing else to do the whole day, Koshi and Caiome started playing shogi again.

        "It was hard for me to find a chessboard in the west, let alone play shogi," she mumbled, finally moving her gold general.

       She could retreat with the king later if necessary, but Koshi, instead of attacking the king or trying to corner her newly promoted general, moved a knight forward. Koshi was definitely up to something, so Caiome had to prepare for the worst.

       "So forgive me if I haven't played games of intelligent and noble people before," she added petulantly, moving a pawn towards Koshi's king, trying to block him, but he managed to slip past with the other knight. "So, about the wedding between Hiiragi Chisato and Kujou Kamaji... You had something to do with the incident three years ago, didn't you?"

       "Hmm," Ayato pondered, as if he didn't understand what Caiome was telling him.

       "Don't play dumb with me," she snapped lightly at him, and Ayato tilted his head slightly, letting the blue flower in his hair still visible, although soon it would wither. Perhaps he should have pressed it before it happened so he could preserve its beautiful shape.

       "There is not much to say," said Ayato. "It was more of an internal conflict than an external one within the Kanjou Commission; I just lent a hand, and Kujou Kamaji played his role perfectly. The minor clans in the Kanjou Commission wanted to start a war for the Commissioner position, effectively selling Hiiragi Chisato to the Tenryou Commission."

       "But the fact that they want to get married wouldn't mean the same thing, considering Chisato has no one in her family who can take her place and ensure that the Hiiragi family remains at the head of the Kanjou Commission?"

        "Not necessarily," said Ayato. "In these three years, Lady Hiiragi has strengthened her position in the Tri-Commission, making sure that even if she marries into the Kujou family, it doesn't mean she won't still be the Commissioner of the Kanjou Commission. The two Commissions will be united through marriage, but will operate separately, just like they do now."

       "Hmm," Caiome made thoughtfully, moving a knight that Koshi immediately took, but it was a necessary sacrifice. But you didn't have to be a shogi expert to realize that Caiome, for the seventh time that day, was losing to Koshi. How exactly did he do it?

       "Relations with other clans and international partners are just as important," said Ayato, putting down his brush in the ink, then gently wiped the edge of it before picking up writing again. "Lady Hiiragi has built such strong foundations in these relationships that the minor clans know they will not be able to support them if she were not to continue as Commissioner. If Lady Hiiragi were to give up her position in the government, the Kanjou Commission would be left empty, and instead of the other clans deepening those relations, or at least maintaining them, they would decline, and no one wants that."

       "And I guess that was Chisato's intention from the beginning," said Caiome, studying a pawn piece she left on the board next to Koshi's bishop.

       "No one likes to be played, not even Lady Hiiragi, so yes, she wanted to become an invaluable asset that no one can do without, even if she gets married."

       "You probably gave her a memorable speech," she grinned.

       "Impossible," said Ayato. "All I did was give her a push, as they say on the streets. "

       "Admit it," she rolled her eyes. "You're proud of it. Even you should feel satisfied with all your successes; you're not made of stone."

        "I apologize for contradicting you, but I find no satisfaction in anything like this. I only fulfill my responsibilities and honor the oath I made to the Shogunate."

       Caiome snorted softly. "I'm sorry I don't understand this devotion. Or this stupid game," she threw another pawn forward.

       "So I understand that it is not to your taste," said Ayato.

       "Of course it's not," she said. "A game of shogi isn't like a battlefield, and a battlefield isn't like a game of shogi. Chess in general assumes that you go to battle on equal terms, with the same pieces, the same skills, the same scenarios that you can practice on a limited area. A real battle wouldn't be like that because everyone has an advantage, not only intelligence but also resources or troops with different individuals. What if, while Koshi's pieces are normal, mine are made up of, let's say, Vision bearers?"

       "If you plan everything correctly, gathering the right information, even so, Koshi could still beat you. Such as the weaknesses of Vision bearers, what types of Visions they hold, how much elemental control bearers have over their abilities, and how much force they can fight with."

       "What I'm trying to say is that a real struggle is not like a game board. People are unpredictable, these pieces are made of wood, they don't have thoughts. If you tell them to move forward and sacrifice themselves for you, they will. I prefer to deal with unpredictability rather than with mindless dolls," she mumbled.

       "It is necessary to think like that, miss," said Koshi, moving a knight. "Even in real life, as a leader, sometimes they have to think of our army as soulless objects, because that's how things work."

       "This rule is for you, those from the noble houses," she waved her hand. "I don't come from noble families that have enough power to command others."

       Ayato smiled slightly crookedly, shaking his head.

       "Move your bishop to C7," he said, and Caiome looked surprised at him. Not only did Ayato keep his head down all this time, but there was a considerable distance between them.

       Nevertheless, Caiome listened to him and moved her bishop to the indicated square, taking Koshi's knight.

       "It should be checkmate now," announced Ayato, and both Caiome and Koshi blinked confusedly at the wooden board and lifeless pieces.

       Caiome was sure she was going to lose this time too, considering how many pieces were turned against her and how many openings to her own king she had.

       "How did you..." she whispered in confusion.

       "Koshi," Ayato said, "it is late. I think you should leave now if you want to get to the dock before the ship leaves."

       "Of course, milord," he bowed to him, then to Caiome, and left.

       "Your problem is not that you cannot think inside a limited space, Caiome," said Ayato, moving the papers on his desk from side to side, while she turned her gaze to him. "Or that you cannot adapt to situations that limit your freedom. You can read a lot about a person's character just by watching them play a certain game, shogi, chess from the west or any other strategy game. If you look at the shogi board" - Caiome turned to the board - "you can see some of your characteristics. As I said, your problem is not adaptation, but how much of your influence you can see reflected in the people you command."

       Ayato had said something like this before...

       "In any shogi game, the king is the leader, and the player is the king," Ayato continued, still focusing on his reports. "If the king falls, the player loses the game, so it is natural for the player to protect their king, that is, to protect themselves. Without him, the game couldn't continue. Put yourself in a Shuumatsuban mission, for example. In order to be able to command your people, you have to keep yourself safe too. But if you look at your shogi board, your king is open from many directions, inviting the opposing side to close him in."

       "That's because I have too few pieces that don't have any purpose on the board," she mumbled frustratedly. She didn't like it when someone lectured her.

       Ayato, on the other hand, just chuckled. It was only then that he raised his eyes to her. "I cannot agree with you. You do not protect your king because you consider him equal to the other pieces. He must be protected to some extent, but your main goal is ultimately to capture the opposing king."

       "And what's wrong with that? Isn't that how a shogi game ends, dividing and conquering?"

       "Of course, but what you are doing is putting yourself, the king, on the same level as the other pieces because you also see yourself in the other pieces. You do not think of them as individuals with different abilities, different advantages. You see them the same because you would be the same in any situation. In short, when you move a piece, when you give an order to those in the Shuumatsuban, it is like giving an order to yourself. You double yourself and give an order based on what you are capable to, not what they can do. Even though you said earlier that shogi pieces are just objects because they move according only to you, you still objectify the members of the Shuumatsuban and in real life, because you objectify yourself."

       "That..." she began. "You're doing it again! Trying to read me as if you're reading your tea leaves."

       "I certainly do no read tea leaves," was his response. "There are just a few things I have noticed since you started taking your role more seriously, whether it is office work or field work. And as I said, your attitude is reflected in the shogi pieces you have on the board."

       Caiome snorted even louder, turning to the table with the wooden board.

       "Fine," she said. "Then what about that influence you mentioned earlier?"

       "Oh, that... You were just one move away from winning this game. Just like in all the other six games before."

       Caiome blinked. "Really?"

       Ayato nodded slightly. "What blocked you from seeing that was not only the fact that you underestimated yourself, but at the same time you thought of the pieces as identical and that none of them could do more than you had already tried." Setting the papers down, Ayato rose from his desk with a grace that made Caiome look at him until Ayato reached the table, then sat on the other side. "I guess those are the consequences of someone who has never relied on others."

      "Look who's talking," she rolled her eyes. "You trust very few people too."

      "But that doesn't mean I do not rely on them to some extent, as long as our relationship is well defined, whether it is just a partnership or a relationship based on respect, friendship, or family. Furthermore, the relationship between me and my Shuumatsuban members is as close as it can be, considering that I trust them to carry out all their missions."

      "And why are you telling me this?"

       Ayato could truly smile when he wanted to. And in the past few days, Caiome noticed that there were moments when he wasn't as tense as usual. He was just as annoying with his punishments, of course, and still threatened her with violations or losing her status, but while that personality of his continued to hold, Caiome began to see another side emerging.

       "Because you are supposed to do the same," he said.

       "You're the one who gave me this role, remember? If you thought I could change my perceptions and way of thinking just because I can now give orders to an entire organization, you're mistaken, which means it was your mistake. You can't give such a position to someone who hasn't expressed a desire or ambition for it."

       "Not that it does not suit you," Ayato replied. "I decided to take a break from my desk work. What do you say we play a round of shogi?"

       "No way," said Caiome. "You've probably been playing this game since you learned to sit on your ass. You'd beat me in five moves."

       "I could beat you in three," he said, "but I will not do that, because I want to enjoy my break."

      "Encouraging," Caiome mumbled.

      Nevertheless, they both set up the pieces in their initial position, and Caiome, at Ayato's urging, made the first move, advancing one of her pawns, and Ayato did the same. They played quietly for the first few minutes, and Caiome tried not to give herself away through her expressions, thinking silently while Ayato's words echoed in her head.

      Should she protect the king? Should she play as before? What did it mean that she considered the pieces the same? She played perfectly according to the rules, knowing that each moved differently already and tried to put that into practice, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Ayato had said more than what was visible on the surface.

       "You shouldn't think too much," he said at one point.

       "You've said quite a lot for me not to think too much," she mumbled, moving the rook forward, trying to attack the right flank that Ayato was building.

      "The way you play shogi is not particularly useless or bad," he said, focusing on the left flank this time, which was only made up of a bishop and two pawns, but positioned too well for Caiome to risk losing any important piece.

      "Odd," she said, "that's how you made it seem."

       "That was not my intention," he apologized.

       "Even if you say that, know that it doesn't make it sound any better. It's like breaking a plate, then apologizing to it."

       "A fascinating choice of words," he said, moving one of the generals, promoting it, quickly approaching Caiome's king, who suddenly panicked, gathering her pieces towards the center to disrupt his movements. 

       Nevertheless, Ayato managed to break through her formation, and before Caiome realized it, her king was surrounded by a promoted golden general and a silver one, while her only escape route was blocked by a bishop.

       "See why I didn't want to play with you?" she complained. "Even I know when an enemy cannot be defeated and that it's better to retreat."

       "But you did not," Ayato said.

       "Don't tell me I was one move away from winning again," she rolled her eyes.

      "Not at all," he laughed. "You were still far off. You just need to consider all the possibilities you have and stop thinking that you are playing the game only from your perspective. Try to place each piece at the center of your thought flow, to look from its perspective, not from the king's perspective."

       Caiome bit her thumbnail, hugging herself with her other hand, looking at the game board. What could she have moved instead of the pawn from D2? Or instead of the rook that Ayato captured from E9? If she were to plan the game around the rook, to protect it, she would have moved it to F4 at the first opportunity she had. But that wouldn't have been enough to break through Ayato's formation. And probably would have put her bishop in danger, but maybe she would have managed to take at least one more of Ayato's pieces to use later.

       Whatever... It was too late now anyway.

      "Having said that," Ayato continued, and Caiome looked up at him, "as I mentioned earlier, your perspective is not bad or useless, just different. So I thought it would be good to give you a position of authority in the Shumatsuban because of this difference between us which, rather than fighting with mine, complements it."

       "Seriously?" she raised an eyebrow. "Because every time I had a different opinion from you, you did everything possible to undermine it or forbid it."

      "That is probably because I haven't yet encountered a situation to prove my theory."

       "You're full of bullshit, man," she said. "Anyway, leaving that aside, I think I could help you with something else in return." Caiome reached out her hand towards him. "Can you lend me the columbine for a moment?"

       Ayato hesitated a bit, probably because he had grown fond of the blue flower in the last few moments, even though it had been the target of Caiome's jokes all day, but he listened. He took the flower out of his hair and handed it to Caiome.

       "Take off your gloves," she requested.

       "Why?"

       "I know it's in your nature to know everything, but do you just want to listen to me without asking so many questions for once? I'm not going to kill anyone."

       Ayato hesitated this time too, but he took off his gloves, leaving them next to him on the tatami mat-covered floor. Caiome left the flower in his palms, with the petals facing up.

       "Apply a very, very thin layer of Hydro power," she requested.

       Ayato didn't ask any questions this time and listened to her. He didn't form a sphere around the columbine, but simply applied a layer of water, maintaining the intensity of the element constantly. Before Ayato could ask Caiome what she was going to do, she put her hands under his, and more than that, she touched the backs of his palms.

       Soon, Ayato felt not only the wind element slipping between his fingers, but rising around his power and touching his own element, as if it wanted to invade it. He began to feel cold currents penetrating his palms and under his cuffs, and soon he felt as if his veins were being pricked and his blood began to freeze. But he didn't pull back, because the image of the columbine in his hands began to change.

       Slowly, the Hydro layer applied by him transformed into a layer of ice so thin that you could clearly see the petals of the columbine, but they no longer had the same texture to the touch and were not as flexible now as they were frozen.

       Caiome took her hands from under Ayato's hands, studying her creation, touching its petals.

       "This should do," she whispered.

       "What did you do exactly?"

       Caiome leaned on the table on her arms. "Well, I just thought... If what keeps the flowers so fresh is the elemental power of Cryo visions, it means that any elemental power can be applied as long as it doesn't harm the flowers. Elemental power of any kind, when combined with another type, can cause reactions. If my power and yours merge in a controlled manner, and if I adjust the temperature of the wind, I can make the water freeze," she pointed to the flower. "In short, I created the Cryo coating that your employees use by combining our powers. Of course, it may not have the same effectiveness, and if you want to break the coating, I guess you'll need the same combination of elemental types, a Hydro and an Anemo, but at least it won't let the columbine become just a bunch of dry fringes. You can put it on a shelf or something."

       Caiome smiled, actually very proud of her creation, and this only made Ayato smile back, albeit smaller, unnoticed.

       "I understand. It seems that at least in creating coatings, we are compatible."

       "Oh," Caiome said. "Well... I suppose..." she mumbled to herself. "Well, then," she quickly said, taking her red lily out of her hair, "my turn."

       She placed the flower in Ayato's palms and practiced the exact same method, and soon, standing on one side of the shogi table, there were two frozen flowers, red and blue, keeping their petals facing up, shining in the light streaming through the open window.

       "Alright, then I will get back to my work," Ayato said, about to rise. "I have already lost too much time."

       "Mhmm, okay," she mumbled.

       Looking at both flowers, Caiome realized: for a Cryo Vision, it was easy to practice this method; but when it came to Anemo and Hydro, they needed two compatible forces that complemented each other's gaps. And if that was a general rule...

       "Another game!" she said loud enough to scare the nearby birds.

        Ayato stopped halfway from getting up, looking at the way Caiome grabbed the wide sleeve of his robe so he wouldn't leave. She stood with a finger pointing at him and her eyes shining, as if she had just discovered a revolutionary theory, seeming too confident.

        "A small one, please? Pretty please? I think I got it now."

        Ayato really needed to get back to his files...

        Instead, he sighed and sat back on the floor, and Caiome quickly set up the pieces on the board.

        It was indisputable that Caiome lost even faster this round than the previous one, but when Ayato got up again to actually return to his work this time, Caiome clasped her hands together.

         "One more. I know I'm close, very close..."

        Ayato wanted to ask her close to what, but it was impossible to distract Caiome when she was fixated on something.

       Caiome lost the third game, and this time she didn't even ask Ayato to play with her anymore; she just set up the pieces on the board and moved the first pawn without losing her excitement from her eyes.

       However, she lost again, and after the fourth round, Ayato didn't even try to leave the small table.

       They played and played and played until Ayato completely forgot about his gloves still lying on the floor, until the summer sky darkened, until dinner cooled next to them without even being able to attract them with the wonderful smell of noodles and chicken meat, until the candles almost went out on their own, and until the wooden pieces seemed to start taking on the shape of the players' fingers.

       All the while, Caiome became a true image of amusement, or maybe Ayato was the only one who thought so, teasing her frustrations, watching her cheeks turn pink, her hair beginning to unravel from its hairpin until it fell completely, and until she hunched over from spending hours staring at the wooden board.

       Yet, Caiome didn't give up.

       It was well past midnight, and Caiome was already on the third attempt to fall asleep, and she had only a little left until her head fell over the shogi pieces, and it wasn't like Ayato was encouraging her. Although Caiome lost every time and seemed to have lost her ambition, it was already quite late, so he didn't even try to wake Caiome up until she finished the current round - because if this round ended, Caiome would insist on starting another one.

        So Ayato let her fall asleep completely, resting her face in her hand. He slowly gathered the pieces and placed them in their box, then set aside the board, leaving only the two flowers with frozen petals resting on the table. Even though he had been numb from sitting on the floor for hours straight, without even a cushion - Caiome had teased him enough about that all evening - he didn't feel the need to even stand up to put the game back where it was taken from. He rested one forearm on the table and leaned his temple on the other hand.

       It was impressive how someone with as much energy as Caiome could fall asleep so quickly, with her legs crossed under her, without putting her head on a pillow, as was proper. And Ayato couldn't lie; he felt exhausted too. Although he didn't usually play so many rounds of shogi in a row in a single day, he sensed that wasn't the cause. Just as Caiome probably used her brain to break down strategies for hours on end, a fact she herself had acknowledged, he didn't usually do that, and it had been a challenge for Ayato too.

       It had been a challenge not to talk about something related to his responsibilities as commissioner or head of the clan, a challenge not to give orders to the Shuumatsuban members, a challenge to engage in these small conversations that everyone, including Ayaka, encouraged him to participate in. Because there was a difference between engaging in conversation with a political purpose in mind and engaging in conversation just for the sake of talking to the other person.

       Not that Caiome gave him much of a choice, because she couldn't help but blabber every minute, and Ayato, being the polite person he was, had to respond. Though, even he realized, this habit got lost somewhere along the way, and the responses suddenly came more from reflex.

       Looking at her, how she seemed so far away from this world, breathing slowly, Ayato wondered what would happen if he were to give her a flip on the forehead, like he had seen the kids in the city do when they lost a game when he was little.

       But that would mean waking her up, and maybe this time he'd end up with a cut hand, considering the sword was right at her hip, and Ayato had learned his lesson since Caiome split his lip with her forehead, leaving behind a barely visible, but permanent, pale scar.

       Now the question was, should he let her sleep here, or wake her up and take her to her room? No, waking her up would mean yet another shogi game, and Ayato really had a lot of work. Probably the best option would be to lay her down on the floor and give her a blanket and a pillow, even if he risked getting another hit, this time on the other side of his mouth.

       In the end, Ayato got up and knelt beside her, gently pushing her back on her shoulder, supporting her to lay her down on the floor as gentle as possible. But Ayato realized too quickly that Caiome wasn't likely to wake up anytime soon if she hadn't woken up by now.

       Ayato sighed, grabbed her more firmly around the back, and slipped his arm under her knees, standing up. It was surprising how, despite the way Caiome trained, she was lighter than she let on. Caiome shifted and grumbled, letting her chin fall on her chest, leaning on his shoulder. She really had to be very tired if she didn't even give any sign of waking up.

       "I thought you despised me and were more attentive to what concerned me," he whispered, trying to look at her half-covered face through her silver locks. "And yet, you let yourself fall asleep in my presence. If I wanted to, I could get rid of you and keep the shell, but it wouldn't be in my interest to do so, so you should feel lucky."

       But Caiome didn't move from his arms, breathing through her slightly parted lips.

       This girl was hopeless.

       In the end, he took her to her bedroom and laid her down in bed, taking off her boots. Only then did Caiome squirm, stretching across the entire mattress, which was to be expected, and then Ayato withdrew to his office.

       He really needed to finish his files that night.

Chapter Text

A/N: Chapter kind of boring, you can skim through it

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Chapter 46 ~ The  Kumame  and the Crown

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     When Caiome woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, and it was warm, which meant she was late.

       "Well, darn it," she mumbled to herself, putting on her boots.

       Ayato wasn't in his room or in the office, and it was well past breakfast time, so he had definitely gone to the fields without her. Knowing full well they needed to check the fields with medicinal plants that morning, Caiome left the house and began to look for Ayato over the fields of anise, burdock, marigolds, and cascara.

       When she reached a field of small white flowers that looked remarkably like chamomile, among which the employees were standing or stooping to pick them, Caiome noticed Ayato in the distance, among the sea buckthorn trees, walking leisurely with Narutoshi.

       She was about to start heading in that direction, but a loud sound stopped her steps, making her turn back behind her, where a old woman had just dropped a basket, and all the little flowers scattered on the ground. Caiome frowned as the old woman bent down and began to gather them with her hands, but the flowers were already dirty with soil and too small to be cleaned by hand.

       Caiome waited a few seconds, but no one came to help the old woman. Most of them were buried in bunches of flowers, and the rest whispered and laughed lightly, so as not to attract attention. Caiome grumbled.

       Why did she have to do everything herself?

       She approached the old woman who was kneeling, and the lady looked up at her when Caiome blocked the sun.

       "That won't do," Caiome said.

       "Excuse me?" the old woman asked, still holding the flowers in her hands.

       "It's summer chamomile, isn't it?" Caiome pointed to the flowers that spread at her feet. "They won't be accepted if they're dirty with soil, as it could diminish the effectiveness of their properties."

       "Oh, that," the old woman laughed, putting the flowers back in the basket, trying to get up, but her knees didn't help much, or at least not quickly enough. "This happens to me every now and then, but it's alright. I usually take them home as part of my salary, so I pay for them, of course." She made a short bow to Caiome, who looked down at her, considering she wasn't only short but hunched over.

       This old woman looked like she had witnessed entire wars.

       "I beg your pardon for the impoliteness," said the old woman, "but it seems I can't bow down like I used to."

       "No need," Caiome waved her hand. "I'm not Ayato. Still, I appreciate the intention, so how about I give you a hand? As long as you take the dust off of them, summer chamomile can be accepted, right?"

       "That's true, miss, but..."

       Caiome stretched out both hands, and her Vision shimmered, letting the wind lift the chamomile flowers into the air and shake off the dust, while she controlled the intensity of it to avoid tearing off the small white petals altogether. Soon, the flowers turned into a whirl of yellow and white and settled in the wicker basket.

       "Done," she said.

       The old woman laughed. "And here I thought I was going to use them to make beetroot tea."

       "Beetroot tea?" Caiome said, confused. "With chamomile?"

       "If you put summer chamomile in beetroot tea, it alleviates joint pain," the woman said. "It's a local recipe, but quite effective. Of course, on the main islands, there are pills for such things, but we prefer to prepare our own tinctures."

       "I didn't know you could use summer chamomile for that."

       The old woman lifted the basket again, holding it in her arms.

       "I'm sure you youngsters don't know many of these old folk remedies," she laughed, heading towards one of the small tents where women sorted the chamomile flowers. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing, considering the whole world is evolving, and especially you need to keep up with it. We, the elderly, have lived enough and have done well, we don't need modern inventions. As you can see, those on Tamagise still do everything by hand, without machines and inventions. That's the only way to get the best out of a flower. A machine can't love or respect it."

       Surely, this woman had a lot of words to say.

       "And yet, aren't you a bit too old to work in the fields?" Caiome asked bluntly, and the woman laughed. "Or are you forced to because you need money or something similar?"

       "Everyone seems to have the same impression," she replied. "I've worked for the Kamisato family my whole life, and I don't intend to stop just because I have wrinkles around my eyes. I can still bend down and sort medicinal flowers."

       Just then, the basket tilted, and the flowers were about to fall again. Caiome grabbed the edge of the basket, and the woman breathed a sigh of relief.

       "I think I'd better take this," Caiome said, picking up the basket. "Where to?"

       The old woman pointed in a direction, towards some white canvas open tents. As they approached, Caiome placed the basket on the table, and another woman thanked her and emptied the chamomile onto the table, starting to sort it.

       At another table, other women sat around immense flowers, of a pleasant lilac color, with broad and velvety petals, quite thick, with huge stamens. Each took a flower and began to blow and wipe the petals with a brush with soft and flexible bristles.

       "What's this?" Caiome asked, appearing in the midst of the women out of nowhere.

       Some of them jumped in surprise, then stood up and bowed shortly. Apparently, they had seen her with Ayato, and anyway, her demeanor and clothing didn't exactly scream local.

       "Kumame," one of the women said, picking up one of the flowers and presenting it to her.

       "Is it a medicinal plant?" Caiome asked. "I haven't heard of it before."

       "It grows on water, like water lilies, but these feed on saltwater instead of freshwater."

       "Ohh," Caiome said, starting to study the flower from all sides, touching its petals, which, as thick and tough as they seemed, were surprisingly easy to break. "What's it good for?"

       "It can be used for deep wounds, if made into a paste mixed with violet grass, or a syrup is made by mixing it with honey, it reduces high fever," one of the middle-aged women replied. "Chopped and mixed with sea buckthorn juice, it can help with respiratory problems and pre-heart attacks."

       "Hmm," Caiome said.

       She had never seen such a flower in her life, not even in her sister's crazy books.

       "They grow on the island waters of Inazuma," another woman said, as if reading the confusion on Caiome's face. "Especially north of here. They can also be cultivated in ponds, as long as they feed on saltwater. They have a bitter and salty taste at the same time, and if you tear the leaf in half, it has a sticky texture inside, for superficial wounds."

       "Then what are you doing with those brushes?" she asked.

       "We're cleaning them of pollen. Kumame, as flexible as it is as a plant, its pollen is toxic in preparations, so they need to be cleaned beforehand. We remove the stamens, and what's left we blow or wipe with a brush, considering that the pollen stains."

      "And does blowing on them work?"

      "We don't have that much power in blowing, so we prefer to clean them manually."

       "Doesn't it take too long?" murmured Caiohme. "I don't see many of you here."

       "Uh..." one of the women said. "It's true, especially since they've just bloomed, and we need to hurry to harvest them, but there are many other campaigns that need staff, and there aren't that many kumame flowers in number."

       "Hmm," Caiome said. "Let me try something."

      Caiome placed the flower down and chose another one with broken stamens that needed to be cleaned of pollen. Just as she had done earlier with the summer chamomile flowers, she let her hand hover over it, letting the strands of wind pass through its tough petals, and in a few seconds, all that was left of the flower was just a shiny layer of clean petals.

       "How's that?" she asked the women who quickly leaned in to see the result.

       One of them took the flower in her hand, starting to study it with a magnifying glass—a MAGNIFYING GLASS.

       "Incredible," she said. "There's not a speck of pollen left on it."

       "I see you have enough Cryo Vision bearers," Caiome said, although she had only seen two or three. "Are there really no Anemo users around here to help you with these?"

       "If there are, then we don't know," a woman shook her head.

       "Well, your lucky day that I'm here and bored enough. But you'll have to reward me somehow, of course. I want three of these flowers, considering they're fresh."

       "Much as we'd like, we can't give them to you without informing sir Narutoshi first."

       "That won't be a problem," Caiome waved her hand dismissively. "Here's what we'll do..."

       The plan was simple: the table would be loaded with kumame without stamens, and Caiome would envelop them in elemental power until all the pollen was gone. Then they would go to bring more flowers since they had to be freshly picked before being stored in a shady place to avoid affecting the petals.

       Caiome sat down with the others, and the women began to teach her how to remove the stamens, which at first proved to be a challenge since it required technique. And because Caiome didn't have it, she ended up swallowing the pollen herself, and the women quickly brought her water and honey to neutralize the toxic effects.

       Caiome felt as if she had just swallowed two tablespoons of cinnamon dust.

       They placed the stamen-free flowers on the table; Caiome cleaned them of the remaining pollen, then began to hear some giggles from behind.

       "Oh, look, ithose are the rats from yesterday," she grinned, looking under the table, and Mahito, Mika, and Aoi quickly came out, lining up in front of her, saluting just like soldiers.

       "Mika," one of the women said, grabbing his shoulders and nervously laughing at Caiome . "I'm sorry, miss, this child of mine is a bit mischievous..."

       "I'm not mischievous," Mika complained. "We're spying just like Miss Caiome taught us."

       "We're just playing, playing," she quickly said to his mother. "So, who were you trying to spy on today? Still Lord Kamisato?"

       The kids quickly nodded.

       "We decided he'll be our main target while he's here, considering you'll leave soon," Mahito proudly said.

       "And what did you find out about him?"

       "Not much," Aoi said disappointedly. "He caught us as soon as we started the mission. But he said he enjoyed participating in the game."

       "Really?"

       "Although he probably didn't want to play with us," Mika thoughtfully said.

       "Of course not," his mother scolded him. "Lord Kamisato has important business to attend to, don't bother him."

       "But he said to let him know if we want to play," Mika pouted. "It's just that this time he seemed a bit tired."

       "Oh," Caiome said. "I think that's my fault. We both got carried away last night."

       Caiome frowned when she saw the women blushing slightly, starting to laugh discreetly.

       "What?" she asked, hands on her hips.

       "We don't understand either," Aoi said.

       "There are four of us," Caiome said. "What's so funny about playing shogi? If you ask me, it's pure torture."

        The women immediately dismissed their thoughts, apologizing.

       "Anyway," Caiome turned to the kids, "we're about to gather some kumame. Do you want to help us? It's an extra mission."

       "And can we watch you go whoosh! and boom! and pew, pew?" Mika asked.

       "If that means what I did earlier, then yes," Caiome nodded.

       The three of them immediately grabbed smaller baskets, according to their size, and ran through the layers of marigolds, with Caiome and the other women behind them, asking them various things about natural remedies. Since she no longer had her Vision's shell, she had to start relying on the knowledge gathered from different people.

       At the edge of the island, hidden somewhere behind tall rocks, standing in the shade, were the kumame flowers. The women took off their shoes and rolled up their pants' legs to their knees, entering the water. Kumame really resembled water lilies, with wide leaves, and their stems were buried under the sand in the water.

       While the children stayed closer to the shore, splashing occasionally with water and running on the beach, the women tore the kumame flowers with their bare hands and put them in wicker baskets. One of them urged Caiome to try, but surely there was a technique here too, considering that when she pulled on the flower, Caiome slipped and fell back into the water.

       So she gave up trying to gather them, dried her clothes on the bank, to the laughter of all the other women. They returned to the small open tents, took out the canvases, and placed them on the table, while Caiome cleaned them once again. They repeated this cycle several times, while the children watched fascinated every time Caiome used her Vision power.

       At one point, Caiome jokingly asked them if they wanted her to make them fly, and they responded so eagerly that Caiome didn't know how to back down from three pairs of puppy eyes that took the joke seriously. She lifted them a little from the ground, but only a few centimeters. She didn't want them to fall, considering that children can easily switch from calm to panic and end up with a broken arm.

       So Caiome thanked the gods when the women decided to go and help other small camps that were gathering medicinal flowers. At first, she just pretended to be interested in what she heard, trying to get rid of the kids, but then the discussions became interesting. Soon, they started gossiping about the new couple from the village across the river, about some sailors who were very handsome and caught the girls' attention, and about medicinal recipes that could be made at home for various mild symptoms.

       They were in the midst of discussions when lunchtime rang, so Caiome ate with the rest, trying to remember everything they said... even though it was quite difficult, and even the others could see how confusing it all was for her.

       They gathered sea buckthorn and made juice that helped with headaches, which was then put in barrels in the dark and was to be sent tomorrow morning on the ship to Narukami Island, they cleaned chamomile, prepared lavender sachets, then Caiome's interest shifted to the garland tables. Since the flowers for the garlands were carefully selected, those with imperfections were set aside, but that was even better for Caiome. 

       The others didn't object when Caiome took them, trying to make garlands by herself, but she always ended up with flowers scattered everywhere or with crooked crowns. 

       Soon, evening began to set in, and the employees started to leave, bidding farewell to Miss Caiome who still tried to weave a crown of light blue and pleasant pink flowers, like cherry blossoms, and hummed the tune that Chizuru had taught her some time ago.

       Only when Caiome got up from the table did she realize how tired she was, so she took the crown and returned to the Green House, looking for Ayato who was, of course, in his office. He probably had just finished his dinner, considering there was a subtle smell of oven-cooked smoked fish in the room, but no food was anywhere to be seen. Caiome first entered the office, then knocked.

       "If I ever hear you're anywhere else but in your office, I'd have a heart attack," Caiome joked, throwing herself on her knees in front of the table, resting an elbow on his papers. Ayato no longer wore his hair tied back; it was nicely combed back, with half of his bangs tucked behind his ear.

       "If I ever hear that, at least once in your life, you are calm and not causing trouble, I would have a heart attack along with you," he said, passing the brush through the ink.

       "But I didn't do anything this time," she mumbled. "Right?" she asked uncertainly, and Ayato just smiled faintly, letting it pass.

       "From what I saw, it seems you have been busy. I thought you said you do not work."

       "I didn't work," Caiome said, raising her chin. "You can call it 'research.' There are many things about medicinal plants that I didn't know, things that could prove useful in the future, you never know," she shrugged.

       "Really?" Ayato said. "Because to me, more than working, it seemed like you were having fun."

       "Hmm," mumbled Caiome, looking around the room. "I guess there were some pleasant moments, but I think the biggest success was when I received the kumame flowers. I've never seen such plant in my life."

       Caiome began to study the files in front of Ayato again. Well, it's not like she didn't know these were files brought from home to be worked on here, killing two birds with one stone, but Ayato didn't seem the same as usual when he worked. As Mahito, Mika, and Aoi had said, Ayato seemed a bit more tired than usual.

       "Did you... have fun today?" she asked him.

       "I do not think you could exactly call it fun, Caiome."

       "Well, I hung out with the women, you mostly hung out with the men, I thought you'd have plenty to discuss. You know, girls' time and boys' time."

       "I apologize, but I don't think I know what that would entail," he said, and Caiome frowned.

       "How does Arataki Itto know you, but he has no idea who you are? I even heard this rumor that you're among the best card players in Inazuma."

       "That is actually a very short story. I had some free time after a meeting, I overheard some civilians talking about this card game, I gave it a try, and in less than two hours, everyone was calling me a champion. It's not as hard a game as it seems. In fact, it's one of the simplest I have ever played. As for Itto, it all started with a simple piece of advice that seemed to please him so much that I sparked his interest in me."

      That was true, certainly, considering Itto's character and the way he approached Caiome, everything starting, as in Ayato's case, from a simple idea.

       "Why do you ask?" he said.

       "No reason. I have something to show you. Ta-da!" she said, showing him the crown she had been trying to weave earlier.

       Ayato immediately noticed how it was not at all circular, rather oval, and on one side the flowers were coming out of the weave, and in some places, though not usually used by decorators, a thin thread was tied to keep everything in place.

       "What is this?" Ayato said, poking the crown with the end of the brush.

       "What do you mean?" Caiome said, feeling a bit offended. "It's a flower crown."

       "The children made it?"

       "You know perfectly well who made it. You're not so polite now that we're alone, are you?"

       "Did you make it for me?"

       Caiome huffed, putting the crown on her head, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "You flatter yourself too much, milord. I made it for myself, of course. The only thing I hope to give you is a severe headache."

       "You do not have to try too hard for that, that's for sure."

       "Well, what are these?" she asked, leaning over the papers Ayato was reading.

       "A tax reform proposed by someone from the Kanjou Commission this week at a meeting. It needs approval from all the major clans to be applied, but nothing here even makes me consider accepting it, which is sure to ruffle some feathers."

       "What's wrong with it? Are they planning to increase them?"

       "For no purpose, also, or without any reason," Ayato said. "Although the Ubisaki family came up with a quite convincing reason for others, that half of the additional tax percentage is to be sent to the Tenryou Commission's army, while the other half will be used to strengthen the borders, considering the sudden disappearance of moruga and because rumors have spread about Hinata Kashiro and ramad aleizam."

       "Which means they would actually have more money for themselves," murmured Caiome. "Doesn't seem to please you at all."

        Because, more than tired, Ayato seemed lost in thought, and his gaze was dark.

       "Not at all," he repeated. "Which means that after we return, you will have to accompany me to a meeting with the Tri-Commission."

        "A meeting with the big shots?" grinned Caiome.

       "You are already in the presence of one, aren't you?"

       "Oh, it'll be fun. Is there anything around here I could help with?" she gestured towards the entire table full of files, but she didn't wait for his answer, as she already picked up a file and opened it, but closed it just as quickly, because she didn't understand anything at all. "This is nothing about the profits of the small clans," she said.

       Ayato chuckled. "No, it is not. I have the other political affairs to attend to. Although I am surprised, I thought you would ask me to play shogi today too. Or have you not found a strategy that would bring you even a bit closer to victory against me?"

       Caiome rolled her eyes, picking up another file that she struggled to understand, even though it was filled with the same nonsensical things as the other one, something about finances.

       "Don't puff up your feathers. I could beat you so easily at cards."

       "Of course."

       "Don't push me."

       "But I didn't say anything like that," he excused himself, feigning innocence, then returned to flipping through the papers.

Chapter Text

Chapter 47 ~ The Traitor and the Little Lord

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       In the morning, Caiome received a small note sent by pigeon from Koshi, as he hadn't discovered anything about Lord Kamisato's secret activities in the past week. This made Caiome consider two possibilities: either nothing had happened, or something too serious had occurred, so serious that Ayato hadn't told anyone. She quickly wrote another note for Koshi to investigate anything related to that tax reform Ayato mentioned the night before, emphasizing that it could be of greater importance, then sent the pigeon flying.

       After sending the note, Caiome changed into her day clothes and headed back to the small camps where they were cleaning kumame flowers, where she spent her entire morning, and after lunch, she spent her afternoon with other women, gathering more and more recipes from medicinal plants.

       Later in the evening, when the employees' work schedule ended, Caiome was about to retire to the Green House when she was ambushed by Mahito, Mika, and Aoi, who grabbed her legs, pulling her to accompany them to their village across the bridge. 

       "It's the midsummer new moon!" exclaimed Mika.

       "During Natsu no Shingetsu, the people in the village make really good food, and we play games," said Aoi.

        "And we can play spies," added Mahito.

       However, Caiome really wanted to go and recover some lost sleep because she had been in Ayato's office until he decided it was better to go to bed... after midnight, as always.

       "What if I join and invite you as well?" Ayato appeared out of nowhere.

       "Lord Kamisato!" all the children exclaimed, begging him to convince Caiome to come to the village.

       "Aren't you tired?" murmured Caiome. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were in the office."

       "I went for an evening walk, then I heard the proposal of these three mice," he smiled in an innocent manner, but Caiome knew all too well that smile meant pure mischief and scheming. "I thought it might be good for me to visit them myself, and if you are alone in that whole house, I think you will get bored and start causing trouble."

       "How long will you keep this up?" she muttered. "I've been a model civilian these three days."

       "I thought you were curious to see what is on the islands," Ayato teased her, "and now you do not even want to explore a bit?"

       "Yes, please," the children chimed in chorus.

       But Caiome was stronger than that. Caiome could say no to children with puppy eyes, especially if the refusal was in her favor. And yet, they would only go for a short while, then return, and she would go straight to bed, considering they had to wake up even earlier tomorrow to catch the tide back to Narukami Island. And it was their last night here, then who knows when she would see all these people again.

       "Fine," she sighed finally. "But only for a little while."

       The children grabbed her hands, pulling her along, while Ayato walked behind them, satisfied. Caiome gave him a sour look, and Ayato just waved.

       They crossed the wooden bridge—which was quite long, considering it connected two small islands—and were immediately greeted by the wooden houses of the village. They were raised from the ground—in case of a flood, as Ayato told her—made up of several rooms. Each one was decorated with wildflowers and colorful ribbons, and the streets were lit by lanterns made of paper, hung at the gates of the yards.

       The smell of food wafted from everywhere, a salty and sweet smell at the same time, and if you passed through the houses and reached the center of the village, which was an open circular area, you could see groups of children—and adults alike—playing various games.

       Mahito pulled Caiome aside to try the foods, and Mika pulled her the other way to try the games, all while Aoi told her to come and put flower crowns on their heads to celebrate. Ambushed from all sides, Caiome just stood there in front of everyone, so besides the three children, the women she had met these days also started approaching her, bringing her food and flowers.

       Caiome liked the festive atmosphere, but when she was alone and eventually had fun with strangers, not when everyone knew her face and ambushed her.

       Soon, Caiome was adorned with flowers on her head and around her wrists, wearing lavender bracelets and strongly scented daffodils, while around her neck she had necklaces braided from red and white threads, while older women wore darker colors.

       "Only unmarried girls wear white and red," one of them told her, "to bring luck in the lovelife."

       Caiome felt a bit embarrassed, although she really didn't care about all these useless wishes, but she complied with the villagers.

       Encouraged by everyone's invitations and the three children, Caiome visited each table and tasted a little bit of everything, from grilled meat and smoked fish to desserts: dorayaki, dango, mochi, pancakes, daifuku, daigaki...

       All sounded very familiar, but Caiome didn't even have time to think, because once she finished eating something, another plate was placed in front of her.

       She competed with Mahito in a game of menko and with several others in keidoro, which was basically a kind of cops and robbers, then played hanetsuki with some women.

       Once it got dark, a huge campfire was lit in the center, and Caiome finally found some peace somewhere on the edge. She was exhausted and full of food, but that didn't mean there wasn't room for some fresh and warm chocolate cookies.

       "My legs hurt," she complained, sitting on a boulder near the courtyard of a house, the farthest from the campfire around which everyone gathered, starting to sing. She took a bite of a cookie, but could hardly chew.

       Ayato chuckled beside her, leaning against the house fence, half-hidden in the darkness.

       "And I thought you would have fun among so many people."

       "Socializing is torture," she muttered.

       Although lately, that had been all she was looking for, a way to ward off boredom.

        "Why hasn't anyone attacked you from any direction?" she frowned, her mouth full of cookies. "You'd think that, considering you're their supreme lord or whatever, they'd try to make a better impression on you, to flatter you and offer you the moon and stars... Not to torture me," she leaned to the side, resting against the same fence.

       Because wherever she had been that evening, Caiome could barely see him a few times as he stood near her, but at a distance from the group of energetic villagers exercising their smiles and laughs towards her. Of course, they had also put a flower crown on him and a red and white thread necklace around his neck because he was also unmarried, but he wasn't as burdened as Caiome.

       "That is probably because this local celebration is not something new to me," he replied. "When I was a child, my mother used to come here every season to check on the flower crops, and every midsummer she would bring me here too. What you have been through now, I went through for the first time when I was about nine or ten."

       "So you decided to inflict such punishment on me just because you endured it when you were little?"

       "Again, I thought you were having fun," he said.

       "You're an expert at keeping a straight face, you should realize when someone else is wearing a mask too."

       "Caiome, you are not the type to even try to wear masks," he chuckled. "Plus, it is possible that the villagers just wanted to be polite and include you in the celebration, considering you have been constantly with them these two days, and tomorrow we will be going home. And as a sort of appreciation for the help given."

       "In this way they show their appreciation? Cut off my legs, it will surely hurt less."

       Caiome took another cookie from her small paper bag, starting rather to nibble it than to eat it. Now that she was thinking, hearing all the children laughing in the distance and seeing their little silhouettes running around the campfire, she wondered if Ayato, besieged from all sides, also had fun just as well when he was a child.

       It was almost impossible for her to think that the man standing to her left had been a child at some point, not having as many worries as he did now, and who was able to run and laugh with the others. Without political enemies, without hidden plans, without eyes constantly on him.

       Caiome threw a glance at Ayato who was looking up at the sky, with no expression on his face. If he wanted to see the stars, given that the campfire's light distorted his view, he wouldn't have had much success from here. But he kept looking for them.

       Caiome turned back to the cookie she was holding in her hand.

       "I think this is the first time you have told me something about your parents," she mumbled with her mouth full.

       Ayato glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then turned back to look at the dark sky. "Well, you also told me something about your sister. I just thought I would return the favor."

       "They seemed like good people... your parents, I mean."

       "I did not expect you to be the type of person who speaks heart to heart," Ayato chuckled.

       "I'm not," she replied quickly. "And I don't like these discussions. I just expressed my opinion, there's nothing wrong with that."

       "Oh, then please, do go on," Ayato urged her.

       "I have nothing more to add," she quickly raised her chin, adopting a proud attitude.

       "You always have something to add, so let's hear it."

       Caiome clicked her tongue, giving him a dirty look. She mumbled to herself, eating the rest of the cookie. "When I saw their portraits in the funeral room or when I've read about them in your history books... they felt like distant personalities, like they were from another world."

       "It was a long time ago, so yes, sometimes it feels like that," he whispered.

       Caiome knew that Kamisato Kazashi had passed away somewhere at the end of summer, so soon they would probably have a commemoration for him at the estate, and Kamisato Yuna died a few months after him, almost at the end of winter.

       Ayato suddenly woke up with an open paper bag in front of him, and the smell of cookies was coming from it.

       "Oh, come on, your lordship," Caiome said, shaking the bag. "There are no fruit tarts here, so if you want something sweet, this is all you can get. And there's no one here to watch you while you eat, so you can get a little messy with chocolate if you want to."

       Ayato hesitated, but finally took off one of his gloves and reached for the bag. He took a cookie and bit into it carefully, feeling not only how the crumbs fell between his lips, but also how the dough and chocolate melted in his mouth.

       "They're not so bad, are they?" Caiome laughed, taking another cookie. It was probably the sixth one she had eaten in less than a few minutes.

       "They are very... sweet," he said after swallowing.

       "That's how a chocolate cookie should be, right?"

       "They are sweeter than honey biscuits... if that's even possible."

       "It's chocolate, nothing is sweeter than chocolate, not even honey."

       "Well, actually--"

       "Leave it be," Caiome quickly interrupted him, raising a hand towards him, "otherwise I won't give you any more cookies and you can move your noble ass to get some for yourself."

       "I think one was enough for me, thank you," he replied instead, and Caiome shrugged.

       "Your loss, more for me."

🌸

       A woman sighed deeply, looking into the darkness, trying to make out the image of the two. Trying to hear the conversation between Miss Caiome and Lord Kamisato was a waste of time, considering how much noise there was around her and her group of friends.

       "Don't sigh so much," said another woman next to her, who seemed on the verge of sighing herself.

       "Miss Caiome seems like such a good person," the woman said.

       If only they knew...

       "It's really a shame."

       "What's a shame?" her friend asked, searching for the two in the darkness as well.

        "That Miss Caiome is not from a noble family. I asked her which family she comes from, but she looked at me as if she didn't understand what I meant, then she said her name is only Caiome, nothing more and nothing less."

       "Well, being a bodyguard for Lord Kamisato doesn't necessarily require you to be from a noble family."

       "You know that's not what I mean," the woman protested. "You even made those necklaces for her. And for lord Kamisato too."

       "Anyone here who is unmarried wears those necklaces."

       "Yes, but..."

       "Don't daydream," she scolded. "You know it's not our business to stick our noses where they don't belong, especially in Lord Kamisato's business."

       "It's still a shame..."

🌸

       The sky was starting to lighten up, and Ayato and Caiome were already crossing the small bridge to board the boat that would take them to the ship, when some voices stopped them. Turning around, Caiome saw the women standing all close in front of her with a rectangular package in hand.

       "A little gift from us," one of them said, handing her the package.

       Caiome hesitated, then took it in her hand. It was light and flexible, yet hard at the same time.

       "What is it?" Caiome asked.

       "You were so interested in the local remedies, that without realizing it, we told you everything about them, but there's too much information for you to remember, so we wrote them down on some papers and tried to bind them into a notebook, but we're not scholars, so we probably didn't do a very good job, you'll have to forgive us."

       Caiome blinked at them. "Oh, uh... thank you, I think," she mumbled slowly, and the group of women smiled at her.

       "Caiome," she heard her name, turning to an Ayato who was already waiting for her in the longboat. "Let's go," he said.

       Caiome nodded and descended into the boat, and the employees who escorted them to the dock said goodbye to the two once again.

       "Isn't it a shame?" whispers began to be heard among the women.

       "Indeed, such a shame."

       Climbing onto the ship, Caiome took her place on its bow, climbing the gunwale. She carefully hid the package with recipes in her backpack, so it wouldn't get wet in any way, then took her seat, swinging her legs, looking towards the blue morning sky. It was still cool outside, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the short journey on the sea.

       Shortly after, Ayato joined her, but neither of them said a word for minutes on end, just looking at Narukami Island, which was getting closer and closer, and at the flickering of the water.

       "Twenty-one years ago," he began slowly looking out to sea, "this conflict between clans took place, and more precisely between the commissioners of that time, Hiiragi Shinsuke, Kujou Takayuki, and of course Kamisato Kazashi. My father was already ill, and the other clans were pressuring him to resign from his position as commissioner, so he had to wage a war on two fronts. Lord Hiiragi and Lord Kujou wanted to attack some troops on Watatsumi Island, but that would have meant, of course, starting a war. My father opposed it, even though he knew these orders came from the Shogun. While showing a conciliatory attitude towards the orders and towards the other clans, or at least trying to escape from the equation, my mother always knew that my father was against it. He was sick, I was a child, my mother had just found out she was pregnant with Ayaka, lives were easily lost in a war, and nothing good would have come out if we had been at war with Watatsumi Island, just as we weren't when the borders were closed."

       Caiome looked at him for a few seconds out of the corner of her eye. Ayato looked ahead, just like her, but there was not even a polite smile on his lips, just a contemplative look.

       "So for a short period of time, he allied himself with the soldiers of Sangonomiya. But in order not to arouse any suspicion from the Shogunate, he pretended to follow the orders received as well. In the end, he became just a third party in the conflict, one that no one knew about and that had its own agenda. So what he was doing was to eliminate any threat that would lead to starting a war. He intercepted messages from both sides and changed them as he saw fit, and if there was an individual who threatened the entire plan, he got rid of him in the most subtle way. This event was never recorded in the archives, and I was too young to understand what was happening then. My father didn't tell me anything, and my mother barely knew what was going on herself, and when this secret was supposed to be offered to me, my father died. I only know that after everything was over, my father got rid of any evidence, except one."

       "The parchment I stole," Caiome said.

       Ayato nodded silently.

       "The message on that parchment was the last of those my father sent to Watatsumi Island. Misleading information, manipulating as he wished, of course, but no less dangerous if anyone from the other two Commissions had gotten their hands on them. I searched for it for years until I found it in the possession of Watanabe Goichi, so I had to get rid of it for good, and now we are sure that there is no such message anymore, that parchment was the only exception."

       "But... that would mean treason from your father. Aren't you afraid that Watanabe Goichi might tell everyone about Father and the parchment? If it is discovered, your entire clan, and perhaps the entire Commission, would be accused of insubordination."

       "No one would believe him," Ayato replied. "He has no evidence now, and to accuse someone of treason without evidence is, in turn, a form of betrayal, a futile attempt to overturn political power."

       "It was still risky, though," Caiome said. "If Father had been caught, you could all have lost your lives."

       Ayato smiled slightly crookedly. 

       "He loved us and did everything to protect us. But at the same time, he could not turn his back on innocent people, not only those on Narukami Island, but also those on Watatsumi Island. He probably felt he had a kind of duty to everyone, he couldn't see them die in a war. He never wanted to live these times, and he didn't want us to live them either, so he probably did it for us too. Whatever the conclusion, I could never hate him for it. Or maybe that is what I think now, knowing that what he did was right, or at least knowing that I would have done the same."

       "It's not like you haven't done something that could be called treason, you and all your affiliates, by joining the Resistance, you risked just as much."

       "I wonder if I could have been hated if I had failed," he whispered, but Caiome heard him perfectly.

       Moreover, considering the tone and the whispered voice, the way he somehow hid from her so as not to show his face, not to be seen, probably Ayato didn't tell this to many people.

       In fact... Ayato probably didn't say this to anyone.

       "Hmm," she said, looking at the wide blue sky that was becoming increasingly blue. "I doubt it. Just look at all these people you help, your Shuumatsuban members; these people would die for you."

       "Well, we are bound by a contract, aren't we? I help my employees, I ask for loyalty in return, and this applies to the Shuumatsuban as well."

       "If you think that way, you might be an idiot," Caiome said cheerful. "If we were to go by Thoma's opinion, this loyalty is the result of all the good things you've done for them. You stopped a war for them, just like Father did, and every day you do your best to help them even more, to make their lives easier, so they can live peacefully. You don't see it, considering you don't show yourself much in public, and Ayaka is the only one who has some contact with the civilians. You help them in a way that politics doesn't help them, they don't care about that, they care to have moments of peace, like those on Tamagise. These people are not loyal to you because they benefit from you, but because you offer them a life full of peace and because they can enjoy holidays and festivals, things to remember in the future, a future that you give them. You really are your father's son... So it's not just loyalty, but maybe... these people want to offer you what you offer them."

       Caiome didn't hear a word from him, so she turned towards him, expecting to be alone on the deck, certainly not to see that expression in his eyes, which, instead of looking towards the horizon and his own home which was starting to take shape, looked towards her.

       She didn't know how to describe the expression in his eyes, perhaps a bit of joy, perhaps a bit of confusion, and the way he held his lips slightly parted made him seem rather surprised.

       "Why are you looking at me like that?!" she jumped.

       "Nothing," he said softly. "Just that... it is the first time I have heard those words, or at least that perspective."

       "You're just realizing this?!" she exclaimed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "You really need to get out more, man, your office walls aren't doing you any favors, you know. Well," she waved her hand, "more surprising to me is the fact that you told me about your father, with all the secret treason and all. You risked a lot with me, you know. Maybe I don't have any evidence now, but what if I had learned your old characters and found out the contents of the scroll? What if I hadn't wanted to give it back to you unless you gave me the case back? I could have condemned you all to death, your family, your employees, your guards, and your Shuumatsuban members would have been left without a leader, if not found and killed themselves."

       "That is true," Ayato said slowly. "I thought you might have learned the contents of the scroll before bringing it to me, that you might have paid someone to read it for you. But I guess I bet more on the fact that you wouldn't have done it even if you knew what it meant."

       "And what was your bet based on?" she wrinkled her nose.

       "On the fact that, if I had refused to give you the case, it would have meant killing Mizuki and his family as well, Himawari, Kouta, Daisuke, Koshi if you tried to expose them all, and that would have implicitly meant killing Mahito, Mika, and Aoi--"

       "Okay, okay," Caiome said quickly. "Stop, I got it. But at the same time, I know that I would have gotten the case from you, because you wouldn't let any of them die just for your pride or just to keep me here. That would have been my bet."

       "It seems we are very predictable to each other," he added with a small, satisfied smile.

       "But if you knew all that, that if you were blackmailed, you would have given me the case to save the others, and if I knew that too... Didn't you take a risk that you could have lost me, and the case along with it?"

       Ayato remained silent for a few seconds. "You are right," he said slowly. "I could have lost you, because I know you would have asked that of me."

       Yes, she would have, Caiome thought. She had done worse things to keep her case safe, only no one would have understood why. A little blackmail was nothing compared to what she had done in Natlan four years ago.

       And Ayato hadn't said anything after that, because that had really been a risk, a bet he didn't know if he could win, which was not based on anything, but just on luck.

       "Well," Caiome said, "it's not like it matters now that you've set it on fire. Unless maybe I made a copy..."

       Ayato looked quickly at her, and Caiome laughed.

       "I'm kidding," she said. "Or maybe not. I think you'll have to take a risk with that too."

       Ayato smiled at her. Caiome hadn't made any copies for sure, probably thinking that Ayato would have told her the contents. And as he just did, Ayato actually told her. Without any purpose, just... he told her. Without asking too many questions beforehand, without wondering now if he had done right or wrong. He had enough trust in her before stealing the scroll, he had to try to have it after as well...

       Caiome suddenly caught a pigeon flying and landing on her finger, and on its leg was tied a note with a red thread. Curious, Caiome took it off and opened it, then began to chuckle.

       "What is it?" Ayato asked, coming closer to her.

       "I found Emiko's outing schedule for next week. Looks like Kouta will have a few things on his plate this week, so don't be too hard on him, okay?"

       "Well, if you can vouch for him..." Ayato said.

🌸

       When they returned to the estate, the first thing Caiome did was to rush into the backyard, looking for Kouta, starting to tease him and "prepare him," as she put it, while Ayato had to take all his documents back to the office and start distributing them to his employees to pass them on.

       Koshi was waiting in the office, making a deep bow when Ayato entered, kneeling.

       "That is surprising," Ayato said passing by him. "I thought you would go to Caiome to report on the investigation into my actions from past week."

      Koshi widened his eyes, lowering his head. "I apologize, my lord. I have no excuse for my behavior, even if the orders were given by miss Caiome. My loyalty should stand first to you--"

       "Ko~oshi," Ayato said taking a seat on his cushion, calming him, "do not worry, I am not scolding you. We both knew that Caiome would eventually ask you for it. Since I did not actually know the order you were given, you were just following the instructions of a superior, there is nothing wrong with that."

       "But to investigate my lord's actions..."

       "I am more curious about what you have found in these three days," he chuckled.

       Koshi finally stood up, but still keeping his head down. "Other than the meeting between the Tri-Commission clans, nothing unusual, my lord."

       "I expected that, considering nothing happened while you and Caiome were away on Watatsumi Island. I sent both of you there not to hide from you, but because I needed you, of course."

       "My lord, you don't have to justify yourself," Koshi said quickly. "I'm not in a position to--"

       "I am not justifying myself," Ayato said. "But even behind your mask, your gaze still seems worried, so all I am doing is telling you that everything is fine."

       Koshi began to fidget, unsure whether to voice his words.

       "You can speak freely," Ayato told him, noticing his unease.

       "Then... why did you suddenly head towards Tamagise Island?"

       "Was that the reason for your worry?" Ayato laughed.

       "Miss Caiome was also..."

       Ayato rested his elbow on the table, leaning his temple on it, looking towards the window behind him, a morning breeze filling the room. The leafy trees rustled, and the chirping of birds filled the courtyard. And if you listened carefully, you could hear some laughter in the distance. Ayato closed his eyes, trying to absorb such a moment before going to battle with the Tri-Commission.

       "Well," he said more to himself, "she was just curious about what was on the islands."

Chapter Text

Chapter 48 ~ The Dog and the Anger

🌸

       Caiome began to whistle happily, the long sword hanging at her waist, while at her back, held in a sheath attached to her back, was a ninjato, or ninjaken, a short sword of maximum 40 centimeters including the handle. She leaped lightly from one foot to the other towards Tenshukaku, the neutral ground of the Tri-Commission. Caiome remembered how she had caused some trouble in the huge mansion of the Electro Archon. She didn't even manage to get a look at Raiden Ei, but that didn't mean she didn't leave with what she wanted.

       And as soon as she got her hands on it, she left Inazuma, and since then she hadn't returned. Until now, when she made the big mistake, of course.

       She and Ayato were led by a servant to the meeting room, and Caiome studied all the rooms they passed through and all the corridors, finding so many blind spots that she wondered if the people here were really so arrogant about their security system. That certainly wasn't the case a few years ago.

       "It's really depressing how empty it is," Caiome mumbled as she approached Ayato.

       "You shouldn't worry, miss," said the guide. "Although you can't see them, Tenshukaku has some of the best guards in Inazuma. But you should be careful of the spirits that wander around here," he tried to scare her. "It's said that these spirits took the Hone no ha dagger from Tenshukaku a few years ago."

       "Hone no ha?" said Caiome with fake surprise, making Ayato throw her a sidelong glance. "What's that?"

       "You don't know?" the servant said, looking surprised. "It's a long dagger, with a double-edged blade, made of a diamond so pure, so clear, that it looks like it's made of glass, but of course, the legend lies elsewhere. It is said to have been made from one of the teeth of the god Orobashi in a battle with Rex Lapis, and the latter offered it to the Great Electro Archon as a gift thousands of years ago. It has been in our possession since then, but it has always been believed that one day, the spirits who worshipped Orobashi would take the dagger and take it to his tomb, so he could rest in peace. And it seems that, in the end, that's what happened."

       "Wow," said Caiome. "I certainly never heard that legend before."

       "It's not as popular these days," said the guide. "Only scholars still know about it, and that from history studies and, as lord Kamisato here knows, culture."

       "But I've heard of Orobashi's spirits," Caiome giggled. "It's said they have magical powders with which they put people to sleep to slip into their homes, and usually you can drive them away if you leave them a plate of fish wrapped in rice at the window, or a bowl of ramen on the kitchen table, and maybe a few flowers. I'm pretty sure that if you had done the same, you would have had a chance to catch the spirits in the act."

       The guide blinked in surprise.

       "This is the first time I've heard of such a thing. I guess I should expand my studies," he said to himself, stopping in front of some wooden doors with the symbol of the Shogun on them. "Please wait here until I announce your presence," then the servant slipped inside.

       "A bowl of ramen?" Ayato said when they were alone.

       Caiome shrugged, shaking her head. "Tenshukaku is really overrated. It was so easy to steal that dagger that I thought Raiden Shogun wasn't even here, or at least that she didn't care about it, otherwise I probably would have become meatballs. But I guess it's better to let them believe in a local legend than to start rumors about a flesh-and-blood thief."

       Ayato shook his head, sighing hopelessly. Of course, he was somewhat surprised, considering he only knew of a few of Caiome's thefts, as much as the Shuumatsuban could gather, because, whether you wanted it or not, you had to admit that Caiome hid her tracks very well.

       "How did you steal it?" he asked.

       "Magical dust," she said over her shoulder. "It wasn't an easy job, I assure you. If they haven't renovated Tenshukaku in six years, you'll probably still find the bent hinges of the attic windows, I'm just saying."

       The doors opened, and the guide invited them both inside, entering first into a small, dark hallway.

       "So, are we going to meet with the Raiden Shogun as well?" Caiome whispered.

       "The Shogun does not descend for such hypothetical meetings," Ayato said.

       "Tell her about some war, maybe that'll get her attention," mumbled Caiome. "I know all the Vision hunting was her doll's idea, I've read Yae Miko's letters from those files, but seriously..."

       "Well, if you ever have the chance to meet her face to face, you could tell that herself, but I strongly advise you to keep your mouth shut, considering it might causes problems," said Ayato, and Caiome rolled her eyes.

       The servant opened another pair of doors, and the two entered. The room was lit, the windows were open, and at the long table in the center were already seated the Tri-Commission: Hiiragi Chisato on one side of the table, Kujou Kamaji on the other, both with two guards behind them. Ayato only had Caiome who waved to them all.

       To Ayato's right, rising from his seat and making a short bow, was Ubisaki Eiji, past middle age, with strands of white hair sneaking among the black ones, and with a pair of milky blue eyes, tired. He wasn't very tall, not short either, but he certainly tried to show his status more than he could afford, wearing a very expensive suit, with a robe of intense red, bordered with silver.

       "Welcome, Lord Kamisato," said Kujou Kamaji respectfully, and Hiiragi Chisato nodded her head as well, displaying a beautiful smile.

       "I hope we haven't been late," said Ayato, sitting at the head of the table in his chair, displaying his polite smile.

       "Not at all, my lord," said Chisato elegantly, even pleasantly, and Caiome understood why Kujou Kamaji had fallen for her, and now was head over heels for her. It might be that we arrived earlier.

       "In that case, since we have all arrived earlier, we can start," said Ayato. "I am afraid I have many other duties to attend to today, and I am sure we all find ourselves in the same situation, given the special circumstances."

       Chisato blushed a little, and Kamaji nervously smiled, making a short eye contact, saved by Ubisaki Eiji who cleared his throat, as he sat back down.

       "Then allow me to start by asking: considering that it's been a week since I put forward my proposal about tax reform, a week in which you have contemplated my decision, I would like to hear your opinions," he said in a husky, deep voice, and Caiome could bet he was a smoker. A passionate smoker.

       "Let me be the first," said Chisato from her seat. "As Lord Ubisaki said, I have given great attention to his proposal and I have also done some private research which I hope will not surprise you. If Lord Ubisaki's proposal is motivated by the recent cases of akiha and ramad aleizam that have crossed the borders, borders that fall under the jurisdiction of the Kanjou Commission, then all of this is my responsibility, and I would like to apologize to Lord Kujou and Lord Kamisato for overlooking this.

       "Chisato..." mumbled Kamaji.

       "But also, considering that only three years ago the borders were reopened, as much as the economic balance has grown, it is increasingly difficult to control the internal borders without also focusing on the representatives sent to other nations. I have taken into account the private economic growth of Inazuma, there can be no reason to refuse Lord Ubisaki's proposal. At the same time, considering that the proposal is for half of the bonus percentage to go to the Kanjou Commission, I would like some well-determined plans that, of course, I will discuss at the Tri-Commission meeting, so that there is no suspicion about our activities."

       A vote in favor for Ubisaki Eiji.

       "Thank you, Lady Hiiragi," said Ubisaki.

       "Like Lady Hiiragi," said Kamaji, "I have also thought about this situation for a long time. After the war, the Tenryou Commission's army weakened, and the division between local authorities and army members becomes increasingly narrow. The effects of the war still loom over the soldiers' heads, many died in the war and many families suffer. It is normal for people to feel afraid that another similar event could take their families away from them or even themselves, so I cannot condemn the police for hesitating to advance to the rank of soldiers, given how short staffed we are, and their main reason is not only fear, but also money, whatever money or resources mean for such a large increase in the number of soldiers. Of course, like Lady Hiiragi, I will have well-established distribution plans that I will consult with your lordships."

       A second vote for Ubisaki Eiji.

       "Thank you, Lord Kujou," he said.

       Ayato crossed one leg over the other, his hands crossed in his lap, listening carefully, and with each sentence, his smile lingered on his lips.

       "If Lord Kamisato can now give his approval--"

       "I refuse," said Ayato with extraordinary calm, which provoked not exactly a shock to the others, but certainly made them feel uncomfortable.

        "Uh... Lord Kamisato," Ubisaki began, "I know it's an important decision and maybe a week is too short a time for you to consider all the options--"

       "You do not have to fret, Mr. Ubisake," said Ayato slowly, looking at him through his long eyelashes. "I have considered all possible options since a week ago, when you first presented this idea to us. I do not contest Lord Kujou's or Lady Hiiragi's votes or arguments, but at the same time, I cannot agree with them either."

       "Lord Kamisato," Ubisake said again, this time a little calmer, but Caiome had already read him - he had a temperamental personality. "Civilians are frightened by these substances that can be slipped even in their food, harming them, and the post-war situation is still unstable, they need protection."

       "It really is interesting that you say this, considering that we were the ones who caused that war, no matter how you look at it," said Ayato, even though he was against it and made an alliance with the Resistance during the said-war.

       "That... that's a direct statement against Her Excellency's decisions."

       "Maybe," said Ayato again without showing even a hint of regret, "but that does not mean it is any less true, and I am sure Her Excellency, the Almighty Shogun, would agree with me. Allow me to analyze each argument brought by both Lady Hiiragi and Lord Kujou.
Inazuma's borders are indeed under the jurisdiction of the Kanjou Commission, a commission which ever since the war ended, has done everything to trade with the other nations, trade that needs resources to establish trading relationships between the seven nations. By focusing more on these relationships, Inazuma's borders have been left uncovered, they no longer pose a danger to any businessman who intends to bring not only prohibited substances but also objects or even resources that can strengthen a rebelion if things don't go as the nobles wish. We can see this ever since the incident of Lord Kumori, or Hinata Kashiro, both members of the Kanjou Commission. So the problem is not the lack of money, but its concentration in a certain direction. By raising taxes, we are taking money from civilians who cannot even start a business and who will not benefit from these maritime transactions with other nations, a large percentage of them have never even left Inazuma, and before you tell me that this could create opportunities for everyone, let me remind you that you proposed that this tax bonus percentage should go towards guarding the internal borders against illegal goods, not towards flourishing trade."

       Ayato then turned his attention to Kujou Kamaji, who seemed to be waiting his turn quietly.

       "As for the army and local authorities under the command of the Tenryou Commission, I do not contest either the fact that the number of staff is below average, or that we could find ourselves in the middle of a war at any time. But here, too, the problem is misunderstood. The shortage is among civilians who want to become soldiers, not among police officers who do not want to be promoted to the rank of soldiers. It is like having five kilograms of rice in two baskets: no matter how much rice you take from one basket and put it in the other, you still have ten kilograms of rice. Of course, there is the possibility of raising salaries, of attracting them with money, but this money also goes towards the resources of existing soldiers, as well as towards the maritime troops. And if a good chunk of the percentage designated for the Tenryou Commission goes towards salaries, just as well families can pay taxes directly to families who have a member of the army, without them having to go through us. Moreover, it seems you forget that Watatsumi Island is also part of Inazuma, whose priestess is doing everything possible to increase not only her own domain, but the entire Inazuma, considering that it has suffered losses as well. Holding our heads in the sand when we can make a fair exchange from which we can all benefit without limiting ourselves is illogical, of course."

       With tightly clenched fists, Ubisaki stared at Ayato, who not only wore calmness on his face but also spoke in a tranquil tone, expressing nothing more than determination. Determination that Ubisaki mistook for arrogance, as everyone knew the stories about Lord Kamisato, whose word currently held the most value in the Tri-Commission and before the Shogunate.

       "In conclusion to my arguments," Ayato added, "I see no reason why taxes should be raised or changed in any way. My personal opinion is that everything is fine as it is now, and we should focus in thriving, not on digging our own graves. But if you are still concerned about expenses and funding, I could propose some ideas and changes myself. Considering that relations with other nations are already funded by the Yashiro Commission, presenting them personally to the major powers, the Kanjou Commission could focus its efforts here until the security situation stabilizes. As for the Tenryou Commission, I believe it would be a good idea for them to have a private discussion over tea with Her Excellency, Sangonomiya Kokomi."

       "Lord Kamisato," Ubisaki said, "your proposals are starting to become truly insolent and offensive to the other two Commissioners present before you. It's as if you're valuing your experience more than theirs, even though they've both been in this position for over three years."

       "Hmph," Ayato said. "With all due respect to Lord Kujou and Lady Hiiragi, respect which I do not doubt they are well aware of and reciprocate, yes, I do question the Commissions' experience. Within the Tri-Commission, I have five times their years of activity. But I do not question their abilities as individuals, only the circumstances. Insolence?" he smirked. "Offenses? The one who brought such offenses is not me through my arguments, but you, Mr. Ubisaki, because you proposed such things in the first place. You did not come up with a solution on how to use the current revenues towards the Commissions, but with an increase in them. Why change the course of things when Inazuma flourishes each year with the same amount of paid taxes? So no, I do not question the experience of Lord Kujou and Lady Hiiragi as individuals, but, as I said, yours, a member of such Commission."

       Ubisaki blushed to the ears. "What are you insinuating by that?"

       "The actions of the minor clan head of the Kanjou Commission have spoken enough in my place," Ayato said gravely.

       Ubisaki quickly rose to his feet, making the chair creak behind him, and his palms hit the table with force, causing a loud noise throughout the room. At the same time, another sharper noise followed, accompanied by the gleam of a blade as Caiome's ninjaken pierced between Lord Ubisake's fingers.

        The redness in his ears vanished, and his cheeks paled as he saw the blade's edge so close to the skin between his fingers, and later when he raised his gaze to the one who dared to threaten him. Caiome left her right hand on the ninjaken's hilt, then her elbow, resting her chin on her palm and smiling with narrowed eyes towards Ubisaki, fluttering her eyelashes.

       Ayato closed his eyes for a second, standing with his back just as straight and with the same calm on his face. He didn't need to watch the scene beside him, even though the other guards aimed their spears towards it. Towards Caiome, to be precise.

       "Come o~on" Caiome sang, lightly tapping her cheeks with her fingers, "that's not an attitude to have in the Tenshukaku halls, isn't it... Lord U-bi-sa-ki? You've already got your answer from the Yashiro Commissioner, and if that doesn't satisfy you... " Caiome clicked her tongue. "Let me tell you just once and take it as a threat if you wish... Lay a finger on him, and I'll cut both your hands. Okay?" she smiled almost innocently, like a child, laughing like the tinkling of bells.

        Ubisaki gritted his teeth even harder, but the bloody glint in her eyes was as intimidating as that of Lord Kamisato. Except, unlike Lord Kamisato, you didn't need to pull her tail too much.

        "Caiome," Ayato said, raising a hand, waving his fingers lightly towards her, "you can withdraw now. It is possible that Lord Ubisaki is just tired this morning, and his patience runs out very quickly."

       "I was just doing my job of protecting you, milord," Caiome said, grabbing the ninjaken's hilt and pulling it out of the table, which now had a deep cut, too deep for a simple short sword.

       "I know, Caiome, and for that, I thank you. But let's not stir up spirits more than necessary."

       Caiome retreated behind his chair, and the other guards returned to their original positions, retracting their spears.

       "But at the same time," Ayato continued, getting up from the table, "Miss Caiome is right. That was my response and my suggestions. If you still believe that I should change my mind in any way, I will be more than happy to attend an audience with Her Excellency, the Almighty Shogun. That is if you manage to convince her as well, Mr. Ubisaki. Now, please excuse me, but I cannot postpone my duties any longer for such useless proposals. I wish you all a good day."

       Ayato didn't wait for the other two Commissioners to bid him farewell, as he turned and headed towards the doors. Caiome followed him, throwing one last smile at Ubisaki, winking at him, and raising two fingers to him, meaning "see you later" - or maybe even "you sucker" - then followed Ayato's footsteps, happy that she finally used the ninjaken she spent two hours cleaning.

       Although the path to the exit was as slow as when they entered, Ayato didn't respond to any of Caiome's complaints about clan heads who never thought before speaking. Which was strange because lately, Ayato had been indulging her, even if he only half-listened, giving short answers.

       The gates of Tenshukaku had opened, and when they exited the entire courtyard, Ayato just kept walking ahead, then suddenly turned down alleys until he reached a small garden surrounded by fences, both hiding behind blooming trees.

       "Koshi," Ayato said, and his tone caught Caiome off guard, being harsher, more authoritarian, in a way Ayato never spoke to her even on the night he caught her stealing from his house.

        Koshi appeared out of nowhere, bowing shortly to the two. "Yes, my lord."

        "Stand guard around Ubisaki Eiji's residence. If you see anyone suspicious visiting him, stay alert. If they have no letter on them, follow them and find out what the meeting was about. If they have any letter on them, kill them and bring it to me. Do the same with Watanabe Goichi's residence."

       "Yes, my lord," he said, then left. It was the first time Caiome had heard a direct order from Ayato to kill someone. She could understand why, considering how he had behaved in the hall, but it seemed that at the same time, there were many other things she didn't know.

       She looked silently at Ayato, then approached him, but he seemed to turn his head away from her. Caiome leaned against the fence, then climbed on it, facing the horizon in the distance.

       "You're angry," she said softly.

       "I am not angry," he said, but Caiome could feel the tension in his voice.

       "It's okay if you're angry, you know," she mumbled.

       "I am not-"

       "You're lying," Caiome said, giving him a frown, then letting out a sigh. "Ever since I started being on the road on my own, I told myself the same thing, that I shouldn't exaggerate any emotion. I risked everything if I didn't think everything through with a cold logic, and I only had myself. But you're not me. You have so many people who can help you, so if you want to be angry, be angry, but make sure to calm down when you need to make a decision."

       Ayato remained silent for several long seconds, standing like a statue with a lost and hidden gaze. Then he took a deep breath and exhaled, and Caiome finally managed to see his expression. Cold, strong, thoughtful. And if Ayato wasn't entirely angry now, somewhere inside him he was still affected by negative emotions. But Caiome didn't need to tell him anything else; she knew that once Ayato calmed down, he would apply the same cold logic.

       Ayato took off his coat from his shoulders and neatly placed it on the fence, then removed his gloves, leaving them on top of it. No one was around, no one could see him here.

       "So what happened?" she finally asked.

       "It seems that Ubisake Eiji is Watanabe Goichi's partner," he said in a low voice. "What he said earlier, about me not having any respect for others' experience is what Watanabe Goichi told me a few years ago when I was, under no accidental circumstances, in the middle of searching for my father's scroll, and with that, Watanabe Goichi funded research into the Kaedahara clan's blacksmithing art, a clan that fell a few years ago and is under my jurisdiction. He couldn't call Kamisato Kazashi a traitor, nor could he do that with the Kamisatos' son, and he is trying to bring all of Inazuma into his plans."

       Caiome stood and thought for a moment. She knew the answer, but she didn't know all the paths that led to this.

       "Civil war?" she asked.

       "It is the only way he can destroy the Yashiro Commission, gain the power he wants from the Kanjou Commission, and have Watanabe Goichi take over his brother's power. If Watanabe found what he was looking for, it is possible that, in fact, the tax bonus would apply to the resources for soldiers' armament, but not in the way he would like to imply. Watanabe's family deals with soldier training, and even though Goichi did not become the head of the family, that does not mean his brother didn't give him some responsibilities, which means Goichi has access to the commands given to the soldiers. If he builds his own army, he can provoke even bigger conflicts. Through that scroll, he could get rid of the Yashiro Commission in one fell swoop, while he and Ubisaki Eiji would turn the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission against each other, and after Hiiragi Chisato and Kujou Kamaji destroyed each other, only they would remain."

       "But now that they don't have the scroll or your agreement to increase taxes, what could they do?" Caiome asked.

       "Well, it would be too risky for Ubisaki to attempt on my life, as he would be the prime suspect, especially because of his personality, so we do not need to worry about that. On the other hand, we cannot attempt on either of their lives, and apart from intense surveillance, even the Shuumatsuban cannot play any role." Ayato sighed softly. "We will have to deal with this within the other Commissions."