As the hot tea spilt onto the floor, Princess Sumiye sighed in exasperation. "G-Grandpa, I told you I could handle it! The tea I worked so hard to brew is now ruined."
"My apologies, my apologies," Mutsunomai Kurau quickly responded, forcing a smile as he pulled out a towel and knelt to clean the floor.
"Now I have to brew it all over again," Princess Sumiye puffed out her cheeks in frustration, clearly upset.
"Sumiye," Shige Shige turned and softly reprimanded her, "This isn't a big deal. Just brew a new pot. G-Grandpa is getting old; you should be more understanding."
"Understood, Brother," Sumiye replied, then turned to leave the room. "G-Grandpa, I'll handle it myself this time."
"Yes, of course," Kurau replied quietly, still focused on cleaning the floor.
"Tasks like this should be left to others. G-Grandpa, you should take a break too. Sumiye already gives you enough trouble," Shige Shige said to Kurau.
Kurau smiled faintly and replied, "No, no, simple tasks like this are still within my capabilities. Please, allow me, Shige Shige-sama."
"Very well," Shige Shige nodded, then turned to Kawaki with a hint of apology. "However, if this debt is from so long ago, it may indeed be difficult to find this person. But I will... I'll ask that lord to help in the search. After all, even a courtesan... is a citizen of this country."
"Thank you," Kawaki responded, but then he seemed to recall something and added, "But considering how old the debt is, even with a normal interest rate, the accumulated interest would be quite substantial. Even if we find this debtor, he might be too ashamed to admit it. That could be a headache..."
"Surely... it won't come to that?" Shige Shige replied uncertainly. "Could the debt really be that large? If that's the case, then..."
"You wouldn't be able to repay it, Shogun," Kawaki interrupted with a smirk. "But even so, if we do find him, please tell him that I'll waive the interest, but... he must pay back the principal, every last bit, even if it costs him his life. After all... the creditor is risking her life too."
"Yes, once we find that man, I will relay your exact words to him," Shige Shige promised.
Just then, Mutsunomai Kurau, who had been silently cleaning the floor, couldn't help but lift his head and start to speak. "Shige Shige-sama, I—"
Before he could finish, a gruff voice suddenly called out from the doorway.
"What a rare sight, Shige Shige," said the former Shogun, Tokugawa Sada Sada, who had somehow appeared, dressed in a dark green hakama and a yellow haori. He stood at the entrance, hands behind his back, and addressed Shige Shige inside. "You're actually spending time on such trivialities."
"Lord Sada Sada," Kurau quickly bowed to Sada Sada.
"Uncle," Shige Shige also stood up and bowed in apology. "I'm sorry."
"No need," Sada Sada waved his hand dismissively with a smile. "Compared to how you were not long ago, I'm much more at ease seeing you like this today. But I must ask, who is that person next to you? He doesn't look like someone from Edo Castle."
"Ah, this is Kawaki-san," Shige Shige introduced. "He's from Yoshiwara..."
"The new Night King," Kawaki interrupted, standing up and smiling with his eyes half-closed.
"I see..." Sada Sada chuckled lightly. "I didn't expect him to be from Yoshiwara. It seems that even Shige Shige, who has always been so upright, is starting to mingle with such places. It's fine, but let me give you some advice: don't do it out of despair."
Shige Shige didn't show any emotion at Sada Sada's words, merely bowing his head and replying softly.
Sada Sada continued, "But what brings someone from Yoshiwara here? Now that the Night King has been replaced, are you here to report to the shogunate?"
"No," Kawaki corrected with a smile. "Before I took over, old man Hosen never told me that Yoshiwara was under the shogunate's control. At most, I believe we were partners, right?"
Sada Sada caught the underlying tone in Kawaki's words but laughed it off. "Hahaha, indeed. Yoshiwara has always been a good partner of mine. Shige Shige, are you planning to follow in my footsteps?"
Before Shige Shige could answer, Sada Sada continued, "But it's been a long time since I've visited Yoshiwara. I wonder how it is now."
"There are more [beep] shops, [beep] shops, and even [beep] series shops," Kawaki replied. "If you have time and can come as an ordinary guest, Yoshiwara would be happy to welcome you."
"Wow, I didn't expect it to have changed so much," Sada Sada said in surprise, then sighed with a touch of nostalgia. "When I was younger, Yoshiwara didn't have so many options. Times have changed... But I suppose I'll pass. My body isn't as young as it used to be. [Beep] and [beep] I might still manage, but the [beep] series shops would be too much. I'll leave those new experiences to young men like Shige Shige..."
Hearing this, Shige Shige looked a bit uneasy.
"But, Shige Shige, remember not to overindulge in pleasure," Sada Sada said as he turned away, speaking more to himself than to anyone else. "I've seen too many men burned by their desire for beauty. Yes, be wary of the 'Bewitching Beauty.'"
Hearing this, Shige Shige murmured, "Bewitching Beauty..."
"What is it?" Sada Sada asked.
Shige replied, "No, it's just that your words reminded me of what Kawaki-san mentioned earlier about that courtesan who is still owed... payment."
"Such a thing?" Sada Sada said in surprise. "I've never heard of Yoshiwara being owed [beep] money before."
"Ah, apparently it's a very old debt," Shige Shige explained. "It hasn't been repaid to this day."
"I see..." Sada Sada turned again, looking out at the patrols of the Mimawarigumi outside the door. "But who would have thought the Mimawarigumi would allow a stranger into this castle? It seems they aren't here just to protect it. Look at them; though they appear to be acting as guards, they're really keeping watch. The shogunate is now divided into two factions: one supporting you as the current shogun, Shige Shige, and the other advocating for the Hitotsubashi family's young lord as the new shogun. I assume you're aware of this?"
"Yes, I understand," Shige Shige acknowledged.
Sada Sada continued, "Moreover, the recent assassinations of government officials have mostly targeted members of the Hitotsubashi faction, making them suspicious of us. The Mimawarigumi is a group that owes much to the Hitotsubashi faction, so it wouldn't be surprising if they tried to pin something on you. You must be very careful not to give them any reason to act against you. And don't repeat the naïve mistakes you made recently by proposing those idealistic policies that offended them and even drove away some of our allies."
There was a brief struggle in Shige Shige's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. "I understand... Uncle."
Kawaki chuckled and scratched his head, "I just came here to collect a debt, and now I've overheard something that sounds like state secrets. This is quite troubling. If things follow their usual course, I suppose I won't be walking out of this castle alive?"
"Not at all. After all, you're not an outsider," Sada Sada said, turning back to Kawaki. "Aren't you a friend and partner of Shige Shige?"
"No, no," Kawaki shook his head with a smile. "I'm just here to visit my friend, the Shogun, and see if I can collect an old debt."
"Hmph..." Sada Sada let out a low chuckle, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Are you referring to the debt... to Suzu Ran?"
Kawaki thought for a moment before smiling and replying, "Yes, that's the name."
"Uncle, you..." Shige Shige suddenly realized something, looking at Sada Sada in disbelief.
"Is that so... Suzu Ran is still alive..." Sada Sada said, turning away and looking up at the sky, his tone tinged with nostalgia. "I remember those loving eyes, graceful and delicate movements, silky hair, rosy lips, soft skin..."
He closed the door gently and continued, "And... blood-stained hands..."
Crash, crash, crash!
As countless uniformed assassins, or rather, shadow warriors, burst through the screen and sliding doors, swords were drawn, Kawaki merely sighed and shook his head.
"Yare yare, I guess I should have left earlier."
"Uncle, you really..." Shige Shige stared in shock at the icy gleam in Sada Sada's eyes.
"I told you, it would have been easier if you had just admitted it and gone with me to repay the debt," Kawaki said with frustration, running his hand through his hair. He glanced at Mutsunomai Kurau, who remained kneeling on the floor, too afraid to lift his head. "You just had to make things so complicated. It makes me sick. I thought you might be a good man like me, but it seems I was wrong. The man Suzu Ran has been waiting for... really isn't worth waiting for."
Kurau remained silent.
"G-Grandpa, you..." Shige Shige said, shocked once again.
"Let me guess..." Kawaki turned to Sada Sada, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You plan to use this opportunity to eliminate that Hitotsubashi faction leader and then pin the blame on me, right? Your men should be making their move by now, I assume?"
"Uncle, are you really going to do this?" Shige Shige exclaimed. "Stop this! Kawaki-san has nothing to do with any of this!"
"Shige Shige, you're too soft-hearted. Today, your uncle will teach you a lesson," Sada Sada said as he raised his hand. "Take him."
In an instant, all the shadow warriors charged at Kawaki, swords raised.