Chapter 24: An Unexpected Complication
The next morning, Uchiha Ryoken and Uchiha Natsume were already in the main hall, looking refreshed and relaxed after their night of release. They ate the breakfast provided by the Ozawa clan in comfortable silence.
A while later, Uchiha Raizen finally emerged, his steps slow and his expression a complex mix of exhaustion and dejection.
"Well, well, Second Brother, you're up late. Couldn't bear to leave the warmth of your bed?" Uchiha Ryoken teased with a wide grin.
"Indeed," Uchiha Natsume chimed in, his chubby face alight with mischief. "Did the spring night live up to its value?"
"Ugh, it's... complicated," Uchiha Raizen sighed, slumping into a seat and avoiding their eyes. "It's hard to explain."
Their playful expressions instantly morphed into ones of intense curiosity. This sounded like a story.
"Second Brother, what do you mean, 'complicated'?" Uchiha Natsume pressed, leaning forward. "Don't tell me you... couldn't perform?"
"Shut up! It's not like that! It's... a personal matter. I'm going to eat," Uchiha Raizen deflected, shoveling food into his mouth to avoid further questions.
The truth was too embarrassing to voice. Last night, filled with nervous anticipation, he had found himself completely... non-functional. No matter what he or the girl, Haruka, tried, his body refused to respond. After countless failed attempts, he had given up in frustration and shame.
The only explanation he could conceive, which the system had vaguely confirmed, was a side effect of his transmigration. His soul and the system were sustaining his life, but full integration with the body's biological functions was incomplete. The system's message indicated that full somatic control, including sexual function, would only be restored once he reached Pickup Level 10.
It was a crushing disappointment, but it also gave him a new, specific goal to strive for with his system.
After breakfast, they prepared to depart. As they were leaving, Uchiha Raizen spotted Haruka Ozawa. She was in chains, being led away by two stern-looking women.
"Wait! What is the meaning of this?" Uchiha Raizen demanded, striding over to them.
The heavily made-up woman from the previous night stepped forward, her expression neutral. "My Lord, the handmaiden failed to please you. According to our clan's law, her failure warrants execution."
"Execution?!" Uchiha Raizen was horrified. "That's not her fault! The... failure was mine. Yesterday, you said if we were willing, we could take them with us. I want to take her. Now."
Haruka, who had been hanging her head in resignation, looked up sharply, her eyes wide with disbelief. This man, who hadn't laid a hand on her, was now saving her life?
Uchiha Ryoken and Uchiha Natsume exchanged looks of pure shock. Since when had Uchiha Raizen become such a chivalrous fool?
"That is your right, My Lord," the woman said, her tone businesslike. "But you are aware of the rule?"
"Rule? Uchiha Natsume, what rule?" Uchiha Raizen turned to his friend.
"If you take a woman from here, it's considered a formal marriage into their clan," Uchiha Natsume explained bluntly. "You have to provide a bride price. A substantial one. It costs fifty thousand ryo."
Uchiha Raizen didn't hesitate. "I see." He reached into his robe and pulled out a heavy pouch—the entire advance on his first month's salary as a Special Elder. It was exactly fifty thousand ryo.
"Uchiha Raizen, think about this," Uchiha Ryoken said, grabbing his arm, his voice low and serious. "This is your entire stipend."
"I have thought about it," Uchiha Raizen stated firmly, pulling his arm free. "I will not have an innocent woman die because of my own... shortcomings."
He handed the pouch to the Ozawa woman. She, in turn, produced a key and unlocked Haruka's chains, pushing the girl gently toward Uchiha Raizen.
Without a word, Uchiha Raizen took Haruka's hand and led her away from the Ozawa compound, adding an unexpected and complicated new element to their diplomatic mission.