"There's a human trafficking situation within Inazuma. Didn't Fujiwara open a dojo? She and Kazuha took in a little girl. After investigation, I found that this girl came from Higi Village."
"She was sold by her parents to a man named Saburou. To be precise, they traded this girl for a wife for his son."
"I rescued the girl who was being used as a wife in Higi Village. Through her, we apprehended a man named Okamon Mifune."
"After interrogation and investigation, we discovered a human trafficking organization deeply embedded in Inazuma. There are even people specifically responsible for cleaning up their messes and erasing clues."
"If Fujiwara and her group hadn't stumbled upon and taken in that little girl, I probably wouldn't have known such a thing existed within Inazuma."
Shiki's expression was solemn. Human traffickers exist everywhere; she was well aware of that.
After all, even in the technologically advanced 21st century, there's a considerable amount of human trafficking each year, let alone Inazuma, where the social structure is still ancient.
What truly shocked her was the extent of their concealment.
They were hidden too well, organized and disciplined. One might even mistake them for some intelligence agency!
"An organization?"
Ayaka was also startled. An human trafficking organization hidden within Inazuma? Were the people executed before also from this organization?
"Yes, the fact that they can hide so well suggests that, besides internal factors, there are others helping them conceal their activities."
"And what I need to do now is first find those who are helping them, then follow the leads to uncover this organization," Shiki said.
Although Inazuma was currently poor, its future was promising. She would not allow these beasts to continue their actions.
"Speaking of which, Inazuma should have orphanages, right? Places that take in orphans."
"Of course. One of them is managed by the Yashiro Commission," Ayaka said.
"That's good. The war with Watatsumi Island must have created countless orphans. Their parents died fighting for Inazuma; we cannot let the descendants of those soldiers suffer any more."
Shiki breathed a slight sigh of relief. Welfare institutions were a good thing.
"But from what you're saying, there's more than one orphanage in Inazuma?"
"There are three in total. One was established and is governed by the Yashiro Commission, and the other two were built by various major families through various investments."
"Oh? Those stingy people would be so kind?" Shiki asked.
"How could that be? Expecting them to be charitable is like expecting Guoba to fly," Ayaka shook her head. "They built orphanages purely to absorb fresh blood into their families."
"For example, guards, bodyguards, house servants, or even assassins."
"Those with ability will be absorbed into the family, while those without will be sent away at the age of sixteen."
"What can I say? It's to be expected, I suppose? In fact, I'm surprised they're only sent away at sixteen."
Shiki had thought that those without talent would be immediately sent away, but she didn't expect them to be kept until sixteen.
Although sixteen is not yet adulthood in Inazuma, they can already find work and earn their own wages.
For the orphanages to keep them until they are sixteen, it can be said that they have done their utmost.
In fact, looking at it this way, the major families haven't done anything wrong. It can only be said that it's a matter of mutual benefit!
I provide you with living conditions and food, and in return, you provide me with value after you grow up, and I will also pay you wages—a very fair transaction.
"What about the Yashiro Commission's?"
"It all depends on the children's choices."
"The Yashiro Commission provides compulsory education to these children. What they want to do in the future is entirely up to them. We will not interfere with their choices, nor will we provide them with assistance."
"After all, they're already sixteen. As long as they're not disabled, they won't have trouble finding work."
Actually, there was one more thing Ayaka didn't mention: the Kamisato Clan's selection of external personnel is very strict. Few from orphanages meet the standards...
Other families can recruit freely, but the Kamisato Clan cannot.
Because the Kamisato Clan is also the Yashiro Commission, and the Three Commissions are institutions everyone desperately wants to join. Why should someone from an orphanage be better than those who have studied diligently for years?
Teyvat doesn't have nine years of compulsory education, but only a short three years.
Two years of language and one year of arithmetic. If you want to continue studying, you have to go to an academy.
"That's true. At sixteen, with hands and feet, and if they have any inheritance left by their parents, they don't live worse than the average person."
"Do you have any thoughts on orphanages, Shiki?"
"No, I think it's quite good as it is. But in that case, the annual expenses for the orphanages must be quite substantial, right?"
"It's manageable. The Kamisato Clan can afford it anyway."
"It's fine. If it's not enough, just tell me directly. I can allocate some funds from the national treasury."
"No need. The Kamisato Clan's monthly profits are not in the red yet," Ayaka shook her head.
Seeing this, Shiki didn't say anything more. If there were no problems, then it was fine, especially since Inazuma's monthly income was currently negative.
...
Hanamizaka, Fujiwara Dojo
"Sakura, since you plan to practice swordsmanship, let's start with the simplest suburi."
"Watch my movements."
Kazuha picked up a wooden sword, assumed a Chudan-no-kamae stance, and then gently swung it.
Whoosh!
A sharp whooshing sound immediately came from in front of them, and Kobayashi Sakura next to him couldn't help but widen her mouth.
She had always lived in that small, secluded place, Higi Village. She had seen samurai, but she had never seen them swing a sword.
"Do you know what to do? Come, left foot forward, right foot back. Don't make the movement too wide. Imagine there's an enemy in front of you, and point the tip of your sword at his throat..."
In the inner room of the dojo, Kazuha was personally teaching Kobayashi Sakura the movements of swordsmanship, while Fujiwara was outside teaching the newly accepted disciples.
There were six people in total. Three of them were relatively young, the kind who genuinely wanted to become stronger.
And their reason for choosing the Fujiwara Dojo was simple: fewer people.
Fewer people meant they would receive more attention, after all, there was only one master, and she couldn't devote the same amount of time to everyone.
Two others were Hanamizaka street ruffians who came to cause trouble but were thoroughly beaten by Fujiwara. After that, they were convinced and became her disciples.
As for the last one... Fujiwara was a bit unsure.
He also looked like a street ruffian, and he was bald. However, he didn't know the other two, and he was past the age for training.
He was nearly thirty and just starting to learn. Wasn't that a bit too late?
Nevertheless, she still gave her secret techniques to all of them to learn, and then provided guidance from the side. After all, there were only six people.
"Alright! Break time! Put down your swords!"
Upon hearing this, the six put away their unsharpened practice swords, then sat on the ground and started chatting.
Except for the bald street ruffian.
'This is bad. I didn't expect that brat to be so lucky, getting taken in by this dojo.'
The bald street ruffian looked at the door leading to the inner room, feeling a surge of anxiety in his heart.
'Damn it, why does a newly opened, crappy dojo have two Menkyo Kaiden? And both are Vision holders?'
'And I heard they even know that all-powerful Sobayonin. Is this some light novel plot?'
'And the boss, seriously, why is he still fixated on this kid? Stealing someone from under the noses of two Menkyo Kaiden? That's utterly impossible, isn't it?'
'High-grade goods may bring a lot of money, but you need to be alive to spend it!'
That's right, this bald street ruffian was one of the group who had bought Kobayashi Sakura from Higi Village, but he was the liaison responsible for Narukami Island and wasn't in Higi Village at the time.
Kobayashi Sakura had seen him, but he was wearing a straw hat and a face covering at the time, so she definitely wouldn't recognize him.
This was also why he was here. He hadn't expected his usual chuunibyou behavior to actually be useful here.
Now, his boss had ordered him to infiltrate the dojo to scout it out, so he could steal Kobayashi Sakura, this "high-grade good," back.
But from the current situation, this was simply impossible!
Menkyo Kaiden are the kind of people who could fight ten opponents at once, and what's more, they also have Visions.
Isn't this just asking for trouble?
'But then again, this Fujiwara is also a high-grade good, but unfortunately, I can't mess with her.'
Looking at her ample chest, the bald street ruffian couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
Of course, there was also that Sobayonin. It was said that she didn't have a Vision at first, and her strength wasn't this formidable.
If I could have found her residence at that time, it would have been another huge order.
But who made her famous through a single magazine? The instructions were clear: no targeting celebrities.
This was something even his boss couldn't go against, so what was he, a mere subordinate?
But that didn't stop him from daydreaming. If I can't do it in reality, can't I at least think about it in my head?
Fujiwara frowned as she looked at the anxious-looking bald thug. She was almost certain that this guy had ulterior motives for coming to apprentice.
He's so old, and his actions and expression are so strange. Who would believe he's here for a normal apprenticeship?
'From his movements just now, he hasn't practiced swordsmanship, and he probably doesn't have other types of weapons...'
'I'll find a chance to send him away. This money doesn't feel right...'
Although she didn't know what he was after, Fujiwara had made up her mind.
This bald guy wasn't like those two thugs. Those two idiots were petty thugs, and they'd probably done bad things in the past, but overall, their hearts were still good.
With proper guidance, they could walk the right path.
Besides, she had given those two idiots a good beating, so they definitely wouldn't go back to their old ways.
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