Dim light filled Muramasa's thatched hut. The furniture, which had been meticulously cleaned two days ago, was now lightly dusted. Muramasa took off his shoes and entered. The floorboards sang with a creak as he walked.
Soon, the sound of moving furniture and a boiling kettle filled the room, followed by the light fragrance of brown rice tea.
"Please, come in."
Only then did Muramasa allow the two women to enter the room. Three cushions were placed before a long table. Muramasa sat on the side, leaving the two facing each other to choose their seats. The first to enter was the white-haired girl in the haori. The fan that had hidden her face was now closed. Her white socks muffled the sound of her footsteps as she gracefully arranged her skirt and knelt on the cushion.
The other woman was less reserved, taking off her shoes and sitting down.
I didn't expect the clothes I bought to come in handy so soon… I'll have to thank those two properly next time.
"If you have something to say, let's just say it all here," Muramasa, as the host, spoke first. Though their goals were slightly different, he figured both were here to win him over. Instead of being a messenger as they raised their bids, it was better to have them state their 'budgets' face-to-face.
The Fatui diplomat didn't mince words. "Since Mr. Muramasa has spoken, we won't waste any time. We are willing to buy your skills and abilities with real gold. Whatever price you name, as long as you are willing to ask, we have the courage to accept."
It was an arrogant statement. The person behind her must have given her significant backing. It was a powerful move, an attempt to buy him out completely, regardless of his future.
Ayaka was slightly doubtful. The abilities he had displayed so far didn't seem to warrant an all-out recruitment effort from the Fatui. But with such a direct attempt at poaching, if she didn't speak up, the Yashiro Commission's position would become awkward.
"Mr. Muramasa is a citizen of Inazuma. Why would he need to turn to outsiders for his needs? Whatever the Fatui can offer, we of the Yashiro Commission can offer as well." With that, she turned her grayish-blue eyes to Muramasa. "Sir, we are not saying we want to buy your skills. We simply hope to establish a long-term, stable partnership. Manpower, resources, finances... as long as it is within our capabilities, the Yashiro Commission will give you our full support."
Her offer was gentler than the Fatui's. Compared to their raw power, her proposal offered more autonomy. Of course, autonomy meant risk. Full 'support' implied they wanted him to reach greater heights, an unspoken clause. In this regard, both sides were the same—they only said what they could give, not what they needed. Empty promises. Without stating a price, how could a bid be determined?
"You two haven't said a single useful thing."
"Your mouths are coated with honey, but I can't smell a single whiff of what's inside... Since you won't say it, I'll ask directly."
"What exactly do you need me to 'do'?" Muramasa cut straight to the point, trying to peel back the truth in their words.
This time, the native Inazuman side spoke first.
"We hope that you, Sir Muramasa, will establish a new school of forging in Inazuma and pass down your techniques."
Establishing a school meant putting down roots in Inazuma. And passing it down meant that his skills would become Inazuma's property.
"We will not ask for or demand it. We only hope that your talent can remain in Inazuma."
Hearing this, the Fatui envoy made her move. "Remain in Inazuma? To be killed by you? You can't even protect your own things, yet you shamelessly want others to leave their treasures with you. Do you know what the Northland Bank of Snezhnaya is built on? Reputation. We will do everything in our power to protect our clients' assets. No nation, no family can command us to hand over the money stored with us. Unlike you, we will not let our clients' money be stolen."
Though she knew the other's words were a trap, Kamisato Ayaka had no other path to take, no other words to say. "The Inazuma of today is different from the past. The Kamisato Clan will also do everything in its power to ensure..."
A response. A counterattack. "Is that so? Then where are the other 'Raiden Gokaden' now?"
After 'ensure,' there was nothing more to say. She had been hit where it hurt the most.
"And the 'Kamisato Clan' of today... a family that has failed in its duties is still allowed to serve as the Yashiro Commission... As expected of Inazuma. Each great family is a rotten root. They've sunk their roots so deep that now that they've rotted, they can't even be dug out."
The 'Raiden Gokaden.' I've heard that name several times now. It seems there's more to their decline than meets the eye. This wasn't good. He thought that old man had been about to say something about it before.
"The matter of the 'Raiden Gokaden' is indeed a stain on our Kamisato Clan. We will not argue that," Ayaka took a breath, seemingly trying to de-escalate. "It is precisely because we have experience with failure that we can better protect the interests of the smiths."
She needed to prove it, but right now, proof was what she lacked the most.
"Don't be ridiculous. Can a shattered piece of glass be stronger after being glued back together? Does Inazuma have any other good forging techniques besides the 'Raiden Gokaden'? Do you want me to recount the deaths of the descendants of those families? You've just seen a chance for redemption and are shamelessly clinging to it."
Every word she spoke struck a nerve that the Yashiro Commission could not defend against. The sound of the young lady's heart pounding was almost deafening. Her smile began to stiffen, her vision slightly warping from her racing heart.
What should I do… Here, I should…
"Calm down," Muramasa said, a rare intervention. "Don't let her lead you by the nose."
Hearing his seemingly biased words, the Fatui envoy's aim shifted slightly. "Mr. Muramasa, may I take it that you have made a choice?"
"No," Muramasa replied with a smile. "It's just that a one-sided conversation is no fun, is it? I believe you're telling the truth, but I also believe you're not telling the whole truth. Making a choice without knowing the full picture is too risky for me. And your opponent here clearly knows you better than I do and will be more forthcoming than you."
Muramasa's words were a hint, giving Kamisato Ayaka time to recover and a new line of thought. She took another breath, and the slightly stiff smile on her face relaxed. "What you have said is not wrong. The Yashiro Commission does indeed see this as an opportunity to atone for its sins. With the techniques of the 'Raiden Gokaden' lost, it is natural for the Yashiro Commission to want to make this tarnished pearl shine again."
Is that all? That's no different. The Fatui envoy relaxed. She could counter this kind of circular reasoning.
"And what about your side?"
"I am not questioning your 'reputation'. I am asking about... your other actions. For example—that Harbinger, 'The Doctor'."
The envoy's gaze hardened. The actions of the Harbingers were not for them to comment on.
"According to the Yashiro Commission's investigation, that Doctor has committed crimes that have angered both gods and men. Where are the children who were experimented on now? Could you please explain?"
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