"I see... How much do you want to borrow? The interest will be calculated according to the rules of the Butterfly Mansion."
The end of her sentence rose slightly as Kochou Shinobu looked at Kiyokawa Izumi with a smile in her eyes.
"Well... how much can I borrow? It doesn't need to be much, just enough for a few bowls of noodles."
Kiyokawa Izumi only knew that silver coins and paper notes were currently in use, but he really wasn't sure exactly how much he needed to borrow.
He didn't value money that much anyway.
Just enough for a few bowls of noodles would do.
"Um, how is the interest calculated?"
Suddenly remembering something, Kiyokawa Izumi asked in a low voice.
"Ten percent daily interest!"
Kochou Shinobu covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone gentle.
When he first heard this, Kiyokawa Izumi didn't react immediately.
Ten percent daily interest?
Wait a minute, isn't that just a shark loan?
Is this woman really so black-hearted?
Using the gentlest tone to say the coldest words.
Kiyokawa Izumi's brain stalled for a moment; he really wanted to ask if she was joking.
"How much do you want to borrow?"
The corners of Kochou Shinobu's mouth rose slightly as she pressed further.
"..."
How much to borrow?
Did he even dare to borrow now?
He just wanted to borrow a bit of money for a few meals; he didn't want to sell himself into debt—he definitely wouldn't be able to pay it back, so he couldn't exactly sell his body, could he?
"Just a joke."
Seeing Kiyokawa Izumi too scared to make a sound, Kochou Shinobu said with a smile.
"According to the rules of the Butterfly Mansion... let me think. You need to grind one hundred pounds of freshly processed wisteria flowers into powder, and then go shape three hundred rice balls."
"?"
"After you finish those, I'll consider it."
"?"
Only 'consider it'?
These so-called 'rules of the Butterfly Mansion,' you didn't just make them up, did you?
Kiyokawa Izumi felt that she was deliberately teasing him, but he had no proof.
Her tone was always so gentle, yet it hid a sharp-tongued nature.
How long would it take to grind one hundred pounds of dried wisteria flowers into powder?
A powder-making worker of this era could only manage fifteen to twenty pounds a day at their limit.
Processing wisteria flowers would certainly be even more troublesome.
Even if he was a swordsman who mastered a Breathing Technique and had physical capabilities far beyond an ordinary person, it would take at least three days to process that pile of wisteria flowers.
As for making rice balls, that was purely to make up the numbers.
It would probably only take half a day to complete.
"That's... just to 'consider' it? And will there still be interest?"
"If you perform well, then no!"
"I..."
Kiyokawa Izumi couldn't help but rub his brow. Admiring his troubled expression, Kochou Shinobu's mood grew even better.
When it came to serious matters, she really hadn't made things difficult for Kiyokawa Izumi.
For example, when he asked her for help in concocting poisons.
At that time, Kochou Shinobu had seemed very easy to talk to.
But now it was different.
She was practically heartless!
Just as Kochou Shinobu was about to relent, Kiyokawa Izumi looked at her with burning eyes and couldn't help but ask.
"Are you still accepting Successors? How about this, I'll be your Successor, and you lend me the money!"
Kochou Shinobu didn't react for a moment, unable to understand the connection.
Why should she take him as a Successor and also lend him money?
Kiyokawa Izumi even had an expression that suggested she was getting a great deal.
"..."
A brief silence followed, and the atmosphere became a bit awkward.
Kiyokawa Izumi looked at her strangely, wanting to ask if she looked down on him.
Sigh, there was no choice.
Poverty truly stifles ambition; a lack of money can stump even a great man.
Even if he sold himself, no one would want him!
He, Kiyokawa Izumi, had a lot of potential, okay!
After an unknown amount of time, Kochou Shinobu tossed a coin pouch from her robes.
Kiyokawa Izumi caught it steadily and gave it a couple of shakes—a subconscious action, as he couldn't actually tell how much money was in there by the sound.
Faced with the rich lady's generosity, after a slight hesitation, Kiyokawa Izumi felt a pang of conscience and couldn't help but ask.
"Are you really not going to consider it?"
Kiyokawa Izumi remembered the scene when she first met Kanao—large amounts of paper notes and coins flying everywhere; she must be worth a lot.
Undoubtedly a rich woman!
Facing Kiyokawa Izumi's second inquiry, Kochou Shinobu only shook her head; silence was her refusal.
The reason was actually quite simple: Kiyokawa Izumi wasn't serious; it was more of a joke than true resolve.
And Kochou Shinobu couldn't feel his determination or will.
It wasn't that she hadn't taken Successors before, but she had her own judgment for selecting them.
At least for now, in her eyes, Kiyokawa Izumi wasn't that qualified.
Though they interacted somewhat casually, that was only because Kiyokawa Izumi was different from ordinary swordsmen; he wasn't so cautious and reverent in front of a Hashira.
"The grinding tools are in the third cabinet of the Pharmacy. Remember to sift it three times, don't forget!"
Leaving behind those words, Kochou Shinobu walked away with a light laugh.
Kiyokawa Izumi could faintly smell a light fragrance emanating from the coin pouch. He realized belatedly and instinctively replied.
"Wait, I really have to work?"
"Good luck!"
She patted his shoulder lightly as she passed by as a sign of encouragement.
"..."
...In the Pharmacy,
"Oh, it's Aoi!"
"What are you doing here?" Kanzaki Aoi asked seriously, her face stern.
"I'm here to work! Where are those one hundred pounds of wisteria flowers? The Insect Hashira told me to grind them into powder."
Kiyokawa Izumi wasn't the type of person to take money and not do the job.
But after arriving at the Pharmacy, he was a bit confused.
Where exactly were those one hundred pounds of wisteria flowers? Why couldn't he find them?
"What are you talking about? Where would we get that many wisteria flowers?"
Kanzaki Aoi looked at him with a strange expression, her tone full of confusion.
"..."