章 16: Satisfaction

Even if the sky had darkened completely, Naoki's figure was easily made out from that distance with the help of his powerful aura.

Without persuasion, Mr. Ito, Hana, and Kenji lowered their heads instinctively, in reverence.

On seeing this, Naoki acknowledged their greeting with a small nod before retracting his gaze.

"Is your Master a Lord?" Mr. Ito inquired, resting his narrowed gaze on Naoki.

Only a Daimyo could command such a strong ambiance from that distance and without knowing, he had broken a samurai code of conduct by giving a forty-five-degree bow to a person who was not one.

A fifteen-degree bow was to greet someone in the same rank as you. The thirty-degree bow was to acknowledge the people of a higher rank while the forty-five-degree bow was for the Daimyos.

When someone who was not a Daimyo was meeting the Shogun, the forty-five-degree bow or the kneeling bow was to be performed depending on the rank and the occasion.

Letting out a soft sigh, Daisuke tilted his head to the side to briefly glance at Naoki before turning his gaze back to them. "Yes, he is, but he is not a Daimyo."

His reply had been in such a manner not because he couldn't lie to cover up Naoki's identity, but because he did not want to deny the fact that he was a Lord.

He felt that lying would be disrespectful to his Master.

"Then he must be powerful…" Mr. Ito's voice trailed off thoughtfully.

Right now, that was the only explanation he could come up with to explain the mystery surrounding him.

If it wasn't rude, he would have loved to inquire more about Naoki.

However, considering he did not have a close relationship with Daisuke, he refrained from doing so.

That would be a case of him stepping out of line and he did not want to impose knowing how much Daisuke had helped his daughter in the past.

On the other hand, never did it occur to Naoki and Daisuke that Mr. Ito may report this matter to Lord Satake, the Daimyo he was serving under.

Perhaps, they didn't think it would be a problem, or that they just didn't care.

To that fact Mr. Ito made, Daisuke did not give any response. He just let his mind assume whatever it could come up with.

"Your Master looks young, or is the darkness deceiving my sight?" Ito Hana asked with a forced smile.

One thing Haruka's family was oblivious to, was the fact that Naoki who was watching the horse, heard every conversation they had and wondered to himself as he looked their way.

'Since when did I become a subject of interest?'

Immediately, Ito Hana met his gaze and shrank in fright as her shoulders hunched.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed.

"D-Did… H-He perhaps hear me?" She asked softly for fear of him hearing her again as her eyes widened, unaware that he was also able to hear her whisper even from that distance.

"No, I'm sure my Master can still feel the heated gazes on him." Daisuke lied, forcing a smile at her.

But seeing the furrowed brows of Haruka who was staring at him, he instantly relaxed the corner of his lips.

He thought his smile might have looked very suspicious or hideous for her to have glanced his way in that manner.

Daisuke had to tell a believable lie by making the Ito family who still had their gazes on the one man who didn't seem to look their way anymore, accept that their stare had forced him to react.

"Ah… I see…" Ito Hana said with a laugh as she cast a glance in Naoki's direction again before finally retracting her gaze.

Knowing that Naoki must be impatient now, Daisuke nodded to him as he bid them farewell.

"Mr. Ito, I must take my leave now,"

There was no longer much time for games. The earlier he ended things, the better for him.

Mr. Ito and his family looked past his shoulder to glance at the figure in the dark before he responded with a smile.

"We apologize for taking your time. Please, extend our heartfelt apologies and thanks to your Master as well."

"I will."

With his reply, his gaze landed on Haruka who bowed slightly at him as the corner of her lips curled, before looking away and turning to leave.

In quick steps, he approached Naoki who was already looking his way.

When he finally got to his side, he lowered his head, dipping his upper torso about thirty degrees as his eyes looked to the ground one meter in front of his feet.

No words were said, but by just his gaze being lowered, he successfully conveyed an ardent message.

Being aware of the fact that his Master did not like to waste time, he was apologizing for making him stand there idly for half the time it took an incense stick to burn out.

"We should be on our way," Naoki informed him before turning to walk ahead.

His tone was calm, showing that he bore no grudge or blamed him for the time wasted.

Hearing the retreating footsteps, Daisuke quickly raised his head. 'He is leaving already?' He thought as he pulled the reins of the horse to lead it forward.

Suddenly, Naoki paused in his steps and turned his head slightly to the side.

"Were you expecting me to mount the horse while you pull it by the reins as you did with that girl?"

Daisuke was at a loss for words on how to respond. Regardless, Naoki continued. "You better find your way back."

Without waiting for a response, he continued in his steps with his hands clasped behind his back.

0_0

'H-He… h-heard… my thoughts? W-Wait, M-Master can h-hear my thoughts…' He pondered internally.

Instantly another idea crossed his mind, forcing his eyes to widen. 'Even this one? Oh my…'

At that realization that Naoki was able to hear his thoughts, his eyebrows raised, and horizontal wrinkles appeared on his forehead as his jaw slacked.

For the next few seconds, Daisuke stood there, frozen on the spot.

He was left completely stunned by his master.

*******

After setting the bowls on the short-legged table before the Empress, the two servants bowed deeply before hurrying away.

No one wished to wait and be the next victim to quell her rage.

Empress Himiko who was sitting formally on a cushion with her erect spine and her feet tucked underneath her body, sniffed in the scent from the covered bowls with a smile that reached her eyes.

She looked far worse now.

"This one is fresh," she complimented.

The Shogun who was in the same sitting position across from her furrowed his brows as his nose scrunched.

Seeing that irritation on his face, she managed a nice smile at him.

"Brother, permit me to quench my deepest thirst," she informed briefly. Not that she minded if he agreed or not.

This was what she yearned for at the moment.

Then without waiting for his permission, she rolled up her sleeves slightly to reveal the green jade bangles that lined up on her white wrinkled wrists.

Not wasting time, Empress Himiko picked up the lid from the two bowls to reveal the thick red liquid in them.

As the corner of her lips curled, she immediately picked up one of the bowls with her trembling fingers and brought the rim to her lips.

Inhaling sharply with her eyes closed, her lips parted as her fingers slowly raised the bottom of the bowl.

As the thick red liquid flowed from the ceramic bowl into her mouth and down her throat, her complexion started to change and the wrinkles on her body started to gradually disappear.

Watching his sister closely, Sei-i Taishogun's facial expression started to loosen up.

She finished drinking from the first bowl and set it down before picking up the second bowl.

In no time, she had finished drinking the liquids contained in each bowl and set them down as though they were sweet wine which was what it tasted to her.

Picking up the white kerchief embroidered with the phoenix symbol placed on the table next to the bowls, she used it to dab her lips and wipe the corner.

Looking at the woman who had regained her youthful appearance with no place for wrinkles, and whose beautiful looks could tromp nations, he asked with a strict tone.

"Did you have to wait till you were about to go mad before asking for blood, Himiko?"