Hajime is getting equipment ready for the journey north to Unicorn lands, and has managed to procure some armor in the colours of the Moth for himself. As he goes through the requisition process, he comes across some paperwork referencing a regional tax collector, Otomo Hideko, and resolves to ask Eiko about them later on.
When he finally gets the opportunity to do so, it’s apparent that the two tax collectors know one another. Eiko describes Hideko as extremely efficient and fastidious, but is surprised to hear they’re in the region. He begins to laud Hideko’s many administrative virtues, and Hajime’s eyes glaze over for a moment before he extracts himself to figure out what to do with Peschay while the group is once again out of the city.
A very sleepy Peschay has somehow slept in even later than the Scorpions, complaining that he can’t believe he missed his morning exercise. Hajime has a plan to rectify that, and grabs some portable breakfast for the teen so that he can eat on the way to their destination. As they make their way to the gardens of the House of the Evergreens, he explains that the group will be away for a short period and that he has an acquaintance he’d like him to meet: Mirumoto Sanae.
Sanae’s home is on the same property as the inn, since she is its patron. Hajime asks to speak with her, and is soon invited inside, finding Sanae seated in a room doing her bookkeeping, which she isn’t happy with. She smiles upon seeing Hajime, but drops it as soon as she sees Peschay. The two adults exchange apprehensive pleasantries and discuss her paperwork, but then she cuts to the chase and asks about Peschay, specifically if he is Hajime’s little brother. Hajime introduces him and brings up his predicament: he and the others have to leave the city again, meaning that they can’t prioritise returning Peschay to Maemikake as they’d planned. Turning on as much charm as he can, he asks if Sanae might look after the boy until he gets back, and tops it off by asking her to dinner when he returns.
Unfortunately, the charm doesn’t work, and Sanae narrows her eyes at Hajime as she gives her response, expressing her disappointment that he seems to consider his duties more urgent than her own, given that she’s not part of the Emerald Office. Hajime tries to explain that that’s not what he meant to do, apologizing, but it seems to fall flat. He genuinely wants to be friends with Sanae, and realises he’s put his foot in his mouth, trying to find a way to fix things.
He tries to lean on their apparent shared dislike of paperwork and love of dueling, and tries to offer up Peschay as a gopher, or some sort of assistance to help with her frustrations at her work. Seemingly unconvinced, but still cordial behind a thin smile, Sanae agrees, making it clear to Peschay that he is to be helpful to her and not cause her any trouble. Hajime thanks her as graciously and profusely as he is able before taking his leave.
Back at the office, Yuzume is fitting in a bit of last-minute research into Nagokita, hoping to get an idea of his crimes, tactics, and any other helpful information she can pass on to her co-workers. However, she can find nothing on him – it seems that his crimes never affected Hirosaka, the Moth, or the lands that the clan once stewarded. However, she remembers something from the letter Minoru received from the Ruby Champion – that Nagokita was once Ikoma Nagokita, and that Matsu Midori may have heard of him.
Midori is training in the courtyard of her home, still wearing mourning clothes. Work on her home has clearly been going slowly, and it’s not apparent where she even sleeps. She seems a bit suspicious, but polite, as Yuzume enters. She asks if this is another noise complaint, and Yuzume replies by subtly implying she won’t be paying attention to further ones she receives. Thankfully no one has dared level any at Midori herself, particularly given the mourning period.
The Lion invites Yuzume to sit with her once she finds out that her advice is needed by the Emerald Office. However, does request that the Lion Clan be notified if it is part of an investigation. Given that she and the others must leave that day, Yuzume apologizes for not being able to do so, and specifies that she was hoping Midori might know something about the dangerous enemy they have been sent to bring in. Knowing that she has been asked for tactical advice by the Emerald Office pleases Midori, and she is eager to assist right up until Yuzume slips and refers to Nagokita as an Ikoma. Midori is rightly furious that Yuzume has done so, particularly given the awful things Nagokita did to be expelled from the Lion in the first place, and the fact that he was already killed seven years ago for them.
Unused to trying to convey genuine apologies, especially to someone she has offended like this, and by accident, Yuzume does her best to say sorry, as well as trying to imply that it might be an impostor using the name. Midori is silent for a long time, staring at Yuzume, but eventually sighs – she is still pale and upset, but her anger is diverted elsewhere. She makes it clear that finding Nagokita should be their top priority, as much as it displeases her, and she will provide what support she can. She tells Yuzume of his tactics, telling her that he avoids confrontation whenever possible and disguises his troops as civilians. He only orders an attack if he can win with minimum losses, but is difficult to beat in a fair fight due to how skilled he is as a warrior.
Yuzume assures Midori that her advice will go far in bringing Nagokita to justice, and prepares to leave, but Midori asks if there is anything else she might need to know first. Unsure of exactly what, Yuzume asks if Midori has any other advice that will make sure the team makes it back to Hirosaka, given the picture being built of what their quarry is like. Midori tells her of some of Nagokita’s past – how he was a minor lord that never went to court, who was always in skirmishes with the Unicorn. Apparently unsatisfied with having to share his small domain with one Lord Hachimoto, he butchered Hachimoto and his family when they were his guests. She also warns Yuzume that Nagokita is very skilled with his words, and that she shouldn’t get in reach of neither them nor his blade.
This knowledge comes as a comfort to Yuzume, given that her particular brand of magic is all about staying unseen and unnoticed. She smiles at Midori, assuring her that Nagokita getting close won’t be a problem at all, and stirs the air kami into a little breeze around her as if to punctuate her point.
While this is going on, Eiko is working on reconstruction of the riverside district, having been inspired by the progress on the commoners’ quarters last night. He preps a report on work that needs to be done, supplies needed, potential designs, et cetera, and though this is the kind of project that he loves, he finds himself overwhelmed by the logistics, since not every item can currently accounted for – they still don’t have supplies or manpower from the surrounding clans. However, he hopes that getting it done and out of the way now means that he can make some actual progress, given that they have barely been in town at all this week.
With their preparations made and research done, Minoru and his yoriki ride north. The lands are sparse, and there are barely any patrols, but there are small nods to Unicorn control of the territory – the peasants that the group do see on their travels have no issues wearing leather and fur, happy with the practicality of the materials. However, the region easily shows its history of neglect through its lack of livestock. The land would be perfect for grazing, but the people in the hamlets they pass don’t have the numbers to even keep them. Minoru notices lots of small hints along their ride that a group of ronin have gone to ground here – signs of poorly hidden traps and guerilla warfare.
As night falls, the group stop in one of the hamlets, which has an inn called the Geta and a small geisha house. Outside the inn is a horse bearing the heraldry of the Fox Clan, and after a short discussion about if it would be best to stay here or ride further to reach the Shinjo, the group decide to rest. They enter and are met by the innkeeper, ordering food and rooms before taking a seat. The peasants look at them as though they’ve never seen samurai like them before, and give them a wide berth. At another table sits a red-haired samurai, the owner of the horse outside – Kitsune Anand.
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