His appearance could be called handsome. White hair and wine-red eyes complemented each other. Placed on the street—also a beautiful man who'd attract many gazes.
But him pressing a kunai against my neck—very annoying!
I didn't answer. Turned my head, surveyed those criminals knocked down then bound. Instead asked him, "Behind these people—should still be a team. You directly knocked them down. Not afraid of alerting the enemy?"
His gaze tightly locked on me. Seeing I wasn't panicked at all—withdrew the kunai. Calmly shrugged.
"How could this great lord do such unglamorous things? These guys are more cautious than you think. This trip directly brings people to the buyer. So directly knocking them down, extracting contact codes, then disguising as them to conduct transactions—that's the faster method."
Couldn't tell. This youth who immediately pointed a weapon at me—thoughts actually this clear and cautious.
Suma dissatisfiedly pounced over. Hung on his arm. "Lord Tengen, pointing kunai at others is too rude! This Miss Chihaya is a young lady. What if you frighten her?"
Tengen glanced at me. Drew out his tone. "Idiot Suma—just how stupid are you? Look at this person's eyes. How could she possibly resemble an unworldly young lady?"
This brat—quite sharp. Worthy of shinobi origins.
But what they did—not what shinobi should do.
"Aren't you shinobi? Why would you handle kidnapping cases?"
Tengen looked at me. Looked at Suma. Finally patted her head, neither light nor heavy.
"Idiot. Slipped up again, didn't you!"
Suma bounced up at once. As if covering guilt, loudly clamored, "I—I didn't! She's too sharp. Discovered it herself! Didn't Lord Tengen also say—this lady isn't ordinary!"
She so quickly used Tengen's own words to block his mouth. Obviously choked Tengen badly.
At this time, another young woman also walked over. Had eye-catching hair. Temper also much fiercer. Similarly patted her head once. Hand strength much heavier. "Idiot Suma! Don't we understand you? Don't make excuses for mistakes!"
Suma cried out in pain. Grabbed Tengen's arm, crying. "Wah! Lord Tengen, Sister Makio hit me!"
Seeing Suma still dared complain, Makio furiously reached to grab her ear. But was nimbly dodged by Suma. The two surrounded Tengen, quarreling and playing endlessly.
On the other side, seeing this, Hinatsuru also walked over. Softly mediated. Three girls' voices mixed together—power no less.
Tengen, surrounded by them, looked dead inside. Took a deep breath, then shouted once. Finally ended the farce.
"You lot—handle serious matters first!"
Already some distance from the city. Bringing so many people directly back to the city—very easy to attract attention.
Tengen could only bring these girls to a nearby town. Settled them in their base. Himself disguised as the contact person.
Only then did I learn these three girls weren't his sisters—but his wives. Shocked me into clicking my tongue in admiration.
Watched them briefly dress up. Looked like they prepared to disguise as kidnapped young women. Proposed going together with them.
Tengen sized me up several times. Didn't say this was too dangerous for me. Nodded, agreed.
His makeup skills were good. Quickly transformed himself into a dull-looking burly man. Drove that wagon. Carried us four toward the agreed location.
On the road, idle with nothing to do—several girls chatted with me. Curiously asked me various questions.
Like why I traveled alone. Why wasn't I afraid of encountering danger? Where did I live? What places had I been? What did I usually do?
I guessed their daily lives should be very monotonous. Usually should live in a very closed place. Knew nothing of outside new changes.
They also loved hearing me describe sights and sounds in big cities. Hearing new things they found interesting—would keep asking further.
Until Tengen suddenly coughed once. Realizing already approaching the destination—they abruptly quieted down. Secretly on guard.
I lifted a corner of the wagon curtain. Saw outside was already sunset. Dusk's last trace of light pulled from the ground. Night silently spread upward.
This road grew more and more remote. Almost entering the mountains.
Continuing forward for some time—the wagon suddenly stopped. I sensed Tengen's breathing chaotic for an instant.
But he immediately calmed down. Used an enthusiastic voice to greet people ahead. Unobtrusively knocked on the wagon.
This should be some code between them. Because the three girls suddenly became serious.
Hinatsuru moved beside me. Quietly said, "The situation seems somewhat bad. Miss Chihaya, please hide well in the wagon later. We'll do our best to protect you."
After speaking, Makio and Suma took out black cloth to cover me. Looking from outside in—as long as not carefully inspecting, no way to discover a person still hidden in the corner.
I sat in the corner, hugging my knees, hiding well. Listened to people outside conversing. Calmed my heart to sense.
Though I still didn't understand what Yoriichi called the Transparent World looked like—I trained so many years. Also had my methods.
Through airflow, sound, and smell—I roughly grasped the outside situation.
Should be a very small village. Numbers not many. Only a dozen or so. Hearing footsteps—all male.
After the wagon stopped—someone lifted the curtain. People outside rudely cursed. Had girls in the wagon all come out.
Hinatsuru quietly slipped me a kunai for self-defense. After they left—sure enough, no one came to inspect the wagon. Those voices slowly moved away from me.
I lifted the black cloth, stretched lazily. Also crawled out from the wagon.
Vision unaffected in darkness. I also saw this village's appearance clearly. Houses very crude. Hidden at a concealed mountain base. Without someone leading the way—probably very hard to find here.
I raised my arm. A sound of flapping wings approached. An owl that had been hiding behind, following, flew over. Stopped on my hand.
This owl became my messenger not long ago. Young age, yet very composed. I named her Daifuku.
After stroking her feathers to soothe her—I said, "A demon lurks here. Also many humans imprisoned here. Go to the city, call the Kakushi over. Arriving at dawn to clean up should be just right."
Daifuku softly called twice. Round eyes looked at me. "Lord Chihaya, be careful."
Don't worry. Though I haven't charged to the frontlines to fight in a long time—doesn't mean my skills regressed. This old lady didn't live a thousand years for nothing.
Daifuku flew away. And I also moved my body. Swiftly chased the direction Tengen and the others left, following up.
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