"You must be from somewhere here, right?" Sayo asked while observing Akashi's military type of clothes.
"Yeah, you are definitely from far away, right?" Akashi couldn't help but ask back with a slightly teasing smile while looking at their clothes.
"...Yes" Sayo lowered her head with a little blush as she answered weakly.
"Don't worry about it, in the Capital, it doesn't matter what clothes you are wearing but it is the truth that everyone will recognize you as country bumpkins." Akashi reassured Sayo who was a little ashamed now that she noticed how much difference there was between her clothes and the clothes of the other 2 girls.
"Why are you wearing a mask anyway?" Ieyasu asked Poney but Akashi obviously didn't tell them her real name since she was currently a wanted "criminal".
"Ieyasu! Don't be rude!" Sayo immediately snapped at him and glared at him.
"I-" Before Poney was able to say anything, Akashi started explaining.
"She is too beautiful, far too beautiful therefore it's for her protection and not to attract too much attention. Usually, in the Capital, attention equals problems, you better remember that." Akashi explained casually while waving his hand disinterestedly which made it only look more believable.
Kurome and Sayo didn't show much of reaction, maybe a little bit of surprise but Ieyasu was completely shocked by Akashi's words. And Poney, well, she was currently glad that she was wearing the mask that was hiding her completely red face. She was aware that Akashi had his reasons for using such a stupid excuse but she still couldn't help but blush to hear him say that.
Akashi used this type of reason to redirect Ieyasu's attention to Poney instead of Kurome since he noticed how he was secretly glancing at her from time to time. Akashi didn't hold it against him but he still knew that Kurome was feeling a bit uncomfortable and awkward so he simply let him think about Poney's face.
'Far too beautiful? Kurome is already cute and beautiful but she doesn't have to wear a mask like the other girl? What kind of beauty is she?!' Ieyasu started racking his brain, imagining Poney's face on her figure.
Sayo once again had to smack him to stop absent mindedly starting at Poney.
They talked a bit on the rest of their way until Akashi and his group parted ways with them a few kilometers away from the Capital. He simply said that they still wanted to go hunting not to arouse any suspicion from them.
After that, Akashi, Kurome, and Poney sneaked into Capital without being checked and went directly to their mansion.
.
.
.
"Those 2...They said that they got separated from their friend named Tatsumi..." Poney muttered while lying stomach first on the sofa while swinging her legs behind her in a relaxed manner.
"Are you worried about them?" Akashi who was sitting at his table, looking over the documents asked with a raised eyebrow in question.
"Hm? Not really, I just think it was kinda big coincidence for us to meet them there." Poney said with an uncertain expression.
"You think that they lied?" Akashi asked with an amused tone since he was for 80% sure that they didn't lie, at most they didn't tell them everything.
"No...that's not it. I guess I am just a bit parano-" Poney shook her head but before she could finish, she was interrupted.
*Knock* *Knock* "Akashi Nii-sama, something important happened and I believe you would like to know that." Kurome's muffled voice came from behind the door.
"Kurome, you don't need to knock...just come in." Akashi said with a helpless look on his face.
'She has been living here for more than 8 years yet she still acts all polite whenever possible while this...cat carelessly lying on my sofa has been living here only a month yet she is acting literally like a rebellious cat, I also noticed my shampoo disappearing at a much faster rate than before...' Akashi thought while glaring at Poney's long auburn hair when Kurome walked in.
"Here it is..." Kurome approached his desk and handed a document to him.
Akashi accepted it and started reading.
---1 hours before---
"...What are we gonna do now? Most of the people here are kinda unfriendly even if we just ask for directions they behave like we are asking for money..." Ieyasu asked Sayo with his shoulders down and dejected look in his face.
"Shut it for a moment, I am trying to think of something" Sayo replied with a troubled look as she was frowning.
'Hm? Maybe I should warn those 2 before anything bad happens to them' A cloaked figure kneeling on the side of the street who saw those 2 with their helpless looks in their faces thought. It was one of many members of Akashi's organization. This man was previously beggar and even though he has warm place where to live, he still plays one since he is already well known in some areas and it was the easiest way for him how to get to all kinds of information.
However, when he was about to get up, he noticed someone else approaching them already.
'Tch! Looks like I am late...Still, to think that she would be here, this will definitely interest the leader.' The man thought with a sinister smile hidden under his hood and remained on his knees, begging for money while carefully listening to their conversation.
"Hello, you two! You look troubled, do you need help?" A blonde girl approached Sayo and Ieyasu while asking with a kind smile, that person was precisely Aria.
"Oh? Hi! I guess you can say we are in a little predicament." Ieyasu was surprised to see a cute girl approach them but he still replied with a slightly forced smile, not so merry as before since he was aware of their situation.
Sayo greeted more politely and Aria took a closer look at her which confused Sayo a bit but she didn't mind it.
'This girl is really beautiful...much more than that waitress. Her hair looks even better than mine! The only reason why I let that waitress alone was that she couldn't compare to my appearance and status but despite feeling reluctant to admit, this girl in front of me is more beautiful than me! There aren't so many women with her beauty...' Aria thought and felt jealousy while looking at Sayo but she also felt something else...insecurity.
Aria quickly asked for the reason of their worries which Ieyasu and Sayo explained without any problem since they didn't see any disadvantage at telling her despite her being complete stranger.
"Then how about you two stay at my place for tonight? You can search for your friend tomorrow morning." Aria offered with a kind smile.
'...Why would she invite us, complete strangers, to her house?' Sayo thought while Ieyasu was about to agree with an excited face.
"Um, aren't you afraid that we might be dangerous people?" Sayo interrupted Ieyasu before he could agree.
"Hm? Not at all, you two don't look like locals and I might be reluctant to invite 2 guys over but you are a girl and boy which makes it even easier" Aria cocked her head to the side in confusion before he replied with an innocent smile.
'Hmm, I guess what she says makes sense. After all, I wasn't against starting a conversation with Akashi and others just because there were fellow girls around him. If there were just 3 guys, even I would be hesitant about it.' Sayo thought and this time, she didn't interrupt Ieyasu as he agreed after a few seconds of silence.
Ieyasu and Sayo introduced themselves and went deeper inside the Capital together with Aria.
"Kuku, looks like the leader will have finally a chance to bring "justice" to those things. Sorry, I couldn't warn you kiddos in time but your suffering will serve a greater good." The cloaked man muttered and released a sinister laugh with a pleased smile hiding under the hood. He suddenly stood up and dusted off his cloak while throwing his "earnings" to a fellow beggar before disappearing inside the dark alley.
----Present----
"Good, although it's really a weird coincidence that those 2 we met before are also the ones who got tangled up with Aria's family. Nevermind, it was already some time since they kidnapped anyone so I was fearing if they stopped doing it right before our marriage." Akashi muttered while looking out of the window with a slightly weird look on his face.
"So...when are we going into action?! Tonight?!" Poney asked while restlessly swinging her legs around while lying on the sofa. She also wanted to get rid of such a disgusting "family".
"No...Good job, Kurome. Please reward a man who relayed this information and also can you please call Ichika for me? She should be together with those kids, they really like her..." Akashi shook his head and joined both hands together keeping them right in front of his face with a serious expression.
Kurome nodded her head and left the room.
When Ichika came...
"Have you called for me, young lord?" Ichika asked with a pleasant smile since it was already some time since she saw Akashi from up close. She was really busy teaching those kids some self-defense and other aspects.
"I need to use the advantage of your magical artifact." Akashi smiled at her before he nodded with a slightly more serious expression.
"? You want me to do something stealthily for you? I am sure that you are aware that invisibility alone isn't anything grand as long as there is an experienced warrior or assassin around, right?" Ichika asked just to be sure since she was afraid that Akashi was overestimating her ability in using that invisibility.
"Don't worry about that. There are 2 new victims inside Aria's mansion and I would like to sneak inside and keep them alive. Of course, it will be a very ugly job since you will have to make sure that they won't die during the torture and in case they are severely injured, you have to treat their injuries but don't go overboard so others can't suspect anything. In case it will look like they are about to die during the torture...knock out the torturer and immediately inform me" Akashi instructed with a serious expression, waiting for Ichika's answer, he didn't want to force this job onto her and she was aware of it from his look in his eyes.
"?!" Poney two heard him stopped swinging her legs back and forth and just stared at Akashi with wide-open eyes but she didn't interrupt them.
"Young lord, I am already accustomed to such things. It will be done without any problems, may I take some potions made according to Oarburgh's recipe? It will stop their internal bleeding which is hard to treat and they won't even suspect anything." Ichika replied without any hesitation still with a smile across her face.
"...Of course, use whatever you require as necessary. Aiko will take care of those kids in your stead in meanwhile." Akashi's serious expression disappeared and was replaced by a warm smile before he replied.
Ichika nodded with a grateful expression before leaving the room, leaving Poney and Akashi alone.
"'Young lord', huh? Anyway, why would you wait and waste resources when you can strike tonight?" Poney said with a teasing smile while looking at Akashi before she asked with a confused expression when they were finally left alone.
"Their friend" Akashi leaned back in his chair with a curious smile while looking at the ceiling while completely ignoring Poney's little teasing.
"Huh?" Poney cocked her head to the side while giving Akashi a confused and strange look.
"This series of coincidences...I wonder where it will end, it almost feels like a written script, haha. This is really interesting." Akashi muttered while also releasing a laugh at the end.
"..." Poney just waited for her answer in silence.
"I have a feeling that their friend will come into play. They said that they got separated but they didn't look too worried about him which means he has got the skill. He will definitely arrive sooner or later, he might play some role in striking them down too. Who knows. Anyway, if I let them get tortured, I will also get witnesses together with evidence to show to the Imperial police." Akashi said while performing one spin on his chair with a thoughtful expression. Whenever he was inside his study, he has picked up a habit of spinning on his chair whenever he was thinking about something.
"That's...a bit cruel but I guess it can't be helped if you believe that their friend will join in." Poney said with a bit forced smile but she quickly recovered to her carefree attitude.
'Also, getting witnesses together with evidence is a pretty good plan even though it is a bit cruel since those 2 haven't done anything wrong.' Poney thought for a while about it before she returned to lazying around like a true cat.
"...I should give you pet name sooner or later" Akashi muttered when he noticed her change of actions.
"...What?" Poney exclaimed with a dumbfounded expression.