"So I don't mind you visiting, but considering the timing, do you need my help?"
Before Shui breached the topic, Cin gave him the opportunity. Given Cin's character, Shui knew he would be made fun of, but Cin wouldn't give him wrong advice at the very least.
"Yes. Please don't laugh, but the thing is..."
"Hahaha!"
Even though he had asked him not to laugh, Cin showed hesitation in refusing. He had expected it, but it still didn't give him a good feeling. He waited until Cin's laughter began to die down to return to the topic, but he had to wait a second and a third time.
"Hahahaha!"
"It's not that funny!"
"No, it is! I know you lack experience, but this is just too sad lil' bro."
"Just leave the laughing until after you give me some advice."
"Okay, hehe, I'll try. Ehem, so this 'Lisa' girl, you don't want to mate with her, right?"
"That's right."
"Then I can't help you."
"Huh? After all that laughing, you can't help me?"
"What's funny is funny, but I don't have any experience trying to make a mate into a friend. Even with the women that I can't mate with anymore, we can still have fun in other ways."
"I didn't need to know that. Thanks for the attempt, I guess."
"You're welcome. I think you should just mate with her, but it's your choice."
Although he wasn't able to get any good advice, Shui had a good time talking with his brother. Since he would have to deal with schemes and relationship troubles once he returned to Silver City, casually conversing with Cin was just what he needed to unwind.
Meanwhile, at Storm Sky Manor, Kate had returned. After reporting the completion of her mission, Kate went to Core Elder Ren and found him in a conversation with Reinhart, who had returned a day before her. It was then that she learned of the trap waiting for Shui.
"So you're saying that they're trying to frame those two so that they can implicate Shui?"
"It seems likely given the evidence they have and the circumstances. I imagined that they would be eager to have the two incriminate Shui, so I put some pressure on the Punishment Department so that they didn't resort to torture."
Core Elder Ren had maneuvered to keep the two disciples in question relatively unharmed, but he couldn't overturn the decision to keep them imprisoned.
"What about the inner section elders? Weren't they fighting over him? How could they let this happen?!"
"Kate, restrain yourself." Reinhart warned.
"It's fine. As for those elders, they've realised that Shui likely won't become any of their disciples, so while they want to be on good terms with him, going up against the Punishment Department would be too high a hurdle."
"Hmph, coattail hangers."
Although Kate just insulted the elders of the manor, Core Elder Ren made no motion to scold her. As they all knew about Shui's true power, they weren't afraid that he would be harmed by this scheme. They were more worried that he would turn against the manor because of it.
"Kate, what do you think the chances are of Shui choosing to fight back if the situation goes poorly?" Reinhart asked.
"Hmm, well, he tries not to let things bother him, but he gets really upset when his friends and family are involved. Depending on how much he cares for those two, it's not looking very good."
Simultaneously, the three sighed in resignation. Thankfully, the two shouldn't be treated terribly while in custody, but the fact that the dragon's tail had been stepped on was unchangeable.
"Speaking of Shui, he left your improved gloves with me, Kate. He said he would try to return in time to see you put them on, but you're free to try them otherwise."
Once Core Elder Ren took out the box in which the gloves were sealed and pushed it towards her, Kate gulped. Although no aura leaked from the box, she could instinctively feel desire for what was inside. She had no doubt she would be impressed by what she found, but Kate quickly stored the gloves in her space expansion bag without looking inside.
"Thank you, Core Elder."
"It was no trouble. However, are you sure you don't want to try them?"
"I do, I really do, but if he wants to see me when I put them on, then I don't mind waiting. Then again, maybe it would be better if he didn't come back."
"I guess everything will have to wait until he returns."
A few days after the three had this conversation, Shui entered Silver City with his remaining teammates. The three followed him with traumatized expressions, but he led them with a calm smile. There had been ambushes set up for them on the way to the city, but he avoided them. Unfortunately, there was one ambush that they had to face.
"Stop right there."
Soon after entering the city, Shui's team found themselves surrounded by a group of disciples with black badges.
"I didn't expect to meet the Disciplinary Squad so close to the gate. Do you need me for something?"
"You're inner section disciple, Shui, correct?" asked the core disciple directly in front of Shui.
"I believe so."
"Then you must come with us. You're suspected of murdering a fellow disciple, illegal smuggling, and several other charges that you must answer for."
"Is that so? Can my teammates go ahead and report the completion of our mission?"
"...Very well."
The core disciple looked suspicious, but they had no orders to go after anyone besides Shui. Once he got permission, Shui turned behind him to look at the frozen three.
"You heard him. Make sure to report everything, without leaving out a single detail."
Looking as if they wanted to scream, the three nodded their heads franticly and scampered off. Before returning to the city, Shui had a quite 'intimate' conversation with them to ensure that they didn't say anything stupid. As long as they valued their lives, the three wouldn't be able to defy him.
"So, shall we go?"
Shui provided no resistance, so the disciples escorted him to the manor without trying to restrain him. Or rather, they had no way of restraining him in the first place. Although they had numbers on their side, along with blue stone handcuffs, none of them were capable of getting closer than a few steps away from him. They considered that he somehow had access to mental control or some invisible barrier spell, but it would be too embarrassing if it was just their fear stopping them, so one of them brought attention to it.
After he was seen walking hand in hand with Kate, the citizens of the city were more familiar with Shui and had learned about his achievements inside the manor, so they were surprised when they heard about the charges made against him.
"Did he really...?"
"It's always the quiet ones."
"What a disgrace."
Shui could almost hear his reputation falling, but he cared little for what they thought and paid them no mind. He was far more pleased imagining the expressions of the masterminds behind this trap once he revealed the surprises he had planned.
'They went to all this trouble to smear me; surely, they're prepared for the consequences.'