I walked to the main hall where I saw the old woman drinking tea behind her table.
"You're here already? I didn't expect you to arrive until midnight."
"So that was your doing, huh?"
"Ah… I see. I can't believe that ninja brat will warn you beforehand…"
For some reason, I think I wouldn't have any hesitations about hitting an elderly woman just this once. But I should hold back for now… we still have things to talk about.
"I know that your granddaughters are my fans, but don't use their interest for your own convenience. Unlike many men, I'm not that easily taken by the heat of the moment. I always take a step back to gain the upper hand."
"Hah! I've been doing it since I can remember. I get to make a formal bond with you, and they can be your wives. It's a win-win situation where we hit three birds with one stone."
"Three? Wouldn't it be just two?"
"Do I really have to point it out for you?"
As she asked that, I tried to think of possible outcomes until I finally got her point.
"…Damn you, you sly vixen."
"Kahahaha!!!"
To put it simply, she thought that I will be drunk, go to my room, be out of thought enough to accept her granddaughters' offer of their body and in my drunkenness… umm… who should I put this… I will… umm… Forget it, I'll go straight to the point and say that I may run the risk of having a child with them.
"Political games aside, let's talk about something more important…"
"We shall."
She clapped her hands, and a few servants came in with trays of scrolls and ledgers.
"I see that you've prepared for it already. What topic should we tackle first?"
"I would say that we should prioritize trade. But with the events that preceded your visit, I would like to go straight to the point and talk to you about that…"
"…"
"What will you do once I tell you everything that I know about the ones who are going after your life?"
"…I don't really know. But I sure won't be handing out second chances so easily since innocent blood has already been spilled in the three provinces I came to."
The old lady looked concerned for a moment after hearing my statement, but she sighed and took one of the scrolls at the tray beside her.
"The problem we have at hand is that Hashidate government is a mercantile oligarchy. Even though I am one of its consuls, I don't have much say on what this province speaks about in its allegiance to a certain neighboring land or its loyalty to some other leader from outside of its borders."
"And that means?"
"I can help you with investigating the streets and the insides of other small to moderately-sized businesses in the area. But when it comes to investigating the other consuls and the businesses under their protection, I won't be of much help."
"Is this solely because of your powerlessness, or are you afraid of something?"
"Both… It's both."
"What do you mean?"
"I think you had the wrong idea when you looked at that painting behind me earlier, young Iwasawa."
She spoke and took her smoking pipe again that she stuffed with tobacco and set alight.
"I did kill my former master, but not before I gave him three children and eliminated his kids and wives."
"…That sounded brutal."
"Say what you want to say."
She huffed out a cloud of smoke and coughed lightly.
"I sacrificed a lot of things and endured great pain and shame to get to this point. In order to legally inherit his riches and influence, I kept my mouth shut from telling my complaints and lied that I do not mind his treatment of me. Being a fool who thinks that all women are to be subservient to him, he kept himself closer and closer to me who rains him with praises as his other wives kept on berating his wrongdoings and evil habits."
"…"
"And when the day came that he cannot trust anyone anymore other than me, I moved to end the lives of his other wives and his children before cutting his head with the same sword that he used to kill my parents who thought that they will be free from their debts after selling me off to slavery."
"Was it some kind of comeuppance for the death of your parents? Like killing him with the same weapon that he used to kill those dear to you?"
"Did I say that they are dear to me?"
"…"
I was silenced after her sharp reply.
"It was justice for me and me alone. That sword killed the first people who hurt me, and I used it to kill the other one who did."
"I see."
She tapped her pipe to an ash tray to remove the ashes before huffing out another cloud of smoke.
"Since I took his wealth and prestige among the merchants of Iwaki, I swore that I will never let myself be hurt nor will I let my children to be hurt by anyone and not face my wrath… yet as soon as I became aware of the pecking order at Hashidate's economic table, I became awfully aware of why that man was so crippled by his fear and clung so hard to my empty yet sweet-sounding praises…"
It is evident for such a place like this. I studied in the modern world and am aware of how economics work or at least the basics of it. That is the reason why I was able to refurbish Kiko's economic laws and principles that made it so affluent now. This principle of a free-for-all trading system where one can buy and sell in the market as how they please increase competition and excites development as each merchant wants to gather more patrons and make more money than the other.
However, in the case of the economic oligarchical government of Hashidate that is composed of several powerful merchant clans with competing monopolies in the market, this only makes things more chaotic.
"Because Kise opened the country to the allure of foreign trade, merchants who wants to export their products out of the country made the market more competitive and thus, caused more and more rivalries to form which also invited assassinations and schemes to eliminate them out of the market. An economic coup d'état."
"I'm beginning to like talking with you, young Iwasawa. Out of all the other people that I told this thing to, you're the only one who didn't keep on asking for the meaning of certain terms. I'm impressed."
"Then here's my question, granny."
"?"
"Why do you know those terms that hasn't even been used in this world?"
I already had a hunch, but I want to hear it from her own mouth.
"…You're really sharp, aren't you?"
"I sure am."
She huffed a last cloud of smoke before emptying the remaining ashes from her pipe.
"Do you remember my answer to your question earlier, young Iwasawa? About my reason for being unable to help you? If it was just my powerlessness or I was afraid of something?"
"You said that it was both, right?"
She put down the pipe to her lap which I can no longer see as the trays of scrolls hid it away.
"I'm sorry for not saying this before, young Iwasawa… But this is the real reason why I said that I am also afraid of something."
"-!!!"
Just after she said that, she broke the pipe in half and out of its tail end came out a dagger that she held before jumping over her table and plunged into my stomach.
"Your investigation will be a hindrance to us. For that, I must eliminate you now."
"I won't be so sure about that."
I spoke as she finally realized that there was no blood from where she stabbed me.
"I've had enough bad encounters to know that I have to wear something like this."
"Armor?"
She muttered after seeing the white vest under my clothes.
"Kevlar. I made them especially for encounters like this…"
"Urk-!"
I pushed her away as I held the handle of my katana. Motioning to her that I will fight back now.
"Keh! Kahahaha! I can't believe it, you really are an Otherworlder like them!"
"I must say, you really are very sly, aren't you?"
"Oh, let me tell you, young Iwasawa… You have no idea about me."
The old woman sneered and kicked the table away where a katana was actually hidden. It flew up just in the right way for her to catch it and take out from the scabbard.
"Should I undo your reincarnation then? Send you to wherever you should've gone instead of this world?!"
"I respectfully decline!"
At that midnight in Iwaki's Yukata-gumi Estate, the two crossed blades. One was an inexperienced boy who had his youth as his advantage while the one is an old lady who had her experience on her side.
The old lady could've won if not for the one thing that she didn't expect the young man to do.
"Minori-kun! Now!"
Just in time, the doors burst open as her guards and her granddaughters entered the room while a bunch of men came in while pointing their rifles to them.
"How the-?!"
"I told you already, granny. I always take a step back to gain the upper hand."
This was already pre-arranged. While we were eating earlier, I used my metal chopsticks as I always use and noticed that the food was laced with a powder to make the eater become drowsy. That's when I told Minori that something was in the food and he limited his intake to not fall for it. That's why when we lifted our group to the room, I left Minori with a bottle of ammonia that he made the others to sniff later to wake them up.
"Granny…"
"…what is the meaning of this?"
Her two granddaughters asked with scared tones as our men was pointing their guns at them and she was holding a sword towards me.
"Tsk! Damn you!"
"You swore, didn't you?"
"-!"
"That you would protect your grandchildren no matter what happens?"
She went silent as her sword shook after she began to lose strength on her arms.
"I'll give you enough time to reconsider your position. Will you continue to oppose me and follow the will of your enemies? Or will you work with me and make me help you to topple them down for your own and your family's good?"
"…I get it."
She said and let go of her katana.
"I surrender."
Hearing that, I lowered my own sword and sheathed it back to its scabbard.
"You chose well."
"It's up to you if you will make this a worthwhile decision."
I signaled to my men to lower their arms and stand guard outside, leaving me, the old lady, her granddaughters, and Minori in the hall.
"What do you propose?"
"Can I ask first about who that other Otherworlder is?"
"…Here they are."
"?"
Did she… just point toward Aimi and Eimi?
"Ah… so you are-"
"-also an Otherworlder?"
Wait… what?!
"How?!"
"I told you, didn't I?"
I turned to the old woman as she spoke the horrifying truth.
"I did say that I killed my master's other wives… and his children."
Did she mean that… oh no…
"Please don't tell me that-"
"My own children are no exception. I killed them while they are in my womb. I won't let the children of that man who repeatedly forced himself to me to even be born."
"-!!!"
At that point, I fulfilled the thought that I had earlier about maybe not having any hesitations about hitting an elderly woman.
"Iwasawa-sama-!"
"Your Highness-!"
"YOU BITCH!!!"
I shouted as I planted my fist squarely into her face which made a solid, crunching sound.
"Granny!"
"Your Highness! Please spare our grandmother!"
Amidst their shouts and approaching steps, I cannot hear anything but the raging heartbeat and boiling blood in my veins.
"They were never at fault! They are not supposed to inherit their father's crime!"
"Agawack-!"
"Iwasawa-sama! Let go of her!"
Even with Minori pulling me by the arm, I still kept on hitting the unapologetic murderer in front of me.
"I will kill you!"
"I'm sorry for this, Kou-sama!"
It was too late for me to realize that in order to stop my outrage, Minori used his rifle's butt end like a golf club to hit my head and incapacitate me.
"Granny!"
"Someone! Please bring some cold water and bandages here!"
As my vision slowly dimmed and my hearing dulled, I slowly fell asleep from the attack he did.
"Urk…"
"You're awake now."
"…Thanks for stopping me last night, Minori-kun."
"It's my pleasure, Iwasawa-sama."
I woke up the next morning while Minori was watching over me. I appreciated his help last night and told him that I want to stand up.
"How was her?"
"Injured her nose and got a few sore places on her face. It's at these times when I thank the fact that you are a lousy hand-to-hand fighter, Kou-sama."
"Don't be like that. I get my training from Nobisuke and Chiyo. But my strength is not that significant anyway."
"In any case, I believe that the twin sisters would like to talk to you now. Should I bring them in?"
"Sure. Just… guard the door and rush in if you hear someone moaning or me sounding like he has been gagged."
"…Understood."
Can't be too unsure with them. I already seen what they are willing to do last night in my room.
A few moments later, the twin entered my bedroom and sat on a seiza position beside me.
"Before anything else, we wish to extend our apology to you, Iwasawa-kou-sama."
"The words spoken by grandmother last night was purely hers. I wish you can understand that we do not share the same opinions as her."
"Of course. I can understand that."
I replied softly before asking that question that really matters.
"I'll go straight to the point… who were you before and what year have you died?"
""…""
The two looked at each other and sighed.
"It's as how grandmother said it, Iwasawa-sama. We are indeed, Otherworlders."
"…"
"Before we died, we were twins studying as 7th graders in Tokyo General Highschool. While going back to our home, this idiot Eimi had a bad case of greed for a single ¥100 coin, chased it down the road while I ran after her while scolding her until we arrived at an active highway and was hit together by a transport truck."
The usual isekai sender from light novels and mangas, huh? Is me dying from battling a bunch of weirdos with god complexes that extreme to warrant a more unique reincarnation style?
"We thought we were going to die until some light swallowed us and we found ourselves uninjured inside a weird circle made of fine rice powder and snake scale ashes. We then looked up and saw that a tall woman with deep red and long hair was standing there with a huge metal torch on her hand."
"Wait… before you died in our past world, you were summoned?"
"Yup, just in the nick of time, actually. I think we were half-dead when we were summoned because even though were well and alive, our clothes were actually drenched in blood."
"Yep… Who could've known that blood from serious wounds feels so icky and gross?"
"Don't you have a special few days every month where you feel something like that?"
"Gyaa! Don't talk about a lady's monthly period! You wanna get whooped?!"
"A-ah! S-sorry…"
I can't believe it. Just after I thought they reincarnated here as babies with overpowered abilities, they were actually summoned here just before they died?
"Wait, Tokyo General Highschool? What year did you leave the past world? Haven't that place been turned to Miyazono Academy Old Tokyo branch yet?"
"Huh? Miyazono? The company that kept on making an island beyond Sagami bay? Pfffttt! How can that business buy the only secondary school left in Tokyo? And Old Tokyo? What do you mean about that? Is there a New Tokyo then?"
"There actually is one. The Miyazono corporation successfully made a huge island by the sea and named it New Tokyo."
""HAAH?!?!?!""
What? Why are they so surprised?"
"What do you mean that there is a New Tokyo? Everyone knows that the sea reclamation project will never be finished!"
"It has two districts before I was brought here. It became Japan's center of trade and even acted as the luxury city of the country."
"Wait… what year was it before you have you been brought here then?"
"2071. Why do you ask?"
After I said that, the two looked at each other and Aimi asked his younger twin sister something that surprised me.
"Eimi… have we accidentally become Shotacons?"
"D-don't say it like that… but…"
Wait, don't tell me that-
"Are you two older than me?"
""ARGH!!!""
Oh… seems like I hit the nail on the head.
"I hate this! I actually thought that he is a cool and older ikemen but… he's actually just someone younger than us?!"
"This is nothing but bull crap! And to think that I offered myself to someone years younger than me… Ah! How did I accidentally become a cougar?!"
These two surely would be a headache to talk to even though we are both modern people.
"Can you two stay still and listen to me? You two are just 16 and I'm already 18. Even if we are summoned on different years, it doesn't change that fact that we still have the same ages as we used to have in our past world."
"Ah! That actually makes sense."
"Hm, hm… I see!"
Wow, what year are these two from anyway?
"Can I ask for the year before you were summoned then?"
""2054.""
"Ah… You two could've been my teacher or landlady."
When I said that, the two suddenly blushed red for some reason.
"What are you blushing for?"
"A teacher and a landlady…"
"Iwasawa-kun. You naughty, little boy~!"
What are they talking- Oh, I see… No, I didn't mean it like that.
"For heaven's sake, please get your heads off of the gutter."
""Teehee!""
We went back to the main topic after our overdramatic and shocking introduction to each other.
"In any case, it's great to know that someone from my original world is also present here. It eases some familiar corner in my mind and heart."
"The same goes for us. Ever since we left the capital after being adopted by granny three years ago, we haven't heard anything about the other Otherworlders living under Kagutsuchi-sama."
"Who is that?"
"The Dragon priestess in the capital. Just between us three, so don't tell it to the other priestesses… but our summoner, that woman I told you about earlier who had a huge metal torch on her hand, has been conducting summoning rituals every month without asking for the other priestesses' permission. I don't know much as the priestess herself rarely speaks to us, but most of her rituals come up empty and with the frequency of her rituals, it appears that she's trying to find someone."
"…I see."
Someone is breaking the agreement of the four shrines? This will be another mystery for us to unravel.
"Anyway, what else do we have to talk about today?"
Being asked that, I decided that it would be a good thing to do for a start.
"Can you guide me around the city? I want to be familiar with it."
This might have been… the most dangerous request I asked from someone.