He was being stared at. Despite not being able to see, Shiryuu could feel those eyes boring into his skull, evaluating him and finding him lacking. These were the kind of stares that could make someone lack confidence if they saw them being aimed at them.
However, it was useless to stare like that at Shiryuu. Amani had left him alone when she had entered the pleasure house here. She had thought it best to talk things out alone before bringing a kid inside.
"Hey, kid. Aren't you too young to be here? You should not be here" the voice behind Shiryuu startled him. He had not sensed anyone behind him which was a first for him. His senses were too attuned to the strangers coming near him.
The only time his senses did not register someone being a danger to him was when it was someone he had bonded with. And there were only a few people he had bonded with in his young life. And the voice did not sound like Amani's.
But still, it did sound rather familiar. Shiryuu could hear the awed murmurs around him at the new arrival.
"It's alright. I'm supposed to be waiting here for someone. Amani, my sister has gone inside" Shiryuu heard the lie in his voice. Calling Amano his sister had been a last-second decision.
"Is that so? Well, I'm free for now so do you mind if I wait for your sister with you? I don't feel comfortable leaving a kid here alone" Shiryuu wanted to complain against the treatment and affirm the belief that he was not a kid.
But it would risk putting their whole act on fire. Madam had been adamant that Shiryuu play a helpless kid during this mission and going against Madam was not something Shiryuu wanted to do.
So he allowed the lady with the familiar presence to sit at his side and wait with him. He also tolerated her curious looks being chased his way. He had no idea what was so interesting about a blink kid in the middle of nowhere but he had the elder's interest.
Shiryuu waited with a nervous air around him and did not start moving till he felt Amani move in his direction. Whatever work she had gone inside seemed to be over but not in a good way.
"-You good for nothing people. A pretty liar they called me. I can't believe their nerves-" Shiryuu was sure he had heard Amani's voice far before anyone else. She was speaking quietly but he had honed his senses to be able to hear her.
Something must have set her off and made her spitfire in such a familiar way. It was only a matter of time before she ended up causing a disaster with her tongue.
"What happened? Did you get tired of waiting around?" The female sitting at Shiryuu's side asked, her voice scaring Shiryuu again. It had happened once again, his bit being aware of her presence or her moment.
It was almost like his senses refused to even register her which was both scary and sad. If she somehow turned out to be an assassin, she would be a darn effective one.
"I'm not tired but my companion would be here at any moment. I can hear her footsteps'' Shiryuu had no idea why he was telling the others so much but he felt compelled to. It almost felt like he could not control himself and it irritated him.
His senses noticed the moment Amani stepped into his vision range and her eyes met his covered ones. Everyone else around them gave the agitated girl her space as she stomped her way toward Shiryuu.
"I see. So this is your sister? My, what a cute pair of siblings you two make" the woman from before commented and somehow Shiryuu got the feeling that she was silently laughing at them. The feeling of missing something obvious came over him again and Shiryuu felt Amani stiff behind him.
Her aura gave off a tense feeling and Shiryuu was sure it was related to the female in front of them. Her aura felt like she was struggling to say something but debating with herself at the same time.
"Now that you have your 'sister' with you, I guess I should leave you two be. But before that, don't you have a letter for me, Amani?" The lady asked and Shiryuu tensed at the familiarity.
Amani's face was not unknown to the world. It would not be too boastful to say that she had a small gathering of admirers who frequented the pleasure house. But most of that had been restricted to men of a certain standard.
Besides, the female spoke those words in a tone of familiarity. She expected Amani to have an answer for her and her voice was confident.
Amani's gasp of surprise did not escape Shiryuu's notice either. She was acting strange as well, almost like she did not want to acknowledge the stranger but had to. Things were not adding up in Shiryuu's mind but he felt like the answer was right in front of him this whole time.
"Ah, yes. Here, Madam wrote this letter to you. She also hopes that you are doing better now, Sister Mayuri '' Amani's words sounded formal and to the point. Her tone also worried Shiryuu but he chalked it up to her 'not in a good mood.'
Shiryuu did not feel Mayuri take the paper but the rustle of the papers along with the moment of the wind told him that she must have taken it.
"I understand the situation. I've already gotten a briefing from Madam before you came here and my people are on the outlook as well. You both come inside and relax as our guests." Mayuri quickly ushered them in.
No one noticed the small gesture Mayuri made, not did they notice the figure in the distance that received it. They were all busy gaping at the scene in front of them. They had never seen the stoic madam of the pleasure house behave in such a manner.
And it made everyone who witnessed this agree that the blind child was someone special and high-ranked. After all, Madam Mayuri had come out to greet him and his sister in person so how could he not be?
Shiryuu who heard all this wondered just what he had gotten himself to this time. Had he known this would happen, he would have preferred to stay in an ordinary inn. But things had already been set in motion and he could feel an incredible aura in the place where they were being led to.