"..."
For Mei Terumi, this wedding was always a sham. The only change was that instead of marrying an obese, old man, she was now marrying a ridiculously handsome and mysterious young man, Natsuhane. Compared to the previous choice, Natsuhane was a more acceptable option for her.
"Alright, let's proceed with the wedding..." Mei agreed without hesitation.
She glanced at Natsuhane, then turned back to the Daimyo of the Land of Water, "Daimyo-sama, I'll return to the ship to change my clothes. What I'm wearing now is not appropriate for a wedding and would be disrespectful to the Daimyo of the Land of Sea."
The Daimyo of the Land of Water nodded eagerly, "Good, good! Go ahead. We'll wait for you at the Daimyo residence."
"Alright," Mei responded softly before turning to leave.
Her unexpected decision alarmed the Mist ninja, who hurriedly followed her back to the ship, questioning her decision.
"Water Shadow-sama, how could you agree to this marriage? This alliance was based on the condition that the Land of Sea hands over Ghost Island and Mother Island. But that young man, Natsuhane, hasn't mentioned anything about the territory. Isn't this a ploy to gain something for nothing?"
"Yes, with the change in the Daimyo, this marriage should be nullified. This decision doesn't benefit the Mist at all and tarnishes your reputation!"
"Water Shadow-sama, please cancel this wedding immediately. We can't afford more losses!"
"Enough!" Mei's angry shout silenced them. "Don't you understand? The situation has evolved beyond the territorial dispute. The Daimyo's intentions are clear—he wants a long-term alliance with the Land of Sea at any cost."
"The alliance's success is crucial, and I won't let the Daimyo's efforts be in vain. This is a critical part of our plan."
"Rest assured, regardless of how things turn out, my stance remains unchanged. This wedding is just a formality. I'll request a divorce tomorrow."
Originally, Mei had planned to marry the former Daimyo of the Land of Sea and then divorce him the next day, securing the Mist's interests. She was prepared to sacrifice her own reputation for the greater good of her village, even if it meant she might never marry again.
Ao, worried, asked, "But if you request a divorce tomorrow, won't Natsuhane break the alliance?"
"No problem, I anticipated that," Mei's eyes hardened. "If he breaks the alliance, we will have a justified reason to attack the Land of Sea. I'll merely be requesting a divorce; if he reneges on the agreement, the breach will be on him, not me."
Mei revealed the true purpose of their mission to the stunned Mist ninja. "After the meeting that day, the Daimyo privately spoke to me..."
"He instructed me to request a divorce the day after the wedding. Whether the old Daimyo agreed or not didn't matter."
"If he wanted to maintain the alliance, he would have no choice but to agree. If not, he would be the one breaking the agreement, giving us the right to swiftly occupy the Land of Sea with legitimate reason."
"Although we hadn't anticipated such a significant change in the Land of Sea, with a new Daimyo in power, it doesn't matter. The new Daimyo wants to marry me, which fits perfectly with our plan."
"That arrogant young man will undoubtedly breach the alliance when I request a divorce tomorrow, giving us the opportunity to act."
"Tonight, Ao, you are in command. Divide our ninjas into four teams. Three teams will quietly occupy Mother Island, Ghost Island, and Jiro Island. The remaining team will stay here on Dairou Island to fight Natsuhane with me tomorrow."
"When I request a divorce tomorrow, and Natsuhane breaks the alliance, we'll engage him. He is strong, but with our combined power, we should be able to defeat him."
"This country had no ninjas initially, making it easy to take over once we had a justified reason. With two more ninjas now, it will just take a bit more effort."
"By tomorrow, all the Land of Sea's territory will be part of the Land of Water!"
"..."
The Mist ninja, including Ao, were astounded by the intricate plan. They hadn't realized the depths of the strategy Mei and the Daimyo had crafted.
"Alright, I need to change now. Everyone, leave the deck... Any delay will arouse suspicion from the Land of Sea's people."
Mei dismissed the group, preparing to change into her white wedding gown.
"Water Shadow-sama..." Chojuro called out.
Mei turned back, her face softening. "Chojuro, is there something you need?"
"I...," Chojuro hesitated, his face showing a mix of concern and determination, "Since you became the Water Shadow, I've noticed you've changed a lot. You've become more composed, able to bear any grievance..."
Mei smiled sweetly, "It's not that I've changed; it's the responsibility of my position. Someday, Chojuro, you'll understand. I hope when that day comes, you'll be able to make necessary sacrifices for the village as well."
"Don't worry, Water Shadow-sama. I'll do my best," Chojuro stood straight, his face red with determination.
"Good, I trust you," Mei gave him a warm smile before turning to enter her room.
Watching Mei's graceful retreat, Chojuro silently vowed, "I will protect the Water Shadow-sama's kindness with my life... If I can."
.....
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