Akaya never expected Shibahime to walk in at such a precarious moment.
Looking back, it made sense. The Sword Saint Club's meeting was imminent, so her arrival was inevitable. But with all the chaos caused by this rogue ninja girl, Akaya's usually sharp instincts had been dulled by sheer exasperation.
And now, he was paying for it.
All he could do was focus on surviving the next ten seconds.
"Shibahime, we've weathered countless disputes together," Akaya began, his voice laden with urgency. "Sure, there may have been incidents that sowed discord, but I firmly believe that dialogue is the path forward—"
"What about your contract with the Disciplinary Committee?" Shibahime interrupted, her icy voice sharp enough to cut steel.
"I have no intention of disrupting order! But this ninja girl attacked me out of nowhere, and, uh, Hidari—"
