"Did they confess?"
Luo Qing glanced at the samurai lying on the ground, his expression indifferent.
"The order came directly from Kujou Takayuki, head of the Kujou Clan. There was no written command, only verbal instructions," Natalia reported respectfully, handing over the interrogation notes to Luo Qing.
"A verbal order, huh… That complicates things," Luo Qing sighed, feeling a bit of a headache. Without a written order, he'd have to rely on these samurai as leverage against Kujou Takayuki, which was more troublesome than he liked.
"Theresa, come over here."
"What is it, Lord Luo Qing?"
At his call, the fierce expression on Theresa's face immediately softened. Rubbing her hands together, she rushed to stand before him, expecting praise for her earlier work.
"You'll take them on the lifeboat and head straight to Inazuma City. Find a nearby outpost and lock them up. We'll meet up after we arrive."
"What?! Just me again?" Theresa was taken aback.
"Is there a problem?"
"No... no problem."
Theresa's shoulders slumped, grumbling internally. Why is it always me stuck with all the dirty work?
Is this what being at the bottom of the team feels like?!
With great reluctance, she threw the bound samurai onto the lifeboat, hopping on after them. As she set off, she shouted back, "Lord Luo Qing, don't miss me too much!" Then she sailed off toward Inazuma City.
The small lifeboat, which didn't rely on wind for movement, would reach Inazuma City much faster than the larger ship. By the time she arrived, Luo Qing and the others probably wouldn't have even reached Ritou yet.
Back on the ship, after a full day without seeing their samurai guards, the refugees began to grow anxious. When someone discovered the cabin door was unlocked, they went inside to investigate.
After confirming that all the samurai were missing, panic spread among the refugees, many fearing that the curses from Yashiori Island had followed them aboard.
But regardless of their fear, turning back wasn't an option.
Eventually, someone took control of the helm, and they continued sailing toward Ritou.
Two days later, the ship finally arrived at the port of Ritou.
Ritou's port was managed by the Kanjou Commission, one of Inazuma's three governing commissions, similar to Liyue's Qixing, each responsible for a different aspect of Inazuma's affairs.
The Tenryou Commission oversaw law enforcement and military matters. Except for the Raiden Shogun's direct forces, such as the Shogunate and Kamisato Ayato's Shuumatsuban, all military forces were under the Tenryou Commission's command.
The Kanjou Commission was responsible for Inazuma's finances and trade, as well as issuing travel permits for visitors, making them a key part of regulating Inazuma's interactions with outsiders.
The final branch, the Yashiro Commission, handled cultural matters, festivals, and religious rites, and though beloved by the people, it was the weakest of the three in terms of political power.
Unfortunately, before Luo Qing's arrival, the Fatui had already infiltrated two of the commissions. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had significant control over Inazuma's governance.
Both the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions had close ties with the Fatui, allowing the Fatui to continue sending agents and resources into Inazuma, even after the Sakoku Decree was enacted.
As a representative of La Signora, Luo Qing's identity had already been prepared in advance before his arrival.
So, while the other refugees faced strict scrutiny from the Kanjou Commission, Luo Qing's group merely flashed their identification to a local official and were quietly allowed to pass through the port.
It was evening by the time they arrived, and Luo Qing found a small inn for them to stay in, deciding to head to Inazuma City the next day.
After finally feeling the normal atmosphere of Inazuma, Natalia and the others, with Luo Qing's permission, headed out to explore the streets, leaving him alone in the inn.
Later that night, Luo Qing lay down on the tatami, preparing to take a short nap to recover from the exhaustion of their sea journey.
Just as he was starting to relax, he heard the faint sound of footsteps on the roof, as if something soft was lightly stepping on the tiles.
To ordinary people, such quiet sounds might have gone unnoticed.
But to Luo Qing, who needed rest, the noise was a bit too distracting.
Given his special position with the Fatui, Luo Qing couldn't afford to let his guard down, so he opened his eyes. In a flash of golden light, he teleported onto the roof.
Surprisingly, the roof was empty—whoever had been there seemed to have already left.
"Who the heck runs around on rooftops in the middle of the night? Don't they know people are trying to sleep?" Luo Qing grumbled, frowning as he teleported back inside.
Just as he was about to lie down again, a heavy knock came at the door.
"Who is it?" Luo Qing's brow furrowed further.
"Delivery from Neko Delivery! Sir, you have a package!"
A muffled, feminine voice came from the other side of the door.
"A delivery?"
Luo Qing was momentarily confused. I just arrived in Ritou today. How could someone have sent a delivery to my inn already?
Feeling a bit suspicious, Luo Qing walked to the door. He activated his Time Zero ability before opening it.
In the next moment, he saw a young girl with light brown hair standing nervously outside the door, holding a large cardboard box.
What set her apart from a normal girl were the fluffy cat ears atop her head, along with two long tails swaying behind her. Even her little feet, peeking out from beneath her long socks, were covered in soft fur, resembling paws.
"Huh..." Luo Qing was shocked—no, delighted.
A catgirl?!
"Ah!" The girl jumped slightly, startled by how suddenly the door had opened.
She had been standing right in front of it the whole time, but hadn't even seen it move.
"S-Sir, I'm Kirara from Neko Delivery! Here to deliver your package. Please sign for it! And if you could, kindly give me a five-star review, thank you!"
Kirara held the package out to Luo Qing with both hands, along with a slip for him to sign, her face lighting up with a sweet smile. Even her furry ears twitched a little, adding to her charm.
This was her signature move—customers usually couldn't resist giving her a five-star rating after seeing her cheerful and adorable expression.
"Huh…"
Luo Qing sucked in a breath.
This is the first time I've ever met a catgirl... Why do I have zero resistance to this?
Could it be that… I really am—
But professionalism comes first. As an executive, Luo Qing still had discipline.
Instead of signing, he shook his head slightly and looked at Kirara with a meaningful gaze.
"Let's put the signing aside for now. Tell me, was it you running around on the rooftops earlier, keeping me from getting any sleep?"
"Eh?!"
Kirara's bright smile froze in place.
She had been extra careful not to make any noise while on the roof. How had this man still heard her?
"Looks like your five-star rating might be in jeopardy," Luo Qing said, his tone full of implications.
Kirara, you don't want to lose that five-star review, do you?
---
T/N: NOOO NOT KIRARA!! RUN GIRL
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