Once Upon An Assassination Attempt || Kamisato Ayato

Chapter 15 | Picnic

It probably was, but why?

"Why-"

"That heirloom..it had some cracks recently, so a few weeks ago I had it sent to an artesian to fix it."

"And.."

"Its hard to contact him now. And Hiiragi Genji has been missing from his household the past few days."

"You don't mean- But can he really?"

"I suspect so. And if he finds and presents it to his family before I find it.. let's just say there would be a mess I'd have to clean up, and Ayaka would hear about it as well." He ran his hand through his hair, and I forgot what we were talking about for a minute.

"So we just need to find it before he does. Simple."

"That would be the case but..the artesian isn't in inazuma." He sighed.

"Where?"

"Last time I had contacted him, he was in Liyue harbour."

"Liyue?" I rolled my eyes, wondering why he was dragging this out. "okay. I'll get going. Right after I get Thoma to make me lunch."

I turned to go, but he put a hand on my shoulder, turning me around to face him.

"Hm?" His brows were furrowed as he took his hand away.

"Kurimiya-san, this is really important. It's nice to see that you're willing to go, but you can't go alone."

"Who from Shuumatsuban is going? Or is it Thoma?"

He seemed to hesitate, his gaze lingering after I said Thoma's name.

He's my pretty housewife now, commissioner.

"I'm not sending anyone from Shuumatsuban. This happened partly because I wasn't cautious enough, so I have to see this through. This involves my family." His tone was stern and it was clear that there was no changing his mind.

I nodded. "But we'd be gone for days at least and weeks at most. You're the figurehead, you need to be here.."

"I know. I already took care of the work for the next month. That's the reason why I haven't been out of this office in a week."

"But there's still the matter of public, and your enemies. People need to see you to keep them away," I said.

He leaned against the table, and smirked. "I figured a situation like this may occur, so I had a doppelganger be prepared."

"You had a what-"

"Not exactly a doppelganger, per se, but close enough." He smiled then, and gestured at someone.

Someone that can only be called a shadow of Ayato appeared, his looks exactly the same, yet it was obvious to me that it wasn't him.

"A transformation jutsu," I concluded.

"Yes. It can't fool someone like you, but should be fine for anyone else. We can pose as adventurers when we travel."

"Something tells me you've been planning for this for a while."

He chuckled. "The thought of seeing the expression on Hiiragi Genji's face when he realises he lost motivated me tremendously."

"So we're going on another picnic."

"Please stop calling my well thought out plan that."

"We'll need lunchboxes for the picnic."

I was about to go out to find Thoma, but he opened the door then, a tea tray on hand.

"Thoma," I exclaimed happily.

"Kurimiya-san," he smiled.

"My pretty housewife."

"Kurimiya-san," he groaned before setting the tea next to Ayato.

"You agreed. There's no backing out. And I'm not sharing," I said, looking directly at the commissioner.

"Aren't you going somewhere soon with waka?" He raised a brow.

"Yeah we're going on a picnic."

"Please stop calling it that."

"Don't get hurt in the meantime, Thoma. I'll bully anyone that bullies you."

"You'd hate to know the shogun had him tied up then," Ayato chimed in, and I took out my sword.

"Stop, stop." Thoma waved his hands.

"Where can I find this person?"

"It's-" Ayato was about to say, but got interrupted by Thoma.

"Don't pick a fight with the shogun. She's an archon."

"Didn't stop me before."

"What - stop. It was a misunderstanding anyway. And they didn't hurt me, okay? Now can you put the sword away, Kurimiya-san?"

"Okay." I wanted to fight.

"Thoma, what's for lunch?"

You can't go to a war on an empty stomach afterall.

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I had a dream about a white goat chasing a motorcycle. Maybe I stared too much at Ayato's sleeves. Anyway, y'all stay safe👹