"What?" Shoto asked in disbelief, his eyes were narrowing in annoyance. "Who bought her?"
Nemuri had a troubled expression plastered on her face as she raised her hand in an attempt to calm the young lord down. "That, I cannot say, my lord. I apologize for my words, but you are not the only person who sees the Winter Flower. She is still a yuujo and a famous one at that. We need you to understand that we l are not biased when it comes to our customers."
Shoto was still slightly enraged by the fact that someone already took the yuujo for tonight, but Nemuri was right. It was his fault for not coming early despite the number of the men in Edo who wanted her. He was not the only one who wanted her for the night.
"I understand. Then can you please give this to her." The young lord then took out something from his sleeves before handing it to Nemuri. "If you were to give it to her, do not mention my name. If she finds out that I was the one who gave her that...mayb--"
"No need to fuckin' give an excuse." A blonde male suddenly interjected the young lord's words with a small frown. "So you're 'im. Heh, aren't you the shitty half-half from the Todoroki?"
Shoto clenched his fist but soon calmed himself as he glared at the unknown samurai before him. "Who are you and what do you want?" The blonde male just grinned threateningly, resting his palm on the hilt of the of his sword. Shoto shot a glare, observing the male's moves. It was clear that he was not happy to see the young lord, but whoever he was, he was dangerous. If looks could kill, this man would be a serial killer.
"I'm just your ordinary samurai in the streets. Just visitin' and such."
He studied the man from head to toe. His clothes were not shouting ordinary - not that it was extravagant like any lords nor high-ranking daimyo wears but it was more sophisticated than what ordinary samurai wears. His identity was clearly suspicious, but as much as Shoto did not want to know it, he needed to find out who this was especially that he might be the one who visited the Winter Flower.
"*Ronins are fully prohibited and your clothes are too well for you to be a mere low-rank samurai." The red and silver-haired male paused, narrowing his eyes at the blonde male before him. "State yourself."
"Well damn, if that brat is goin' to be taken by this piece of shit, I would rather be in jail as a fuckin' criminal for illegally taking her away." His vulgar words hinted irritation and annoyance, but it made Shoto realize what he truly meant. It was just a guess, but Shoto thought that this might be the one who visited the Winter Flower. Maybe a close friend or someone else, but Shoto was sure that the male was talking about him taking her as his mistress. It might be a big misunderstanding and it was not good to jump into conclusions, but he had this feeling that he was right.
"Watch your foul words." Shoto hissed while Nemuri raised her hands in surrender. "Can you please stop arguing? We are getting unnecessary attention." Nemuri said with a soothing tone, attempting to calm the two down.
The blonde male rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue before handing Nemuri a large packet of money. "I doubled it but make sure she doesn't know...like the usual. Also, make sure that no one visits her for tonight..." He then glanced at the young lord with malice in his eyes, before adding, "...and I mean no one, not even this fuckin' brat."
Shoto's jaw hardened as he clenched his fist. It was taking his all to stop his rage because of this man, but he managed to calm himself and closed his eyes before heaving an exasperated and annoyed sigh. "Fine, be it your way." Then he turned to Nemuri and nodded, "Just make sure you give it to her. That's my only request. Now if you would excuse me...I shall leave for tonight." The young lord turned his back and walked away, his face was nonchalant but was angry deep inside.
Nemuri took a deep breath before slamming the counter with her palm, glaring menacingly at Katsuki. "Bakugo..." Her tone was grim and full of rage while the blonde male looked at the head before him, slightly nervous. "What is it? Anythin' wrong?"
The head of the brothel smacked her closed fan on Katsuki's head before shouting, "Damn it, Bakugo! I know you are a regular in here but if the young lord from Todoroki reported us to the high officials, I will be damned! Good heavens, you are so fucking out of your mind!"
Katsuki laughed at the frantic gestures and words of the head, rolling his eyes as he huffed. "It's no problem at all. That fuckin' coward isn't goin' to think of endangerin' her. He doesn't look like any other shitty lords I met...but it's dangerous for him to get involved with her. It's too risky."
He stared at the direction where the young lord went off. Then he sighed sharply and turned towards the head of the brothel. "I'll go now, Nemuri-san. Make sure she rests today, a'ight?" He dipped his head in courtesy before walking out of the brothel.
It was late, Hour of the Rat to be specific. The night was deep and there almost no people walking on the streets of Edo. The citizens of it rest under the cloudy night sky, except for the young lord who was standing on the porch just outside his room.
"Good evening, my lord. We have come." The purple-headed kunoichi landed beside the young lord, flashing in as if a sudden gust of wind. The yellow-headed shinobi, Kaminari Denki, bowed with his partner before speaking. "We have found out that the girl, named as (Y/N), was once a helper at the court of the emperor. Her last name is deeply buried under the imperial's secrets, and the reason is unknown."
The kunoichi nodded, "We also found out that the Winter Flower was sold at the brothel, not because of debts but because of slavery. We still have yet to confirm who sold her, but she was sold when she was still very young. The brothel started to train her by then and gained attention because of her cold and icy looks. It was four years ago when people started calling her as the Winter Flower as no one really knows what her real name was."
"*Yuki no Hana, huh..." The young lord gazed at the cloudy skies before nodding towards the duo, "Anything else?"
"We heard that tomorrow is when the Daimyo Sakamata Kuugo will throw a party. The party will happen at Koufoku, and the yuujo is supposedly one of the instrument players in the band - one of the lead to be precise." Kaminari stated.
The young lord hummed and nodded before turning to the duo. "Very well then. I shall inform Iida about the party."
"And yes, my lord, this is just a rumor, but one of the people we asked said that the Winter Flower is currently associated with one of the bakushin of the bakufu, Bakugo Katsuki and the famous young lord of Toshinori, Midoriya Izuku." Shoto's interest was piqued when he heard those names. One of them was the possible person that he had met on the Koufoku.
"Investigate those two and their relationship with the Winter Flower. If you have enough information then come back to me and report. That is all."
"Understood." The two stated in unison before vanishing off to investigate. Shoto was even more confused about what her situation might be, especially regarding the time she was sold to the brothel. Anything was possible and he was afraid that this yuujo he chose to be his mistress was a figure no one should ever touch nor get involve to. Perhaps, it was a mistake to choose such a lady, but the young lord never wanted to doubt her.
He admits that, maybe, he thought that the Winter Flower just had a dark history relating to the war that just happened, but it was deeper than that. Besides, if she had connections to several people - a bakushin and a young lord at that, then why would she stay in a brothel if she had those high-ranked people to help her?
Whatever the reason was...he was going to find it out.
This was not just for the sake of him having a mistress, nor being careful of not staining the name of Todoroki. He could care less about those things, but what he wanted was an ally. He had this plan he needed to complete, and for that, he needed the last piece, which was the yuujo herself.
The young lord sighed. It was a plan that he needed to execute and this was a plan he needed to do.
He then sat at the porch and continued to stare at the clouds. Was the yuujo staring at the same sky at the same time that he did? It might be him guessing too wildly, but he cannot stop thinking about the silver-headed female. It was perhaps her mysterious existence that continued to make him wonder and think, but other than that...he wished it was nothing.
The yuujo was nothing than a mere pawn for him after all.
But before he plays out his game, he wanted to know who his pawns are and how they act, because he does not know if they will turn as his hidden enemies. Bringing enemies to his side was the last thing he wanted to do anyway.
On another hand, the yuujo was left thinking in her own room. What Katsuki reported took a heavy blow on her, and it was not a piece of news that she was very happy for. What the Imperial Court was doing is just a practice of slavery, and she cannot accept that. She knew too well that it was hard for her to step up for those who suffer, especially if she was still stuck in this kind of place, but she was doing her very best to do something for the people.
Her situation was very problematic, even though she was not in the position to be worried. The burden and the responsibility that was left for her was insufferable and heavy, but she did not complain. She just wanted to carry out that title that was left for her, but chains and chains of command and execution of a punishment for a sin she did not do were holding her back - but it will be a matter of time before she breaks those and be free.
Not even the young lord is needed to be involved.
The burden was hers alone, and she did not need any help. Getting help is a nuisance for her escape, and she did not want to involve anyone in this problem of hers. This was hers and only for herself.
"Yuki-sama?"
She opened her eyes and turned to the door where the source of the voice was from. "I am here to inform you regarding tomorrow's performance. Please be ready for the banquet at the *Hour of the Dog. Now if you will excuse me."
The kamuro soon left and so the yuujo was once again left alone on her room.
Tomorrow was the day that she will perform with the other high-ranked yuujo for a banquet. It was supposedly for the celebration of a certain daimyo for conquering a mass of lands from the north. It was a huge feast and the whole brothel was rented especially for the samurais who had done a good job on taking the said place.
Of course, there was a possibility that someone will buy her for the night - it always happens. She can only sigh at the tiring event that was going to be held in this brothel and hope that everything will go in her way.
Silently, she thanked the gods for leaving her with at least a peaceful night like this...there were too many things that were on her mind...
...one of them was him.
-
Author's note: This is a note for the readers to understand the terms that were used in this story. Any further questions can be written here, so ask away if you are confused.
Ronin - a wandering samurai that has no master nor lord
Yuki No Hana - Winter Flower
Hour of the Dog - 7 PM to 9 PM