Volume 5, Chapter 11: The Ra Clan (1/2)

The things that suddenly come up are really the most annoying thing in the world.

(Stop bothering me with more annoyances already.)

Maomao, with no cause to rebuff, squinted at that personage.

The gentle mild-mannered man in his thirties didnt have his usual air of calmness. He was out of breath. His clothes were stained with mud, ripped in various places, and soaked in blood.

His horse collapsed from fatigue.

There was nothing short of abnormal to see the man who is the adjutant of this countrys tactician like this. As if he had rushed here in a great haste, he was being tailed by guards from the south gate. He must have cut through them since he had been making a beeline towards Rokushoukan.

Whats happening? Maomao only came out because of the commotion outside. However, she was the only person in the pleasure district who has a connection with this man. In other words, it seems he was here for her.

The feebly breathing mild-mannered man, Rikuson, smiled in relief for an instant and took out a letter from his breast pocket. And then, just like that, he lost consciousness.

Maomao accepted his letter, squinting.

Whats up? The madam came up to her with a grimace while gnawing on a toothpick as if she had just eaten.

Maomao made the same expression as the crone. Hey, those officials, can you drive them all away?

Depends on the money.

This big bro, isnt he carrying money? Maomao said irresponsibly.

With that, the crone appraised Rikuson. She determined that his clothes were first class despite being slightly dirty, then checked his face and fingertips. Her head was a little tilted but she seemed to accept him after a short observation and went off to persuade the officials.

Something troublesome again, huh.

Ukyou came to talk to Maomao when she tried to carry the unconscious Rikuson under her arms. He took over and carried Rikuson off to the pharmacy for her.

After Ukyou put him on the floor, Maomao stripped Rikuson of his clothes. When she had taken off his upper garments and was about to untie his sash, Ukyou came to stop her.

Maomao. Itll be pitiful for him if you take off his bottoms so give him a break, he said.

Dont you need to check since hes fainted? Even if he doesnt have any cuts, he might have bruising.

From what she could see, Rikusons injuries were arrow wounds. They were all scrapes, no deep punctures. There was no discolouration on his skin she thought that the possibility of poisoning was low, but she couldnt just leave him like this.

In response to Maomao who was treating Rikusons injuries indifferently, Ukyou clutched his forehead. I get it. I get it, so Ill check the bottom half. Ill be quickly done so go outside.

What young lady is he?

Will he bite off his tongue if people saw his skin?

Isnt this guy Fox-donos subordinate? I know already. Wouldnt it be pitiful for this guy if he gets bullied afterwards in the distant future? Besides, isnt it better if you check out that letter properly? Ukyou said.

Maomao helplessly went out of the pharmacy with the letter she got from Rikuson.

She sat on the seat where Rihaku and the kamuro usually drink tea and stared at the contents of the letter.

Yet more troublesome matters were written on it.

Why did Rikuson the military official show up at the pleasure district covered in wounds? There are much more reliable people elsewhere.

The reasoning for that was written on the easily understandable letter.

Rikusons reaching here was suspicious. And even if he got here, he wouldnt be able to explain the situation immediately so this letter would have to have been prepared in advance.

And she could plainly see that Rahan was the writer of this letter. Seems that guy is calculative.

The shape of the characters also looked like they had ideal numbers that abacus flipping man has good writing. Though his handwriting was good, there was nothing self-identifying to it so the rows of neat model writing became characteristic on its own.

Rikuson and Rahan, and with that, another person a certain personage who makes Maomao blatantly contort her face whenever he comes to her mind.

Lets summarise the contents of the letter. Rikuson, Rahan, and one other person the monocle-wearing old man had set out for a certain estate. And then they were attacked by the owners of the house and captured. Only Rikuson was somehow able to break out and went to call for help, but

The problem was the landowners.

For Rahan, his parent and grandfather. For the old man, his younger brother and father.

In other words, the adversaries were the previous clan heads who got expelled from the Ra Clan.

It was no wonder he purposely came to the pleasure district without notifying the imperial court.

It was a dual-hour after his injuries got treated when Rikuson woke up.

It was too cramped to sleep inside the pharmacy, so they lent him a vacant room in Rokushoukan. The room fee would be collected later.

Ill immediately chase you out if the talks sound unmanageable.

The crone who said that had Ukyou stand guard. Then she went out.

!?

When Maomao thought that Rikuson had opened his eyes, he sat up with gusto. As if he was affected by his arrow wounds, he knit his brows and pat his bandaged arms.

Maomao presented him some cooled water. Rikuson, with movements that were unexpected for the usually mild-mannered man, took the water and poured it down at a breath.

Maomao opened her mouth after a pause. I read the letter.

Rikuson lowered his face at her words. He squeezed his fists. my sincere apologies. I am worthless.

No, its the idiots who had set out willy-nilly without escorts earlier who are at fault.

Before that, what do you want to do? That is currently more important.

It must be due to the family quarrel that he showed up at Rokushoukan. It was widely known in the imperial court that you honestly dont want to have that clan as an enemy. At the same time, you feel that you wont want to have them as allies either. And so, even if he were to openly seek for help, he wouldnt know if there would be people who will lend a hand on the contrary, theres no doubt that there would be more people who will see this as a blessing.

They were a clan with no benevolence at all.

No, all that benevolence got absorbed by her adoptive father, Ruomen. It might be more correct to say that there was nothing left over for the rest. Ruomens benevolence seemed to be a counterbalance for those peoples misfortunate disposition.

Since Ruomen lives in the medical office of the imperial court, Rikuson had to have come to Maomao by process of elimination, but theyre calling at the wrong house.