Leone's face darkened with anger, a low growl like that of a beast rumbling from her throat.
"Night Raid doesn't do dirty work. We're not your cleaners!"
Uesugi Ryu paid no attention to that brainless woman. The phrase "all chest, no brains" truly existed for a reason.
Instead, he turned to Najenda, who was deep in thought.
Najenda frowned slightly.
"What exactly do you mean?"
Uesugi Ryu explained leisurely,
"Help me eliminate the competition. I'll take over their operations."
"Once I've monopolized the industry, I'll use part of the profits to support those women."
Najenda shook her head, clearly unconvinced.
"That's not something you can solve just by killing a few people. The Prime Minister and his lackeys won't allow it."
She folded her arms across her chest and stared straight at him.
"Besides, we have no reason to help expand your influence."
Uesugi Ryu naturally understood it would not be that simple.
If his rivals all died while his own power continued to grow, anyone with a brain could guess who was behind it.
But that did not matter.
As long as he secured someone's backing, the problem would solve itself.
"That won't be your concern. I already have a solution."
"Honestly, I can't stand that fat bastard either."
As he spoke, Uesugi Ryu let out a long sigh, his face full of regret.
"I've decided to turn over a new leaf, and nobody believes me?"
"Seriously, I ordered my men to stop gathering materials four days ago."
"I was planning to become a legitimate businessman, and then two days later, you people came after me."
He said it with such righteous confidence that not a single person present believed a word.
Bulat's face darkened as he mercilessly retorted,
"Turn over a new leaf? More like you're trying to clean up your image and go legitimate."
That kind of thing was indeed common.
Many merchants and nobles who rose through illegal means eventually tried the same trick.
If Uesugi Ryu were not so powerful, Bulat would probably have added that the main reason people reformed was fear of dying.
Uesugi Ryu looked helpless.
The identity of Zibul had its advantages and disadvantages.
Every bad deed had ended up on his shoulders.
Which, frankly, had absolutely nothing to do with him. It was all Zibul's fault.
Unfortunately, no one believed him.
No matter how one looked at it, he was every bit the villain.
Uesugi Ryu turned and walked away, his voice blending into the wind and rain.
"Don't reject the idea too quickly. If you come up with a better solution, I'll cooperate anytime."
.........
Uesugi Manor.
Inside a bright bedroom, brilliant sunlight streamed through the glass windows and fell across Sheele's face.
Her eyelids trembled slightly.
She tried to rub her eyes, but with both arms broken, that was obviously impossible.
Pain flared throughout her body.
Only then did Sheele remember that she had been captured.
"Mm... Did Mine... get away?"
She thought hazily, the last thing she remembered being Mine wrapped in countless metal wires.
She forced her eyes open.
A crystal chandelier glittered above her, scattering dazzling light.
She froze.
This did not look like the accommodations of a prisoner.
"My glasses... my glasses..."
Leaning against the headboard, she tried to sit up, swiveling her head from side to side like a squirrel searching for acorns.
A few seconds later, she suddenly remembered.
"Ah, they broke during the fight."
A troubled expression crossed her face.
Without her glasses, she was practically blind and deaf.
A woman in a white coat stepped over from the side and gently reminded her,
"You're awake. It's best not to move too much."
Sheele allowed the woman to adjust the pillow behind her neck, squinting at her.
"Did you save me? That was a huge help."
The doctor's movements paused for half a second, but she did not answer.
Several layers of bandages were wrapped around Sheele's ample chest.
Her collarbone had been shattered badly.
She would likely be unable to fight for quite some time.
Sheele looked down at the thick bandages wrapped around her chest and noticed she was only wearing her undergarments.
The purple cheongsam she had worn before was probably beyond saving after the battle.
A shadow suddenly fell over her.
Uesugi Ryu gently placed a pair of glasses onto her nose.
"Oh. Glasses?"
Sheele's mouth fell slightly open, not yet understanding what was happening.
"Arigatou gozaimasu."
The moment she recognized him, Sheele abruptly threw herself backward, smashing against the bedframe.
Wrapped in the blanket, she wriggled into the corner like an oversized caterpillar.
"Oww... Right, you're... the enemy!"
Watching her ridiculous behavior, Uesugi Ryu smiled helplessly.
A natural airhead indeed.
She did not look like an assassin at all.
Sheele instinctively tried to move.
Her legs bent slightly beneath the blanket, only for her to discover that a cold metal shackle firmly locked one ankle to the bedframe.
"Relax. I won't do anything to you."
Uesugi Ryu took out a purple cheongsam from his pocket.
The style was identical to the one Sheele had worn before.
"I've already reached an agreement with Night Raid. Until I get what I want, you'll stay here and recover."
Only then did Sheele notice the familiar crack in the lens.
They really were her old glasses.
Uesugi Ryu placed the fresh clothes on the bedside table and pointed to the doctor standing nearby.
"If you need anything, tell Lore. She'll handle your basic needs."
The doctor nodded to Sheele.
Sheele poked her head out from beneath the blanket, her glasses sliding down to the tip of her nose.
The old frame seemed a bit loose.
She truly had not sensed any hostility from Uesugi Ryu, neither during the battle nor now.
After thinking for a moment, she asked hesitantly,
"Um, Mine... she's okay, right? My teammate."
Only after giving Lore a few final instructions did Uesugi Ryu answer.
"She's alive. Recovering at Night Raid's hideout. Right now, she's probably lying in bed just like you."
A radiant smile bloomed across Sheele's face.
"Really? That's wonderful. I'm so glad Mine is okay."