Chapter 90: Ayame and Yayoi
"Women? What's going on?" Ren asked, puzzled.
When Kuri was first being built, many merchants had sent women or gifts to ensure they could do business here peacefully. However, after discovering Kuri's excellent security and business environment, that practice had stopped.
"There's something strange about those people..." Yukiko said after a moment's thought.
She would normally handle such matters herself. It wasn't that they accepted gifts, but both the merchants and the women they sent were unusual this time.
"I don't think they're merchants," Yukiko mused. "The women have signs of martial arts training. Could someone be targeting us?"
Yukiko had her suspicions, but she hadn't acted on them due to a lack of evidence. Besides, Ren hadn't been in Kuri for some time.
"Let's go check."
It was simple enough to find out what was going on.
Ren followed Yukiko back to the manor and summoned the women who had been sent.
There were two of them, of different ages. The older one was probably around twenty-one, and neither was any less beautiful than an oiran.
"This humble one is Ayame. I greet you, Daimyo."
"This humble one is Yayoi. I greet you, Daimyo."
The three women knelt before Ren's scrutinizing gaze.
"Ayame and Yayoi, correct?" Ren slowly paced over to them, looking down at the prostrating women. "Speak softly." As he did, his clothes began to transform. The sleeves and long sashes came alive, turning into the bodies of cold snakes.
However, the two women were lying flat on the ground and couldn't see this terrifying sight.
Yukiko, standing nearby, recalled the first time she had seen Ren. He had just like this, terrifying her half to death.
A writhing serpent body, fangs that hissed, a trembling forked tongue, and purple eyes glowing with a red light. He was a breathtakingly beautiful demon, even after a thousand looks.
"I ask you, who sent you, and what is your purpose?" Ren could tell they weren't helpless weaklings. He didn't know how strong they were, but they were at least as skilled as Matsuri.
The so-called merchants sending these two women wasn't the problem. The problem was they had concealed the fact that these women were martial artists.
"Yes, Lord Hanayama sent us. He... hopes we can serve the Daimyo, and that you will look after his business in Kuri..." the older woman feigned weakness.
Ren walked in front of her. From her position on the floor, she could only see his feet.
"Your name is Ayame, isn't it?" Ren bent down, pinching her delicate chin and lifting her up.
"Yes, I am willing to serve my lord..." Ayame's words caught in her throat. As her gaze moved up, she saw the white snakes moving behind Ren. Being stared at by such creatures, her heart felt as if it had stopped, and her pupils constricted violently.
"Hmph." Ren sneered. Before she could react, one of the snakes suddenly bit her neck. As the power of the Great Serpent's Seal was released, a black snake mark seared itself onto her slender nape.
"Now, say it again. Who are you? Who sent you? What is your purpose?"
Ren released his hand. The woman instantly collapsed to the ground. Her eyes glazed over as if covered in a film, and she began to speak mechanically.
"My name is Suzuki Ayame. I am the wife of Suzuki Kaien, the yakuza leader of Ringo..."
"What did you say, Ayame!"
"Why did you reveal the plan?"
Hearing this, Ren hadn't reacted yet, but the other woman immediately sprang up, shouting in accusation.
She couldn't believe Ayame had betrayed them. They had been placed in the Daimyo's manor as a backup for an assassination plan. Now, before the plan had even begun, their leader, Ayame, had defected.
If she was allowed to continue, it would be a disaster.
Suzuki Kaien wasn't the only one behind this operation. If she kept talking, her master would be exposed too. If the plan failed, her family...
Since things had come to this, Yayoi had no choice but to try and kill Ayame before making her escape. If she couldn't escape, she would have to take her own life.
But before Yayoi could act, a pair of ferocious snake eyes appeared before her. The moment she met their gaze, her body was paralyzed as if by an electric current, and she couldn't move at all.
"Great Serpent's Glare."
After paralyzing Yayoi with his gaze, Ren applied the Great Serpent's Seal to her as well.
Ayame continued speaking.
"Yayoi is the new wife of the yakuza leader from Shimotsuki..."
She had basically revealed the entire plan. The two women were technically samurai. Now, the yakuza bosses of Ringo, Shimotsuki, and Udon were joining forces to send assassins to kill Ren during the New Year.
To this end, they had offered up their beautiful wives, hoping to map out the Daimyo's manor before the New Year. And even if the initial assassination failed, the two women could continue the mission.
But if it came to that, even if they killed Ren, they would never escape.
"Yakuza, huh? The vermin of society..." Ren sneered.
"Lord Ren, should we..." Yukiko was furious after hearing Ayame's words, wanting to rush to the three towns and wipe out the yakuza.
"No need to be so hasty. For these scum to send their own wives to assassinate me, how can we not have some fun with them?"
Just then, Ayame emerged from her trance-like state. However, she was now completely controlled by the Great Serpent's Seal, becoming Ren's servant. "Daimyo... my lord... we are guilty of a thousand deaths, but if the plan fails, my child..."
"Lord Ren, what should we do now?" Yukiko asked.
"For now, let these two stay in the manor. Actually, let's have them proceed with the plan as intended."
"Yes..." Ayame looked up. "To obey those men's orders and come to assassinate you... we will accept any punishment you see fit, we only hope you will save my daughter and Yayoi's sister."
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