Ren signed a ten-year contract with Shimotsuki Yasuie all at once. After ten years, it would be Kurozumi Orochi's stage to take over.
Of course, although they signed a ten-year lease agreement, the payment wasn't all made at once. Coming up with 120,000 gold pieces at once, plus the subsequent port repairs, was a huge sum that would even strain Kuri's finances.
Ren paid the first year's rent upfront, then had workers begin repairing the Hidden Port.
The Hidden Port was a bit off the beaten path, located in the outskirts of Hakumai. Ren took this opportunity to visit it, and what impressed him most was the endless sea of yellow and red maple trees. It was truly a boundless forest of falling leaves.
Speaking of which, although Hakumai was an autumn island, the maple leaves in the forest seemed to fall endlessly. Walking through the woods, the dry leaves underfoot made a rustling sound.
Ren reached out to catch a red leaf, twisting the stem with his fingers, making the maple spin.
He suddenly thought that decades from now, probably no one would stand before him and say something like "Your blade might not be beyond reach." If that were the case, it would be quite interesting.
"Lord Ren, the workers for port repairs have been arranged."
"Mm, then let's head back." Ren nodded. The scenery of Hakumai was nice, but even the unchanging autumn scenery would become tiresome after a while. Since matters were more or less settled, it was time to return.
Repairing the port was a massive undertaking. The Hidden Port hadn't been used for centuries, and many aspects could be called complete reconstructions. Until the reconstruction was complete, they would have to maintain the current state.
"By the way, is Kurozumi Higurashi overseas or in the Flower Capital?" Ren asked.
"Higurashi-sama is currently overseas," Shiyado said quietly, following behind Ren.
"She never seems to rest."
Ren lay back inside the palanquin and gently closed his eyes to rest.
The bearers were all strong porters, making the palanquin very steady. After resolving this matter, Ren found himself with plenty of free time. Now, the busiest person in Kuri was actually Keiko.
Now that Yuriko held the authority of the magistrate of communal affairs, the position had little work except on holidays, making it very peaceful on normal days.
Yukiko had temporarily taken over Shutenmaru's duties, but the work of the magistrate of revenue was actually quite simple. The public security in Kuri nowadays was incredibly good, with few criminals aside from Kozuki Oden stirring up trouble.
It was Keiko who was overwhelmed. Temporarily taking over the affairs of the magistrate of finance had her nearly running around in circles. Although Kuri was prosperous now, many areas still needed development. Ren placed great importance on infrastructure projects like building bridges and roads, which required enormous expenditures. Even when busy, Keiko often forgot to eat or sleep.
Fortunately, Yukiko and Yuriko could help look after her a bit.
With nothing to do for the moment, Ren focused his consciousness in his inner space once again, facing that body composed of lightning.
After several months, Ren's progress in mastering the Rumble-Rumble Fruit had been proceeding steadily. He was now much stronger at using lightning than he had been at the beginning.
At the very least, he possessed electrical power comparable to a Mink's Sulong transformation.
The trip to and from Hakumai, plus the days spent there, meant it was already past October when they returned to Kuri.
"You're back, Lord Ren." The maids in the daimyo's courtyard immediately bowed and greeted him upon seeing him.
"Mm." Ren was generally polite and wouldn't ignore greetings from even the servants. After a simple response, he handed the paper bag he was holding to them. "These are candied chestnuts I brought back from Hakumai. Have some."
"Yes, thank you, Lord Ren!" The maid was utterly flattered and immediately bent down, accepting the chestnuts with both hands and thanking him profusely.
Even though they were just chestnuts, who gave them mattered greatly.
Being able to receive chestnuts from the daimyo was something they could proudly display back in their quarters.
"You like chestnuts so much? There are still raw ones over there. Feel free to take some if you like," Ren said. He quite enjoyed eating raw chestnuts himself, which had a special texture compared to cooked ones.
"Yes."
This time after returning from Hakumai, Ren brought back many of the region's specialties. Most were fruits, though many had already been eaten along the way. After all, fruit was perishable.
Hakumai's climate was autumn, with daytime heat not less than in summer and plenty of sunlight, but temperatures dropped significantly at night. This temperature difference allowed Hakumai's fruits to accumulate sufficient sunlight and sugar content, making the flesh exceptionally sweet.
Kuri also had a rich variety of fruits, but most were tropical ones, so it was nice to have a different flavor occasionally.
During this time, he heard that Shutenmaru's injuries had long since healed.
At his level of power, even without systematic study of Life Return, his physical constitution would naturally tend in that direction. Even with serious injuries, as long as he received adequate nutrition, he would recover quickly.
"The Hidden Port is being rebuilt now and will be operational soon. But this is a complicated time overseas. It would be perfect to have Shutenmaru go out and maintain order."
Soon, Rocks would fall, and the seas would become chaotic. Without a powerhouse to lead them, it would be difficult for any fleet to establish itself in the New World. Shutenmaru possessed strength no weaker than Jack the Drought, which would be more than sufficient.
Besides, Kozuki Oden could also go to sea then...
"No, Kurozumi Higurashi and their affairs can't be discovered by Kozuki Oden. It's better to keep them separate."
"Lord Ren!" Just as Ren was pondering how to arrange for Oden, Yukiko, dressed in a light-blue kimono embroidered with white crane patterns, hurried over. Her expression suggested she had something to report.
"What is it, Yukiko?"
"A group of merchants sent some women over," Yukiko said with a frown.
...
Flower Capital.
In order to forge a great-grade sword, Shimotsuki Ushimaru had made thorough preparations and came to visit Kozuki Sukiyaki.
"How does one forge a great-grade sword?" Kozuki Sukiyaki asked, lying on his side. He didn't appear particularly old, just a bit sickly. "Ushimaru, you know I haven't attempted to forge a sword in a long time."
Kozuki Sukiyaki hadn't forged a sword in many years. After forging the great-grade sword Ame no Habakiri, his health had gradually declined. Now, Kozuki Sukiyaki's only interests were making and collecting wooden dolls.
Unlock 30 chapters instantly (for the price of the old 20-chapter tier) and get 50–55 new chapters every month.
If you're enjoying the story, consider supporting me here:
patreon.com/anish_44
{I need to be real with you for a moment. I'm reaching out because I'm in a genuinely tough spot financially right now, and I need your help to keep the stories flowing. Writing these chapters for you is my passion, but circumstances have put me in a position where I desperately need monetary support to continue dedicating time to what we both love—this fic.
Here's what I'm offering if you join my highest tier:
🚀 Instant Gratification: The moment you sign up, you get 30 chapters immediately—no waiting, no delays. Just a massive backlog of content to binge.
📅 Consistent Monthly Rewards: After that, you'll receive 60 fresh chapters every single month—double the story, double the excitement, all for your favorite fic.
But it doesn't stop there. Your support means everything, and I want to repay your generosity with mass releases, bonus chapters, and exclusive content that won't be available anywhere else. The more support I get, the more I can pour back into creating the stories you love.
If you've ever enjoyed this fic, if you've ever stayed up late reading "just one more chapter," if this story has been there for you during hard times—please consider joining. You're not just funding chapters; you're keeping this story alive and helping a creator in dire need.
Join today, get those 30 chapters instantly, and let's keep this journey going together.
Thank you for even considering it. You mean the world to me.}