Shino, her belly protruding, returned to her original spot and sat down.
When Misono Mika prepared to meet that retainer, she signaled Shino to head back first.
"Miss Shino, what did you and Lady Mika just do?" someone nearby couldn't help but ask.
The others also looked at her tensely.
Rather than curiosity about their actions, they now worried Shino might secretly report them, revealing the sensitive topics they discussed to Misono Mika.
Especially the woman who called Mika a 'witch'; she stared fixedly at Shino, her crazed expression somewhat terrifying.
Facing their collective gaze, Shino shrank her neck in fear.
She hadn't forgotten Mika's instructions: do not tell others her blood could cure the Kabane virus unless absolutely necessary.
Shino looked at the group and offered the excuse she prepared beforehand. "I... I went to Lady Mika just now to seek good fortune for the child in my womb. I want him to grow up healthy."
"Just for that? Really? Did Lady Mika agree?" someone asked skeptically.
"Yes. When the child is born, Lady Mika will personally bestow a name upon him."
"Truly?! Then do I also have a chan—no, wait, what is the price? Lady Mika said she wouldn't help others for no reason, even for something like a blessing."
The speaker initially rejoiced, but instantly snapped back to reality.
"I was quite lucky. Lady Mika seemed rather interested, so she didn't make any excessive demands," Shino said, feeling incredibly fortunate.
If Misono Mika hadn't intervened at the critical moment, she might be a corpse by now.
Two lives lost in one body.
"Is that so? Then you are truly lucky to secure such an honor. I'm envious..."
The crowd chimed in, everyone secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
Whether true or not, they chose to believe it. Even if they knew it was a lie, it served as psychological comfort. At least they didn't need to live in fear anymore.
However, one person thought otherwise.
Among the crowd, an older woman whose family the Kabane took used an excuse to leave the line, her intentions unknown.
Those sitting near her didn't bother with her. They held no affection for this madwoman who failed to see the current situation.
"Look, Lady Mika is back. Those people looking for trouble might be in for it..."
At those words, everyone shifted their attention from Shino to Misono Mika, who approached from a short distance away.
★ ★ ★
Misono Mika walked toward the rowdy crowd. When people noticed her, those rioting over Ayame Yomogawa's methods instantly fell silent.
Even those watching the excitement from afar stopped talking, pricking up their ears for fear of missing a single word.
"I didn't expect such a thing to happen shortly after my departure, especially something involving me. Can any of you tell me the specific reason?"
Mika's gaze quickly swept over the group, estimating about fifty people.
Her arrival made everyone's expressions turn unnatural. Some even lowered their heads guiltily, not daring to meet her eyes.
"We... we only acted out of kindness."
A middle-aged man dressed as a merchant stepped out from the crowd. He mustered his courage and pointed at Kajika, who the bushi protected. "Look, how old is that girl named Kajika? If no one supervises her, it would be disastrous if someone with ill intentions deluded her into doing something irreversible!"
The moment he spoke, the people beside him nodded one after another, speaking up for him.
"Stop your alarmist talk here!"
Mumei escorted Kajika to Mika's side, glaring at these people with indignation. "You make so many excuses, but the bottom line is you're just afraid of death. Cowards! Lady Ayame already promised to arrange specific people to supervise and protect Kajika's safety. Yet you still cause trouble, insisting on choosing someone yourselves to put in there. Just what are you trying to do?!"
"Mumei..."
Kajika tugged gently on Mumei's clothes, signaling her to say less.
Kabaneri were already disliked. If she continued to offend people like this, more would loathe her in the future.
Sure enough, as Mumei ruthlessly tore away the fig leaf, some people glared at her with humiliated rage.
This was a fact everyone tacitly accepted but feared to state plainly for fear of angering Mika. Now that Mumei spoke so bluntly, did she want them dead?!
The crowd stared at Mumei with eyes full of hatred, looking as if they wanted to skin her alive.
Though Mumei appeared strong on the surface, her face gradually lost its color when faced with such undisguised malice. She was only twelve years old; how could she endure such targeted hostility?
Kajika looked at Mumei's thin back with worry, then turned a pleading gaze toward Mika, who remained silent.
'Lady Mika, why are you just watching?'
"We are only stating normal requirements; it's not like we're being unreasonable. Like you, our starting point is Lady Mika's safety!"
The merchant, his rhythm disrupted by Mumei, hurriedly explained to Mika, "Don't listen to this Kabaneri's nonsense. She is deliberately slandering us..."
"Are you finished?"
Mika interrupted the merchant. She grew tired of this boring performance.
"I... I am finished..."
The merchant's body trembled. He saw Mika had no desire to hear more of his nonsense, so he dared not utter another word.
"Very well. Then let me ask you a question."
Mika's gaze first landed on the merchant at the front. After he guiltily lowered his head, she casually scanned the others before retracting her gaze. "Are you dissatisfied with my arrangements?"
"No, we wouldn't dare!"
"How could we possibly question your decision!"
"We've been wronged, Lady Mika!"
The crowd reacted vehemently, none daring to accept such a lethal accusation.
"Oh? Then it's even more interesting. Since you don't dare question my decision, what are you people doing gathered here?"
Mika's voice grew cold. "You not only besieged the person I selected but even tried to interfere in my private life. Just who gave some of you the audacity to calculate against me so freely?"
The icy words felt like sharp blades, stabbing deep into the hearts of the ill-intentioned people in the crowd.
Thud...
Some couldn't withstand the pressure and collapsed to the ground in fear.
Just as everyone's attention focused on Misono Mika, a person crept up under the cover of the crowd.