Misono Mika found Enoku's reaction to her completely unexpected.
In an environment plagued by scarcity, where people struggled even to fill their bellies, most remained ignorant and superstitious. Folk tales of ghosts and gods flourished, with Buddhism being a primary influence. Even the phrase Rokkon Shojo—purification of the six senses—was rooted in Buddhist terminology.
Once Mika realized she could not hide her wings and halo, she knew many would view her as a deity. In truth, she wasn't far off. In this world, she was essentially invincible; as long as she didn't do something reckless like getting buried alive or eating poison for dinner, no one could touch her.
She was effectively a god. While not everything called a god truly earned the title, anything recognized as one was never weak.
Traveling with the Kotetsujo, Mika assumed the people of this world would be cautious to a fault around her. Even if they didn't worship her, they surely wouldn't dare offend her.
Yet, an outlier had suddenly appeared.
Bang!
"Aaaagh—!"
Enoku let out a sudden scream. His cane snapped in two as his body folded like a shrimp, sent flying until he slammed into the wall with a heavy thud. He slid down the wood like a discarded rag, clutching his stomach with a pale face, his body trembling uncontrollably.
The culprit was none other than Mika, who stood with one hand still frozen in a punching motion.
'My fist... it moved on its own...'
Mika looked at her fair, delicate fist in surprise before glancing back at Enoku, who lay on the floor like a dying dog. She had only intended to make him suffer a little, but she hadn't expected her body's reflexes to be so swift.
Honestly, it felt quite refreshing.
Enoku really had no filter, actually planning to sell her to others to secure power for himself. He certainly had a vivid imagination. The mere thought of those bloated, self-important nobles made Mika feel physically ill.
"Ikoma, I'll leave the rest to you. Seeing him struggle to walk is just too pitiful," Mika instructed Ikoma and the others behind her. "So, break his other leg too. Let him spend the rest of his life in bed."
"Do we really have to go that far...?" The naturally kind-hearted Ikoma hesitated to strike.
"Litchi! Do not question Mika-sama's orders! If she commands it, we obey!" Kurusu Konochi kicked him from behind and spoke with absolute gravity.
Two other bushi had already moved in to strip Enoku of his weapons. They grabbed him by the arms and dragged him over like a dead pig.
"Cough, cough... Please, forgive my earlier nonsense..." Enoku raised his head weakly, his heart filled with bitter regret. How could he be so unlucky? This time, he had run into the real deal. That terrifying strength was not human.
"Fine. I forgive you."
"...Thank you for your generosity!" Enoku's face lit up with the joy of a man who had escaped death.
However, no one noticed the flicker of disdain in the depths of his eyes.
'So what if you're strong? Kindness is a fatal weakness. The kinder the person, the easier they are to manipulate. Even if I'm exposed, I don't have to pay a price; a few sincere apologies are all it takes to be forgiven.'
Mika had no idea what Enoku was thinking. Before leaving, she gave Ikoma and the rest one final instruction: "Don't just break his legs. Give him a proper thrashing. Beat him until he's smoking!"
Enoku paled in horror, shouting, "Wait, wait! Didn't you just say you forgave me?"
"I did forgive you, but I never said I wouldn't hit you. What, do you have a problem with that? A double agent like you loves saying one thing and doing another; why are you upset when it's used on you?"
Mika turned and left without looking back, leaving behind a deathly pale Enoku and the bewildered group led by Ikoma.
Enoku was originally a spy planted in the Shogunate by Amatori Biba. However, because the Shogunate offered too much, he couldn't resist the temptation and betrayed the Hunters. Perhaps Biba still found him useful, so he spared his life but kicked him out of the group.
"Peppa, should we do it? Now? Here?"
Ikoma stared at the restrained Enoku. His demeanor shifted, his gaze becoming unfriendly. A double-dealing spy likely wasn't a good person. There was nothing more to say.
"We have to. Don't forget we currently serve Mika-sama. As subordinates, we cannot disobey her orders!"
As Konochi spoke, he unfastened his scabbard. Amidst Enoku's pleas for mercy, he raised it high and swung down with all his might!
Crack!
"Aaaaagh!"
Accompanied by the crisp sound of bone snapping, Enoku let out a piercing shriek of agony.
"Mook One, Mook Two, drop him on the ground. Everyone stay focused—don't accidentally kill him."
Konochi directed the two bushi, then stepped forward with Ikoma. Under Enoku's despairing gaze, the four men raised their boots simultaneously.
Enoku's faint screams caused people nearby to look over. Some curious onlookers tried to approach to see what was happening, but they quickly retreated once they recognized Ikoma and his crew.
"Aren't you going to stop them?" a survivor from Yashiro Station asked, full of confusion. Vigilante justice usually wasn't permitted.
"Newbie, remember this," a bushi from the Kotetsujo said, patting the man's shoulder like a seasoned veteran. "You can offend anyone on this train, but never offend a certain beautiful pink-haired girl. If you do, no one can save you."
"Huh?" The man was even more baffled. Was a pretty girl really that formidable?
"Shh! Quiet down! Mika-sama is coming!"
The entire carriage fell silent at the mention of her name. Even the Yashiro survivors watched with curiosity.
"Has anyone seen Mumei?" Mika asked with a smile as she entered the carriage.
"Mumei? She seems to have gone into Yashiro Station with a squad of bushi. They plan to retake the boiler room to start the central crane."
"They just left. You should be able to catch up, Mika-sama!" several people replied eagerly.
"Thank you." Mika nodded slightly and headed toward Yomogawa Ayame. She needed the specific details, and these people wouldn't have the answers.
As Mika appeared, the survivors from Yashiro Station could hardly look away. They finally seemed to understand what the Kotetsujo crew had meant. Once Mika left the carriage, the crowd erupted into even louder discussion.
On the other side, Mika had only walked a few steps before running into a frantic Ayame and her attendants.
"Mika-sama, this is bad! Mumei didn't follow the plan. She alerted the Kabane hiding in the Yashiro mines! There are so many of them... Mumei and the others are in grave danger!" Ayame said, her face tight with anxiety.
★ ★ ★
T/N: I am so sorry, I don't know how I forgot to post 4 chapters yesterday. If you read early, you missed 4 chapters before this, kindly backtrack to "When in Rome".
Again, I apologize for the mishap.