What followed was the boring part—negotiations and exchanges of interest. The Gambler was so disinterested that his eyes behind the mask were practically closing.
He leaned forward slightly, bringing his mouth close to Signora's ear and whispered.
"Rosalyn, I'm heading out for a bit. If I stay here any longer, I might just die of boredom."
Signora remained calm on the surface, but internally she was rolling her eyes so hard they nearly got stuck. Still, she maintained her elegant smile, sighed lightly, and replied helplessly.
"Fine, I really can't do anything with you~"
The Gambler's lips curled into a sly grin, and he chuckled.
"Hehe, I'll leave things to you then, La Signora~"
Without hesitation, he turned and slipped away like he had oil under his feet.
Once he stepped out of the room, Shajin immediately pulled off his mask and took a deep breath of fresh air.
"Ahh~ The air out here is so much better!"
Stretching his arms, he tilted his head back slightly, fully savoring the gentle breeze brushing against his face and fingers.
In the courtyard of the Commissioner's estate stood a blooming sakura tree, petals falling like snow, breathtakingly beautiful. Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, the cherry blossom looked as though it had donned a veil of light, radiating enchanting charm.
Shajin looked around curiously and noticed that all the attendants had been ordered by Hiiragi Shinsuke not to roam freely.
With no one else around, it was the perfect opportunity.
Shajin swiftly pulled out the Serenitea Pot, aimed it at the sakura tree, and in a blink, the tree vanished without a trace—leaving behind only a gaping hole in the ground.
He nodded In satisfaction and snapped his fingers crisply.
In an instant, the hole was filled with Geo energy, restoring the ground to its original, untouched state.
Shajin clapped his hands lightly and muttered to himself.
"Alright, all done~"
Suddenly—crack!—a sharp sound of porcelain breaking rang out.
Shajin whipped his head around to see an open guestroom window, where a young woman stood, eyes wide in shock.
She was holding a tea tray—though the shattering sound clearly came from the teacup that had slipped off.
Shajin: "..."
The woman had long snow-white hair tied into a high ponytail, adorned with an ornament resembling a samurai's kabuto crest.
The hair framing her temples was tied in traditional sokuhatsu style, exuding noble elegance.
Her gray-blue eyes held a delicate teardrop mole at the corner, enhancing her graceful and pitiful charm.
She wore a gradient-blue haori and deep blue pleated skirt, decorated with sakura and flowing water motifs.
Her chest and abdomen were protected by a black dō, with skirt armor extending from it and bearing the Kamisato family's camellia crest.
Red cords were tied in decorative knots at her waist, one at the front and one at the back—where a blue-purple bow was fastened with her Cryo Vision at the center.
Snapping back to her senses, she panicked slightly and said,
"You… I… I didn't see anything!" She slammed the window shut with a bang.
"Whew~ that was close, that was close." She patted her chest lightly, breathing a silent sigh of relief.
But then—
"Ahem. Miss, this is actually a misunderstanding~"
"Eh?!"
She spun around, eyes wide. That man from outside—was now inside the room behind her!
Shajin looked utterly composed, calmly and righteously explaining.
"This sakura tree was a gift from the Hiiragi clan head. He told me to come collect it myself."
"Is that so? Wait—that's not even the important part anymore!"
She was completely thrown off by the situation. All her years of dignity and poise felt like they were unraveling in a single moment.
A faint blush colored her cheeks, her eyes flitting nervously, unsure how to react.
Shajin stroked his chin, as if suddenly remembering something. With a flip of his hand, a fox mask appeared in his palm.
He had picked It up with Rosalyn at a street stall on their way here—he found them amusing and bought a whole bunch, despite Rosalyn sneering at his childishness. Such a dull woman, no appreciation for fun…
"Oh?"
Shajin noticed that despite the girl's nervousness, her eyes kept darting toward the fox mask in his hand.
He stifled a laugh.
"Miss, consider this mask an apology gift~"
He held it out to her.
She blinked in surprise, hesitated for a moment, then took it.
"Th-thank you."
Though she accepted it demurely, her expression clearly betrayed her fondness for the mask.
Still, her gaze didn't linger long on the mask. Instead, curiosity led her eyes back to Shajin.
"Um… don't you recognize me?"
She spoke softly, her voice like a gentle breeze rippling across a lake.
Shajin scratched his head, genuinely puzzled.
"Am I supposed to?"
That answer froze her in place. Her cheeks reddened further with embarrassment.
"R-right, of course~"
She'd grown used to being treated with utmost reverence by common folk, but this man spoke to her so casually—it felt foreign, yet refreshing.
A flicker of mischief stirred inside her.
She gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt and introduced herself.
"I'm a retainer of the Kamisato Clan, accompanying the clan head on this diplomatic mission. If you like, you can call me Xiao Bai."
"Xiao Bai, huh~"
Shajin smiled and nodded, indicating he'd remember.
Then, offering a friendly hand, he introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you, Xiao Bai. I'm Shajin. Seems like the Kamisato Clan keeps things pretty strict, huh?"
Xiao Bai tilted her head.
"What makes you say that?"
Shajin pointed to the mask in her hands.
"Something as common as a fox mask made you that happy. Tells me you don't get out much, huh?"
Xiao Bai blinked in realization.
He was right. Though she worked under the Yashiro Commission, aside from attending official events, she barely experienced the "outside world."
Shajin's eyes sparkled with an idea.
He smacked his right fist into his open left palm.
"Say, Xiao Bai, why don't I take you out for some fun?"
"Huh? Go out and play?"
Her eyes lit up, but she quickly shook her head.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'd better not. If the clan head finds out I slipped away, I'd be in real trouble."
Shajin waved it off casually.
"Relax. Even if your clan head—or your Shogun—shows up, they won't dare punish you. I said so~"
"Eh?!"
That genuinely stunned Xiao Bai.
The words were outrageous, yet coming from this man, they carried an inexplicable sense of conviction.
Her heart itched slightly.
"…Maybe… I should try?"
_
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