Chapter 5: That Shapeshifter, Cleaning Up

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Hirayama’s eyes flashed. He straightened up and folded his arms across his muscled chest. ‘Don’t accuse your senpai blindly. You might be our superior in name, but we have been Nagasaki’s administrative officials for many years. Why would we take part of the shogun’s tribute for ourselves when we have a share of the foreign imports?’

Since Japan’s borders were closed to foreigners, trade with the rest of the world was confined in Nagasaki.

Everything that entered the country had to be approved by the shogunate before it could be distributed to the public. As Nagasaki officials overseeing this process, they were also gifted foreign goods that the rest of the people could not obtain for themselves.

This benefit alone should have been enough to keep these aristocrats content with their lot.

But people in power were rarely ever truly satisfied. Rin curled her lip.

Watching the best of the foreign imports go to the shogun year in year out while they received the leftovers must have made their hearts restless for more.

They might have once been loyal officials, but now, they were disillusioned with envy.

Rin nodded her head at Hirayama. ’Senpai is right. Rin was too impulsive this time. I hope senpai will pardon me.’ Her ink-black eyes lacked sincerity.

As if it was planned in advance, the maid knocked on the door and chose this moment to announce the arrival of more sake.

The young daimyo rose from her seat. ’Let me serve you some more sake as an apology.’

She took a pitcher of sake from the tray in the maid’s hands and knelt beside Hirayama, tilting her head to blink innocently at the bristling official.

‘Senpai will accept my apology, right?’

Without waiting for a response, she filled Hirayama’s cup and offered it to him with both hands. While leaning over, the side of her body brushed against him.

Hirayama grunted, shifting his gaze away from the fragrant girl pressed up against him. He took the cup. ‘Since you’re sincere, I’ll let you off this time.’

As he downed the cup, Rin asked, ‘Then, can senpai let me in on your embezzlement scheme?’

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