Chapter 26: That Shapeshifter, Chastised

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Since Nagasaki was a shogunal city, two bugyō among the fudai daimyo were appointed to look after its affairs in alternating turns, so that there was always someone responsible for the port city’s affairs when the other travelled to Edo under the sankin kōtai system.

As the current bugyō of Nagasaki, she had a residence prepared for her to live in at Nagasaki, but because of her special circumstances of having to revive her diminished domain, the shogun allowed her to move between her domain and Nagasaki freely for the time-being.

The appointed bugyō wasn’t usually the daimyo of his domain himself, but a respected member of his family, however, Rin was the sole survivor of the Terazawa clan, so it couldn’t be helped.

A simple procession of palanquins stopped outside the large manor situated next to the Magistrate’s Office. Yoka emerged from inside the palanquin first, then helped her young mistress out.

It was almost mid-day when they arrived, so naturally, a crowd gathered to see the rumoured young bugyō from the Terazawa clan.

Everyone had heard about the death of Hirayama by now and witnessed the changes in the attitudes of the other four officials who worked at the Magistrate’s Office for themselves after Rin took up her post. They were curious to see what the person who tamed the arrogance of these notorious officials looked like.

Whispered exclamations arose among them as soon as Rin stepped out of the palanquin.

‘She’s so small!’

‘Has she even reached adulthood yet?’

‘How can a girl be bugyō?’

Four familiar-looking officials came forward and bowed low in greeting. The corners of Rin’s lips quirked up in satisfaction at their display of respect. ‘Yoshimoto-san, Nakatani-san, Kuwahara-san, Teshima-san,’ she greeted them in return. ‘I trust you have been well.’

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