Chapter 32: That Shapeshifter, Watching

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Shinji Makoto was brought over to the Magistrate’s Office for the Imperial Commissioner and Akihiko to interrogate him.

Tsuguru followed along, his expression pinched and indecipherable. He remained silent as he watched his uncle being questioned about the murder of Nobuyuki, and then about the deaths of the two samurai guards before that.

It wasn’t until Akihiko began to ask about the covering up of his crime by beheading the two guards and taking away their katanas for the ruse of a kataki-uchi that Tsuguru exploded.

He slammed his hands on the table in front of his uncle, his chest heaving with anger. ‘How could you?! Your brother, my father, was a samurai! You’re a blacksmith yourself! You should know how sacred the katana is to the samurai, yet you–!’

The tears Tsuguru had been holding back streamed down his face. He quickly wiped them away and stalked out of the room, slamming the shoji door shut with a loud bang behind him.

Yoka sneaked a peek at Rin’s expression. Her eyes had followed the young samurai as he left the room and now lingered on his shadow through the translucent screen on the door.

Her brow was furrowed and her lips were pursed in reluctant resignation.

Did she regret turning Tsuguru’s uncle in just like that? Or was she upset about having exposed his uncle’s hidden schemes with his help?

The young mistress noticed her staring and scowled. She tiptoed and pinched the cheeks of her plain-faced maid. ‘Why are you looking at me like that, eh Yoka?’

Her light-grey eyes glowed. ’I was worried about you.’

‘Tch!’ Rin scoffed and crossed her arms. ‘You’re probably wondering if I feel sorry for Tsuguru.’

Yoka lowered her eyes. ’Ojou-sama is wise, indeed.’

[Read the full story at novelconbini.com!]