Chapter 1028: Chapter 38: The Self-Improvement of Tsuchimikado Motoharu’s Retainers_2

“As a retainer to my lord, I must remind you: Do not drag my lord into those nauseating disputes–this is the first time, and I hope it is also the last.”

“If it happens again…”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu’s tone stretched out, and a cold glint began to flicker in his slender, handsome eyes.

It was a chill that resembled the edge of a blade.

Making Ryosuke shudder from head to toe.

Almost instinctively, Ryosuke was about to bow in agreement.

But at the last moment, he held back.

“You know what happened?”

Ryosuke asked.

“I know some of it.”

“An organization that plays both the referee and the athlete is rapidly expanding in the shadows, and then, its ambition began to swell.”

“And in the end?”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu snorted coldly and did not continue.

Playing the referee as well as the athlete?

Does that mean being the police and also…

Ryosuke was no fool and quickly caught on.

His brow furrowed tightly.

Even tighter than before.

With Tsuchimikado Motoharu’s hint, Ryosuke had already thought of plenty.

“That just now?”

Ryosuke inquired about the doubt in his heart.

“A corpse puppet.”

“Or one might say… Ghoul.”

“He, no, it is something that lies between the two.”

“Possessing both Onmyoji (yin and yang magic) and Alchemy, along with what is referred to as technology, they have created a kind of monster–polluting the present world with a foul stench.”

When mentioning that person who was supposed to be a police officer but ended up a serial killer, Tsuchimikado Motoharu looked disdainful.

“Was it artificially created?”

Ryosuke was taken aback.

“Of course.”

“Otherwise, how could it appear?”

“Once those guys’ ambitions inflated, they wished not just to have limited control over the present world, they also wanted a hand in the Inside World… haha.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu let out another cold laugh.

Then, the Onmyoji closed his fan with a snap.

Clack!

In the crisp sound, the Onmyoji faced Ryosuke.

“Telling you all this, I’m just letting you know.”

“These matters are not for you to get involved in.”

“Especially when they could potentially involve my lord, you should understand what you ought to do.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu spoke word by word.

Shortly after, the car stopped.

As the door opened, Ryosuke saw the bicycle he had previously ridden.

“I have already wiped away the traces for you.”

“What’s left is for you to return to ‘Glowing Gourmet Pavilion’.”

Saying this, Tsuchimikado Motoharu gestured for him to proceed.

Ryosuke walked straight out of the car.

The car did not linger.

As soon as the door closed, it sped off into the night.

Ryosuke frowned, watching the car.

Only when the car had completely disappeared did Ryosuke mount his bicycle and head towards ‘Glowing Gourmet Pavilion’.

The wind blowing in his face did not ease his frown.

On the contrary, his face seemed to scrunch up even more.

What should he do?

Really just withdraw and ignore everything?

But what then would all his persistence have been for?

But if he continued to meddle, what if it entangled others, what then?

The more he thought, the more irritable he became.

Ryosuke almost wished he could yell at the top of his lungs.

But in the end, all he could do was pedal the bicycle forcefully.

…

“My lord, will that officer give up?”

The partition separating the front and back seats slowly lowered, and the servant sitting in the passenger seat turned to his master and asked.

This nominal servant was in fact one of Tsuchimikado Motoharu’s retainers.

Otherwise, he would not dare to ask such a question at this time.

A normal servant daring to ask such things would have long been beaten to death.

“Ranmaru, what do you think?”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu habitually counter-questioned.

“I think not.”

“Because that officer looks like someone who won’t give up.”

“Even faced with a dilemma, he will certainly strive to overcome it.”

Ranmaru answered.

In fact, if Ryosuke were the type to give up, Ranmaru wouldn’t have asked.

“Then what do you suppose he will do?”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu continued to inquire.

“This…”

Ranmaru hesitated slightly.

Not because he didn’t know the answer,

but because he had already thought of the most appropriate response.

However, this answer is a bit unrealistic.

“Speak boldly.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu encouraged his very young retainer.

“Feigned death!”

Ranmaru voiced his own answer.

Tsuchimikado Motoharu laughed and nodded his head.

“Not bad.”

“Aside from feigned death, what other choice does he have?”

“Since Ryosuke is dead, the lord naturally won’t be involved.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu uttered softly.

Ranmaru nodded, then the young man suddenly was taken aback.

It seemed, perhaps, all this was arranged by his own lord.

Could it be that the lord had such plans all along?

Involuntarily, a look of confusion appeared on Ranmaru’s face.

“The lord has his plans, as a retainer it’s natural to share the lord’s worries, especially for someone like Ryosuke, it is better to leave the lord’s side sooner.”

“And now a method that is neither harmful nor face-saving for the lord is what we as retainers must learn.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu frankly admitted.

Ranmaru nodded thoughtfully.

Following that, Tsuchimikado Motoharu’s retainer sat up straight in the passenger seat.

“I will strive to learn.”

“For the lord and for Lord Jason.”

Ranmaru said with a decisive tone.

Tsuchimikado Motoharu started to smile.

He believed that Ranmaru would.

After all, Ranmaru had been raised in his family from a young age.

He knew too well the young man’s thoughts.

And he understood the young man’s character too well.

Everything would develop just as he envisioned.

“The lord’s power is still too weak.”

“My own family’s location is not enough.”

“I need to seek further development…”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu pondered.

Naturally, his thoughts drifted to the person he was about to meet.

Clap, clap, clap.

The closed folding fan tapped continuously against the palm of his hand.

The crisp sound rhythmically emitted.

Ranmaru immediately held his breath in concentration, knowing that this was how his lord looked when pondering.

Akamaru, the driver, also tried to make the car ride as smooth as possible.

Yet the speed of the car did not decrease at all.

Quickly, the car arrived at its destination.

A three-story Western mansion on the outskirts of the Silver District.

The mansion was at the top of a hill, a road leading to it, with ‘street lights’ automatically illuminating as the car approached.

Clusters of will-o-the-wisps hung on the trees.

Several floating figures walked down from the hilltop in the distance.

Watching this scene, Ranmaru frowned involuntarily.

He disliked the other party’s habits.

Even though he was born into an Onmyoji family.

Akamaru?

If it weren’t for the lord not speaking, he would definitely smash these things to pieces.

As the will-o-the-wisps lit up, Tsuchimikado Motoharu ended his contemplation.

Looking at the descending spectral figure from afar, Tsuchimikado Motoharu sighed and shook his head.

“If the ancestors of this person saw the state of their descendants, they would probably be so angry they’d climb out of their coffins to reprimand such unworthy offspring,” Tsuchimikado Motoharu said.

“Rest assured.”

“Even if he wanted to climb out of the coffin.”

“He’d need to find his own coffin first.”

A cool voice laced with sarcasm emerged in the car right after Tsuchimikado Motoharu finished speaking.

Ranmaru’s hand immediately gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

Akamaru’s eyes also turned cold.

“Ghoul, you’re still the same.”

“Can’t you learn to act like a normal person?”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu showed a look of helplessness on his face.

“What’s a normal person like?”

“In my eyes, a normal person looks like me.”

“On the contrary, you seem abnormal to me.”

The cool voice spoke, as a figure took a seat opposite Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

A young man in his twenties, dressed in black clothes inside, covered by an Onmyoji’s cloak outside, his hair cascading down, his face and voice as cold as his gaze.

Especially his eyes, seemingly lifeless and unwavering.

Ordinary people would feel uncomfortable under such a gaze.

But not Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

He spread his hands out calmly.

“I’ve come for the matter of the ‘Fear’ banner.”

“All I want now is to know the truth.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu spoke, his eyes intently gazing into the eyes of the person sitting opposite.

The other’s lifeless eyes, under such a gaze, did not change at all.

Meanwhile, inside the ‘Glowing Culinary Pavilion,’ cries of shock rang out —

“Ah! This is…”