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When Chiyoko stepped out of the suite, the sunlight outside the door fell upon her, warm and comforting.
The world, it seemed, had not changed, yet everything felt different.
The Four Countries Joint Inspection Team... regional inspections... a storm was about to start in the Land of Lightning.
All of this, for her, who had nothing, was a stepping stone.
It was the only stepping stone for her nine-year-old son to reach the throne!
Returning to the inn, Chiyoko sat quietly by the window, looking down at the busy crowds below with a cold gaze.
She was waiting.
Waiting for the man who had cast her into the cold palace for eight years, subjecting her to endless shame.
Time flowed on.
In the afternoon, the quiet of the small town was broken by a dusty group of travelers.
At the same time, in the town's luxurious inn, antique street, and lakeside pleasure boat, the Land of Earth, Wind, and Water daimyo at the same time paused their activities.
They watched the group entering the town calmly from a great distance.
The owner of the group, the Land of Lightning daimyo, had no idea about all of this.
When he stepped onto the town's soil, what greeted him was not equal courtesy, but a cold invitation.
A five countries conference would be held tomorrow morning.
He was given no time to breathe or prepare.
The Land of Lightning daimyo clutched the invitation, veins bulging on the back of his hand, his face dark.
He could feel the strange atmosphere in the town.
On one side were the singing and dancing of the other countries' delegations, while on the other, his own team was covered in an air of death.
A sudden panic of being abandoned by the whole world seized his heart.
The moment he saw Chiyoko, all his ruler's dignity had vanished.
"Chiyoko!"
The Land of Lightning daimyo roared as he rushed in, grabbing Chiyoko's wrist with such force that it felt like her bones would shatter.
"How is it?!" His voice was twisted by fear, his eyes bloodshot. "Did he... did he agree?"
Chiyoko did not struggle.
She merely watched this broken man quietly, watching the begging in his eyes.
How pathetic.
And how ridiculous.
At this moment, she suddenly felt that those eight years in the cold palace seemed worth it now.
She slowly raised her other hand, one by one, prying open the Land of Lightning daimyo's tightly clenched fingers.
"Daimyo-sama," her voice was very gentle, "mind your control."
"You are the Land of Lightning daimyo, a ruler."
The Land of Lightning daimyo trembled, the worry and panic on his face instantly freezing.
His eyes stared fixedly at this woman.
It was still that familiar face, but in those gentle eyes, there was no trace of the past.
Only an air of looking down remained.
He, the ruler of the Land of Lightning, was being publicly scolded by a discarded woman he had imprisoned for eight years, told to mind his control?
A huge sense of shame and an even deeper fear covered him.
He opened his mouth, but his throat felt as if something was blocking it, unable to make a sound.
The Land of Lightning daimyo stood frozen, his face pale and green.
This was more shameful than a direct slap.
He suddenly turned and growled at the stunned guards at the door. "Get out!"
The guards, as if granted a great pardon, left in a hurry.
But when the door closed, he noticed a few men with heavy presence standing in the shadows of the corner.
They were not his people!
"You..."
"They are the people the Land of Fire daimyo sent to protect me."
Chiyoko spoke calmly, her tone flat, yet it made the Land of Lightning daimyo go stiff.
She softly said to those men. "You all may also leave for now."
The shinobi nodded silently, and their figures flickered, disappearing without a trace.
This move carried more weight than any words.
The Land of Lightning daimyo knew that the moment he sought out this woman, he could no longer control her as he pleased.
Now, this woman was his, and the Land of Lightning's, only lifeline.
He had to act.
The next second, all the stiffness and anger on his face changed into regret and pain.
He took a step forward, grabbing Chiyoko's hand tightly, his voice laced with a sob.
"Chiyoko! You must save me! Save the Land of Lightning!"
He acted with heartfelt honesty, like a desperate husband.
A trace of pity properly appeared in Chiyoko's eyes.
She did not pull her hand away. Instead, she gently patted the back of his hand, softly comforting him. "Daimyo-sama, please sit down first."
The Land of Lightning daimyo allowed her to help him sit on the bed, his eyes fixed on her. "What... what did he say, exactly?"
Chiyoko sighed faintly, her face marked with tiredness. "He is determined. He said this is a matter of state, not a family matter to be discussed."
The Land of Lightning daimyo's heart immediately sank.
It's over.
Just as he was about to completely collapse, Chiyoko changed the subject. "However..."
These two words made the Land of Lightning daimyo's emotions shift once again.
"I am his aunt after all," Chiyoko's face showed complex helplessness. "Although he was firm in his words, in the end... he didn't drive me out."
Flames came back to life in the Land of Lightning daimyo's eyes.
There's a chance!
"Chiyoko! You must plead for me again!" He was so worked up he spoke without thinking. "Whatever the conditions, as long as the Land of Lightning can be saved..."
Chiyoko interrupted him.
Her eyes fixed, she said clearly, word by word. "Daimyo-sama, rest assured."
"We were husband and wife after all..."
She paused, her voice becoming meaningful. "Moreover, the Land of Lightning is also my son's home."
"He often worries for the country too, but he is young and his words carry little weight."
That last sentence, though light in tone, struck the Land of Lightning daimyo's heart hard.
The excited expression on his face froze for a moment.
The air seemed to stand still.
He looked at the woman before him. Deep within her calm eyes, a drawn blade was hidden.
The price had come.
He took a deep breath, his face instantly shifting to one of a caring father's emotion and satisfaction.
He held Chiyoko's hand even tighter, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "I know, Makoto has always been very hard-working."
"Unlike his elder brother, who only knows how to enjoy himself and doesn't understand how to share his father's worries!"
"With the nation in crisis, he's still drinking and having fun in the capital!"
"Useless! Completely useless!"
"..."
They looked at each other, no longer speaking.
Silence immediately filled the room.
One had offered a price, the other had accepted it, and hinted that more could be given.
An unspoken deal was completed.
Throughout the entire process, not a single word was mentioned about the Crown Prince, yet a negotiation regarding the succession to the throne had been finished.
Chiyoko slowly lowered her head, her face properly showing a complex expression of emotion mixed with satisfaction.
"Daimyo-sama... it's good that you understand."
"I will do my best!"
She knew that her price had been understood and accepted by the other party.
The Land of Lightning daimyo let out a long breath, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted.
He thanked her over and over and left, his steps heavy.
The door closed.
All expression on Chiyoko's face instantly faded, leaving only cold planning.
She summoned Asaba Toru and had him report everything that had just happened.
Soon after, Shin received the news!
"Directly demanding the position of Crown Prince?"
"Haha, she moved quickly."
"As times change, only those who scheme can define the future."
"To be so hasty..."