"Then it's getting late. Please get some rest, Ambassador. Everything should be ready by tomorrow."
Watching Iwama and the others enter the courtyard, Chiba stopped outside the gate in the outer wall and spoke.
"Is that so? Before I knew it, it's already this late. Thank you so much for today, Lord Chiba."
Iwama stopped as well, turned around, glanced at the evening sky, and gave Chiba a slight bow.
"Then I'll take my leave."
At that, Chiba smiled faintly, turned, and left.
"Take care."
After watching Chiba depart, Iwama said this with a smile before turning and heading into the house.
This Taki Chiba really was...
Before they knew it, he had led them around for an entire day. They had not even noticed that the day had passed.
As he turned around, the smile on Iwama's face slowly vanished, replaced by an alarmingly grave expression.
"How did an entire day just pass... I didn't feel it at all."
"Yeah, I never thought a whole day had already gone by."
"I thought it was time to eat. How did it suddenly become dinner?"
"Is eating all you ever think about?"
At that moment, the puzzled whispers of the four guards came from behind him.
"This Taki Chiba is a peerless master at controlling rhythm and people's hearts."
At the same time, Rando, who had remained silent at the side, could not help but sigh.
"Controlling rhythm... and people's hearts?"
Hearing the words of this highly respected elder, Iwama's heart nearly clenched, and his expression darkened further. The muttered question slipped from his lips.
"Yes... the person we are dealing with is far more terrifying than we imagined. Think carefully about everything that happened along the way."
However, Rando did not notice Iwama's frighteningly grim face. He merely walked beside