The Second Ring: Lord of the Tokaido! The Predecessor of Hongwanji Temple, Onmyoji Tetsu, a Fraud Who Deceived the World!

Imagawa Yoshimoto found it strange.

Perhaps it was a woman's innate intuition, or perhaps it was some other factor.

She always felt that, in the brief moment it took to raise her eyes, Uesugi Tetsu, who was walking toward her, had somehow become different.

Very different.

The young lord of the Imagawa Clan repeatedly sized up Uesugi Tetsu as he slowly approached, pinching her chin between her index finger and thumb.

Could it be because Tetsu is simply too handsome, causing my attitude toward him to change without me realizing it?

After all, she had never seen such a handsome and composed youth before.

The key was his composure.

Imagawa Yoshimoto liked that quality of his—the composure of "no matter what happens outside, I remain unmoved"—especially that faint smile as calm as a tranquil lake.

He gave people an immense sense of security.

"But this won't do."

Imagawa Yoshimoto thought coldly to herself.

She was the lord of the Imagawa Clan, the ruler of the three provinces of Mikawa, Tōtomi, and Suruga, and a daimyo destined to become one of the World's People in the future.

Therefore, she could not harbor personal feelings that might affect her own judgment.

Imagawa Yoshimoto examined herself from a third party's perspective.

She had to ensure that regardless of what means she used to win over this Onmyoji Tetsu, regardless of how she treated him or how she behaved before outsiders—

At the end of the day, she needed to maintain calm judgment from beginning to end. Only then could she make the greatest use of Tetsu, this rare Onmyoji.

As for matters of romance, she could discuss them after becoming one of the World's People.

After thoroughly examining herself, Imagawa Yoshimoto restored the calm in her heart.

Then she said to Hanzō, who