"Is Danzō here?"
Musashi called out tentatively.
Whoosh—
Katō Danzō suddenly appeared from who knew where.
"Yes, Danzō is here."
"My apologies for interrupting everyone's conversation. Is there something you need, Lady Musashi?"
"It's nothing much. I just wanted to ask about Lord Tajima-no-kami's situation."
Musashi tapped her arm.
Even though the Matsudaira residence had already descended into chaos, Yagyu Tajima-no-kami was nowhere to be seen.
"Lord Tajima-no-kami has gathered the samurai and is on his way here."
Katō Danzō reported truthfully.
Sakumura and Musashi exchanged a glance.
While it was certainly important to consider every possibility at a time like this, their opponent was a Heroic Spirit Swordmaster.
Those samurai might have looked formidable, but they would be utterly useless against a Heroic Spirit Swordmaster. It would be more useful for Tajima-no-kami to get here alone as soon as possible.
"Honestly, as long as Lord Fujimaru Ritsuka and the two samurai are here, I'm not too worried."
Kiyohime had great faith in Fujimaru Ritsuka and his group—and in truth, Fujimaru Ritsuka had not betrayed that faith.
"Come to think of it, where have all the retainers in the residence gone?"
Hearing that, Sakumura instinctively turned his head away.
Musashi's expression became somewhat pained.
"They... they have already fallen."
"They all died in the first wave of the bandits' rampage."
The words were cruel, but since they were the truth, they had to be said.
"Huh? Ahhh..."
Kiyohime's face turned pale, her expression filled with both fear and grief.
"By those bandits...?"
"Their bodies are outside in the courtyard, Princess. You should not go look."
Sakumura pursed his lips, but still advised her.
The Matsudaira retainers had died horribly. Most of them were missing parts of their bodies, and some had even been reduced to piles of mangled flesh.
"Urgh..."