After Hirofumi led all his troops away, Kenshō took Sasuke and the others straight to the Land of Wind's royal palace.
"Lord Sasuke, please wait here a moment. I'll go gather our Takahashi allies."
Since Hirofumi had already gathered his allies to negotiate with the Land of Fire's special envoy, the Takahashi naturally dared not drag their feet.
Although Aoyama was closer to the Takahashi, Kenshō understood that they were now entirely at his mercy. If the Takahashi took Aoyama lightly just because they had married a younger sister to him, they would be the ones to suffer.
"Lord Sasuke, please take a seat."
Sasuke and the others were in the hall where the Daimyo of the Land of Wind discussed affairs with his courtiers. In the center stood a tall chair, the seat the Daimyo of the Land of Wind normally used.
Originally, Aoyama had envisioned himself sitting there as he engaged in political maneuvering with the Land of Wind's two factions. Now, however, he no longer thought it mattered.
Sasuke did not decline Aoyama's solicitous offer. He sat down in that chair as though it were only natural.
After Sasuke and the others had waited a short while, Hirofumi led dozens of Land of Wind nobles dressed in ocher robes before them.
These people were the Sato and their allies, one of the Land of Wind's two major factions. Leading them was Sato Hirofumi's father, Sato Takeshi.
"Sato Takeshi pays his respects to Lord Sasuke!"
Sato Takeshi was an elderly man with graying hair and age spots on his face. Judging by the way he bowed to the ground, his health was not particularly good, but he still prostrated himself to show Sasuke his respect.
With Sato Takeshi taking the lead, the rest of the Sato faction naturally