"Why the disguise? Obviously because this face of mine is probably already famous among the Upper Ranks."
Kanzaki Kumo shrugged and answered with a hint of helplessness.
"When Hantengu saw me back then, he immediately summoned his strongest clone, Zohakuten. Akaza also recognized me at a glance as the one who killed Gyokko. If I went straight to the Yoshiwara Pleasure District with this face, what if I scared Daki off?"
"Even if they're only Upper Rank Six, it'll still be hard to stop them if they're dead set on running."
Makomo looked rather speechlessly at Kanzaki Kumo, who was pretending to be helpless when he was actually so pleased with himself that his tail might as well have been sticking straight up into the sky. The hand she had been about to withdraw from his waist gave him an annoyed pinch before pulling away.
"Hiss-"
Having been pinched despite explaining himself clearly, Kanzaki Kumo naturally "refused to accept it" and took his "revenge." After a bout of playful tussling, Makomo, who had just finished training and was low on stamina, admitted defeat.
She leaned weakly against Kanzaki Kumo's chest. Seeing his childish expression, she raised a hand and lightly thumped his chest, then closed her eyes to rest.
The two held each other in silence like that. Before long, Mitsuri, who had finished her morning training on the other side of the courtyard, came over too.
Then the young girl, who had only recently arrived at the Butterfly Mansion, saw Kanzaki Kumo shift Makomo slightly in his embrace, freeing one arm with perfect ease to beckon her over.
Makomo looked up at Kanzaki Kumo, then at Mitsuri, who stood frozen a short distance away. Without saying anything, she closed her eyes again for a brief rest.
Although Mitsuri had