The wolf-cut hair with bangs was unmistakable.
It was the exact same girl from all the way back in that sanctioned war in Odani. But tonight, the dirt and combat gear were completely gone. She was remarkably well put together, draped in a fine, elegant lavender kimono that brought out the sharp clarity of her eyes.
She didn't look surprised to see him at all. In fact, she looked like she had been expecting this exact collision.
As Merun stood there, his hand still firmly gripping her forearm to keep her steady, she leaned in casually with an almost amused look on her face and whispered,
"Sorry," she murmured quietly.
Merun blinked.
Sorry for?
Before he could even open his mouth to ask what she meant, a loud, perfectly timed voice cut through the air.
"Ah! I see you've already met my adopted daughter, Miruku!"
A sharp-eyed matriarch stepped out from behind a nearby decorative pillar with a brilliant, predatory smile plastered across her face. She radiated smug satisfaction as she looked at Merun and Miruku's connected arms, exactly as planned.
"She is a Martial Squire specializing in close combat, just like yourself, Champion Moretsuna!" the matriarch cooed, stepping closer and gently patting Miruku on the shoulder. "A perfect match of strength and discipline. She is at the absolute perfect age to be wed and bear children, don't you agree?"
...Oh, Merun thought as the pieces violently clicked together in his head.
That's what she meant by sorry.
His mind overloaded.
His tactical adult Earth mind had far too much to process in this specific moment.
...On one hand, I'm not even of age yet. Plus, isn't it too soon? But won't she lose face if I say no? On the other hand... why yes, I will take her as my wife... hmmm...
"Ah... well... haha..." Merun offered, his voice dropping into a strained, deeply awkward chuckle.
He slowly retracted his hand from Miruku's arm, his eyes darting around the room for literally anything else to focus on.
He frantically looked to his left and right for literal salvation, but his companions were already completely abandoning ship.
Miruku simply gave him a look of profound, silent sympathy.
She clearly knew her adopted mother was completely shameless.
Seeing the opening, the rest of the room's matriarchs smelled blood in the water.
Takigawa had immediately noticed the incoming ambush. "Oh, absolutely not," Takigawa muttered under his breath, taking a hasty step backward. "My aunt's faction is right behind her. If I get caught in this blast radius, I'm a married man by midnight. Every man for himself, champion..."
Niwa gave Merun a brief look of profound pity, shaking his head as he walked away. "May the ancestors preserve your spirit, Moretsuna."
The two heirs candidates smoothly dissolved backward into the dense crowd, executing a flawless retreat and leaving Merun and Hideyoshi entirely stranded on the front lines.
A small army of noble matriarchs, adorned in extravagant jade hairpins and trailing layers of gossamer robes, fanned out, effectively trapping Merun in a circle of elite women. Behind them stood several young noble ladies. This time, however, the shyness on their faces wasn't entirely rehearsed.
The truth was, the women of Kinzoku didn't just want him for his political value.
They genuinely, truly wanted him.
First of all, the kid was undeniably handsome. Draped in a custom-tailored white-and-black gi, with a pristine white cape flowing over his broad, powerful shoulders, his rugged yet fiercely attractive appearance was a magnet.
In a martial culture of Sekigahara, a rugged yet handsome appearance with a dangerous aura made him an ideal husband material—second only to Lord Hideyoshi himself.
And Hideyoshi already had a fiancée.
Second, his martial worth was staggering.
He had gone toe-to-toe with Senior Sakuma, pushing the clan's strongest Senior to the absolute brink and forcing a forfeit.
To the noble martial houses, Merun was the definition of a diamond in the rough. Any family that secured his bloodline would practically guarantee a generation of monsters.
In this aspect, even he was stronger than lord Hideyoshi!
If they knew the value of half-Saiyans... who knew how much crazier they'd become?
"Step aside, Lady Shiba! A simple Squire for the champion? Don't insult his talent!" another matriarch barked, aggressively pushing her wide-eyed, blushing daughter forward. "Lord Moretsuna! My daughter is close to becoming a Martial Senior! Not to mention our family controls the secondary iron routes. Think of the longevity pills and elixirs that would be at your disposal to fuel your next breakthroughs!"
"A warrior without a seat at the political table is just a tool!" a third chimed in, her daughter openly eyeing Merun's muscular frame with a deep crimson blush. "He needs a scholarly wife to manage his estates, not a brawler! And my little Erika is just the right fit! Lord Moretsuna, this one loves plants. Isn't that the kind of nurturing little thing you want to protect?"
Within seconds, Merun was entirely surrounded by a dense, suffocating wall of heavy perfumes, rustling silks, and aggressive marriage proposals.
For all his combat instincts and high-level ki control, he was completely paralyzed, drowning in affection.
Standing a few feet away, Hideyoshi watched the entire spectacle unfold.
It seems Merun can't handle every aspect of noble politics, Hideyoshi thought, thoroughly enjoying the rare sight of his brother sweating under the gaze of a dozen elderly noblewomen.
Deciding his brother had suffered enough, Hideyoshi finally stepped forward, smoothly inserting his broad frame between Merun and the advancing crowd of matriarchs.
He raised a hand with quiet authority.
"Apologies, ladies," Hideyoshi announced, his voice effortlessly cutting through the chatter. "But Moretsuna cannot be wed."
The matriarchs froze, their fans stalling midair.
"And why ever not, Lord Hideyoshi?" one of the elder noblewomen pressed, her brow furrowing. "A champion of his status must secure his lineage!"
Hideyoshi sighed dramatically, his broad shoulders slumping as his face transformed into a mask of deep, manufactured solemnity.
"Because it is a matter of tragic timing, ladies. He is already the fiancé of House Iaiashin's Inyen."
Heh, yeah. Thanks, bro—
"WHAT?!"
The collective shout didn't just come from the stunned matriarchs.
It ripped directly from Merun's throat, perfectly synchronized with every single noble, merchant, and servant who had been shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation.
Merun's lungs slammed shut, and he began coughing violently, choking on his own saliva as his brain stripped its gears.
He clutched his chest, his eyes wide with betrayal as he glared at Hideyoshi.
What the fuck are you cooking, brother?!
The matriarchs stood in absolute, paralyzed silence.
One of them stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly.
"Is... is that true, Lord Hideyoshi?"
"I am afraid so," Hideyoshi whispered, his voice dripping with fake sorrow.
He raised a hand and gently placed a single elegant finger against his lips, leaning close to the huddle of elderly women.
"Lord Moretsuna was specially chosen and claimed by the young master's daughter a long time ago. It is a highly delicate, personal matter within the household... so, can we please keep this completely hush-hush among ourselves?"
Of course, Hideyoshi knew exactly what he was doing.
These high-society gossipmongers couldn't keep a secret if their lives depended on it.
By commanding them to remain silent, he had essentially guaranteed the news would spread like wildfire across the entire fortress before midnight.
It was the ultimate political move—instantly shielding Merun from every greedy noble house in Gifu while cementing his status beneath Master Iaiashin's umbrella.
The noble matriarchs and their daughters looked completely dispirited, their grand ambitions instantly crumbling into ash.
"Of... of course, of course," the lead matriarch stammered, her face turning remarkably pale. "We would never dare speak of it..."
They were utterly defeated.
No one in their right mind would dare plot against Master Iaiashin.
The woman was always a step ahead of everyone in the clan.
It was a good thing she was always—always—on their side.
A true woman of the clan.
"Wait just a fucking moment..." Merun wheezed, finally catching his breath, his voice cracking as he grabbed Hideyoshi by the shoulder.
"It's true?!", he whispered loudly.
Hideyoshi didn't answer.
Instead, he flashed the crowd a tight, deeply apologetic smile.
"Please excuse us, ladies. The champion's tournament injuries are clearly flaring up again. He requires immediate rest."
Without giving anyone a chance to question them further, Hideyoshi forcefully hauled the heavily confused, sweating champion out of the circle, leaving the swarm of matriarchs in absolute distress behind them.
As they brushed past the edge of the crowd, Miruku remained perfectly still.
She stared blankly at Merun's retreating white cape, wearing a deadpan, slightly bewildered expression as she tilted her head, her bangs falling over her eyes.
"...So soon?"