Chapter 169 – Clan Politics

Lilyth

Kaede stood out among the other Yamaokas present. Where Ren and Kojiro inherited their mom's white hair and Yachiro was dark-haired, the “Saint” was blonde, though like her grandfather, she had green eyes, making me wonder where Kojiro’s blue irises come from.

Maybe their grandmother? Though genetics here are fucky, so it wouldn't surprise me if the harpy genes fucked with the eye colour.

The nice thing was the bitch looked terrified of one of the newest arrivals, though I wasn’t sure why. After all, she just called him “grandpa”, aren't those supposed to…

Ooooohhhh FUCK.

When we first met, Ren did mention her grandfather was the head of the Yamaoka Clan. I completely forgot about that.

I glanced at Caei. She also seemed scared.

We need to be VERY careful then.

‘If I may, Lord Yamaoka,’ Sav began. ‘Kaede here lured Ren to an inn in Len-Cas, where multiple assassins were waiting for her. The assassins were associated with the Red Masks. We think. On Rennie’s urging, we then headed here and discovered that Kojiro was also a member of the group, invaded the estate and took Lady Ireela hostage. Now Kaede appeared here, preceded by yet more assassins.’

She pointed at the corpses.

‘Thank you, Daughter of Malika,’ Yachiro nodded and suddenly shifted in space from the entrance to just next to the False Saint. ‘Now, Kaede, do you have anything in your defence?’

Likely realising no amount of vague statements, denials, or evading could save her, Kaede let out a panicked squawk and jumped to her side mere moments before Yashiro’s extended hand cut through the place where her neck just was.

‘SHIT!’ she shouted, and a portal opened next to her.

Kaede dove through it without a second thought, leaving both of her men to rot.

While this was happening, said bodyguards were slowly backing up, their expressions suggesting this wasn't what they signed up for. As they were getting close to the old man, the two harpies, I assumed they were Ireela’s parents. I realised someone would have to stop them. Before I could act, though, both were downed by quick arrows to the throat.

Ren is getting better at this every day.

Aki

‘This will be a problem,’ Lord-Captain Baerniel Zi-Vexhin muttered while examining the corpses of Kaede’s bodyguards.

‘What do you mean, ser?’ Ren asked, likely wondering whether she screwed up.

‘I was hoping to present those two to the local bishop. Impersonating Church officials is a serious crime, and Kaede being seen with several of them would be compelling evidence to strip her of all power. Now, I fear she might retaliate.’

‘I doubt that,’ Ren’s elven grandfather said. ‘There would be questions asked, and she doesn't have any good answers. Her saying that our friends killed her bodyguards and attacked her when no Dragoon-Protectors are missing would be… interesting to hear her explain.’

‘I wish it were that simple, Knife-Ears. Remember, there are those in the Church for whom evidence holds little value.’

‘Wouldn’t then this also apply to the testimony of those two men?’ Lilyth asked. ‘From my experience, if someone’s identity stems from belief in an idea or a person, any evidence to the contrary can be summarily dismissed.’

The dragoon grimaced at that.

‘Don’t worry,’ Lilyth made a dismissive gesture with her hand. ‘If it wasn't this, then it would be something else. We were always operating under the assumption we would piss the Church in one way or another.’

We were?! I thought, surprised, but then I remembered our crusade against the motherfucker who hanged my dad, Lilyth's stance on religion, and the fact that our extended party included people from multiple races the Church wasn’t fond of. It was inevitable, wasn't it?

‘I wouldn't be concerned about that,’ Malika, having come down from the upper floor, added. ‘At least not here in Ror-Bhyk. They are on thin ice after what Vanek did, and well, with me as a witness, they wouldn't dare take any official action. Unless I was removed from that list of yours?’

Lord-Captain’s left eye twitched.

‘You know about the list?’ he asked.

‘What list?’ Sav asked.

‘It’s a list of people the Church has a “do not anger” stance on,’ Rennie's grandpa explained and, seeing the officer throwing him a dark look, added. ‘Relax, Old Man. It is not like your career in the Dragoon isn’t over already. Anyway, the list consists mostly of powerful adventurers and very influential people. It is deemed not worth the effort to go against us, due to the damage we could cause.’

‘Us?’ the dragoon asked. ‘What do you mean by “us”? And how is my career over, Knife-Ears?’

‘Oh, right. I haven't introduced myself properly yet. Pardon my lack of manners. My name is Yachiro Yamaoka.’

The officer let out a string of curses that could easily rival Savri or Lilyth.

After the village militia, summoned by Anika, who went back to the tavern, came by and picked up the corpses of all the slain bandits, and we handled all the introductions, we moved back into the house. Arcarius also emerged from his hiding spot in the wine cellar.

‘I hate having to do that,’ he muttered.

‘You’d hate getting executed even more, mate,’ Lilyth responded, causing the former dragoon to grumble something beneath his breath.

As it turned out, Arcarius was a former squire of Zi-Vexhin’s and the reason why our friend was relatively easygoing.

‘Isn’t sending you to find and investigate your old pupil both a massive conflict of interest and incredibly fucked up?’ Lilyth asked, shaking her head.

‘Yes,’ Baerniel agreed. ‘Either I bring in my own squire for following some of my own values I instilled in him, turning me into a hypocrite, or I don’t…’

‘At which point you are deemed either untrustworthy or a traitor.’ Lilyth finished for him.

‘Motherfuckers,’ Savri spat. ‘I always hated bullshit like this.’

‘That’s politics, Savvie,’ Malika said with a sad expression. ‘But I agree, something like this should never be done to people.’

‘Especially if the reason is “Not Racist Enough”,’ Lilyth muttered. ‘Anyway, Lord Yachiro, what brings you to us here? I can guess the overall reason, but don’t you have a… ummm… an organisation to run?’

Rennie's grandpa visibly saddened upon hearing that question.

‘I am not going to insult your intelligence by pretending the Clan is something it is not,’ he said after a moment of silence. ‘And despite what you might think of me, I am not heartless. After I learned that Kenji was murdered by this foul spawn of his… I couldn’t help but think it was my fault. I have been in charge of the clan for decades; I could have steered it towards a more legitimate path. But… I didn’t. And my boy paid the price for that. And so almost did his wife and daughter.’

He just shook his head and hid his face in his hand.

Rennie then approached, her eyes visibly glistening with tears and asked:

‘Wanna go see dad, grandpa?’

As you can imagine, there was a sombre tone to the visit of Rennie's grandparents. This was made even worse when, later that day, Yachiro confirmed our suspicions from way back in Len-Cas about the Clan getting attacked all over Andermon. They weren't completely wiped, but they took a blow the organisation probably would never fully recover from. Feeling responsible and no longer trusting his own leadership, Yachiro stepped down and handed the control over the Clan to his second son, Kaoru, who previously held the position of the organisation’s spymaster.

‘If there is anyone who can reestablish contact with the survivors, it is Kaoru,’ Yachiro finished.

We were sitting in Ireela's salon then, drinking wine and talking. All of us were there except for the Dragoons and Anika. Even Bergia joined us.

‘Nevertheless, shouldn’t you be trying to help him pick up the pieces?’ Lilyth asked.

‘Eager to be rid of me, I see,’ Yachiro sighed.

‘Don’t take it the wrong way, Lord Yamaoka. While I may have misgivings regarding your person, I normally wouldn't care one way or another about your presence here; however, it is Ren I am concerned for.’

‘Ren?’ Yachiro asked.

‘Me?’ Rennie repeated.

‘Yes,’ Lilyth confirmed. ‘You see, Ren detached herself from the family business. And your presence here could affect her… commitment to that decision.’

Yachiro gave his granddaughter a sorrowful look.

‘Yes, you are right, Lilyth,’ he said quietly. ‘Rennie, I may have failed your father, but I will not fail you. To answer your question, my furry friend, I will be helping Kaoru… after a fashion. When the Viscount sent the message to me with information about what Kojiro did… he also asked for someone I trust to come and take over running the more legal sides of our business.’

‘The brothels,’ Rennie hissed.

‘Mostly, yes. Wilhun feared that with both Kenji and Kojiro dead, someone less… honourable would eventually take over. I figured I would be the best one to take over running them temporarily while Kaoru figured out the best replacement. I now realise this may not have been the best of ideas.

‘The clan started as an organisation meant to help women,’ Phosi suddenly rasped. ‘Perhaps, you and your son can steer it back towards that purpose.’

Yachiro let out a soft chuckle.

‘That purpose died with the Empire and is mostly forgotten by now. Where did you hear about it, Phosi?’

‘I am older than I look, lord Yachiro. And the feud between the Yamaoka and Vaan Lohren families was still going strong when I was born.’

Yashiro's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Lady Malika also cast a suspicious glance at Phosi, but averted her gaze when the sconryoll looked back at her impassively.

‘I know that running brothels is a far cry from what your family once stood for,’ Phosi continued as if nothing had just happened, ‘and the idea of men being in charge of those disgusts me, but I suppose a Yamaoka man aware of his duties is better than nothing.’

‘I… thank you for your… vote of confidence, Phosi,’ Yachiro replied, unsure.

‘Oh, I have no doubt you will not abuse your station, Lord Yachiro. ‘But your successors? What is to stop them from doing it? I doubt Kojiro was the first of the Clan to have his tendencies, nor will he be the last.’

‘There is no guarantee a woman will be any better, Phos!’ Ren stood up and slammed the table with the open palms of her hands. ‘Just look at Kaede! Even if she didn't help Kojiro, she was still, at some level, okay with what he did!’

‘Ladies,’ Savri stood up, waving her hands to get their attention.

When Phosi and Rennie kept just glaring at each other, Master Sergeant Adzhenair repeated, louder:

‘LADIES!’

That finally got their attention.

‘Listen, Phosi - I understand where you are coming from, but very few things are certain in life. You know: death, taxes, someone mentioning the previous two and, for good or ill, whoring. I am not saying the Yamaokas have been perfect, far from it, but at least they have been trying to be better than the alternatives.’

Phosi looked at Savri with enough hatred to give anyone run for their money, but Master Sergeant Adzhenair responded with a glare of her own, and the sconryoll just huffed and sat down. Sav then turned to Yachiro and Ren.

‘Now: You two cupcakes. I get Phosi’s concerns here, so you two will work together to ensure the chance of a fuckup is minimal. I will be watching closely to ensure both of you behave while doing it, because Lilyth's point stands: Ren is out of the family business. And so now are you, Yachiro. Do I make myself clear?’

Yachiro tried to say something, but Savri stared him down and shouted:

‘DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, MAGGOT?!’

Yachiro just gulped and nodded.

Bergia leaned over to me and whispered:

‘I now understand why you are so terrified of her, sweetie.’

Lilyth theatrically cleared her throat and spoke up:

‘Ethics of the situation aside, there is a clear, more immediate problem. I imagine there are several previously run by the Yamaokas?’

‘Yes,’ Ren confirmed. ‘Three in Ror-Bhyk, two in Tyr-Mel, and I think four in Fal-Mel.’

When I gave her a puzzled look, Rennie simply explained:

‘Fal-Mel is a port town.’

That makes sense.

‘That’s a lot of… establishments left without protection for a long time,’ Savri remarked. ‘Some sleazebags could have already moved in.’

‘They already have, I am afraid,’ Deirdee said, and she and Phosi told us what happened during their trip to Ror-Bhyk.

‘The Ghosts most likely,’ Ren spat after they finished. ‘They are moving quickly.’

‘We’ll have to move quickly then,’ Yachiro said. ‘I will leave for Ror-Bhyk first thing tomorrow and speak with your husband, Lady Malika. Hopefully, between me and his troops, we will be able to reestablish control.’

‘We’ll go with you,’ I said. ‘I imagine we could be of use.’

‘I’ll never turn down extra swords. Do bear in mind that this will likely put a target on your backs.’

‘There is a simple solution to that,’ Lilyth said with a shrug. ‘And something we would likely need to do anyway to get some peace. Like the Red Masks, the Ghosts will all need to die.’