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Two baths in three days, its almost enough for a man to feel like royalty. This bath is bigger then the jug you submerged yourself in last time. It can fit five whole men comfortably, although its much more shallow. Now that its just the two of you, Yuki finally sheds himself of his wet clothing and seeks to join you. In the private room, the two of you can talk. Having so much to say, you can't hold it back long enough for Yuki to even enter the tub. You tell him everything. How the men arrived when he left. The inside of the Jikininki building. How they tied you up. Finally, you tell him almost everything Renko told you, the offer she made included. The only thing you hold back is her accusation of murder, and Yuki's conspiracy in it. You are saving that for the end, after he has answered your other questions. Yuki takes it all in with stride, never once losing his composure.
"I apologies that my carelessness got you abducted swordsman, but you choose not to stay by my side. I cannot take all the blame. Yet I would say the events were fortuitous no? You didn't suffer any lasting damage, and you were privy to the enemies plans."
"You don't seem too shaken about Renko's ideas to overthrow the shogunate. Or even her accusations of your bad intent. Her wish for me to kidnap you seems to leave no lasting impressions."
He just lets himself sink deeper into the water and closes his eyes, attempting to relax. "I'm sorry to say that its all partially true. Renko's plans are not unique, the sword hunt and subsequent civil war has devastated the unity of our nation. There are many just like here everywhere, all unconnected. I can even identify with her and her kind. You only need look at if from their point of view. But I ask you this, when two powers clash for superiority, who do you think suffers? Why the simple folk of course, a quick example is the old man and his sake den. It doesn't matter if the conflict is 'just' or not, the ones to pay the greatest price are the meekest among us. Do you think they care who rules over them? No, in their hearts the peasants wish for tomorrow to be as much the same as today. The Emperor serves the people, as they serve him. I am just an extension of his will. I work to delay the inevitably entropy, so that others may live in peace."
"So its true then, you are here at the shoguns behest to destroy their clan? To prepare for another civil war on the horizon?"
"I'm sure she thinks so, but its not so complicated. As I said, I serve the emperor not the shogun. My investigation is leading me to their clan, I did not seek them out first and work backwards."
"What ARE you investigating? What are you doing here? If she is wrong then be clear with me damn it. If have been nothing but honest with you."
"I'm afraid I cannot comment on an ong-"
