"Shit." Kyouka cursed as they enter another large cavern. She keeps her sword at the ready, while using her ears to tell where the big one was coming from.
“Well, I meant more about the current members of the family, since I know only you, Yatsebe, and now Jiro. But learning about the clan's history and origin is interesting, too.” Midori clarified. “Asking about my father was next on my list of questions.”
{really sorry for slow updates} Kina carefully sneaks a peek inside the room, to see what the concubine is up to.
"Your new mistress. Don't worry, you'll have all of eternity to get to know me as you do my bidding. Kyouka can't see the creature in the darkness, but the monstrosity can't hide the sounds it makes. She hears its engorged limbs chattering around where the voice is coming from, on the other side of the chamber.
Jian looked around and behind him for any signs of the spiders, before he slowly advanced into the chamber, 'Hardly, we don't swear allegiance to people who attack us with their minions and talk from the shadows.'
"Khh." Groaning as she failed to spot the beast, "Its movement will have to do." She hissed as she hurriedly sheathes her weapon, changing to her rifle. She once again tries to follow the sound, and fires at its general direction. Kyouka then reloads, whether or not she hits the beast.
"Oh, the family is far too large for me to tell you about them. I suppose the most important members would be my eldest brother, Lord Yoshiake, his wife Gracia, Daito, the big lug who let you in here, and Kiyoda. I'm not sure where Kiyoda is, though, since he fell in love recently and hasn't been here often. The others should be around here." He chuckles, "I thought that might be the next question. Well, as you know, your father passed away. He was a great warrior, and a deft hand with magic. He was also rather handsome, which I'm sure helped in convincing your mother to go with him into obscurity." Kageatsu laughs before giving a cough.
(No need to apologise, my responses haven't been particularly quick lately, either.) The woman's back is to Kina, and she swings around an elegant fan, evidently practicing her dancing.
"You remember how I said I've been sleeping with this hot redhead? Well, it turns out that her sister is a psycopath, and the mistress of one of the most powerful people in the nation. She tried to make my girl a sex slave, and I stopped her, so now she wants to kill me." He sighs. "I want you to pretend to betray me for her. The problem is that she uses various chemicals and potions to make her servants obedient. I've had them analysed, and there's a counter potion I can give you to keep your mind your own, so that isn't a problem, but still, she could hurt you very badly if she found out." Shintaro looks at him. "It's quite a thing I'm asking of you, and the reward isn't the best in the world, but still..." He's interrupted as a guard knocks and enters, bowing. "My lord, Eikyo-san, we've apprehended the culprits of the gunpowder theft. We followed the servant, and he led us to the guards you questioned. They were forcing him to help them steal, so that their religious group could attack people in the city. We're having all three executed tomorrow." Shintaro waves the man away, before handing Eikyo a purse of coins. "Well done. I'll spread the word of your reliability." (+1 Wealth, +1 Prestige) The lord looks at him. "So,what do you think of the job I've offered? No offense will be taken if you turn it down, but if you succeed in providing good intel, I'll have them make you a proper retainer. We're not the wealthiest clan, but you'll have status, a higher wage, and you won't have to suck my cock anymore." He gives a smirk.
Her chuckle reverberates through the darkness as Jian walks forwards, with Chitsukiko at his side. "You say that as if you have a choice." The shot is loud in the underground chamber, but soon the sound is replaced by an angry screeching as the monstrous arachnid is hit. "Oh dear, it seems like you've ticked her off. Well, I suppose I can make you serve me, even if you're a little well chewed." The sound of limbs reaches the group's ears, as the spider moves in to attack.
Jian drew his sword, only hearing the beast. He looked around for the big spider and any smaller ones, but couldn't see much in the darkness. Jian didn't know what to do, there were sure to be more spiders waiting at the end of the corridor they came through. He called to the disembodied voice, 'Let the others go, I'll serve you if it saves their lives.'
"Don't be an idiot! I lent you a matchlock didn't I?" Kyouka yells at Jian while she continued to reload. "Anyway, you didn't strike me as a playboy." She said in a sarcastic tone as she aimed, "What, did you grow tired of her already?" She said quickly jerking her head towards Chitsukiko.
'Would you stop thinking about sex for a damn second?' Jian barked at Kyouka, he took his musket and aimed it into the darkness, 'How can I even hit what I can't see?'
"Ho? So you're sacrificing yourself, and leaving her alllll alone. And all you thought I meant was because of sex?" Kyouka shot back with a grin, "Such a man you managed to fish, eh?" She then said in a sarcastic tone to Chitsukiko. "You got ears, don't you? That big bastard's... footsteps? Fuck it, his movements are loud enough to hear if you concentrate enough." She then replied as she aims, once more listening for the beasts movements.
Chitsukiko shoots him a furious look as the voice replies. "I'd have taken that deal before your friend shot my servant, but now that she's angry, you've no hope." Jian has little problem seeing it, as the spider darts forwards, corrupted limbs making it scuttle along towards them at a rapid pace, its many eyes glaring with hatred.
Midori smirked at Kageatsu's words about her father's handsomeness, but did not comment. “Thank you.” She said simply and gave a polite bow before continuing “So, the stealthy giant's name is Daito. And your brother's wife is Gracia? That doesn't sound like a local name. Is she a foreigner?” She inquired, curious.
