"Please, make yourself comfortable," the maid who had escorted Stas bowed deeply. "If you need anything, inform the closest servants. They will attend to it."

"Thank you," Stas nodded to the departing girl.

The door closed with a rustle, leaving Ordyntsev alone in his new apartment.

'Well, the heir could have been a bit more generous,' the earthling chuckled ironically, assessing the size of all the rooms he had been given. 'On the other hand, it's almost twice as much as I had back on Earth.'

Compared to a straw bed on the floor or an ashigaru's tent, this place could be considered a palace.

In addition to the actual bedroom, Stas now had his own small study, a bathroom, and a sizable open balcony. Given that his apartment was located just above the midpoint of the citadel, the view was first-class.

On the other hand, the way Stas had acquired these conveniences was less than pleasing.

It's one thing to sacrifice the lives or feelings of people who are hostile to you. The Sansa clan, the samurai, or the Kiatto – Stas had a small score to settle with each of them.

But it was quite another to treat so treacherously one with whom you'd already become so closely bonded.

Exhausted, Stas flopped onto a futon, still in his clothes, having only taken off his shoes at the entrance.

Leviathan, tossed onto the futon, promptly rolled to the floor and began exploring her new domain.

The snake was pleased – her master had understood her desires and had finally secured his own dwelling.

The earthling, however, needed to think carefully about what he planned to do next.

And he had to ponder very carefully indeed, as the cost of a mistake was too high.

Accepting Izuna's offer had been necessary; there was little room for argument. If Stas had not done so, he risked ending up at the very bottom of the local warmaster society at some point.

The problem was that, due to his brother's actions, Jishin found himself in a social vacuum. He was a pariah, avoided by all so as not to incur the heir's wrath.

One might ask why Izuna hated his brother so much? The answer was bloody simple – envy.

Like other warmasters, Izuna had spent his whole life striving to become more powerful, and he had excelled at it.

However, no matter how hard he tried, his younger brother was always stronger and had better control over prana.

In addition, there was a constant comparison of the brothers' strengths. The Sumada society greatly depended on personal power. Even if Jishin did nothing, his mere existence created problems.

And, as mentioned earlier, only a very small number of people interacted with Jishin.

By refusing Izuna, Stas would have gained nothing but far too many problems. Moreover, Jishin couldn't even have saved him from the wrath of the humiliated older brother.

However, the younger prince's lack of a social circle also played into Stas's hands. An angry Jishin could tell very few people about Stas, sparing his life from further complications.

Moreover, his switch to Izuna's side didn't make him a traitor in the eyes of the rest of the Sumada.

After all, what could they know or understand about Stas?

A strange healer who apparently lost his memory and, after healing the younger prince, saved him from captivity.

They wouldn't know about their deals or plans. Notably, even Kensei was surprised at how freely Stas communicated with Jishin.

Of course, Shin and Kusa might have suspected something, but Jishin didn't interact with them, so they were only somewhat aware of the real situation.

Some of the elders might also have suspicions, but for now, those remained just suspicions.

Certainly, the princes' mysterious activities around the healer would have attracted attention, but no one would have spoken of any betrayal.

What else is there to say if Izuna himself seemed to have concluded the importance of Stas to his brother precisely after seeing his facial expression during their conversation?

The heir deliberately provoked his younger brother, hoping to uncover some weakness. And he didn't leave empty-handed.

In this entire situation, the only weak link was Jishin himself. The stability of Stas's position in the Sumada lands depended on him.

Ordyntsev had no doubt that Jishin would find a way to get back at a certain earthling.

And although Stas would have preferred to wait, he had been left without a choice. It was clear that he would have to bring Jishin up to speed and rely on his acting skills.

At least the main storm had passed.

But how could he do this discreetly?

Obviously, Stas doubted that warmaster spies would be stationed outside his room. After all, he wasn't that important a figure. However, the possibility still existed.

But to approach Jishin by himself would be to confess his unreliability to the heir.

He needed to find a solution that would allow him to send a message to the prince, and it had to be absolutely secret.

To Stanislav's surprise, he didn't have to think long.

Jerking upright in bed, the man looked around suspiciously, as if searching for something.

"Kaede-san," he whispered softly, then quickly glanced around.

Nothing happened.

"Kaede-san," Stas said louder, as if remembering something. He didn't want to alarm any theoretical observers.

"Kaede-sa..."

"Why do you say my name so strangely?" A voice from the side made Stas mentally count to ten before turning to face the yokai sprawled on his futon.

"Lady, if you continue to behave like this, you risk giving me a heart attack."

"As if that's a bad thing," the yokai scrutinized Stas, surprised by her aggressive response. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Um, is there no one around?" Stas cautiously asked, only now remembering such an important detail.

"Who needs you anyway," the girl's spirit scoffed. "Stop shaking, there's nobody here, and nobody's eavesdropping; I sense it."

"Lady, if you're angry with me because of your house, then I promise I will do everything in my power to provide you with..."

"No, that's not why I'm angry with you!" the yokai abruptly turned, her hair whipping around and making Stas flinch. "This new house, I generally like it. Although these cursed onmyodo papers are hanging everywhere, which makes it hard for me to be in some of the halls. And there's something very dark and evil at the foundation of this fortress... But that's not why I'm angry at you!"

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The yokai moved closer to Stas and poked him in the chest.

"I thought you were an honest man, Shiro! But I was wrong! I can't believe you betrayed Jishin-kun, who trusted you so much!"

"I..."

"Just think, he called you his friend! And what about you?! You stabbed him in the back! And you even smirked so vilely in that hall! I managed to push through those accursed papers of the self-proclaimed spirit subduers and saw what you did!"

Normally, Stas would have let the girl vent before finally presenting his arguments. But there was a small problem.

The fiery yokai was beginning to lose control of her form.

And before Stas's face now loomed not a beautiful girl, but an indescribable something with huge sharp teeth peeking through her dissipating cheeks!

The earthling's gut instinct began to sound the alarm.

"Kaede-san!" Stas cried out in a loud whisper, drawing the attention of the large, mesmerizing eyes with vertical pupils.

Now, the seconds were ticking away, but Ordyntsev hoped it would be enough.

"I didn't betray Jishin; it was all to deceive the elder prince!"

The tense silence was his answer.

"That's why I called you, to ask you to relay a request for a meeting. I want to explain everything to him!"

"Why should I believe you?" Kaede's face drew close to the petrified Ordyntsev. Like a curious spider, she slowly circled Stas on the bed. "What if you're deceiving me too? Didn't I tell you that I really hate liars?"

"Why?" Stas gasped, hoping his heart wouldn't leap out of his chest. "You must have been watching me all the way from that hall. Izuna didn't tell me anything, he had his own business, and I have no reason to harm Jishin."

"I didn't watch you everywhere," Kaede pondered. "Some corridors were also closed to me. Fine, I'll help you," she suddenly changed her mind. "But if you betray my trust..."

"I understand," Ordyntsev hurried to respond. He didn't want to witness anything too horrific from his interlocutor. "I am incredibly grateful for your kindness and generosity. All the words in the world cannot express my gratitude."

"What a flatterer you are," this time, the spirit beamed a normal smile. "So, what message should I pass on to poor Jishin-kun?"

Stas leaned forward and began to list his instructions with all seriousness. It was important that the yokai remembered everything he wanted to convey.

*****

Stas heard the approaching argument first. The local paper-wooden doors were terrible at soundproofing, so the noise could be heard long before.

Gradually, the screams turned into pleas from maids who were clearly trying to stop someone.

"Jishin-sama, please calm down! I beg you, don't do this!"

Only grim silence followed.

"Jishin-sama," a new voice clearly belonged to a warrior. "I must stop you. When you come to your senses, you will deeply regret your decision today!"

A brief scuffle, a sound like bodies being slammed into a wall, and approaching footsteps of a single person.

Finally, with an unpleasant crack, the door opened, and a fuming Jishin entered. In the corridor behind him, two guards lay unconscious.

"Wall!" At a gesture of his hand, a thick stone barrier rose from the floor, blocking the path right in front of the grumbling maids. The wooden door shattered into splinters.

At that moment, Stas boldly stood in the center of the room, facing the approaching death.

The smell of alcohol was apparent even from the entrance. And when Jishin stopped a step away from Stas, it almost stung the eyes.

But just as Ordyntsev had hoped, the prince's gaze was completely sober.

Jishin unclenched his fist, and a flat medallion, flickering green, fell to the floor.

Stas exhaled in relief. This meant that Kaede had conveyed the main message.

But the hand that suddenly grabbed him from behind by the neck did not please Ordyntsev at all. The earthling was not keen on experiencing what it was like to have his spine ripped out alive.

"Why?" Jishin asked only one word, and his eyes showed he was far from joking.

"Because it was the only choice," Stas exhaled heavily. "I couldn't have done anything for both of us if I had chosen you. You must understand that yourself."

"No. I'm not asking about that," Jishin jerked his head and squeezed his fingers a bit tighter, but Stas felt that "little bit" fully. "Why shouldn't I kill you right now?"

Jishin suddenly chuckled.

"Of course, my dear brother would be very upset by the loss of yet another tool, and father would be furious, but in half a year to a year, everything would settle down. And you know, Shiro," his voice became very penetrating. "I am willing to endure that year."

"Because I didn't betray you," Stas rasped, shaking off the déjà vu of the encounter with the Sansa clan elder.

"Really?" The warmaster's tone became bored, and that was clearly not good.

"Yes! At least because I wouldn't show you Kaede if I had really committed the betrayal! And why would I call you here?!"

"Kaede? The female warmaster who passed on your message? Why shouldn't you show me Izuna's fighter?"

"Do you think she's one of Izuna's people? Do you think she's even human?" Fingers loosened a little, allowing Stas to speak normally. "Kaede-san, would you please show yourself to Jishin."

When nothing happened, a vein bulged on the earthling's forehead.

"Lady, if you don't do this, I'm likely to die right now!"

"Who are you talking to?" Jishin quickly spun his head, scanning the empty room.

Suddenly, the prince looked to the side. And Stas was ready to bet that there was no one there at that moment!

Did this mean that experienced warmasters could actually sense spirits? But the yokai said that only those with a lot of spiritual energy could do that. So, does prana give a similar ability?

And Jishin's instincts did not fail him.

This time, Stas managed to see the smooth emergence of the yokai in all its details. She seemed to screw herself into space in a swirling dance.

Her yukata softly settled to the floor.

"What else do you want?" the dead girl asked displeasedly, paying no attention to Jishin, who froze in a battle stance. He even let go of Stas, which the earthling was very grateful for.

"This is Kaede, the spirit of a dead woman killed by her husband. Or, to put it another way, a yokai, a Kuchisake-onna."

"Do you think I'll believe that?" the prince cut off his own objections when a wave passed over the yokai's face for a second, revealing her true appearance.

"This is not an illusion," Jishin slowly said, looking at the girl with different eyes.

Kaede, confirming that there were no more questions for her, dissolved again. And as Stas suspected, she would not return for some time.

The earthling even had the impression that the spirit was simply shy in front of a new face.

"So, you have a real spirit in your service that you haven't told anyone about?" Jishin inquired with a frown. "I thought only powerful onmyodo were capable of that. Our lands are supposed to be protected from their power."

"Not in service," Stas corrected quickly, glancing around. "Kaede-san simply lost her home, and now I owe her a new place to live."

"Hmm," Jishin mused, pondering. "And that's all your evidence? You think that should be enough? Why should I believe you? Why can't this be just another scheme of my disgusting brother?"

"Maybe because I don't trust him one bit?" Stas suggested wearily. He wanted to rest, but life kept throwing problems at him. "Or because he needs me in his plans only to the extent that I can be a nuisance to you? Or maybe because I also called you my friend?"

"Or maybe because you're afraid I'll tell someone you're an impostor?" Jishin asked venomously. "A person like you must have thought of that, right?"

"Or maybe also because of that," Stas smiled, fearlessly looking into Jishin's eyes. "Over these months of interaction and work with me, you must have understood what kind of person I am. So tell me, would the Shiro you know agree to be just a miserable toy for anyone?"

"What a duplicitous serpent you are," Jishin exhaled emptily, unclenching his fists. "I'm still not sure I can trust you, but at the same time... you really don't do anything for no reason. Consider that, for now, I've given you a second chance. Okay," the warmaster shook himself.

"Take it," the prince nudged the medallion toward Stas's foot. "This artifact creates a silence field about two and a half steps around. I haven't shown it anywhere and got it far from here, so you can say it's yours. Use it if you need to communicate with someone without extra ears. Later, I'll tell you who we can securely pass messages through. There's not much time, the guards should be here soon."

"How can I be sure that this person is from you?" Stas quickly clarified an important point.

"They will say the password: 'Desert Rat.'"

Muffled voices were heard outside the room.

"And now, I apologize, but everything must be plausible," Jishin said matter-of-factly, approaching the wary Stas. "So that they truly believe you. Nothing personal, you must understand that yourself," he mimicked Ordyntsev's own words.

At the last moment, the earthling sensed something and tried to dodge, but of course, he failed.

The first punch hit his left arm, neatly snapping the radial bone. Immediately followed by a kick that broke the tibia on his left leg.

The second punch lifted Stas's legs off the ground, suspending him in the air for a moment. But not for long, as the final shove hit his ribs, breaking several and tumbling Ordyntsev into the corner of the room, taking down some screens and a decorative table.

Leviathan, whom Stas had placed in the bathroom and closed the door, hissed fiercely and began to batter the barrier, striving to save her master.

At the same moment, the stone wall collapsed, and tense guards rushed in, with two more flying in through the window. Apparently, they had run along the wall. All of them had their hands on their swords, though not drawing them.

"Jishin Sumada, surrender immediately and follow us!"

"He's alive!" one of the warmasters bent over Stas and reported to the chief, who breathed a sigh of relief.

The captain was afraid to imagine what would have happened if their guest had been killed on his first day of staying here, especially because of the guard's own negligence.

"Hic!" The prince seemed to sway to the side, hiccupping again and looking at everyone with a dazed gaze. "Okay, I... I surrender. Just let me drink some more."

The guards relaxed a bit and finally released their swords.

"Summon a healer immediately," the guard captain ordered, examining Stas, curled up in pain on the floor. "I offer my sincere apologies on behalf of the Sumada clan. This is an unacceptable mistake on our part..."

"I forgive you," Stas rasped, in excruciating pain from the broken ribs, arm, and leg. "Just bring me a healer!"

'Damn Jishin! You did this on purpose, you son of a bitch!'