Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 1197: Answers

Her clan was a giant organization that ruled over the duchy of Silverwind. More than a hundred thousand members were counted among their ranks today, many of whom were trained warriors.

However, over the many thousands of years that passed since the clan’s migration, many members wandered away from the clan.

Not because they were released from their duties by the clan leader, but because they sired bastards that they did not want to legitimize, throwing the children away. Others had hidden relationships with outsiders, siring children of mixed race.

These people were then taken out of the clan’s jurisdiction. Over the years, the Fujimori blood could be found in all duchies of the Vraven Kingdom.

Some were warriors, others adventurers, while some pursued blacksmithing or other careers. Many of their women were sex slaves due to their exotic features, treated like a luxury good, just like the beautiful elves.

That’s why Kaede assumed that the oriental woman was one such vagrant. After all, without seeing her face, Ayame did not give off any hints that gave her away. Having black hair and a small stature wasn’t exactly an oddity in their clan.

Realization struck her so hard that her body reacted before her mind could process. Her fist came crashing down into the tatami.

*THUD!*

Wood splintered beneath her hand.

The sound was enough to send her attendants running. The door slid fully open, and three young women in pale blue yukata rushed inside, kneeling instantly with their heads bowed.

“Clan Head! Are you hurt?” one of them asked frantically. “Should we call the healers?”

Kaede rose slowly to her feet. Her expression was dark, making the attendants flinch. It was rare for their leader to show such emotions since she grew up.

“No. Take me to the elders. Now.”

The servants exchanged quick glances, startled by her tone and expression, but none dared question her. They bowed deeply.

“As you command, Lady Kaede.”

The attendants hurried to her side as Kaede took her first step. Their hands reached out instinctively, ready to steady her.

But she raised her hand.

“Don’t.”

Beneath the pale silk of her sleeping robe, the shimmer of bindings came to life along her legs where Black Fang had previously cut them off. For the first time since her injury, the limbs carried her weight.

A breath of deep focus escaped her lips.

One step.

Then another.

Her balance wavered. Her knees shook. She gripped the hilt of the katana as if it would give her strength. However, she refused to use it as a makeshift walking stick.

The servants dared not speak as Kaede moved toward them. By the fifth step, her trembling steadied. By the seventh, her movements were measured again, graceful even in their imperfection.

Then, without a word, she let the loose robe slip off her shoulders. It fell soundlessly to the floor, pooling at her feet. She did not care one bit that she had an audience.

Kaede looked at them over her shoulder, expectant. Without saying a word, her order was clear as day.

Her attendants smiled softly, reverently.

Yes… This was their lady.

Calm. Cold. Commanding.

She was back in control.

They dressed her quickly, with the efficiency of those who had done it a hundred times before. Layers of deep indigo and white folded over her body. A sash was tied in perfect precision around her waist, followed by the emblem of Silverwind pressed into place on her shoulder.

When they finished, Kaede gave a single nod and stepped forward, moving without assistance.

The path to the elders’ hall was quiet, adorned by many servants bowing at the perfect angle. The corridors curved through the heart of the Fujimori estate, lit by lanterns. At the end stood a heavy sliding door engraved with the clan’s crest. Two armored guards stood watch, heads bowed as Kaede approached.

One of the attendants stepped forward and addressed the ceremonial guards.

“Lady Kaede Fujimori requests an audience with the Elders.”

The guard hesitated.

“The Elders are in council. They gave strict orders not to be disturbed.”

Not tonight.

“Get out of my way.”

When the guards hesitated, Kaede’s patience snapped.

*THUD!*

Her foot slammed into the wooden frame, sending the door crashing open in a thunderous splinter.

Inside, five elders sat in a semicircle around a table. Scrolls, incense, and glowing charms filled the air. At the center of the table rested a crystalline orb pulsing with blue light. A communication artifact.

A man’s voice came faintly through it.

Kaede recognized it instantly.

The King.

The elders looked up immediately. Their disapproval toward her method of entry was palpable.

“Kaede, my child,” spoke Elder Chizuru with a tender, motherly tone before rising from her seat. Her tone was gentle but edged with warning. “The council is in session. We are currently reporting to His Majesty.”

“Then the report will have to wait. Your clan leader is demanding your attention.”

For a moment, no one spoke. The tension in the room was heavy enough to choke on.

Elder Chizuru’s lips parted in quiet shock. Kaede had never spoken to her like that, nor to anyone else among the elders.

Sensing that something delicate was going on, Chizuru quickly approached her and laid a hand on Kaede’s arm. Her expression softened, though her eyes remained wary.

“Come, my child…” she whispered. “We’ll speak in private.”

Kaede did not allow herself to be pulled away. Instead, her eyes swept across the room and paused on the figure seated at the center.

The old man sat slightly elevated, framed by the incense haze that curled through the chamber. His face was carved with deep lines, his white hair bound neatly behind his head, and his posture was unbent despite his age.

Elder Hozumi. The eldest of the five, holding the greatest deal of respect and power in the clan. The one who presided over the council when her father still lived. His gaze was as sharp as the day she’d first been named heir.

Kaede met his eyes without bowing. Neither spoke. The air between them felt heavier than any spell, just quiet defiance locked in silence.

At last, Chizuru tugged gently at Kaede’s sleeve again, her voice soft but insistent.

“Come, my child… Don’t make a scene before the king.”

Kaede exhaled sharply through her nose. Her stare lingered on Hozumi for a few more seconds, but the old man neither looked away nor offered her a single word.

Only silent judgment.

Finally, Kaede turned and allowed Chizuru to lead her out of the council chamber.

As soon as the hall fell silent, Kaede’s restraint broke.

“Tell me. Why is Ayame with the enemies?”

For the first time, Elder Chizuru’s expression faltered.