Elevator Dimension Line

Hoshimi Miyabi, Arisa, and the others rode in their carriage along the main road in the village to the front of the mansion.

Eight samurai with swords at their sides stood guard in front of the drawbridge, watching the stopped carriage warily.

A warrior immediately stepped forward, showing no impoliteness, as the newcomers were also escorted by warriors, and they all looked quite distinguished, especially the two carriages, which bore royal insignia, something the warriors recognized.

The samurai respectfully stepped forward to inquire, and another samurai stepped forward to explain his purpose.

Upon hearing that he had indeed come from Kyoto and was a member of the royal family, the samurai jogged inside to report.

A short while later, another group of warriors hurriedly returned and led the carriage inside.

The carriage stopped in front of a four-story guardhouse. Not far away, on the steps of the main gate, stood a middle-aged man dressed in a loose white kimono, with several guards standing beside him.

As the carriage came to a stop and the doors opened, Hoshimi Masaki and the others filed out.

The man standing on the steps looked on with amazement. He hadn't expected that all the people getting off the carriage would be women, and each one of them would be more beautiful than the last, each one a national beauty.

He had just received a report from his subordinates that the royal family from Kyoto had come; he hadn't expected it to be a group of women.

Before they could even finish observing, the other party had already arrived close.

"Are you Yasukatsu Kasahara?" Hoshimi Miyabi asked.

"It is I. May I ask who you gentlemen are?" Kasahara Yasukatsu stood with his hands in his pockets, his posture ramrod straight. He did not recognize any of the royal family members present, so he did not show much respect.

In his mind, most of these people were relatives of the emperor, not important members of the royal family, and were merely nominal members.

He himself was a powerful figure with real authority, in charge of the defense of the area surrounding Kyoto.

"Lord Kasahara must have received the royal announcement. This is Lady Arisa Kōhōin, the eldest daughter of the Kōhōin family and the head of the household..." Hoshimi Miyabi introduced, then pointed to the others, "We are the retainers of the Kōhōin family: this is Takagi Yumie, Kamishiro Rize, Irimi Kaname, and I am Hoshimi Miyabi!"

Kasahara Yasukatsu looked enlightened and laughed, "So it's the Imperial Family lineage recently recognized by His Majesty the Emperor, the Kōhōin! I never expected the head of the Kōhōin family to be such a young girl, it's truly astonishing!"

"Lord Kasahara, are we just going to talk here?" Yumiko asked.

"I apologize for my rudeness. Please come in!" Kasahara Yasukatsu quickly nodded and stepped aside to let them in.

Several soft cushions were placed on the wooden floor of the hall, where Hoshimi Miyabi and the others knelt and sat, while several maids served hot tea back and forth.

Taking this opportunity, the women also carefully examined Kasahara Yasunari.

As expected of a military general, his facial features are resolute and angular, with slightly downturned corners of his mouth, indicating a steadfast heart that is not easily swayed by external things.

The neatly trimmed mustache and the small tuft of hair on the lower lip indicate that this person is extremely organized.

There are three shallow forehead wrinkles on his forehead. Even without any expression, the wrinkles are clearly visible, indicating that he is a thoughtful person with a strong sense of self-protection.

While Hoshimi Miyako was observing Kasahara Yasukatsu, he was also observing them.

The women in front of him were undoubtedly top-notch in terms of looks. Even Kasahara Yasunari, who was used to seeing beautiful women, had to admit that these beauties were the most stunning he had ever seen in his life.

However, among these six women, only one was quite strange. Not only was she completely wrapped in a large kimono, but she also wore a mask. She was completely covered up, and her specific appearance could not be seen. Only through the occasional glimpses of her figure could one tell that she was a woman with a very hot figure.

Kasahara Yasukatsu observed for a while, then decided to stop paying attention and instead smiled at Arisa, saying, "I wonder what brings the head of the Gonghouin family here today?"

Arisa and Hoshimi Miyabi exchanged a glance and then nodded simultaneously. Arisa then turned and smiled, saying directly, "I've come here hoping to gain the loyalty of Lord Kasahara Yasukatsu!"

These straightforward words startled Kasahara Yasunari. He didn't quite understand what the other person meant, not that he couldn't understand, but rather the underlying meaning behind the words.

"The head of the Kōhōin family is joking. I don't understand what you mean by that, Miss. You should know that I, Kasahara Yasukatsu, am one of the five members of the Hojō family. Yet you expect me to be loyal to you?" Kasahara Yasukatsu's tone was somewhat absurd.

Arisa smiled slightly and said, "Then I'll be frank. Over the years, Emperor Uzumio has been exhausted. His power has been repeatedly reduced, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he's now an empty puppet. Putting aside the overall situation in Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu's power is the greatest, completely overshadowing the Imperial Family. But even in Kyoto, the Hojo family is above the Imperial Family. The defenses of Kyoto... the Five Colored Guards outside the city... and the Emperor is just a flag you need on the surface!"

Arisa's words caused Kasahara Yasunari's expression to change repeatedly. Everyone in the upper echelons knew about this, but few dared to speak out, because they all cared about their reputations, and saying and doing were two different things.

Now that someone has said it to my face, and it's from a newly emerged royal lineage, it's really hard to understand.

Arisa took a breath and continued, "...Our Imperial Household Agency has been hidden behind the Imperial Family for many years, but now we have come out and are known to the world. We want to restore the Emperor's centralized authority and let the light of Amaterasu shine on this land again... So we will take back the rights that belong to us step by step, and the first step is to start with the Five Colored Defenses on the outskirts of Kyoto."

After Arisa finished speaking, she stared intently at Kasahara Yasukatsu.

After a moment of silence, a low laugh echoed through the hall, gradually growing louder. The laugh carried a hint of pleasure, a touch of sarcasm, and mostly a sense of bewilderment.

"Today has been a truly unexpected day for me. Yesterday's heavy rain brought fresh air today, but it also brought some refreshing jokes!"

"Does Lord Kasahara find us funny? Or do you find what I'm saying funny?" Arisa asked calmly.

“Young lady of the family, I have never heard of your Gongfengyuan clan before. I was quite curious at first, but after hearing what you said today, I think you really shouldn’t have come out. Perhaps continuing to stay hidden in the background is the best choice for you.”

“What do you mean?” Arisa asked.

Kasahara Yasukatsu smiled, raising his eyebrows slightly. "The transfer of power isn't something you can accomplish with just a few words. And military force certainly isn't something we can gain loyalty by sitting here and listening to you, Miss..."