Duty-Bound: Chapter 54
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A meeting between Lady Yuka and the elders was conducted the next day. The rumour was so great that it had stirred the entire palace, and several assumptions were made. His lips tugged upward as he remembered Akemi, or should he say Mikan. She couldn't fool him no matter what her appearance was. He almost took her bait until he remembered Mikan only had one hira-shuriken with her name on it. Not long after he successfully tracked down her mentor, she had told him that the one who held her special shuriken was someone she entrusted her life with. Obviously, she wouldn't trust anyone but herself in such a short amount of time.
His attention was brought back to the meeting as Elder Souma started, "My Lady, will you enlighten us why such a rumour was born in the palace?"
Lady Yuka's showed nothing of her emotions. "I can assure you that I didn't start that kind of rumour myself."
"My apologies, My Lady, but I need reassurance from you," said Elder Souma with a bow.
"Will you consider retiring then?" Elder Kimura prompted suddenly.
Every set of eyes locked on him before turning to Lady Yuka, who calmly replied, "Before that, I shall present you the one who started this rumour."
The door slid open to reveal Mikan as Akemi. After giving her Lady Mother a bow, she faced them with determination on her face.
"Tell me, Akemi. Why did you start this rumour?" Lady Yuka inquired softly.
"I'm merely an attendant, My Lady. I just heard from Luna-sama that she will be the next Lady of the Western Lands. So, I assumed you're retiring from the throne."
Suddenly, the door was rudely opened. "What kind of trickery is this?"
The furious man before them was Luna's father Kuonji.