After hearing everyone out, Kujou Sara shifted her gaze from Mitsuda to Kaedehara Kazuha and his companions. Her brow furrowed slightly, especially when she looked at the two Watatsumi islanders behind him.
Given the chaos on Narukami Island and their sudden appearance here, she couldn't help but feel the seeds of suspicion taking root—the thought that Watatsumi might indeed be behind it all.
Her intuition whispered otherwise, but coincidence or not, as the adopted daughter of the Tenryou Commission, Sara could not overlook anything.
"I've heard the situation," Sara began. "Mitsuda, Inazuma is open to merchants from all nations. As the deputy in charge of this port, singling people out for unfair treatment is a dereliction of your duty. I will report your conduct to the Commission. They will decide on the appropriate punishment."
Her tone was sharp—a warning to Mitsuda to cease his games and a reminder that such actions could invite the displeasure of foreign merchants.
"As for you… Kaedehara Kazuha. You laid hands on an officer of the Kanjou Commission. By Inazuman law, you will be taken into custody. Do you understand?"
Before Kazuha could respond, another voice spoke up in his defense. "And what right do you have to punish him?!"
More people disembarked from a ship in the harbor, more Watatsumi islanders. The crowd parted, and five men from Watatsumi strode over to flank Kazuha, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, young master. You stood up for us Watatsumi folk. We won't let them punish you for it."
Sara's frown deepened. She had offered Kazuha an out. The fault lay with Mitsuda, and the punishment was merely procedural—a token consequence for laying hands on an official.
In her view, a few days in custody was far lighter than what awaited Mitsuda. But now these islanders were interfering, making everything more difficult. In that moment, Sara's suspicion rekindled. Perhaps the attackers were from Watatsumi after all.
"What is this? Are you interfering with the law?!"
"Watatsumi people—do you really intend to overstep in Inazuma City?!"
"Damn, maybe those attacks were you lot after all!"
"Lady Kujou, should we arrest them?"
The men hesitated at this sudden hostility from the soldiers and locals, but they held their ground.
"Hmph. We're just fed up with your so-called justice! Why do you want to lock up the good man and let the real crook walk free?"
"Exactly! These two are only trying to help. They never laid a hand on that official. Why arrest them?! Meanwhile, that man—Mitsuda—extorts and cheats. Today it's us Watatsumi merchants. Tomorrow it'll be someone from some other nation."
The last sentence gave the foreign merchants pause. In a sense, the islanders were right. They had reason to worry. If the Kanjou Commission could do this to Watatsumi, they could do it to anyone.
"You—you're slandering me!" Seeing the doubt spreading among the foreign merchants, Mitsuda panicked.
"Slander? Did you not harass us? Did you not overcharge us? Everyone here saw it. Are you going to deny it?" The Watatsumi merchant pressed, turning Mitsuda's face bright red.
"Please, all of you," Kazuha finally spoke, trying to mediate. "I was at fault too." He could see that the situation was spiraling out of control. If he didn't step in soon, it might be impossible to stop.
He turned and spoke quietly to the Watatsumi merchant beside him. "I was in the wrong too."
"What do you mean, young master? You didn't do anything wrong. They're the ones—" The man didn't seem to grasp Kazuha's intention.
He brushed him off lightly and turned back to the crowd. "Come, everyone, judge for yourselves! We're from Watatsumi, here to trade at Ritou, and this man demanded a docking fee of 500,000 Mora!"
The crowd gasped. "500,000 Mora?! That's robbery!"
"That's worse than robbery!"
"Unbelievable..."
The murmurs spread quickly. Sara's expression darkened. Not everyone was on the merchants' side, though. Many from Narukami, influenced by the rumors of Watatsumi's rebellion and the day's attacks, supported Mitsuda. They shouted down the dissenting voices.
The harbor split into two factions—one backing the Watatsumi merchants, the other supporting Mitsuda. Shouts filled the air. The port turned into a chaotic war of words.
"Quiet, everyone! Quiet!" Sara's commands went unheard, drowned out by the clamor.
Her hand moved to her Vision. A purple light flickered at her waist. Sparks of electricity danced along her arm like small snakes, crackling with energy. She was about to summon her power to silence the crowd—when a clear bell tone rang out.
Ring...
The sound seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. It was ethereal, yet piercing. In an instant, the entire crowd fell silent.