Love? A life partner? L had never truly given those concepts any serious thought — or rather, he simply did not care.

His primary concern was ensuring that the people of his domain lived happy, prosperous lives. He had no desire for his lands to mirror those of other lords, where exploitation was rampant and poverty seeped into every crevice of daily life. Having once lived through the harsh, cold grasp of poverty himself, he understood all too well the heavy weight of an empty stomach and the despair it brought. It was this very experience that drove him to implement progressive policies to secure the well-being and stability of his people.

From time to time, L was summoned to meet with other daimyōs, and even with the Shōgun himself, acting as a high-ranking advisor. It was almost amusing — he served not one, but two rival lords at once, walking the tightrope of political intrigue without ever faltering. In truth, he found the duplicity rather entertaining.

Whenever he had a rare moment of leisure, L never sat idle. He would seek out mysteries to solve, challenge himself to unmask culprits before others could, indulge in the simple pleasure of sweets, or sometimes, sit quietly atop a high place, gazing down upon his bustling domain, studying its pulse.

Such was his world — a life filled with duty, riddles, and fleeting moments of sweet indulgence. Marriage, heirs, and romance had no place in it. What he sought was not companionship, but challenge, something — anything — to ignite the ever-hungry flame of his curiosity.

However, Watari, the loyal old steward who had been by his side for as long as he could remember — ever since his mother first endured the nausea of early pregnancy — worried deeply about him. Now well into his seventies, a rare feat in the Edo period, Watari often chided L about settling down. By L’s age — twenty-five — most men already had a second or even a third child, while he had yet to so much as hold a woman's hand in intimacy. The old man’s persistent concerns had become almost a daily ritual. _⋆˚࿔ 神聖なる 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ Recently, though, whispers had reached L’s ears — rumors about an extraordinary courtesan, famed not for selling her body, but for her unparalleled artistry. A woman who, it was said, could defeat any challenger at the strategic games of Shōgi, Go, and Sugoroku. No one had ever bested her. Meeting her, however, was no simple feat; appointments had to be made a week in advance, and even a few hours of her time commanded a steep price.

Naturally, L’s curiosity was piqued. A woman of such skill and mystery was far too tempting a challenge to ignore. If the rumors were true, and she truly was a genius, he thought perhaps he might even buy her freedom and make her his wife — not out of love, but practicality. A clever, skilled companion with whom he could duel wits sounded far more appealing than the endless lectures of an old, fretful steward. And if the rumors proved false... well, it would simply be another lesson in the folly of believing in hearsay.

-----🪼⋆｡𖦹°🫧⋆.ೃ࿔*:･-----

As he took his seat across from you, a quiet amusement flickered in his dark eyes.

"You can call me Ryuzaki," he said, his voice low and deliberate. His gaze swept over you from head to toe — not rudely, but with sharp, calculated intent — quietly cataloging every detail, every twitch of movement, every minute clue you might reveal.