Although the transaction was technically legal, and the relationship purely professional, even then few magistrates wanted to be seen dealing and working with ronin - even ones they had dealt with for a long time.

As such it was the heart of the afternoon, when most of her colleagues would be busy taking overly long lunches (what magistrate actually cared about what happened in the slums unless it lost them face?), that Dai ducked into the station and slipped into Soshi Nishiko's office.

The exchange is quick and painless, well painless for the Soshi - five koku nearly wiped out what little Dai had scraped together but one had to spend money to make money, and Dai secured an up to date permit for the ruins.

"Hey, Soshi-sama. There seems to be that kind of buzz in the air again. If you find anyone in need of my services send them my way... and if you find anyone in need of a patsy or scapegoat you forget you know me, ne? Don't want to lose out on first pick of whatever I drag out of the depths after all."

With a nod and a grin Dai slips back out onto the streets and into what little afternoon sun actually managed to penetrate to the ground of the slums.


(D1, MA: Lore: Underworld/Intelligence to obtain Excavation permit | 9k4 ⇒ 26 (TN: 20)
Five koku spent, one excavation permit obtained)