"No need," the chief said with a wave of his hand. "We are scarcely going to start allowing women in our order. This was a one-time special case."
"Of course," the advisor said with a bow.
"I trust you sent her home again?" the master said to Kenji.
"The Lady Chiaki had a request," Kenji said, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt. "She asked for an escort, a trained onmyoji to accompany her back to her village."
The master made a rumbling noise at that.
"It sounds like she wants to impress her neighbors," the first advisor suggested.
"We can't officially acknowledge how she helped us," the second said. "But an onmyoji escort is enough to start whispers and rumors. You know how women are; the intrigue is the payment she is asking."
"Can we spare the man?" the master asked.
"We
