A quick nod. "That's good at the least! I'm sure most everyone in Shiro Yoake would be concerned if your match ends up being bad."

"...bad in what way?" she brought with a slightly saddened smile, asking either it meant politically or her personality being compatible with her partner. Not that the latter typically mattered but Mal-Chin was a friend enough to know that it mattered to her.

"I mean," He rubs the back of his head, "You inspire a lot of people here. And that's not just me as a friend. I can't think of anyone who'd want you to be unhappy. And there'd be worry of course, if you joined a clan at war."

"Oh, of course," she nodded, "it would prove to be something tough to stomach but they do say that you're reborn after marriage to some degree and you're supposed to cast those attachments aside when you marry. There's a reason that samurai who are to be married spend a long amount of time in contemplation, perhaps to think over their past life to be and their future life."

She let out a faint breath, "that said, I do imagine I will probably be married out this miai."

A brief nod. "There's a lot to gain for people wanting to be attached to you family and Asakaze. With those high status suitors, I admit, I'd be surprised if you weren't. As much as I don't want that kind of change going forward." He pauses briefly as food is brought out.

"Do you have anyone in mind for being trained to take over any of your roles? You do a lot."

Chiruha paused a moment to give an appreciative nod and smile at the food put down in front of her. This was easily something and more than she initiative imagined when ordered the dumplings. It was going to prove to be quite a treat!

"I...I can't say I have anyone exactly in mind at the moment. I was never prepared to leave to honest, Mal-Chin-san. The next closest person would be Bean Stalk, naturally. He can almost do the things I do...but I don't think he has the same care and consideration for the wildlife. Engineering, sure, but he has to be told to do things. We don't have a shortage of people who do my work, admittedly," she said with a reluctant shrug.

(Translator's note: Bean Stalk meaning Asako Ryo.)

"Have to admit, I always imagined you'd lead the way to a new understanding of the Otori." He waves a hand. "But I'm sure wherever you go, your brilliance will find a path."

Chiruha chuckled with a faint blush, "I don't think I'm the greatest mind in the field but I have committed a lot on studying the migration, behaviour and habitat of the otori! Maybe if I would find another animal that could capture my interests and commitment in such a way. But I doubt it..."

Her smile fade a touch, "I should probably wonder what will become of Aoi, too."

A brief nod. "Hai. Though it might be reasonable for Aoi to be kept by your father, in the event of future visits?"

Chiruha took her chopsticks and recited a brief prayer before enjoying a bit of the dumplings she had ordered.

"That seems right, even if Aoi was originally a gift from my father. I could never take Aoi off this world nor would I want to," she gave a shake of her head as she paused to consider something.

"...I was thinking of maybe returning him to the wild," she admitted.

"Think Aoi would do alright out there, after getting used to life with people?" He does much the same as her, before eating.

"I would think so..." she said pensively, "He was initially brought in from the wild from what I was told. However, it would probably have to be somewhere and the herd would have to have no migration patterns close to the Shiro. I would fear, in some near future, he would be hunted down once more or worse, poached even. It's going to be tricky, also finding the right herd where he won't be in conflict with the others, if they accept him to begin with."

"We've probably got some data on herd movements somewhere," he picks through some of his food. "Maybe we can figure out if any of them have the right temperament?"

"We could but I think that's something you need to be on the field for. It's been something I kept on the back of my mind whenever I got out there for observations, taking notes of members of a herd and wondering if it would be a perfect fit for Aoi."

She smiled at Mal-Chin, "How about it, do you think you can spend a week in an observation outpost from time to time to verify that data?"

"Hai, I think I could do so for a friend." He smiled back.

It was a few bites of some very good food later, "I do owe you a truth as well, and I should make a request to go with it."

Chiruha tilted her head curiously and laid down her chopsticks to give him her full attention, giving him a few nods. "I don't think you owe me anything, Mal-Chin-san but I'm willing to hear you out."

"I wasn't entirely honest about not having anyone I could contact when trouble rises up." He looks to Chiruha, and shakes free the revitializer, down to his lower wrist.

"I'm an informant for the Inquisitors." He says quickly. "I send reports occasionally. Supposedly good enough information that they made sure I was trusted with this. So I guess, my request is...if you ever find yourself in trouble that the Inquisitors would want to settle, find a way to get me a message. I might be able to get them to wherever you are in time to help."

"An informant to the inquisitors?" she said, clearly astounded by that revelation. She didn't think that Asakaze warranted the attention of the Inquisitors, although she supposed must of the world as still in question. If she had known what was going on in the background, it would make far more sense to have the Inquisitors here.

Then, there was also her friend being an informant.

"How?" she asked and then gave a shake of her head, it was unlikely she was going to get that answer. "...but may I ask what you've been doing as an informant?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I think they left some contextual clues on old cases in some files back at the dojo, and left a program running to see who added things together and reported it." He shakes his head slightly. "I've mostly been compiling data on notables. Standard behavior, etc. So that if an Inquisitor arrives on planet, they know the baseline behavior of those present and are able to better locate the atypical."

He sighs. "Something even more important, now that Isawa Shin is being looked into. Nakauchi Mumei has been involved in a lot it seems. These multiple events...I have to expect the Inquisitors are going to take notice."

"I see..." she murmured in thought and couldn't help but imagine Mal-Chin taking notes of everything around him. This included the people around him and even her, what was the information she had on her.

"I would home that the Inquisitors would never have to step foot on this planet again but it probably can't be helped in light of recent events..." she sighed and shook her head, "They say that worlds that are less settled can be a haven for secrets sometimes. I imagine that feudal worlds must feel the same way. Either way, I hope they are a great rarity."