Year of the Boar, Tenth Month. Day 29.

I have found myself in the unfortunate position of having to plaster my face with that dreadful cosmetic that was the fashion for some while. My face has turned several unusal shades of purple and I cannot be seen around the House looking like this; it would be too humiliating. I can see women wondering why I have chosen to start wearing cosmetics again but that mild curiosity is far better than everyone I see stopping to ask about my injuries... I do not know which is worse, the pain of the bruises or the constant itch of the cream I have used to cover them...
I insisted on speaking with Rani this morning and our somewhat icy conversation revealed nothing I can be sure is the truth. She appears to be honest but I have no earthly way to be sure... Rani insists that if she is running any of my people, she is unaware of it and course she refused to name any of her spies. I am not surprised. I would not have told me either. Then again; I would never have revealed my network at all... I do not blame Ryouko; she was hardly likely to tell me that she was working for another mistress... Rani has also given her word that no one will find out about my network from her or any of her people whom she insists are absolutely loyal. She swore to me that she did not reveal the existence of my network to Yuika and I suppose, than until Yuika lets it be known otherwise, I have no choice but to accept her word...
If she can be believed, Rani's route through the Kingdom will make Purple Lightning her final stop so she can go straight over the border from there which make sense and is likely what I would have chosen to do in her position. I have decided though, that this would be an ideal opportunity to meet with Aoki in Shimmering Dawn and have him train some more birds to find me. I do not wish to give up my network if I do not have to and if I leave the Kingdom, it will be useful to know that I have not cut ties completely. I have sent him word this morning which I hope gives him plenty of time to acquire new birds and to meet me close to the border with Fallen Sakura because I would not wish to make my presence known to Shinshinousuke and Rina. Once the birds are trained, I will double back on myself, visit Nanami and try to persuade her to go with me since obviously, I will no longer be asking Ryouko and then I will travel to Purple Lightning on the same route I took before so that I can avoid Fallen Sakura's Lands...