She doesn't know

Fumie felt her mind churn in an attempt to formulate an answer, an idea of her plans for the future, only to realise she had no answer.

"I don't know," She answered, "To be honest, I don't truly have any other plans save providing for our family, as I said earlier. We're free, and yet I don't have anyone else to rely on; our families were most opposed to our marriage, and the last I heard, my relatives ran afoul of some companies affiliated with Matoi Corp, and I haven't heard a word from them since."

"What about your friends?" Asked Toshetuyek.

Fumie shook her head, "They all have their own families to look out for; they can't spare any charity for me."

"Hm. Do you plan to enter the workforce again?" Asked Toshetuyek.

"I do; I've been planning to look for another ryoukan to work at, or at least I was planning to," Fumie answered, "Maybe I'll do that again once things settle down."

"In that case, how about working for me?" Asked Toshetuyek.

"Work for you? You mean you own a ryoukan?" Asked Fumie.

"More accurately, I recently acquired a ryoukan as a subsidiary," Toshetuyek answered, finishing her hot tea and requesting a refill from a nearby servant, who wordlessly refilled her cup, "The family running the inn are decent, hardworking and innovative people, but due to unscrupulous tactics by Matoi Corp, they've been running in the red for a long time and were close to closing down. It'll be a good place for you to start working."

"Onee-chan owns a ryoukan? That's so cool!" Hisahsi exclaimed.

"Nothing so glamarous, little boy," Toshetuyek smiled, "Running a ryoukan or any business in general is hard work."

"But that must mean you're rich!" Hisahsi exclaimed again, "Not many people are rich enough to own a business!"

Toshetuyek seemed to not mind the childish wonder and curiosity of Fumie's son, humoring him to the best of her ability.

"Actually, why are you providing me so much help?" Fumie asked, "To be honest... you don't really have a reason to help me - us - at all."

"Then did you know this was supposed to be a highly clandestine operation?" Toshetuyek stated, "That absolutely no civilian was supposed to know at all?"

And here Fumie understood the reason behind Toshetuyek's help: Whether or not she felt pity for them, the fact she was allowed to see one of the Kurohyou's safehouses meant she knew too much, and if things went south and her association with them became widely known...

Fumie sighed, "I won't say a word."

"Good choice," Toshetuyek smiled.

"Onee-chan, you don't want others to know you're rich?" Hisahsi tilted his head in confusion.

"Hisahsi, she's in charge of very important work, and she has to deal with all manner of bad guys," Said Fumie, "What do you think will happen if the bad guys learn of her helping us?"

Hisahsi shut his mouth, swallowing nervously.

"So can you promise me and her that you won't say a word about any of this?" Fumie gently asked.

Hisahsi nodded in response.

"Good," Toshetuyek sipped her tea again, before setting down her cup, "Very good."

"Actually, Onee-chan," Hisahsi asked, "What are you going to do now?"

Toshetuyek raised a finger to her smiling lips.

"That's a secret."