I offer you this

Hattori turned to Akito first, the barest hints of a grimace tugging at the corner of his lips. He was annoyed at his cousin for several reasons, one being how disrespectful his actions had been as a whole, both to Hattori as his Kaicho but to Tojo as a whole. Hattori could stomach a lot of things, but such blatant disrespect simply couldn't be tolerated as far as he was concerned. With each season of his absence passing by, he pushed things further and further- and the man hadn't even sought permission. Just vanished one day and hadn't returned.

"I do not." He admitted, clearly frustrated this was the case. "Some time after he left, I had one of my companions investigate on my behalf. They searched both Auster and Boreas and even spoke to some Nomads passing through. They claimed to see someone matching his description boarding the vessel they had used to arrive." He had been stewing on this information for some time, he had no reason not to believe these strangers, but ultimately it did not reveal much. "But after that? I would say it is likely he returned to Nihon, but knowing him he could be anywhere."

He was glad they accepted his offer, that was all it was. Not a brand to be foisted upon them, if they didn't wish to have it.

"Nothing will change between us. As far as I am concerned, we have always been family."