𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘮 犬夜叉 ♡ ; 𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚞 𝚡 𝚘𝚌

Chapter 25

The days extended into weeks since Chiho was last seen at the castle. Every so often, one of the concubines would go upstairs. Some were unwilling, some without a reaction altogether. For every 3 concubines that would go up, only one would come back down. Nobody would suspect or assume anything, they would all attempt to return to business.

The rumors amongst concubines spread thinner and thinner as time went on. The castle began to regain its original pristine, and just in time before the winter began to roll by. When it all happened, it was the Spring, and now with summer peaking across the shoulders of soldiers and servants alike, it was imperative to have everything up and running.

The death toll stopped at 300, but everyone assumed there were more. Dead servants and concubines who attempted to flee and failed began to pile up into the mass graves behind the castle. Some concubines would sneak out into the back and see the soldiers, all disgruntled and sleep-deprived, piling the bodies atop one another and dousing them with what smelled like gasoline. One of the better soldiers would say a prayer for them before tossing a lit torch into the pile.

The smell of burnt flesh and brimstone dissipated into the night and would last until the early dawn of the next day.

Nobody would speak of that day, nobody that valued their lives at least. People would see less and less of Lord Kojitsu, to the point that the concubines and soldiers alike thought him to have committed suicide. But just when the rumors would get too out of hand, he would come down from his room, his jaw clenched, eyes reddened underneath, and visible irritation spread across his brow. When he walked, everyone fell silent, watching where he was going next or what was he about to do.

At random, when the hunger would overcome him, he would dance his eyes across the multitude of concubines and pick one. He would mumble something inaudible to others but his guards acted on his command, pushing through the crowds and picking the girl up like a freshly captured lamb. Through her cries and protests, they would carry her to the next room with Kojitsu following behind them. The doors would bellow shut and, even in broad daylight, you could hear just what was going on in the other room.

8Morale was depleting as time went on, and even his own soldiers began to question Kojitsu's sanity after the loss of not only his bride, but his and his castle's dignity after Sesshomaru arrived.

After the final count, the search for missing concubines and servants concluded. Whoever wasn't accounted for wasn't worth the retrieval after so many months. Whispers amongst the soldiers dictated that some concubines escaped to a nunnery just below the mountain where Kojitsu's castle lay. Some soldiers would visit down there to investigate but were instantly turned around by the soldiers guarding the gate. It wasn't much of an effort to put forth either way. Every woman there was a nun, shaved bald and shielded in grey robes, moving about in sync with one another across the town, into the shrines, and back inside their designated temples. Even if someone were to be an old concubine of the castle, to the guards, this seemed to be punishment enough.

With the seasons changing, now was the time to cultivate crops as best as they could before the winter came. There were rumors of a drought, and with the numbers being uneven from the cooks to the maids, to the guards, everyone just had to make do with what they had as far as staffing was concerned. But, without a doubt, the air was growing thinner at the castle each passing day since the incident. And Kojitsu needed to find a plan to maintain control over the castle before an upright rebellion happened.

-

"Lord Kojitsu." one of Kojitsu's lieutenants, Oda, stood in the doorway. Kojitsu's back was turned, arms behind his back as he looked out the window. He didn't respond immediately to him, only hinting at the acknowledgment of his presence by a rotation of his shoulders.

"Your men, My Lord. They are growing pensive and are awaiting your next move." he referenced the food rations amongst soldiers, peasants, and concubines. For those inside of the castle, they were well taken care of both with food and women. But the soldiers on the outside, were growing irritated with the small lumps of rice and fish to carry them over the 16-hour days standing and walking to secure the castle.

Kojitsu's eyes wandered downwards to the castle grounds. His eyes snaked across the fields and took note of the apparent damages that lay about that still needed repair.

He sighed, "We have to make do with what we have until we can find a solution to the shortages." Oda was afraid of this answer. How was he going to go back to his men with such a short-changed answer? When he didn't answer, Kojitsu turned to face Oda, his face hardened and pensive.

"Well? Was my answer not good enough for you?" Both of them knew it wasn't. Kojitsu had his mind occupied with Chiho's whereabouts, void of the actual circumstances of the castle and filling said void with the company of concubines. His soldiers weren't the only ones growing disappointed in his diversion tactics either.

"My Lord-" Kojitsu rubbed his temples and sighed. He turned on his heel and continued to look out the window. He shouldn't take out his frustrations on his best soldier, he knew this.

"My apologies, Oda." Oda's eyebrows raised high. An apology? Things really must be taking a toll on everyone.

"We will conduct a plan regarding the rations tomorrow. In the meantime, double the portions for dinner tonight and allow my soldiers to help themselves to one of my personal collections of wine." Just as Kojitsu finished speaking, a new concubine entered his chambers, flushed and visibly confused. She looked at Oda and Oda at her in silence. Oda's eyebrow twitched at the sight. At a time like this, he finds it opportune to invite a woman into the mixture?

"I do apologize, Oda. But I believe our meeting must be cut short. Sanna-Chan," the concubine, Sanna-Chan, jumped at his beckoning. She hadn't a clue what was going on nor did anyone tell her anything but to Go upstairs. Her round, flushed cheeks burned in embarrassment.

"Y-yes, Lord Kojitsu." she kowtowed to the floor, keeping her head to the ground. Oda couldn't hold his snicker at the sight. She must be new, he thought to himself.

"For today, I'm going to assign you to Oda. As a thank you for his diligence." Oda's face paled while Sanna-Chan, regretfully, maintained her pose.

"Y-yes, My Lord." with sad eyes, Sanna-Chan repositioned herself in front of Oda, instinctively unfastening his trouser pants without looking up at him.

Kojitsu, with a smirk, rotated his shoulder around and around, stretching his neck from side to side, almost oblivious to Sanna-Chan's lecherous act. He pivoted on his heel, motioning towards the door that descended into the main section of the manor. Before he left, he stood next to Oda and placed his hand on his shoulder. Oda shakingly looked over at Kojitsu's piercing gaze, his golden eyes pulling his being out of his body the more he looked.

"If you'd like it to remain a secret to your lovely wife how you've impregnated another concubine and troubled me with the...Duty Of relieving her of duty, I suggest you not bother me with meddlesome matters such as food when my wife is still out there being infiltrated by the demon that destroyed my castle."

Kojitsu looked down at Sanna-Chan, disgusted, and back at Oda with a hard glare.

"It's off the strength that you're my best soldier that you're not laying in that pile of burned corpses outside, soldier."

"Well then," he cleared his throat, removing his hand from Oda's shoulder with a smile.

"I'll be on my way. Do try to keep the mess to a minimum." With that, Kojitsu left, leaving Oda in between a mixture of pleasure and fear.