[Note: Read up to Chapter - 72 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
.
.
.
.
Elder Tadayoshi's Mansion, Uchiha Compound
"Mikoto… Mikoto… what is this I'm hearing?" Tadayoshi called out as he stepped into the house, looking around for his granddaughter.
"Yes, Sōfu-sama?" Mikoto replied, emerging from her room.
"I was just outsi—" He stopped mid-sentence as his eyes landed on her.
Mikoto was dressed elegantly in a high-collared white kimono adorned with red floral patterns, secured with a red obi. She wore red lipstick, delicate red earrings, and light makeup, while her hair was arranged in a neat bun, her sidelocks framing her face and accented with hairpins and a red flower.
The care she had taken was unmistakable; every detail signalled preparation for something important.
The choice of colours in particular made Tadayoshi suspect her destination, but he asked anyway, his tone worried, "Are you going somewhere?"
Mikoto hesitated for a moment, then replied honestly, "I'm going to visit Kanzou-sama… at his house."
"Kanzou-kun?" Tadayoshi frowned, his eyes narrowing as he took in Mikoto's attire and pieced together her intentions.
Then he recalled the whispers he had overheard on his way back home. Unable to ignore them, he asked, "I heard someone mention the annulment of your engagement with Fugaku… is that true?"
Indeed, the discussion between them that took place at the tea shop had quickly spread in the entire Clan… of course, not every detail… but the annulment part… As for who was responsible for spreading these cheesy details? Of course, that was Uchiha Kaede…
Mikoto nodded. "Yes… It's true. He called me out to talk… and… we decided to end it."
Tadayoshi fell silent for a moment. 'So, she ended it herself…'
After a pause, he hesitantly asked another question. "Did anything else… happen?"
His tone was cautious, wondering whether Fugaku had reacted violently. After all, he was the one who had been cast aside; it wouldn't have been surprising if emotions had flared.
But Mikoto gently shook her head. "No. Everything went smoothly. We both wanted it to end… and that's exactly what we did. Honestly, it went so smoothly that it was somewhat disappointing."
"I see…" murmured Tadayoshi, unsure of what else to say as he looked at Mikoto, and gently asked her, "Are you feeling alright?"
Under her grandfather's gaze, Mikoto lowered her eyes, nervous and ashamed, before saying, "I am alright, Sōfu-sama… And I've already prepared myself for what's to come."
Elder Tadayoshi grew silent.
Mikoto took his silence as a form of acceptance and continued softly, "I've already prepared dinner for you. Please make sure to eat on time and get some rest. You don't need to wait for me… I won't be coming back tonight."
After a long pause, Tadayoshi finally nodded. "Be careful…" That was all he could say.
"I will," Mikoto nodded. Then she picked up a neatly wrapped package and, blushing slightly, asked, "Um… Sōfu-sama… how do I look?"
It was the first time she had dressed like this, especially in white, a color she rarely wore and didn't consider her own. The unfamiliar choice made her feel uncharacteristically nervous.
Tadayoshi smiled softly. "You look beautiful, Mikoto… any man would be fortunate to stand beside you."
She looked so radiant that, for a fleeting moment, he felt the urge to stop her, to drag her back from the tragic path she was walking, even to kill Kanzou if that was what it took to free her.
If only he could do that…
'I wonder if Kanzou-sama would feel the same,' she thought quietly, hoping it might be true, though she wasn't certain. Still, she bowed gratefully to her grandfather. "I hope so…" After a brief pause, she added, "Then… I will be leaving."
Tadayoshi hummed in acknowledgement as Mikoto stepped outside, the neatly wrapped package in her hands, gently closing the door behind her.
Watching her go, a deep sigh escaped his lips. "I've truly failed to protect her… haven't I?"
…
As Mikoto walked toward Kanzou's mansion, which stood a short distance from her home, many clansmen noticed her and froze in surprise.
Only recently, news of her engagement to Fugaku being annulled had spread, and most had been worried about what she might be going through. Yet now they saw her dressed like this, so beautiful, so graceful, so elegant, that their concern only deepened.
They feared she might not be in the right state of mind.
Kasumi, a Uchiha woman who knew Mikoto well, happened to be passing by with her three-year-old son and a bag of groceries. Noticing Mikoto, she paused, then approached her gently. "Mikoto-sama…"
Mikoto nodded in greeting. "Kasumi-san…" She then smiled at the child beside her. "Ara… isn't this Shisui-chan? You've grown so much."
The boy straightened and bowed politely. "Mikoto-sama…"
"Ara," Mikoto laughed softly, delighted. "Shisui-chan is such a well-mannered child." For a fleeting moment, she wondered, 'if I have a son… would he be this well-mannered?'
Kasumi smiled at the exchange before asking carefully, "Mikoto-sama… is there something special today?"
"Special?" Mikoto echoed, turning her attention back to Kasumi. "Nothing in particular. Why do you ask?"
Of course, she understood the reason. Anyone would question her appearance today, but she had no desire to explain more than necessary.
"Well…" Kasumi hesitated, glancing her over once more. "Considering how beautiful you look, I thought perhaps there was a special occasion."
"Nothing in particular… I'm just visiting an acquaintance," she replied, offering no further details.
"I see…" Kasumi murmured. Perceptive as she was, she noticed something troubled in Mikoto's eyes, and concern tugged at her heart. "Mikoto-san… I heard about—"
She didn't get to finish. Mikoto gently interrupted her, "Kasumi-san… I'm in a bit of a hurry. Would it be alright if we talked another day?"
"Ah… of course," Kasumi nodded, stepping aside. "I won't keep you."
"I'm sorry…" Mikoto said with a polite bow before walking away.
Kasumi watched her retreating figure in silence. After a moment, her son tugged at her sleeve and said softly, "Kaa-san… she looked really sad…"
"Yeah… she did…" Kasumi murmured softly.
Meanwhile, Mikoto continued on her way.
Along the path, she ran into several more acquaintances, each encounter tightening the knot of frustration in her chest. She couldn't help but question herself, 'Was it really all alright for me to come out like this…?'
But that uneasy thought vanished the moment she noticed Fugaku approaching from the opposite side of the street, accompanied by one of his subordinates.
Even after noticing Fugaku, she didn't slow her pace and continued walking forward.
Fugaku noticed her as well, and the colour drained from his face. A surge of displeasure rose within him, tinged with disgust, but it was quickly complicated by something else. As his eyes took in her appearance, a sudden, unwanted sense of awe stirred in his chest.
He had never seen Mikoto like this before.
She looked like a bride…
For a brief moment, his heart thumped hard against his ribs. He couldn't help it. She looked breathtaking, so beautiful that it unsettled him.
His cheeks flushed as she drew closer. With each step she took, his heartbeat thundered louder in his ears, until it felt as though even the wind itself had stilled. Before he could stop himself, the name slipped from his lips.
"Mikoto…"
He didn't know why he called out to her. He hadn't meant to, hadn't wanted to, but the impulse had escaped his control.
Mikoto didn't stop.
She didn't turn, didn't answer, didn't even offer a polite bow. She passed by him without a glance, as though he were nothing more than a stone at the roadside, not worth her attention at all, and continued on her way without hesitation.
Fugaku froze, stunned. He hadn't expected her to ignore him so completely. Then the memory struck him; he had annulled their engagement. He had told her that she now belonged to Kanzou… and that she must stay by his side.
'She… she must be heading to that bastard Kanzou's house,' he realized.
There was no need to question it. The direction she had taken led straight there, and he couldn't imagine any other reason for her to be dressed like that.
"Damn it…" He clenched his fist, anger flaring for reasons he couldn't quite name.
Even though he had annulled the engagement of his own will, and even though he had told himself he was prepared for this, the sight of the woman who should have belonged to him openly and willingly going to his enemy's house dressed like that… like a bride…
It wasn't as if he had feelings for Mikoto, nothing like love, at least. That had never been there, so he had no right to feel anything about who she whores around with… and yet… yet…
A heavy pressure settled in his chest, his thoughts turning bitter, as if an unseen weight had suddenly dropped onto him.
"Fugaku-sama…" Shinkurou called out from behind, his voice tinged with awkwardness.
He could tell that Fugaku was deeply unsettled by the annulment of his engagement to Mikoto. Part of him wanted to ask why Fugaku had made such a decision, but Fugaku's dark mood made it clear that now was not the time.
"Just go home," Fugaku said curtly, unwilling to discuss anything further. He turned away and headed toward his own house.
'I… need a drink,' he thought. He felt an overwhelming urge to drown the weight pressing on his heart and head in alcohol, anything to numb it, even if only for a while.
…
Soon, Mikoto arrived at Kanzou's mansion.
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, she felt a pair of eyes intently watching her every movement, "!!!"
She lifted her gaze toward the source of the sensation and froze.
A pair of three-tomoe Sharingan glowed back at her from within the canopy of a nearby tree, the rest of the figure concealed by leaves and shadow. It was impossible to make out who it was; without those glowing eyes, Mikoto might not have noticed anyone at all.
Then came a sharp cry.
"Caw…!"
A crow perched on the same tree beat its wings, and the sound sent a chill through her spine. 'A crow?'
The memory of the murder of crows she had seen on the day she received those pills flashed through her mind.
'Could this person be…?' Her eyes narrowed as she activated her own Sharingan, focusing harder on the hidden figure.
'They're wearing a mask…'
At that moment, hostility surged from the other party, clear, unmistakable killing intent. Mikoto's posture tightened instantly, her body shifting into readiness.
'An enemy?'
She prepared herself for a fight. A twinge of regret surfaced at not having a weapon on hand, but she pushed it aside. She was a jōnin, she could hold her own. And this was Kanzou's mansion, deep within the Uchiha Compound. If someone tried to attack her here, they wouldn't go unnoticed.
The two of them locked gazes in silence.
Then, without warning, the hostility vanished. The observer withdrew their killing intent, deactivated their Sharingan, and retreated from sight.
"Caw…" The crow took flight as well, disappearing into the sky.
Mikoto frowned slightly, unease settling in. "What was that…?" she murmured, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Enemy or ally, she couldn't tell.
All she knew for certain was that the watcher had been a Uchiha.
'It wasn't someone Fugaku sent to monitor me… or to assassinate Kanzou-sama, was it?' Suspicion flickered briefly, then she shook her head, considering another possibility, '…Or was it one of Kanzou-sama's subordinates?'
The thought seemed increasingly plausible. After all, if the other party was the one who had given her those pills, then they would likely know about the dynamics between her and Kanzou, which is why they retreated.
'If it's one of Kanzou-sama's subordinates, then…' she thought, forcing herself not to dwell on it. She deactivated her Sharingan and continued on her way.
Standing at the door, she raised her hand to ring the bell, then hesitated and let it fall.
Uncertainty clouded her expression. 'Is this… really okay?'
"Why the hesitation?" a voice asked from behind.
Startled, Mikoto turned, wondering if it was that same person again, but when she turned around, she saw Kanzou standing there. "Kanzou-sama… It's you…" she sighed lightly, relieved, and greeted him with a respectful bow, "Good evening…"
"Well now," Kanzou said with a playful smile as he stepped closer, casually wrapping an arm around her waist, and pulling her close to him as he questioned her, "what brings you to my home, Mikoto-san?"
Mikoto stiffened for a brief moment at his touch and being pulled so close, then slowly relaxed.
Her cheeks tinged with pink as she lifted the carefully wrapped package for him to see, and spoke softly, "I… I prepared dinner for you."
"Oh?" Kanzou blinked, genuinely surprised. "Mikoto-san prepared dinner for me… now that is unexpected." His gaze lingered on her as he continued, "But are you sure it's wise to bring dinner to me so openly, and dressed like this…?"
Judging by her appearance, the white kimono, the earrings, the lipstick, the carefully applied makeup, and the way her hair had been styled, she clearly hadn't come merely to deliver a meal.
She looked more like a bride leaving her family home, stepping forward to join her husband's household.
(Image Here)
He cupped her cheek to make her look at him and tilted his head, teasing. "Wouldn't Fugaku-san be unhappy? Or could it be that…" his smile sharpened, "…you're hoping to have an extramarital affair with me? I must admit… that is indeed very exciting… but… aren't you afraid of causing a scandal?"
Mikoto nearly rolled her eyes.
Extramarital affair? Scandal? Weren't those things he should have considered before violating her?
She could also tell he was teasing her; it was obvious from the tone of his voice.
She didn't point it out.
Instead, with an expression that was both saddened and oddly relieved, she spoke softly. "You… you must have heard about the annulment of my engagement with him…"
She never doubted that he knew. Nearly the entire clan was aware. There was no way the news hadn't reached him.
"Hm… yes, I've heard," Kanzou replied, nodding as he casually caressed her back.
His answer made her hesitate, but the question weighing on her mind refused to stay silent.
"Kanzou-sama… this annulment… does it have something to do with you?"
She didn't just believe he knew; she suspected he had a hand in it. Otherwise, why would Fugaku suddenly break off the engagement, and before even becoming clan patriarch? If Fugaku had wanted to end it, logic dictated he should have waited until after securing the position, if only to continue benefiting from her grandfather's support.
In fact, she even believes that he wouldn't want to break it off at all, even after becoming the Patriarch. Annulling the engagement meant risking her grandfather's backing entirely, and without that support, even becoming patriarch wouldn't guarantee he could keep the position.
She couldn't believe Fugaku failed to understand that.
And yet, he had still ended it.
The only explanation she could accept was Kanzou's interference. In the current state of the clan, there was no one with more influence than him, not Fugaku, and not even her grandfather.
So she was convinced Fugaku's decision had been influenced by him.
"As expected of you, Mikoto-san, you figured it out," Kanzou said, praising her without hesitation. He nodded openly. "Yes, it was under my influence that he agreed to annul his engagement with you. Aren't you glad? Now you won't have to worry about marrying that ugly man."
"Yes… I am… relieved," she replied with a nod. And she truly was, though not for the reason he gave.
In fact, the relief ran deeper than that. Still, another concern lingered in her mind. "But… he… he couldn't have agreed so easily, could he?"
Even knowing Kanzou held the greatest influence in the clan and possessed overwhelming strength, she found it hard to believe Fugaku would accept such a demand without resistance.
It angered her deeply to be used as a bargaining chip without anyone even asking for her opinion, leaving her feeling bitter and wronged.
But this wasn't the first time it had happened.
Moreover, as the granddaughter of Tadayoshi, she had been raised with some understanding of politics and knew that something like this was inevitable, and, however unwillingly she may be, she accepted it. She didn't like it, and she knew she couldn't change it.
Still, one question lingered in her mind: what exactly had Kanzou offered in exchange for annulling the engagement?
"Hm… indeed," Kanzou replied calmly. "It didn't come without a price. In exchange, I promised to support him in becoming the next patriarch."
He didn't bother to hide it at all.
"This—" She froze, stunned, completely unprepared to hear that. She shook her head at once. "K-Kanzou-sama… y-you can't…"
She didn't want that, not at all. She didn't want him to support Fugaku's rise to patriarch. Panic edged into her voice as she tried to explain, "I-if he becomes patriarch… the first person he'll try to deal with is y—"
Her words cut off as Kanzou placed a finger against her lips. "Shh…"
"Kanzou-sama, I'm just—" she tried again.
"Shhh—" he interrupted once more, silencing her before she could finish.
'B-but I am just…' she thought, feeling unwilling and aggrieved…
She wanted to tell him that if Fugaku became patriarch, the first person he would target would be Kanzou, and after that, likely her and her grandfather as well. For Kanzou's sake, and for her own family's, she didn't want Fugaku to take that position at all. If anything, she wanted Kanzou to become patriarch instead.
It wasn't ambition driving her. She didn't crave power, nor did she long to be the patriarch's wife. To her, it simply made no sense for anyone but Kanzou to hold that role.
But Kanzou showed no interest in hearing her thoughts.
Ignoring what she was trying to say, he leaned in, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "Mikoto-san… if you can guess that Fugaku-san would come after me first once he becomes patriarch, why do you think I wouldn't make the same guess?"
"Ah…" She reacted at once. 'Of course he would be able to see that,' she thought. He was far too shrewd, far too dangerous, not to grasp something so obvious.
And yet, the thought troubled her. If he could foresee that outcome, why would he still choose to support Fugaku?
Two possibilities surfaced in her mind.
The first made her heart flutter despite herself. 'Is it because he desires me that much?'
If that were true, it would explain everything, and the idea stirred something fragile and emotional inside her.
But she dismissed it almost immediately. Deep down, she knew it wasn't the reason.
While it was true that he desired her, it wasn't to that extent. She didn't make his heart race. He didn't love her. He wasn't even obsessed with her.
To him, she was closer to a toy, something he'd taken a temporary interest in. Or perhaps a better comparison was a canary, as he had told her the last time: a pretty thing he wished to keep caged.
She set that thought aside and turned to the second possibility, that he had plans of his own.
As for what those plans were, she didn't press further. She knew better than to pry. Instead, she felt a quiet sense of relief that he wasn't acting recklessly and said softly, "Just… just please be careful."
In response, Kanzou tilted his head and asked playfully, "Mikoto-san… are you worried about me?"
She blushed at once. "W-well…" She wanted to deny it—
But he cut her off again. "Since I've been honest with you, I want you to be honest with me as well."
Her face heated further. But, after a brief hesitation, she nodded. "I-it's true… I am worried about you."
And she truly was.
Having already resolved to offer him her heart and intending to become his wife, how could she not worry about him? She wanted to stand by his side, to be loyal to him, and to protect what she now believed bound them together.
"Fufu… to think that such a beautiful, graceful woman is worried about me…" he said with a pleased smile. "That makes me happy."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Her eyes widened, her heart giving a sudden, painful throb. Strangely, that simple kiss stirred her more deeply than any kiss on the lips ever had. It made her feel vulnerable, emotional, and too aware of him.
She liked it more than she wanted to admit.
Still, she protested softly, "Kanzou-sama… this… this is unfair…"
And it truly was. This kind of affection, these gentle gestures and quiet compliments, coming from someone who had violated her through coercion, felt deeply unjust, leaving her conflicted and unsettled.
Kanzou chuckled and, setting the matter aside, steered the conversation back. "So… if I remember correctly, you prepared dinner for me and even brought it openly to me… Many Clansmen must have seen you coming to my house… Are you sure about this?"
She pouted slightly. "Since my engagement has been annulled, I don't think I need to worry about such things anymore."
"Hm? That's true," he nodded, then added playfully, "But you came dressed so beautifully while bringing dinner. Is food really the only thing you prepared and brought for me?"
At his question, Mikoto flushed an even deeper red. Too shy to meet his eyes, she spoke in a soft, unsteady voice. "I also… I also intended to…"
"Intended to?" Kanzou prompted, leaning closer.
"Intended to offer myself to you, Kanzou-sama…" she replied quietly, lowering her gaze.
"To offer yourself to me… does that mean you didn't come here just to let me eat the dinner you prepared, but also to let me eat you?" he asked, cupping her cheek.
The way Kanzou spoke made Mikoto bite her lip, shame rising in her chest. Still, she nodded. "T-that's… one way to put it," she admitted softly, then added in a trembling voice, "I… I suppose… I'm the dessert…"
"Fufu… Uchiha Mikoto-san is my dessert today, and she came to me of her own will, that too, dressed like this," Kanzou chuckled. "Fufu, how could I not be excited?" Keeping his arm wrapped around her waist, he slid the door of his house open before gesturing her forward with a faint smile. "Come, my dear canary… this will be your cage from now on."
Mikoto paused at his words, but only for a moment. Then she relaxed and stepped inside, 'It's not as though I haven't already made up my mind…'
…
Inside the house, Mikoto glanced around nervously. It was her first time stepping into Kanzou's home, and the unfamiliar space filled her with a mix of unease and quiet apprehension, especially since she was now alone with him.
"Don't worry," Kanzou said lightly, noticing her tension. "My house isn't haunted." After a pause, he added dryly, "Despite the kind of person I am… It's fairly normal, I suppose."
Mikoto didn't quite know how to respond. His words didn't truly ease her nerves, but she forced herself to steady her breathing and asked softly, "Where would you like to eat?"
She was prepared for what might come later, but she wanted to start with dinner first. A meal, a bit of conversation, anything to calm her racing heart. She needed that.
"The dining area is this way," Kanzou said, leading her into the dining room adjoining the kitchen.
As soon as she looked around, her brows knit slightly. The space wasn't very well arranged, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she said gently, "I'll set up the table."
"You're sure?" Kanzou hesitated. "I mean… It's my house. You might not know where everything is."
"I'll… manage," she replied softly. Part of her wanted to help, and part of her simply needed something to do, to ground herself. Then she added, "Why don't you freshen up in the meantime?"
Kanzou shrugged. "Alright. If you run into any trouble, just wait until I'm back."
"I understand," she nodded.
With that, Kanzou headed toward his bedroom.
Left alone, Mikoto surveyed the room once more and murmured under her breath, "Kanzou-sama… he's probably not very good with household chores…"
She didn't need a second look to confirm it, but didn't dwell on it either.
Setting the neatly wrapped box on the dining table, she began arranging the dining table… preparing for the meal before the fall.
.
.
.
.
Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 72 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]