After landing on Hachijo Island.
It's early morning; the sun hasn't risen yet, which is the perfect time for fishing.
Mitsuko discovered that Hachijo Island, a place where fishing is the main livelihood, had only a handful of people in its port, which should have been bustling with activity.
Only a few fishermen were packing their nets in preparation for going out to sea to fish, and everyone looked flustered.
The sky was already beginning to lighten, and Mitsuko needed to find a place to hide from the sun immediately.
Mitsuko stepped forward and asked a fisherman, "Uncle, is there any hotel still open on the island?"
The fisherman with a full beard looked at Mitsuko incredulously: "You just arrived at Hachijo Island, kid?"
Mitsuko nodded and said, "Yes, I just arrived at Hachijo Island by boat."
"Are you out of your mind? Why did you come to Hachijo Island of all places?!" The fishermen were extremely shocked that Yu Mitsuko had come to Hachijo Island.
Mitsuko asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
The fisherman looked conflicted, wanting to say something to Mitsuko, but his expression was somewhat frightened. He stammered, "It's nothing, but I advise you to leave right now. This island is not safe."
"Uncle, I've been on a boat all night and I'm exhausted. There are no boats going back right now, so I'm thinking of finding a hotel to rest for a bit and then leaving as soon as it gets light."
"The only inn still open now is the one run by the Iguro family. It's almost dawn, so it should be safe. Just keep walking along this road until you see a brightly lit house; that's the inn."
After looking around, the fisherman whispered to Mitsuko, "Child, when you get to that inn, no matter who says anything to you, remember, don't pay any attention. Rest until dawn and then leave."
"I'll remember that, thank you, uncle."
After bowing slightly to the fishermen to express his gratitude, Mitsuko headed to the inn that the fishermen had indicated.
Following the fisherman's directions, Mitsuko soon came to a brightly lit house.
The plaque above the door reads "Iguro Inn".
This hotel looks magnificent from the outside, completely out of place with the other buildings around it.
Upon entering the hotel, Mitsuko was surprised by its interior design.
It's simply too luxurious. Such lavish decorations would be normal in a big city, but on Hachijo Island, a small island where fishing is the main means of livelihood, it seems quite unusual.
Soon, two women dressed in expensive and beautiful kimonos and holding round fans came to greet them.
"I didn't expect such a handsome young man to come to my door in the early hours of the morning."
"Would you like to stay at a hotel? If you'd like to share a room with me, that's perfectly fine~"
The two women teased Mitsuko relentlessly.
Mitsuko remained unmoved and said bluntly, "I'm here to stay at the hotel, and I only need a regular room."
After paying, the two women teased Mitsuko while leading him to a room.
Before leaving, she gave Mitsuko a flirtatious wink and teased, "If you change your mind, you can come find me, and I'll get you a bigger room."
After the two women left, Mitsuko closed the door and pondered what had just happened.
The hotel's room rate is not high; for such a luxurious hotel, the price is ridiculously cheap.
When Mitsuko entered the hotel and followed the two women to their room, all the rooms they passed were empty.
Furthermore, the size and furnishings of the room where Mitsuko lived were almost identical to those of the empty rooms.
The two women, however, went to great lengths to choose this room, which was located very far inside, for Mitsuko.
It seemed like it was done on purpose.
Furthermore, the fearful expressions on the fishermen's faces when they first arrived at Hachijo Island, and their specific instructions to ignore whatever anyone said after arriving at the inn run by the Iguro family, all suggest that this island is controlled by the Iguro family.
Before coming to Hachijo Island, according to the information given to Mitsuko by the old man who left Hachijo Island.
The Iguro family consists of only about fifty people, all of whom are women; there is not a single man among them.
So how did the Iguro family manage to control Hachijo Island, a place with hundreds, nearly a thousand people, with only fifty-odd members?
Furthermore, if the Iguro family consists only of women, how did the family continue to exist?
Thinking of those two wanton women from earlier, Mitsuko realized a possibility.
Borrowing sperm.
But if it's about artificial insemination, how could there not be any male babies born for hundreds of years?
Either the women of the Iguro family have special genes that allow them to give birth to only female infants.
Or... the Iguro family abandoned the newborn boy.
After thinking for a while, Mitsuko began to look around at the furnishings in the room.
Whether it's the teapot, the patterns on the bed sheet, or the paintings hanging on the wall, everything is related to snakes.
When a normal person runs a hotel, the items they use and the decorations they display should all be items that make customers feel comfortable.
It was all about snakes; just looking at it was creepy.
Moreover, Mitsuko noticed a very well-hidden small hole in the door, something that a legitimate hotel owner wouldn't do.
The sky outside gradually brightened.
Pedestrians gradually appeared on the streets.
Mitsuko observed the pedestrians on the street through the gap in the curtains.
Mitsuko noticed that whenever these pedestrians passed by the inn, they all lowered their heads and quickened their pace to leave, as if they were deeply wary.
Several other women, dressed similarly to the two women from before, also entered the inn.
All these strange occurrences led Mitsuko to conclude that the Iguro family had a serious problem.
For an all-female family to stand strong for over three hundred years, there must be someone supporting them behind the scenes.
And as the old man said, there would be the sound of some kind of giant creature crawling back and forth at night. Mitsuko also wanted to see what kind of creature it was.
Mitsuko's eyes were filled with interest as he muttered to himself, "This Hachijo Island is getting more and more interesting."
Although he didn't know if it was related to demons, Mitsuko decided to continue investigating.
Time was ticking away, second by second.
Finally, the sun set and night fell.
Just as Mitsuko was about to leave the room to go for a walk on the island, he suddenly noticed some noise outside the door.
Mitsuko pretended not to know anything, poured himself a glass of water and drank it, then peeked discreetly through the small hole in the door.
Sure enough, the faint light coming through the small hole was blocked, indicating that someone was spying on Mitsuko.
Mitsuko, whose hearing is more sensitive than that of humans, pricked up his ears and heard the murmurs outside the door.
"This young man is indeed very handsome."
"It's been a long time since Hachijo Island has had a man of this quality. It's enough to make my mouth water."
"The Snake Demon will surely love the child he bears."
"Don't just stand there and refuse to let me see!"
"Keep it down. If we're discovered to have escaped, nobody will get it!"
"Let's go first, we'll come back after he falls asleep."
...