Read ahead of public release on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/SlytherinManor
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A/N:
[1 ]: As many might have noticed, I changed the numbering of Chapters. Some readers were having a problem with it, so I just decided to change that entirely.
[2]: Previously, I had forgotten to upload a Chapter. I have uploaded it now. It's Chapter - 114: Senpai is such a waste. Please read it.
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A minute later, the stone entrance began to rise again…
"Is it… is it opening…?" Mikoto, who was desperately trying to open the stone entrance but failing, was stunned. She hurriedly stepped back with an anxious expression…
Her heart pounded loudly, her palms grew sweaty in fear, as she kept repeating in her heart, 'Let it be both of them… let it be both… let it be both…' She really hoped that both Kanzou and her grandfather would walk out unscathed…
As she held her breath in apprehension, she noticed Kanzou step out… and he was unscathed.
Seeing him, she felt a mix of relief and fear. He was alright… nothing had happened to him, that relieved her, but the fact that nothing had happened to him… it could also mean something might have happened to her grandfather, and that scared her… Kanzou coming out was indeed not enough… she needed her grandfather out as well… and safely…
But she waited for a few moments, yet saw no sign of her grandfather coming out. That scared her as she asked him timidly, "Kanzou-sama… w-where is Sofu-sama?"
"He is…" murmured Kanzou, turning towards the stairs… "Oh... he is coming," he said.
At that very moment, much to Mikoto's surprise and relief, Tadayoshi also came out of the underground chamber.
As soon as the elder stepped out, he was shocked to see Mikoto just outside the underground chamber. "Mikoto… what are you… doing here…?" Tadayoshi questioned.
The answer was already obvious. She must have realized that something may happen and followed after them with the intention of wanting to interfere should something really happen, but failed to enter the secret chamber underneath the main hall, and was anxiously waiting outside for them to step out.
The moment she saw her grandfather… unscathed, relief washed over her completely.
She was so glad to see both of them safe that the anxiety keeping her tense disappeared. She lost all her strength as her legs trembled, and she almost plopped down on the tatami mat…
But Kanzou wrapped his arm around her waist. "There… I got you…"
Held by him, she showed no sign of struggle; rather, she hugged him tightly, relieved that he was alright, and also grateful that he didn't do anything to her grandfather. "…Out… haah… both are out… safely… thank Kami-sama… haah…" she murmured.
Tadayoshi watched Mikoto with Kanzou… Just looking at how dependent she seemed to be on him, his thoughts churned.
After hesitating for a moment, he made up his mind about something and interrupted them. "Kanzou-kun, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Both Kanzou and Mikoto looked at Tadayoshi. Kanzou questioned with a frown, "Is there something more?"
Tadayoshi looked at Mikoto, who had tears of relief gathering in her eyes, before turning to Kanzou and nodding. "…Yes."
Kanzou sighed in exasperation. "Fine…" he said, and instructed Mikoto, "Wait outside for a moment…"
Mikoto hesitated, clutching onto his yukata, not wanting to be separated from him, and not wanting to leave Kanzou alone with Tadayoshi again, for fear that something might happen again. But one look from him, and she withdrew her hand.
Although reluctantly, she separated from him and then, taking a look at him as well as her grandfather, she stepped outside the main hall of the Shrine, leaving just Kanzou and Tadayoshi. "I… I will be outside…" she reminded them… no… almost pleading at them not to harm each other.
As the gate of the main hall slid closed, Kanzou turned to the elder again. "I wonder what it is that Tadayoshi-sama wishes to speak with me about again?" he questioned.
"…I hope you can treat Mikoto kindly and gently…" he said.
It was obvious at this point that neither Mikoto wanted to separate herself from Kanzou, nor would Kanzou allow her to escape.
At the same time, the elder also realized that getting rid of Kanzou was also impossible. He had some hope of pulling that off in a suicidal attempt earlier when they were isolated in the underground chamber… but after realizing that Kanzou has the Mangekyō Sharingan, Tadayoshi understood that the person he was trying to get rid of was far stronger than he had even imagined.
How did Kanzou awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan that can only be awakened by the loss of someone? Tadayoshi didn't know… what he knew was the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan. With that, Kanzou was almost invincible… he was like Uchiha Madara… that's the feeling Kanzou gave him. Fortunately or unfortunately, there was no Senju Hashirama to keep Uchiha Kanzou in check… thus… whatever may happen in the Shinobi World from now on, that's basically in the hands of Kanzou… getting rid of him? That's impossible…
His suicidal attempt would have only resulted in his own death, and probably nothing would have happened to Kanzou.
Tadayoshi lost the courage and gave up that plan soon as he realized that it was hopeless in every way… at this point, knowing full well that he really could not do anything to protect Mikoto, all he could do was plead for her safety and her happiness, hoping that Kanzou would treat her gently and kindly…
"She's a good child, always has been. Gentle, considerate, devoted, kind-hearted… she never gave me trouble… I can assure you that she wouldn't let you down… please… stop mistreating her…"
"Is that all you had to say?" Kanzou shrugged in boredom. Clearly, he was uninterested in the elder's plea.
How he would treat Mikoto was entirely his decision. Tadayoshi's plea wasn't going to change anything.
As for whether she would let him down or not… Kanzou agreed that she probably wouldn't. Although she failed to go through with what he wanted her to do to complete her evolution, it was only a matter of time… one more proper push, and she'd probably go through with it on the second attempt. He is quite sure.
Once she does go through with it and evolves… then she'd indeed be worthy of him… and at that time… kukuku~
Don't take it the wrong way, while he was definitely a sadist who enjoyed cruelty, that didn't really mean he was cruel to the women whom he completely acknowledged as his own.
Look at Natsuhi, Kurama Uroko, Fūma Misaki… and so on… all of them were his women… which one of them is being treated cruelly by him?
Aside from putting them through some kinky fetishes, he was mostly laid back with them. He didn't even try to control them… and often left them to their own devices.
In hindsight, he was cruel only when he was in the middle of breaking a woman… once the woman in question was completely broken and moulded into his liking, he stopped with the cruelty… It was the breaking and moulding of an innocent that brought the true sadistic pleasure.
Once the process was completed, the pleasure was no longer there... and he'd already be on his way towards the other target.
That's how he has been with all his prey so far.
Similarly, after the breaking and moulding process for Mikoto is completed, and she transforms to his liking, he'd stop being cruel to her.
Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't punish her if she did something against his interest, or disobeyed him, but as long as she didn't do something to demand that, he would even be gentle with her… well, as gentle as a twisted person like him could be.
But that was only after she broke and completed her transformation…
Before that, though… he'd do whatever he liked to her, and nothing Tadayoshi said would make him change his mind.
Tadayoshi sighed at Kanzou's indifferent, bored response. It was obvious that Kanzou wasn't going to listen to him. He'd do as he pleased…
This left him anxious… but even if he felt anxious, there was nothing he could do. He really was powerless…
"Was that all you wished to say? Or is there anything left?" questioned Kanzou, looking at the silent elder.
Tadayoshi opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something… but then sighed and shook his head. "…There is nothing else."
His words, pleas, and requests weren't going to have any meaning, so speaking anything was a waste of time and a waste of breath.
"I see… if there's nothing more, then I guess this discussion ends here…" he said…
Tadayoshi agreed, and then… he began to leave.
Standing at the Torii gate, Tadayoshi looked at Kanzou… as well as Mikoto, who was half hiding behind Kanzou, clutching onto his sleeve and keeping her head lowered, not daring to meet his gaze—obviously because she was still too guilty about that poison tea… and sighed.
He could really never stop worrying about her… no matter how much he tried.
After a moment of silence, he said to her, "…Mikoto… let me take one last look at you…"
"..." Mikoto didn't listen and kept her head lowered… she really didn't dare to meet his eyes. She was too ashamed of being the granddaughter who almost poisoned her grandfather… her only family… her only relative...
Since Mikoto didn't want to, Tadayoshi didn't push her. He raised his hand, bringing it towards her… but noticing her flinch fearfully, he sighed, withdrew it back, and said nothing more to her, and just looked at Kanzou. "…Take good care of her."
Even though he knew that it was pointless to say that to Kanzou, he still repeated it.
"Haaa…" Kanzou yawned, already feeling tired of this melodrama and wondering if he should just put an end to it right at this moment.
All he'd have to do is kill the frail old man… it wouldn't even take any effort, and if he killed Tadayoshi right here and now, before Mikoto, with drops of blood splattering on her face, she'd definitely awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, right?
'But that'd be boring…' he thought, and while this was efficient, it was not interesting enough, so he didn't go through with it and simply watched the elder turn around and climb down the stairs of the Naka Shrine… leaving…
It was only after Tadayoshi was further away that Mikoto finally dared to raise her head and look at his back… it seemed depressed and saddened… hopeless and small, and looking at that back, she felt sad…
"Sofu-sama…" she mumbled, tremblingly.
"It's too late to respond now…" he said.
Mikoto bit her lip and didn't give any response.
Kanzou shrugged, changing the topic. "Anyway… aren't you curious about what Tadayoshi-sama wanted to show me or what happened at the underground chamber?" he questioned.
Mikoto would be lying if she said that she wasn't curious… After all, she was worried that something unthinkable might happen there. As a result, both walked out unscathed, nothing really happened, and she was worrying for nothing…
Of course, she was glad that nothing unthinkable happened… but she was also curious what actually happened there and what it was that her grandfather brought him here to show… and what's hidden in that underground chamber.
But she also understood that she couldn't just ask him about it… That would mean stepping out of line. Whether as a kunoichi or as a woman, she was taught not to step out of line… it has been ingrained into her bones from a very young age.
Therefore, all she said was, "Only if it's something I should know…"
She was smart enough to understand that if Kanzou wanted to tell her, he'd tell her on his own, and she'd listen as she should, but she wouldn't pry.
"Come… I'll show you…" He said, and turning around, walked back inside the Shrine.
Mikoto took one more look at the distant back of her grandfather before following after Kanzou.
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While Kanzou took Mikoto to the underground chamber beneath the Naka Shrine, Tadayoshi stopped at a tea shop.
It was the tea shop run by Uchiha Kaede… and it was also the very tea shop that Fugaku had called Mikoto over to end their engagement after being tempted by Kanzou to sell her out by falsely promising him that he would be supported for the position of the Patriarch.
Today, Tadayoshi also stopped by here…
"Welcome… ahh… It's Tadayoshi-sama…!" Kaede greeted the older man in surprise.
Tadayoshi smiled politely and took one of the seats, ordering tea.
"Only tea? Would you like something else to go with it?" asked Kaede.
"Sugar is too much for me at my age… Just tea would do…" Tadayoshi said, and added, "By the way, can I get a pen and some paper to write…?"
"Oh… pen and paper…?" Kaede murmured and immediately handed him the small notepad she used to write down the orders along with the pen. "Here it is…" she said.
"Thank you…" he said politely, taking the notepad and the pen and taking a seat while Kaede went inside to prepare tea for him.
Holding the pen in his hand… the elder hesitated a moment before he began to write. "… Mikoto… by the time you read this… I would have already—"
At some point, as Tadayoshi was writing, Kaede brought over tea. "Here is your tea, Tadayoshi-sama…"
She placed the tea while curiously taking a look at what the elder was writing.
"That's not very polite…" Tadayoshi scolded her while also covering the page with his hand.
"I am very young… and I still have a lot to learn," she responded, tilting her head cutely.
Tadayoshi felt that the girl was probably too smart for her age, and also a little shameless to be able to say that. But he didn't comment on it and just wanted the girl to be away so that he could continue to write…
Fortunately for him, a few other people also walked into the tea shop at that time, who attracted Kaede's attention away… but unfortunately for him, they also knew him and, noting his presence, came to greet him. "Ahh… How unexpected to have run into Tadayoshi-sama here…"
Tadayoshi greeted them while continuing to cover the notepad.
After talking a few words with him, these ninjas, sensing that Tadayoshi was not much interested in talking about anything with them and was busy with something, sat at another table and gave their orders to Kaede.
Tadayoshi, while occasionally listening to their conversation, went back to writing.
"—do not give up your agency, and in the end, I only wish for you to live proudly without losing yourself."
Once he was finished writing, he tore the pages from the notepad, folded them neatly, and wrapped them all up into a normal-looking letter with Mikoto's name written over it.
Then he picked up the pen again and began to write another letter, this one was addressed to Kanzou. "—This will surely let Mikoto have what you want her to... and I hope you'd treat her respectfully."
Having written everything he had wanted, Tadayoshi finished the tea, then, noticing that Kaede wasn't there, he placed a thousand ryō bill on the table with both the letters underneath it, spoke a few words with the ninjas, and finally left the tea shop.
A minute after the elder left the tea shop, Kaede came out with tea and snacks for the other ninjas and noticed the elder's absence.
"Is Tadayoshi-sama already gone?" she murmured.
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DING~DONG!
The doorbell of Uchiha Shinkurou's house rang.
The ninja soon opened the door and was stunned to see the person visiting him. "T-Tadayoshi-sama? W-what are you doing here?" he asked vigilantly.
'He didn't figure out that it was me who delivered that scroll to him, did he?' he thought to himself before denying the possibility. 'That's impossible… I didn't even come into contact with him!'
He felt that it shouldn't be the reason. But he still felt tense and waited for the elder's response.
It's a pity that the elder's response was exactly what he feared. "I have to talk about the small scroll that you delivered to me…" said Tadayoshi, and while Shinkurou was stunned to hear that and panicked, Tadayoshi activated his Sharingan and, drawing out a Kunai, lunged at Shinkurou. "Die… you traitor to the Clan!"
Pufff!
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A/N:
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