Chapter 20: Etsuyo

Zei released his grip on Yasushi's neck, allowing him to stumble onto the ground, coughing and gasping for air. As he regained his breath, he looked up, his eyes locked on Kaname. She stood there, dressed in a loosely fitted, white lace strapless frock, her eyes brimming with tears as she met Yasushi's gaze. Behind her, Lee entered, leading a partially naked woman, with a sack over her head, rope binding her wrists and bloody craving seeped into her feeble clothing. Burns, lacerations, and bruises covered her body; dried blood stained the insides of her pelvis, thighs, and legs.

 The sight of the three newcomers sent a wave of excitement through Zei's subordinates, who roared with glee. Zei rose from his seat, arms spread wide in a mockingly welcoming gesture. "Little one, come here and sit on my lap! You're just in time for tonight's entertainment!" he announced, his voice deceptively enthusiastic.

Kaname proceeded as instructed, but as she grew closer to Yasushi, catching sight of him still on the ground, she hesitated. Yasushi shook his head in a silent plea telling her to not obey. 

Seeing Kaname's hesitation instantaneously changed Zei's demeanor. His welcoming posture dissolved, motioning his hands to his face in irritation. Peering at her through his fingers, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Surely you've learned your lesson by now on what happens when you disobey me little one."

Yasushi's heart pounded upon hearing Zei's words. He desired to call out in comfort to her, but in fear for her safety kept silent, looking down to the floor beneath. 

The cavernous room fell silent as Lee kicked the woman forward, causing her to stumble. The sack over her head shifted slightly, revealing a glimpse of beaten skin underneath. Kaname's eyes hardened, her small frame shuddering with dread.

Zei took a menacing step towards Kaname. "Don't make me repeat myself." His voice boomed through the room, "COME... HERE... NOW!"

Withdrawing her focus from Yasushi, skimming past him as she rushed over to Zei. As she neared, Zei sat back on his throne. Once close enough, Zei lifted her gently by her waist, placing her on his lap as he sat.  "You're an absolute beauty for being so young. Makes sense why that boy is so smitten by you."

Yasushi stood upright, rubbing his neck with his right hand, eyes glaring at Zei's taunting expression. Anger and helplessness warred within him as he watched Zei place his hand on Kaname's head, caressing her hair. The gesture only served to further irritate Yasushi, his fists clenching at his sides.

Zei laughed, releasing the built-up tension in the room. His amusement permitted the continuance of his subordinate rambunctious engagements. "He thinks you're going to be his one day. Once that happens, do you know what men do to women that are theirs' little one?" Zei inquired, voice caulked with a disconcerting admiration. He continued to caress Kaname's hair, his eyes examining every nuance of her stricken expression. Kaname remained still and silent, her gaze locked with Zei's, unbothered to look away. 

I can't put my finger on it, but there's something really off about this little girl. 

Peering deeper into Kaname's eyes, a sense of dismay began to flood Zei with each passing second.

"Stop it, you sick Bastard!" Yasushi's voice broke through, disrupting his thoughts. Zei paused, his eyes slowly shifting from Kaname to Yasushi. A brutish grin played across his lips as he raised his other hand, signaling to Lee without breaking eye contact with Yasushi. Lee, understanding the silent command, roughly guided the woman to the center of the room.

The gathered crowd of subordinates raged with excitement, forming a spacious circle around her. The torchlight flickered, casting long, dancing silhouettes across the stone floor.

Zei leaned back against his chair, the ornate carvings seeming to writhe in the unsteady light. He pulled Kaname closer, his actions casual yet possessive. "I already told ya kid, I have no desires for children. So, do not compare me to those deranged idiots."

With exaggerated nonchalance, Zei raised his left hand to his ear, using his pinky finger to scratch the insides as he spoke. "HA! But you got one thing right!" Pulling his pinky out to blow away the waste, he unexpectedly burst into harsh laughter, " HAHAHAHA I may be a sick bastard, but I'm a sick bastard that loves money HAHAHA!"

Yasushi watched on in disdain, the crowd joining in on the laughter, somehow adding an unsettling energy to the room. As Zei's laughter subsided, he glanced downward to wipe the remaining waste onto his pants, completely devoid of Yasushi's raising defiance. "Stop worrying about stupid shit. I'm a businessman at the end of the day. Little one here, made me aaaallloottt of money. Her new owner requires her to be in mint condition."

Shifting his glance back towards Yasushi, Zei's grin widened, revealing teeth that gleamed in the torchlight. "As for you… I may like you kid, but if you raise your voice at me one more time, I'll make sure you do a couple rounds at my favorite hotel in the Redlight district. I know several customers who love boys like you."

Yasushi stepped aside, breaking his rebellious glare from Zei. The tension in the room retracted as the woman stood at the center of the opening. Zei's subordinates pressed closer to each other, drunken by their excitement and anticipation.

"Remove the bag and let the entertainment begin!" Zei's shouted, the room erupting in a clatter of cheers and perverted encouragements. 

Lee grabbed the sack, and with a dramatic flourish, he yanked it away. 

Tears stung the corners of Yasushi's eyes as he recognized the woman's face 

ETSUYO!!

Kaname's guardian stood wobbly, her face swollen and brutalized. Her eyes, though filled with pain, still held a bolshie spark as she surveyed the room.

Yasushi turned to Zei, falling to his knees and pressing his forehead to the cold stone floor. "Please," he adjured, his voice cracking with desperation. "I beg you! Please let her go. Please, don't do this!"

Zei huffed at Yasushi's pathetic attempt to deter him. "Do what? I didn't do anything." Rolling his eye upwards, he snickered in aggravation. "…You see, it's little one's here fault. She refused to be obedient, so I showed her what happens to bad girls." Cutting his eyes back downward at Yasushi's pitiful display, he shrugged. "After I was done with her, I gave her to my minions. As you can see, they don't know how to treat a lady."

Slowly, Yasushi lifted his head, body trembling. The realization of his powerlessness struck him like a physical blow. Kaname looked down, tilting her head away scene with her eyes closed.

Noticing Kaname's attempt to disconnect from the scene, Zei lifted his left index and pointer fingers, gently placing it on Kaname's chin, and maneuvering her face upward. "Aww, little one. Don't do that. Open those beautiful eyes! Trust me when I say… you aren't gonna want to miss this."

The room was belligerent and quarrelsome as the crowd's impatience wore thin, eager for the entertainment to begin. Yasushi, unable to stand, sat upright on his knees. Zei's gaze shifted to the distraught Yasushi, satisfied with his humbled display."Now! Let's have some fun, shall we? Bring in the troll!" 

Zei's order rang out, eliciting a devilish grin of excitement from the crowd. "Everyone! I was told that the woman you see before you was handpicked by the vile King Chika himself to protect these children."

 Lee stepped back, positioning 2 fingers into his mouth before releasing a screeching whistle. Several seconds of tense silence passed before a new sound filtered through the air - loud, thunderous footsteps that shook the very ground. As the ominous steps grew closer, Lee swiftly cut the rope binding Etsuyo's wrists. He then pulled out his sword, tossing it to the ground at her feet. 

"So, understandably she must have some capable strength." Zei's taunting words were met with hysterical laughter from his subordinates, their humor mixed with the rhythmic thuds of the nearing troll.

In spite of her injuries, Etsuyo's demeanor stood firm. Anger and humiliation fueled her as she steadied herself, spitting defiantly onto the ground toward Lee before standing proudly upright. Her eyes blazed with resolve.

Etsuyo's bold gesture lit up Zei's eyes. "I hereby make a wager." His grin widened at the announcement, his voice carrying easily over the growing commotion. 

"Woman! if you defeat our pet troll… I'll release both you and the children. 

You'll have your lives…Your freedom…the instant the creature is dead."

- -