Chapter 121. Tranquility Is What’s Common in Married Life

Chapter 121. Tranquility Is What's Common in Married Life

"..."

Ian looked at Minamoto no Raikou before him, slightly puzzled, and asked:

"My lady, why did you suddenly have such thoughts?"

"Because—"

Minamoto no Raikou took Ian's hand.

"If the boy has already become an orphan… then I think at the very least, we should grant him nominal protection. That way, he won't be bullied anymore."

"Furthermore."

Minamoto no Raikou placed her hand on her stomach, her expression somewhat contemplative.

"Danna-sama, because I am busy with state affairs, we practically have no time to have children."

"So as a replacement, I think we should at least have a child who listens to you, someone who can do something for you."

Minamoto no Raikou was not someone overflowing with maternal love. (Note: I doubt.)

The reason she adopted Watanabe no Tsuna could be said to stem from personal benefit, even bordering on selfishness.

But upon closer thought, this was actually the best course of action for both sides.

After all, in exchange,

Watanabe no Tsuna would gain the protection of the Genji title;

While Ian and Minamoto no Raikou would gain an absolutely loyal son.

There was nothing to hesitate about in this matter.

"I understand."

Ian looked at the woman before him.

"Since my lady has thought this through for me, of course, I should gladly accept."

[You and Minamoto no Raikou have decided to adopt Watanabe no Tsuna as your foster son.]

[Minamoto no Mitsunaka has no objections to this matter.]

[Just as Minamoto no Raikou said, he is indeed a very understanding father who fully comprehends the difficulties you both face.]

[After discussion, you and Minamoto no Raikou also decided to give Watanabe no Tsuna a special gift during the adoption ceremony.]

[It was the trust that the two of you placed in him.]

"Foster father, foster mother."

Watanabe no Tsuna bowed before the two of them and then respectfully spoke.

"Umu." Ian nodded slightly.

"From now on, you are our foster son."

"Moreover—"

He looked at Minamoto no Raikou beside him, and the two exchanged a nod.

"Your mother and I have also prepared a gift for you."

"A gift?"

Watanabe no Tsuna was slightly surprised.

Just being adopted into the Genji clan was already an enormous stroke of fortune for him.

He hadn't expected to receive a gift on top of that.

"That's right."

Ian looked straight at his foster son, his expression turning more serious.

"Let the past be sealed away along with that discarded, broken sword."

"Then—"

Ian took a sword from the stand beside him.

It was one of the renowned katana of the Genji clan—'Higekiri'.

"Let your future begin with this blade."

"..."

Staring at the katana placed in his hands, Watanabe no Tsuna was first stunned, then immediately realized its weight.

For someone outside the clan to receive a renowned sword of the Genji family…

What immense trust this was.

"I…"

Watanabe no Tsuna knelt before Ian and Minamoto no Raikou.

"Once I have avenged my great vendetta, I will devote my entire being to the great cause of the Genji."

[Watanabe no Tsuna was not just making empty promises.]

[After becoming your foster son, he—who was already diligent—became even more committed.]

[He even took the initiative to move out of the mansion, just to have a quiet environment where he could master the sword techniques you taught him as soon as possible.]

[You and Minamoto no Raikou took note of all of this.]

[The two of you knew that you had made a completely correct decision—in the future, the Genji clan would surely have an outstanding general.]

[And the two of you also enjoyed a relatively leisurely period of time.]

"Danna-sama, not having time to bear a child for you is truly a painful thing."

"It's alright, my lady's hands are wonderful too."

"Is that so? Then please enjoy it to the fullest, Danna-sama."

The burning, snow-white warmth was proof of their love.

The Grand Onmyoji felt no dissatisfaction at all.

[Even though life seemed to have returned to its previous peaceful state.]

[You never forgot the questions you needed to ponder.]

[What kind of demon had massacred Watanabe no Tsuna's family?]

[What exactly was the secret hidden within Minamoto no Raikou?]

[And furthermore… what was that forgotten memory?]

[You are striving to find the answers to all of these.]

A Tranquil House in the Heart of Heian-kyo

"Tsuna."

"Foster father, why have you come here?" Watanabe no Tsuna, in the midst of swinging his sword, was slightly surprised.

Ian smiled calmly.

"Still as diligent as ever."

"I happened to be passing by, so I thought I'd drop in and see you."

"This—"

"I'll go make tea right away!"

"No need." Ian stopped Watanabe no Tsuna, who was hurrying to show his respect.

"I only have a few questions for you."

"I see… I understand."

Watanabe no Tsuna looked at his foster father.

"May I ask what it's about? I will answer seriously."

"Umu… Do you still remember the demon that once harmed you?"

"..."

If it were before, Watanabe no Tsuna would have definitely been very reluctant to answer this question.

But fortunately, he was no longer afraid of his past.

"Foster father, though I very much wish to help you…"

"The truth is, I don't remember much."

"It's alright, just tell me whatever you can recall." Ian deliberately softened his voice so that Watanabe no Tsuna wouldn't feel pressured.

"In that case—"

Watanabe no Tsuna thought for a moment, then replied.

"The demon I remember had golden hair and golden eyes."

"As for its build… it seemed to be rather small."

"Right, I think it could also breathe fire?"

Admittedly—

Watanabe no Tsuna's descriptions were so minimal that they resembled a matchmaking note that simply read, "look female enough."

But that was understandable.

After all, what he remembered was from a moment of terror, so its practical value was naturally quite limited.

However, Ian noticed something unusual.

It was as if he completely understood the demon that Watanabe no Tsuna was describing.

"Tsuna, wait for me a moment."

[You begin sketching.]

[You have created an illustration of the demon.]

[You show the drawing to Watanabe no Tsuna.]

"This…"

Looking at the painting before him, Watanabe no Tsuna displayed an expression of utter astonishment.

"Foster father, could it be that you have seen this demon before?"

"No." Ian shook his head.

"I drew it based on my own feeling."

"How is it? How closely does it resemble the demon in your memory?"

"I can only say—it's identical."

["Eternally Concealed Secret" has been enhanced to "Eternally Concealed Secret+": You feel that this drawing ability is somewhat strange, as it does not originate from your own memories.]

[You instruct Watanabe no Tsuna to rest well, then leave his private residence.]

[You seek out a relatively quiet place.]

[You need to sort through the thoughts in your mind.]

This was no coincidence.

After Watanabe no Tsuna described his impression, Ian found that the demon's form surfaced vividly in his mind.

This state was entirely different from when he had guided Minamoto no Raikou before.

Back then, his abilities stemmed from what he had learned about onmyojutsu.

But this time was different.

Ian felt that it was beyond the scope of the knowledge he had acquired.

Just what was happening?

[You sit silently on the streets of Heian-kyo for the entire afternoon.]

[You still cannot come up with an explanation for all of this.]

[You return to the mansion.]

[You recount everything to Minamoto no Raikou.]

"Oh... so that's how it is?"

Minamoto no Raikou looked at Ian, then gently tapped his forehead.

"You're such a little fool."

"Is this really something worth worrying about?"

"Being able to immediately associate descriptions with some kind of yokai or oni— isn't that an ability to be proud of?"

"This is a talent granted by the heavens to an Onmyoji."

"Why should you be sad about it?"

"..."

Just one sentence from Minamoto no Raikou made Ian feel much better.

"My lady, you're right."

"Indeed, I shouldn't be troubled by this."

"But—"

Ian looked at Minamoto no Raikou before him, amusement flashing in his eyes.

"The way you spoke just now was quite interesting."

"It was like you were learning how to be a mother."

"Eh?"

Exposed, Minamoto no Raikou looked a bit flustered.

"Danna-sama, you noticed?"

"Umu, isn't it obvious?" Ian looked at her. "After all, you even used the words 'little fool' just now."

"..."

Hearing his reasoning, Minamoto no Raikou grew even more embarrassed.

"So... does Danna-sama find it unpleasant when I do this?"

"No." Ian shook his head.

"If this is what you want to do, then as your husband, I should accept it."

"It's just—"

"I still want to know why you had such thoughts— why you wanted to talk to me as a 'mother'."

"This..."

Minamoto no Raikou lowered her head, then spoke softly.

"Because I feel a little guilty."

"Guilty?"

"Umu." Minamoto no Raikou nodded slightly. "As your wife, I should be bearing children for you at this time."

"But for various reasons, I cannot do that."

"So I wanted to offer this bit of affection to Danna-sama instead."

"My lady." Ian responded to Minamoto no Raikou.

"I've already told you, I don't mind that at all."

"Besides, it's not as if you haven't fulfilled your role as a wife, have you?"

"As the eldest daughter of the Seiwa Genji clan, you cannot be so weak."

"... I suppose you're right." Minamoto no Raikou became even more embarrassed. "I've made a fool of myself before Danna-sama."

"Let's just say I was joking a little."

After speaking, Minamoto no Raikou noticed Ian looking at her with a somewhat strange expression.

"What is it?"

"No." Ian shook his head.

"What concerns me isn't that."

"I just want to know— does my lady truly intend to give up treating me like a 'child'?"

"But doesn't Danna-sama dislike that?"

"I never said I disliked it."

Ian's gaze shifted toward Minamoto no Raikou's chest.

"I just don't want my lady to become weak because of me."

"As for this kind of treatment—"

"Being able to enjoy two different kinds of love at the same time, why not?"

["Strange Couple" achieved: You and Minamoto no Raikou have reached a secret agreement, making your marital relationship somewhat 'deviant.']

[In reality, this is merely a small indulgence between husband and wife.]

[To outsiders, you are a couple who respect each other, harmonizing like a perfect duet, inspiring admiration.]

[But when night falls, the two of you occasionally comfort each other in an unusual way.]

"Oka-san, is this amount of pressure alright?"

"Umu, it's just right."

The sound of slippery liquid echoed.

Everything was enveloped in pure white.

"Oka-san can feel something warm now."

Whether it was the warmth between husband and wife or the love of a mother, Minamoto no Raikou wanted to dedicate it all to Ian alone.

[Thanks to this peculiar relationship, Minamoto no Raikou's mental state has improved considerably.]

[And you can continue investigating the question that has been troubling you.]

[That is— the true origins of Minamoto no Raikou.]

[However, this matter is not as simple as it seems.]

[Even the arts of the Onmyoji, despite the cost of lifespan, could not uncover the truth, let alone ordinary spells.]

[That said, it does not mean you have gained nothing at all.]

"Have you heard?"

"Lately, it seems like demons have been appearing again."

"That's right... It's best to avoid going out at night."

[You realize that Heian-kyo has once again become a gathering place for yokai and oni.]

[Fortunately, Watanabe no Tsuna has fully mastered his skills.]

[He has taken on the task of exorcising demons at night in your stead, swinging his blade in the darkness of Heian-kyo.]

[At the same time, Minamoto no Raikou's political standing continues to rise.]

[More and more people, drawn by her reputation, begin to gather around.]

[You and Minamoto no Raikou have chosen two young men, Urabe no Suetake and Usui no Sadamitsu, as your adopted sons.]

[Of course, this was also a mutually beneficial arrangement.]

[Just like Watanabe no Tsuna, they each have their own reasons for hunting demons.]

[The so-called "adopted sons"—on the surface, you and Minamoto no Raikou are their protectors.]

[But in truth, you are secretly nurturing them into talents who can serve the Seiwa Genji clan.]

[Your plan has been a great success.]

[Both Urabe no Suetake and Usui no Sadamitsu have proven to be rare and exceptional talents.]

[And the families backing them are also worth maintaining ties with for the Genji clan.]

[This is a mutually beneficial situation.]

[However, a serious problem still looms before you— the origin of the demons remains unknown.]

[If the root of is not found, no matter how many yokai are slain, it will be meaningless.]

[For they will endlessly regenerate through these "grudge"]

[You will never allow any yokai to disturb the peace of Heian-kyo.]

[This is the land you and she share together.]

[Minamoto no Raikou notices your growing impatience.]

"Danna-sama, you should take some time to rest."

"No, my lady, I still haven't found the source of the 'grugde'."

"Then let our adopted sons search for it."

"After all, they have already mastered their skills, haven't they?"

Minamoto no Raikou rarely spoke with such seriousness.

"Danna-sama."

"The reason I accepted them as our adopted sons was also so you could rest a little more, wasn't it?"

"..."

"I understand."

Ian accepted Minamoto no Raikou's concern.

The more one desperately chases after something, the more elusive it becomes.

But in an unexpected moment, it may present itself.

A few days later.

Usui no Sadamitsu hurriedly ran up to Ian.

"Foster father, I have captured a golden-haired demon."

"A golden-haired demon?" Ian was slightly surprised.

"Yes." Usui no Sadamitsu nodded.

"He says his name is Kintarou."