An Imperfect Science | Ikemen Sengoku

Chapter 53

「Wake up, Akechi Mitsuhide. There is work to be done.」

The white-haired man blinked open amber eyes in the soft morning light and let out a groan. There was a noxious smell emanating from a small, open bottle beneath his nostrils, but he did no more than wrinkle his nose. This bottle was held by a beautiful dark-haired man in an aqua-green kimono, but Mitsuhide couldn't see that. The state of his sight had not been improved by his unwilling nap.

「Imagawa Yoshimoto, I presume?」he said calmly.

The nominal head of the Imagawa clan narrowed his luminous gold eyes. He drew the bottle away from Mitsuhide's face. At the same time, he waved his other hand in front of that unfocused gaze, but there was no discernible response. The kitsune simply stared into nothingness.

Yoshimoto's lips quirked into a bemused smile, 「We have never met, have we?」

「I have not had the pleasure, no,」said Mitsuhide, 「I assume this is Ieyasu's doing.」

「Your reputation is well earned, I see.」

Mitsuhide sat up carefully, 「You are the obvious choice. He's never given me the impression that he considers you an enemy.」

Yoshimoto's bemused smile grew wistful, 「I am merely a ghost. Ghosts don't have enemies.」

Mitsuhide rubbed his face tiredly and dragged a hand through the knots in his hair. His cheeks were flushed, a startling wash of bright scarlet against his pale skin. His breaths came in shallow, quick pants.

「When did he leave?」he asked.

Yoshimoto sighed and his beautiful face drew into a worried frown, 「That's the problem. He didn't.」

Mitsuhide looked directly at Yoshimoto. And even though he couldn't see, Yoshimoto still looked distinctly uncomfortable under that blind gaze, silently asking him to elaborate.

「He asked me to wake you after sunrise if I didn't hear from him. He suspected that she was planning something. I assume that he intended to detain her or deter her or, failing that, go with her. But when I arrived... I found both of you unconscious.」

In that moment, Yoshimoto Imagawa got to witness something few people had seen before. The kitsune's eyes widened and his face was overcome with pure, unadulterated panic. Then his expression hardened into something impenetrable, as if he had no emotions at all. He rose to his feet with a groan.

「Take me to him.」

Yoshimoto placed his hand around Mitsuhide's arm and guided him out to the main room. Ieyasu lay on the floor, sleeping peacefully, his blond hair in disarray and his golden kimono crumpled. His haori had been rolled up and placed carefully under his head.

「You tried to wake him?」asked Mitsuhide.

Sasuke looked up from the table. A motley assortment of jars and vials and paper sachets were scattered in front of him. There was a tension to his otherwise expressionless face. He nodded silently. Yoshimoto made a subtle gesture towards Mitsuhide's eyes.

「Ah, I'm sorry. Yes. I tried a few things that I recognised but I don't know what most of these do. And, if you'll forgive my bluntness, it seems you'll be no help.」

Mitsuhide sighed, 「Damn it, mouse. 」

The kitsune sank to his knees next to Ieyasu. Pale hair fell over his eyes as he reached out, touching the doctor's arm and shoulder, orientating himself. He placed two fingers against the unconscious man's pulse. He waited for the space of a few heartbeats.