Tsuki ✔️COMPLETE

Chapter 20: Daio

He shuddered at the thought. Why on earth would he want to marry his cousin? Not even totally securing the throne to their family line through both blood and marriage was worth that.

"That might be him." Setsu said, shifting his weight to his other foot casually. "He knows to look for me. You're just a bonus today."

"What's his name?" Takumi whispered urgently, looking around for the white clothing.

"Zukayaku. Coming down the street now, left hand side."

Takumi saw him, looking at the floor to carefully avoid slipping. When he looked up, he saw Zukayaku had dark brown, hooded eyes with substantial dark circles. He had a smooth, straight nose that sat low and wide, and his rough looking skin was the colour of aged parchment. Under his hood was thick, choppy, charcoal coloured hair. While he was definitely Takumi's age, he had lived a much rougher life.

"Tasetsumoto?" he asked gruffly, eyeing them both.

"That's me." Setsu said. "You must be Zukayaku."

"Yeah. Who's this?"

"Oh, I'm Takumi. I'm Setsu's protege."

He grunted to indicate he heard him but ultimately was not interested. Setsu led them back up the carriage for what was undoubtedly going to be an awkward ride back.

"I don't think he likes me." Takumi expressed to Setsu once they had dropped off Zukayaku to Taisho and settled down in the library.

"I don't think liking people is his priority." Setsu said over his book. "He doesn't seem like a natural conversationalist, like we finer folk. To each their own"

"He probably thinks I'm a total wuss."

"And so what if he thinks that?" Setsu replied, this time sounding a little annoyed as he put his book down. "We're not here to be liked. We're here to do what others won't. To be the 'bad guys' and lay down the law for a better world. We don't have to be likeable. We have to be unwavering, obedient and trusting in our leader's plans. He meets those criteria, and if his opinion of you interferes with his job, that's his problem. If he's giving you grief and it affects your work, that's an issue and it will be addressed. His thoughts about someone he barely knows aren't worth a damn thing."

"I feel like you're trying to make me feel both better and worse at the same time. But thank you."

"That was basically what I was going for. You've already proved yourself, now he has to."

He picked a long, wavy black hair off of his book, inspected it, and when he was satisfied it had no hint of grey, he went back to reading.

Takumi sat and read with his mentor for a while, until Taisho approached him.

"Come with me, Takumi." he said, beckoning him.

"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" he replied immediately.

"Don't worry yourself. I'd like to show you something."

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to see Amakaya's gifts for yourself." he replied in a soft but gloating voice.

Taisho led him to a room between his chambers and the library. Takumi wondered if Chikuroshi was behind the closed library door. The natural creak of the floorboards seemed so loud in the silence, the corridor eerily dim from the drawn shades.

It was always darker in this place than anywhere else. The hanging, painted bamboo blinds draping down the windows filtered the sunlight from a soft, warm glow to near total darkness. He quietly hoped Chikuroshi was nearby, for his own peace of mind.