A few days after the baby was born, the mother of Tsumiki entered the room where Seiren was imprisoned together with her daughter. Noritoshi wasn't present since he was summoned by the chief, perhaps to finally pay for going against the rules of the village.
Seiren was expecting to see Tsumiki today but not her mother, narrowing her eyes at her. The few times she had seen and encountered this woman before, she treated her the same way the villagers did. So being here, it wasn't a good sign.
There was only two reasons of why the mother of Tsumiki could be here: to take away the baby or to bring the news about the fate of Noritoshi. Seiren doubted the latter, since she believed that the parents of her husband will be the ones to tell her once they know about the punishment he would receive. Hence, she was here because of the former.
Tsumiki had always been the chosen one to adopt and to take care of the baby, but in the eyes of everyone she was still too young. It was understandable even for Seiren that someone must help her, and there was no other than her own mother.
"You probably already know why I'm here," the woman stated, her brown eyes fixing on Seiren who was carrying a sleeping baby wrapped in a blanket as red butterflies fluttered around them. "The baby wasn't born with butterflies or with crimson eyes?" She asked, hoping and wishing the child was more human than anything else.
With that question, Seiren confirmed that she was indeed right. "He's a normal human baby. His eyes are just like Noritoshi's."
The woman was pleased to hear that. "Well, since that's the case, we will be taking the baby now."
Seiren understood this day would come, but she still did not want to part from her child. "There is still a few days left before the offering. And since we are not going to see each other ever again, I want to pass these last days with him."
"I don't see the point for that. You still are going to part from him, so it would only make you more miserable," she refused. "Don't complicated things further and give us the baby."
"I wasn't asking for permission," Seiren stated, furrowing her eyebrows. "If you cannot do as I wish, then I'm afraid that I would have to find some else to take care of my son."
"Forgive my mother, Seiren," Tsumiki stepped in, her voice full of guilt and regret of what she was forced to do. "We were not planning to come this day, at least not to take your child. But the head of the clan ordered us to do it. We cannot leave without him, so I'm so sorry."
By the mention of Noritoshi's father, Seiren couldn't refuse anymore even if she didn't want to. "I can't really pass more time with him?" She looked at her baby, her expression softening.
"I'm sorry," Tsumiki's eyes glittered with tears. "I'm sorry that it had to be this way."
"You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault, nor did you wish for this to happen," Seiren mentioned, not wanting for Tsumiki to blame herself. "All of this has been caused because of the fear of the unknown and because I'm the child of the Black Butterfly," she took a few steps close to the young girl, stopping in front of her. "Before I give you my son, could you promise me that he will retain his name? That you will not change it?"
Tsumiki did not mind. In fact, she did not see the point of changing the baby's name. "Don't worry, I'm not planning to do something like that, nor will I allow my mother to do such a thing. So I promise it," her brown eyes fell on the child. "So what's his name?"
"Yuta," Seiren simple responded. "I had different names in mind, but since Noritoshi is not here anymore, I decided to give him that name. After all, he was the one that chose that name."
Everyone in the village knew by now what kind of fate fell on Noritoshi by going against the rules of the village, except Seiren. Tsumiki and her mother knew as well, but they were prohibited to speak about it.
Because of this, it only made Tsumiki feel worst about everything. "There's something I must tell you, Seiren," she bit her lip, deciding to reveal about the fate of Noritoshi. However, her mother stopped her.
"Why are you wasting time, Tsumiki?!" The mother scolded. "Take the baby so we can leave this room and go back home."
Tsumiki glanced at her mother, not sure if she knew that she was trying to reveal something she should not. Either way, by being here, it wasn't a good idea to speak about it.
Seiren gave her son a kiss on his forehead as a farewell, then she extended her arms to the front in order for Tsumiki to take him. "Take good care of Yuta. But not only that, make sure you give him a proper life in order for him to live a life full of happiness and blessings."
Tsumiki nodded, taking the baby in her arms with delicacy. "I will. I will take care of him as if he were my own brother," she promised. "Goodbye now."
The mother of Tsumiki was the first one to slid open the fusuma and step outside once her daughter bowed and said farewell to Seiren.
Seiren did not stop any of the two women from leaving, commanding a few of her butterflies to stay by the side of her son. They obeyed, hiding in the blanket of Yuta. It's not like she didn't trust Tsumiki, but it was in case the course of her own fate changes. This way, she can find him no matter where he will be taken.
.....
No matter how many days went by, Noritoshi never returned nor anyone cared to give the notice about what happened to him to Seiren. No one came to visit her either, expect for one of the servants, who was responsible of bringing her food.
Not even Tsumiki showed herself, but it was because of her mother. Having already taken the baby, she did not see the point of her daughter visiting the child of the devil, prohibiting her from taking a single step inside the Kamos' residence.
However, at this point, Seiren did not really care about anything anymore. The three people she cared more in this world, are not by her side and they are not going to come back ever again.
She thought a few times to try to escape without caring what kind of punishment she will receive if she gets caught in order to find her husband and Sukuna, but it was impossible to do it. The servant will always lock the fusuma with a key after leaving, and there wasn't a single window in this room.
The red butterflies could easily get rid off the old lady, but there was a problem: the other two servants waiting outside. If she ended up causing a commotion, the rest will be alerted. So, for the moment, trying to escape is out of the question.
At the end, she asked a few times about what happened to her husband, but the servant never spoke one word to her. When she finally did, she only said that she wasn't allowed to speak with the devil child or she will be punished.
"I suppose my only option is to send a few butterflies to search for Noritoshi," Seiren talked to herself once the old lady left, sitting on the futon. "But will they be able to find him? Or should I wait for the day of the offering?"
She looked at her red butterflies, trying to find an answer, but they did not reply back. Yet, she made up her mind to wait for the day of the sacrifice.
......
Just like Noritoshi had said, the day before the offering happened, a villager arrived at the shrine where Sukuna was confined when the moon took over the sky, unlocking the fusuma with the key. This unknown person did not mutter a single word, leaving a different key and a letter near the fusuma, then leaving the place at once. It's not like they were afraid of the pink-haired man or something like that, it was just the strict orders Noritoshi gave. Since if someone manages to spot them, everything will be ruined.
Sukuna rose to his feet when he heard the click on the fusuma that indicated that it had been unlocked, opening it as soon as he reached it. His eyes did not spot anyone near, only the same deep darkness, the sound of crickets, a key and a letter lying near his feet greeted him.
"If I guess right, this key probably unlocks the room where Seiren is confined," Sukuna said out loud, crouching down and grabbing both things. "It seems that Noritoshi still couldn't accept the fate of his wife," he regained his initially posture, tucking the letter and the key inside of his kimono.
It wasn't hard to figure out that the letter was something Noritoshi left for his wife, where he probably have written his final goodbye and the kind of punishment he have received. It could be written, too, the exactly town or village of where to take Seiren and Yuta.
Sukuna wanted to know the fate of Noritoshi, but he did not have time to waste, much less he could read it in this darkness. The only thing he could do in order to know about it, is give the letter to Seiren once he saves her. He knows that she would not mind telling him about what happened to her husband.
By having been asked to save Seiren and her baby, the only thing in Sukuna's mind was to go to the Kamos' residence and free them. Since he was the other one who could not accept the cruel fate of the Black Butterfly's child. So even if Noritoshi would not help him escape from the shrine and asked him that kind of favor, he still would have done it anyway.
Not taking his time to think anymore on what he must do first, he walked down the stairs, following the path that goes to the Kamos' residence. Since it already passed a long time, the villagers no longer kept an eye on the shrine nor even Seiren. Furthermore, the day of the offering is tomorrow, so there is a high possibility that they are busy preparing the necessary things.
For that same reason, Sukuna did not have any problem reaching the Kamos' residence, managing to enter without being seen. In fact, he did not even encounter a single villager on his way either. The two servants who were responsible to keep watch over the room where the Black Butterfly's child is confined, were not present either.
Sukuna put his hand on the fusuma and called. "Seiren? Are you awake?"
Seiren was surprised to hear that familiar voice. "Sukuna?!" She stood up abruptly from the futon, walking towards the fusuma. "It's that really you?"
"Yes," Sukuna confirmed almost in a whisper. "I came here to save you."