Chapter 135

 A husband's doom

Some time earlier…

Sesshomaru was impatiently tapping with his clawed fingers against the counter, making bigger and bigger holes in the wooden surface with each tap. The dog demon wrinkled his forehead, as his patience was wearing thin. He was waiting for a certain blacksmith in his workshop, but the damnable man was not here. Instead of him, the dog demon found a note: “I’m coming back soon”. This “soon” was dragging on like eternity – several hours had passed and the workshop was still empty. 

Finally the door slid open and a fat, jovial demon rolled himself inside. His tiny eyes widened, as he saw the unexpected guest.

“Oh, a customer?!” he exclaimed, his impressive belly shaking like a jelly. He combed his thin, but long beard with the fingers and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, but I’m closing for today. My working hours are over!”

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the rude blacksmith, who dared to talk to him in such a disrespectful manner.

“I intend to speak with you today, Haganori.” He said, so far calmly.

The fat blacksmith made an impatient gesture with his hand.

“Sorry, young man, but right now I have free time. If it’s about work, come back tomorrow.” He flipped Sesshomaru’s words off and began reorganizing the tools, cleaning the workshop and even changing his clothes without a hint of embarrassment.

The inu-youkai barely restrained himself from growling. After the encounter with Shishinki, he realized, that Tenseiga would soon become useless. Therefore he was in a need for a new blade. Haganori was the only youkai blacksmith, whose skills were anywhere near Totosai’s. With Kaijinbou, who made Tokijin, dead, this fat bastard was the only man, who could forge a blade, that would meet Sesshomaru’s expectations. As threatening Totosai had meager effects, the dog demon decided to use his woman’s method and be persistent, but patient.

“I came to speak with you and you were not here. I want you to forge a sword for me. Waiting till tomorrow is out of question.” He said, trying to restrain his impatience and irritation.

Haganori counted the coins in the pouch and, satisfied, hid it in his sleeve. The blacksmith sighed.

“I understand, that it’s important for you, young man, but this old man has to leave in a moment before all the ladies are taken.” He explained, combing his hair. However, seeing Sesshomaru’s death glare, he softened a bit. “You know, maybe I could use some company while drinking. We could discuss  the business while enjoying sake and the beautiful ladies, who will be pouring it – joining the business and pleasure. What about it?”

The dog demon furrowed his brows, not pleased by the old man’s proposal, but it was better than not getting to talk to the man at all. After all, convincing the drunken man could prove itself to be easier.

“Fine by me.” He replied.

“Very well!” Haganori exclaimed, laughing jovially and amicably patting Sesshomaru’s back. 

The dog demon barely refrained himself from smashing the annoying youkai into the wall. The blacksmith ushered the dog demon out of the workshop and closed the door. Then, her looked at his new companion and wrinkled his forehead, as though he was trying to remember something. “Say again, what was your name.”

“Sesshomaru.” The inu-youkai replied with irritation in his voice. However, it didn’t seem to bother cheerful Haganori in the slightest. He patted the younger demon again.

“Don’t make such a death-serious face, young Sesshomaru! Old Haganori will show you this evening, how a man should party!”

Sesshomaru clenched his fingers, having the desire to close them around the blacksmith’s neck and snap it. Then, he followed the man, feeling resigned. Along the way the jovial fat demon was chatting happily – actually he was talking and the inu-youkai was pretending to listen to him. Every time, Sesshomaru attempted to bring up the topic of the sword, Haganori was skipping to another thing.

“Here we are. The true heaven.” The blacksmith announced, once he and the dog demon were standing in front of a magnificent, richly decorated the building. Strong scents of women and perfumes were coming from that place, making Sesshomaru’s sensitive nose feel uncomfortable.

Haganori confidently stepped in and the inu-youkai followed him, feeling slightly hesitant to go into a place like this. When the main door opened, the dog demon’ s suspicions were confirmed. Indecently-dressed courtesans were hurrying to entertain their customers, flashing with their nearly bare breasts. Sesshomaru’s eyes unwillingly followed the assets bouncing in the women’s cleavages, reminding him of his problems with the freshly-wedded spouse.

“Oh, Master Haganori, welcome!” The inu-youkai’s attention was caught by the demoness in red, who approached the blacksmith and him. Everything in the woman was red – her attire, the eyes, hair, lips, claws. Her eyes brightened, when she spotted Haganori. She bowed gracefully with the professional politeness. “It’s honor to have you as our guest again, master Haganori. I see, that you brought a friend with you this time.”

The jovial fat demon laughed loudly and energetically patted visibly pissed Sesshomaru, not paying any attention to the inu-youkai’s foul mood.

“Ah, yes. I suppose, that young Sesshomaru would use some fun from time to time!” he exclaimed, bursting in laughter again. The place’s owner joined him, covering her mouth with the fan made of peacock feathers. Once the laughter subsided, she made a welcoming gesture and led the two demons to a room in the far end of a corridor. The woman in red showed them in. Haganori nearly dragged Sesshomaru inside and ushered him to sit on the one of the silk cushions in the elegantly-furnished chamber. The dog demon noticed, that the room had doors leading to the bedrooms with double-futons ready. 

“Akako, bring your best sake!” The old blacksmith called to the woman, clapping his hands happily. His smile widened. “And two young virgins! Hey, Sesshomaru, you need a sweet young woman to help you relax, eh?”

The last words were directed at Sesshomaru, who sent Haganori a displeased glare.

“No need.” He said quickly, but the blacksmith flipped his refusal off.

“Hurry up, Akako!” he addressed the woman. However, Akako didn’t leave the room, but reached out with her hand in a harsh gesture.

“Payment first, Haganori.” She said dryly, abandoning her sweet and polite tone immediately. “I won’t be letting you run away without paying like a few times before.”

The blacksmith sighed and tossed the pouch to her. Akako swiftly snatched it and took a look inside. She didn’t leave the room before she counted the money. Once she was gone, Haganori flashed a smile at Sesshomaru, who was sitting motionless, looking as though his youkai was about to flare.

“You’re a stiff one, aren’t you?” the blacksmith more stated, than asked his brand new drinking companion. “A man should know, how to grasp the day, young Sesshomaru. Now, let’s have fun tonight! Let’s drink sake, watch the women dancing and embrace them at night!” 

Sesshomaru sent him a murderous look, apparently far from being eager to join the entertainment.

“I did not come here for whores.” He said dryly. “I wish to discuss the matter of commissioning you forging a sword.”

Haganori sighed.

“You’re no fun.” He muttered, faking a pout. “We can talk about the business, once I relax a bit. By that time, enjoy yourself.”

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth, feeling the urge to murder the blacksmith raising at the alarming pace. However, he was determined to convince Haganori tonight, so that the man would forge him a new sword, that could surpass Inuyasha’s Tessaiga. 

Soon two courtesans joined the men in the room and brought the sake. They positioned themselves by the men’s sides and began pouring them drinks, chatting. It didn’t escape Sesshomaru’s attention, that the whores were humans. He frowned, feeling suffocated by the strong scents of women’s perfumes and the incense, that were dulling his sense of smell and irritating his sensitive nose. 

The girl, who was chatting with Haganori was squeaking happily from time to time, as the old perverted man kept slapping her backside and even grabbing her nearly-exposed breasts. She was laughing because of his jokes and praising his wit and personality.

The one, who was supposed to entertain Sesshomaru had a more difficult task. The girl furrowed her brows, as all attempts of luring the demon into conversation failed, as well as complimenting him. She even tried to nearly shove her breasts into his face, but he was just sitting motionless, glaring at Haganori in a really frightening way. The girl sighed, feeling defeated, and just poured the troublesome customer more sake.

“Mariko, my love, I’ll be yours till morning!” the perverted blacksmith exclaimed, trying to trap her in embrace, but the girl gently pushed the old demon away, her laughter sounding like silver bells.

“I would like that, master Haganori, but it’s time for us to leave. We were supposed only to make the wait seem more pleasurable.” She told him in a husky voice. The blacksmith faked a pout, but let the girl go. The both women stood up and said their goodbyes before leaving.

Once they were gone, Haganori glanced at his younger companion and shook his head with dismay.

“Oh, boy. You’re terribly stiff, Sesshomaru.” He pointed out. “What’s the matter? The girls are pretty… Oh, I got it! It’s because they’re human.”

The inu-youkai scowled, fed up with wasting his time on keeping Haganori company in the brothel.

“Let us discuss…” he began, wanting to divert the blacksmith’s attention to more pressing matters, but the man happily ignored him.

“They may be humans, but they have everything a woman has to have, if you know, what I mean.” Haganori cut in, making obscene gestures with his hands. Sesshomaru glared at him again.

“Do not make me repeat myself. I do not want the whores. I need you to forge a sword.” The dog demon hissed out, annoyed with the blacksmith’s antics.

However, the blacksmith was just attentive as previously and paid absolutely no attention to what Sesshomaru just said. Instead he clapped with enthusiasm, as the door opened again and a woman appeared in door. A graceful young courtesan stepped inside, flashing a seductive smile at the dog demon, who was supposed to be her companion for the evening and partner for the night. She bowed respectfully.

“I am Suzu and will be keeping you company tonight, my lord.” She said in a sweet voice and seated herself by Sesshomaru’s side, a little too close to him for his taste. He tried to move away from the courtesan to create a distance between them, but the girl glued herself to him like a leech and trapped his arm between her breasts. The second courtesan came in before the inu-youkai managed to wriggle himself out from the tight grip of the human prostitute.

The other girl hesitantly stepped inside the room and stopped, frozen in place, neither bowing nor stating her name.

“Come here, you lovely thing!” the blacksmith Haganori called to her, patting the cushion beside him, admiring her tempting curves with a wide grin. 

However, the courtesan’s gaze only slid over her customer, as she stared with wide-opened eyes at his young companion, who currently was occupied with the futile attempts to discreetly shove Suzu away. As seconds were passing, the startled gaze was changing into the glare full of fury and hatred, so that Haganori fell silent. The girl’s eyes, brown with a trace of green in them, looked like they were able to burn to the ashes.


Author Note:

Hey, my lovely readers!
You've reviewed nicely and I was gone for a while, so I thought that you deserve an extra chapter today. I hope you've enjoyed reading it. Please leave me a lot of comments! Goodnight.