Chapter 86: Return

After quickly packing up camp, Nobu and the girls spent the better part of two and a half hours transitioning from the Eastern base of the mountain to their estate on the Northern side.

Fortunately, now that he had broken through the Second Realm and become increasingly familiar with his Aura, Nobu could now generate a layer of wind to keep most insects at bay. It caused his clothes to billow and rustle as if he were constantly being battered by the wind, but, compared to being swarmed by mosquitos, it was infinitely better.

If there was anything Nobu could complain about, it was the fact that his cultivation method wasn't suited for stealth in the slightest. He produced a shot ton of sound due to the rustling of grass and leaves that followed his every movement. This earned him more than a few amused looks from the girls, who, for the most part, produced little to no sound as they moved through the dense forest.

Comforting his ego by reminding himself that he wasn't a shinobi, Nobu enjoyed the two-and-a-half-hour hike quite a bit. It was only once the walls surrounding his estate came into view that his mood soured, as, standing near the entrance to the gate was none other than Inami.

Restraining a sigh, Nobu missed the looks he received from several members of his entourage. Yui, Yuriko, and Onihime, in particular, were very concerned about him. What they didn't know was that the primary reason for his frustration was Inami's height. He already knew she was small, but, due to the circumstances of their last encounter, he had been sitting on his ass or lying on his back most of the time they were talking. It was only now that he understood how truly short she was...

"Welcome back, Waka-danna. Congratulations on your breakthrough."

Though the girls seemed to expect it somewhat, Nobu was slightly taken aback when Inami crossed her hands over her lap and performed a polite yet reserved bow. She had also changed into a white kimono with a red obi and what he believed to be a modified haori. It was similar to the coats worn by the Captain-class Shinigami in Bleach but it had been modified to allow her six bluish-black tails to flow behind her as if they were unaffected by gravity.

While his entire entourage bowed towards Inami, Nobu remained with his head high as he forced a smile and said, "Thanks..."

Noticing the awkwardness in Nobu's words and actions, Inami's ears twitched slightly as she raised her head and asked, "Is something the matter, Waka-danna?"

Shaking his head, Nobu caused everyone to tense as he honestly answered, "Not really. I was just a little surprised by how short you are. I knew you were tiny but I wasn't really paying much attention the last time we met..."

Though her expression didn't change, the inordinately fluffy ears atop Inami's head twitched as she asked, "Does Waka-danna...have a problem with my height?"

Shaking his head a second time, Nobu answered, "Nah. Like I said before, it's just a little surprising. I don't really care how tall you are so long as you're of age..."

Perking up in response to her Master's words, a visibly excited glimmer appeared in the depths of Onihime's deep purple eyes. If she excluded Inami's large, almost rabbit-like ears, she was only a centimeter or two shorter than the six-tailed kitsune. Their figures weren't all that dissimilar, either. Rather, thanks to her half-oni heritage, Onihime was pretty confident that her thighs, hips, and butt were bigger than Inami's...

While Onihime was allowing her thoughts to run wild, Inami just stared at Nobu for several seconds before nodding her head and saying, "I see. I had almost forgotten how brash and honest you were. I'll have to keep that in mind during our training..."

Though she was tempted to remind Nobu that his words and actions had consequences, Inami had already discussed the matter of his behavior with Hitomi and the Elders. They had effectively linked the fate of their Clan with Nobu, so, while they would do their best to correct his behavior, they had come to the conclusion it was best to let outsiders teach him the harder lessons in life. Their goal, at least in the interim period leading up to Nobu's rise, was making sure that he felt more at home on the mountain than anywhere else in Nian...

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With such sentiments in mind, Inami escorted Nobu, Yui, and Onihime to his room while everyone else split off to either rest or return to their respective duties.

Upon entering the room, Nobu immediately became aware of the peculiar aroma that seemed to have permeated the entire area. His sense of smell hadn't improved during his breakthrough, but, now that he no longer had a cloth covering his face, he was a lot more susceptible to even subtle changes in aroma and odor.

"Have you been staying in my room while I was gone?"

Though her expression didn't change, the pupils of Inami's eyes contracted slightly as she casually answered, "Very perceptive...however, to answer your question, I haven't been staying here. I have just been visiting rather frequently. Though I am ashamed to admit it, my instincts have been acting up ever since our previous encounter..."

Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to ask what she meant when Inami took it upon herself to explain, "You see, with few exceptions, intercourse between a kitsune and a male partner frequently results in the latter's death. As you are well aware, I had to restrain myself considerably just to avoid accidentally injuring you. Because of that, the symptoms of my heat have yet to settle. They should diminish by the end of Spring, but, for the time being, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that my body craves you..."

Surprising Nobu, Yui, and Onihime, Inami slowly sauntered over to the futon that Nobu frequently used when resting. Then, stopping just short of touching herself, she nestled face-first into the spot where he usually lay, her tails flickering behind her as she audibly inhaled his aroma.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Exchanging looks, Nobu noticed equal parts confusion and concern in Yui's gaze. This was clearly an abnormal situation so she couldn't help fearing for everyone's safety. After all, the most senior member of their entire Clan was basically behaving like an animal in heat right in front of them. If the other clanswomen learned about this, it would be a scandal unlike any other.

Almost as soon as that thought had crossed Yui's mind, her body tensed as Inami rolled lazily onto her side and said, "Don't worry. After discussing the matter with the other Elders, we have decided to respect Waka-danna's unique perspective. While it is certainly troublesome, we have come to the conclusion that it is not our place to dictate how he should act and behave around others. I believe your Grandmother has told you something similar, yes?"

Recalling the advice her Grandmother had given her, Yui reluctantly nodded her head in response to Inami's words. This earned her a slight smile from the vulpine woman, who, rather shamelessly stated, "Then it's fine. So long as you don't go around spreading rumors, there's nothing to worry about. All I care about right now is being close to Waka-danna..."

Though her words were both carefully chosen and practiced, Inami wasn't lying when she said she wanted to be close to Nobu. Rather, it would be a big problem for all of them if they weren't close to each other. Thus, even though she felt indescribably embarrassed, she tightly squeezed Nobu's pillow before curling up her tails, closing her eyes, and relishing in his aroma.

Observing Inami's actions, both Yui and Onihime were at a complete loss for words. Prior to this moment, they couldn't even imagine their Clan's legendary Guardian behaving in such a manner. It was almost like she was a maiden in love, and, were it not for the fact she held the highest position in the entire Clan, they might have even accused her of going rogue...

Fortunately, at least for Inami, Nobu's thoughts were very different from the indoctrinated duo. He had been thinking a lot these past few days, so, while Inami's behavior was stalker-level creepy, it was also extremely convenient for him. Thus, after a few seconds had passed, he surprised everyone by saying, "Whatever. So long as you don't cause trouble or swagger around like a big shot, you're free to stay here. If that's too difficult, you're free to stay in the room next to Suzune..."

While Yui's and Onihime's conditioning caused them to break out in a cold sweat the moment they heard Nobu's brash and overly casual words, Inami just returned an amused smile as she peered at him between the veil of her tails. Had he spoken this way before their previous liaison, she wouldn't have hesitated to give him a tongue-lashing. Now that the fate of the Yoshitsune Clan rested on his shoulders, she actually felt that it was normal for him to speak and behave in such a brazen manner. Rather, if he was the type of person to lower his head and willfully follow someone else's orders, he would never be able to unify the archipelago...

As that thought crossed her mind, Inami briefly recalled the moment Nobu had carelessly smacked her bottom. She had never considered herself a masochist, but it had crossed her mind quite a few times these past couple of days. Each time it did, the perpetual fire in her body would become even more prominent, and, were it not for the fact Nobu had to meet with his parents in a few hours, she might not have been able to restrain herself...

Exhaling a hot sigh, Inami's tails unfurled like a blossoming flower before she forced herself to a seated position and asked, "Have you prepared yourself? You'll be meeting with your Lord Father and Mother in less than five hours. We'll need to set out within the next half an hour to avoid being late."

Raising his brows, Nobu asked, "You're coming with us? Weren't you supposed to be trapped on the mountain or something?"

Though she was a little annoyed by the reminder, Inami's expression remained calm as she said, "I will be part of the group escorting you down the mountain. From then onward, you will be escorted by the Matriarch, Yui-chan, Kumiko, and your servant. The others will need to stay behind."

"Hmm..."

For a moment, Nobu considered asking if Yuriko could come along. He noticed she had been pretty stressed out lately so he had tried to make it up to her by pounding the shit out of her the previous night. This had helped her calm down quite a bit, but, the moment they returned to the estate, her mood had noticeably soured.

"Nobu..."

Hearing Yui's voice, Nobu shifted his direction to the raven-haired beauty with a questioning look in his eyes. To his surprise, she seemed to understand exactly what he was thinking, saying, "While it is ultimately your decision to make, it isn't you who should be making compromises. Even if you see us as equals, we live to serve you. The more exceptions you make for Yuriko, the more troublesome her behavior will become. It is fine if you want to make her your Concubine. However, she needs to break away from the mentality that she has an intrinsic right to be with you..."

Nodding her head in approval of Yui's words, Inami stated, "Yui-chan is correct. I noticed it during my investigation but that girl is steadily becoming more and more unstable. If you continue along your current course, there is a chance she will go rogue. As someone who has witnessed hundreds of kunoichi going rogue, trust me when I say it is never pretty. Unless you want her to be killed or executed, you need to put your foot down and make your relationship as Lord and Retainer clear."

"..."

Though he didn't want to admit it, Nobu knew the two girls were right. He had been warned quite a number of times yet he has continued treating Yuriko differently than the rest of his entourage. This was because he truly did see her as someone special, but, at the same time, he had also noticed the tell-tale signs of her becoming unhinged and clingy. Thus, even though he wanted to pretend there wasn't an issue, Nobu ultimately exhaled a sigh, saying, "Fine...I'll talk to her when we get back..."

Understanding that he had a soft heart despite his brash nature, Yui grabbed Nobu's hand with a supportive smile on her face. Truthfully, she didn't mind if he and Yuriko became genuine lovers. It was common for Lords to have between three and ten wives. The thing she was most worried about was Yuriko going rogue and scarring Nobu for the rest of his life. She knew he would never be able to forgive himself if Yuriko had to be put down after going on a rampage, so, while it was ultimately her last resort, she was fully prepared to kill her former rival before things got too far out of hand...

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(A/N: Loyalty can be scary...)