If you play husband and wife, sooner or later this kind of talk comes up.
An heir.
"It has been some months already since you welcomed her ladyship. Surely it is time for joyful news of an heir." The people of the household pressed me, roundabout but relentless. A house needs someone to carry it on. That's what being a warrior house means.
This was a problem for me. No demands for children—that was my contract with Kicho. And even before that, the idea of leaving my own blood in the world just scared me.
One night, I confessed that fear to Kicho.
"See... I'm scared of having children of my own."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Imagine a child born with the blood of a coward like me. That child would live in fear too, wondering when he'll be killed. Like Takechiyo, he might be taken hostage and lie shaking, counting the nights. I don't want any child of mine to go through that."
I looked down.
"Besides, forcing a child between you and me, when we're bound by a contract—that wouldn't be fair to you."
Kicho was silent for a while, looking at me.
Then she gave a small laugh. Exasperated, yet somehow warm.
"You truly are a kind man, my lord."
"I'm not kind. I'm just a coward."
"It is the same thing."
Kicho said that and edged closer on her knees.
"Then do this. For an heir—take in adopted children."
"Adopted children..."
"Children with no kin, children from houses tied to ours, children no one will take. In this age of chaos there must be any number of them. Take such children in and raise them as your own. There need be no tie of blood. If you protect those children so they can live without fear, that alone makes you a fine parent."
My eyes went wide.
Could such a thing be allowed?
"And what is more, my lord."
Kicho narrowed her eyes mischievously. The face of the Viper's daughter showing her true colors.
"Take in children aplenty, and let the world know the Oda are blessed with many children. The Demon King's line grows ever more prosperous—let them think that, and no one will think to crush the Oda. Many children are, in themselves, a shield to guard a house."
I see, I groaned.
The children we took in, and any born to carry on the house—line them all up equally as our own. Never let the outside know which ones shared our blood and which didn't. Just let the world think, "The Oda have a great many fine children."
Hide the question of blood from the world's eyes entirely. That was also the most natural way to protect our contract marriage.
"You really are clever, you know that?"
When I said it from the heart, Kicho put on a prim, haughty face.
"I get it from my father. Do not underestimate the Viper's daughter."
From that night on, little by little, my family began to take shape. A strange household, bound not by blood but by a contract, by fate, and by nothing more than the feeling of "I want to protect them."
Watching the children increase, the people of the household whispered:
"The Demon King, with his whole clan behind him, stands ever more unshakable."
No.
I just wanted to protect as many frightened children as I could from the darkness of night.
My family was being bound together not by blood, but by fate.
To me, that felt more right than anything.