[Note: Read up to Chapter - 69 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
.
.
.
.
Tadayoshi activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan, his expression turning grim. His face was terrifying to behold—he could barely contain the urge to confront Kanzou right then and there.
Even if Kanzou had tried to assassinate him, Tadayoshi wouldn't have been this enraged.
But to lay a hand on Mikoto? That damn bastard.
"Mikoto," he asked, his voice trembling with anger, "how did Kanzou threaten you?"
Mikoto remained silent.
"I can guess even if you won't say it… Did he use me to force you?"
Still, Mikoto said nothing. But her silence spoke volumes.
The elder understood—his guess was correct. Kanzou had used him to threaten her.
"No wonder Fugaku has been so distant with me lately… He must already know."
In that moment, Tadayoshi realised the reason behind Uchiha Fugaku's recent coldness.
The truth had reached him, too.
"Fugaku-sama… knows?" Mikoto, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"…Sigh." Tadayoshi exhaled a deep sigh.
"What are you going to do now?" he asked gently.
"I don't know," Mikoto murmured, her voice filled with uncertainty. Her thoughts were in disarray—who could have imagined her life would take such a turn?
"Blame me… I'm your grandfather, you were my responsibility, yet I've failed you. I couldn't protect you properly," the elder said bitterly.
Kanzou had used him to threaten Mikoto, and he couldn't bring himself to blame her.
Who would have expected Kanzou to be so insidious? Tadayoshi regretted letting him walk away earlier.
But even if he had tried to stop Kanzou, what could he have done? He was an old man now. His strength was barely on par with a Jōnin. Against someone like Kanzou, he wouldn't stand a chance.
This was the era of the younger generation.
Meanwhile, Mikoto's thoughts were in turmoil.
Her life felt utterly ruined.
On one side, she was being used and abused by Kanzou, with him saying that this was her fate from now on; on the other, her fiancé already knew everything about it.
Now that Fugaku knew, there was no way he would marry her. In fact, she was certain no one ever would.
After all, she had lost her purity… she was no longer a pure woman… she was impure in the eyes of the world.
Thinking about her bleak, hopeless future, she felt the overwhelming urge to disappear—to run away from Fugaku, from her grandfather, from the Uchiha… from Konoha… and from Kanzou.
For forever and never return…
But she knew that wasn't an option.
The choice was no longer hers to make.
She truly felt like a caged canary—stripped of freedom, condemned to live at the mercy of its owner's whims.
There was no hope. No escape. Only suffering.
Even death was no longer an option for her.
In that moment, Kanzou's words echoed in her mind: 'If you cannot escape it… embrace it.'
With that in mind, Mikoto spoke in a trembling voice, "Sofu-sama… I want to break off my engagement with Fugaku-Sama."
For some time now, a weight had been pressing down on her—a heavy sense of guilt she couldn't shake.
If she broke off her engagement with Fugaku, the guilt that weighed on her would finally be lifted. That's why Mikoto spoke with such firmness.
"I see… I'll try to do something…" murmured Tadayoshi with a sigh.
Mikoto had already suffered enough… he didn't want her to suffer from further guilt.
Moreover, by now, Tadayoshi was already certain that Fugaku couldn't defeat Kanzou, and perhaps it was better for Mikoto to be freed from the entanglement with Fugaku altogether.
Although it would be complicated… since the matter involved Fugaku's dignity, Tadayoshi was still going to do something about it.
'But what to do?' he thought.
Even if Fugaku knew the truth… would he be willing to accept the outcome? Even if he doesn't want to accept Mikoto, he'd be a fool to break off the engagement that easily… because, obviously, it was a matter of dignity and reputation, not to mention the support from Tadayoshi.
If the word got out that Uchiha Fugaku's fiancée was having an 'affair' with Uchiha Kanzou, he'd become the laughing stock.
'It would seem that we really can't solve this problem without offending Fugaku…' thought Tadayoshi as the only option.
'But then again… is that really such a big problem?'
The outcome of the power struggle between Kanzou and Fugaku remained uncertain, and the position of clan head had yet to be decided.
But in his heart, the elder no longer had faith in Fugaku because of his repeated failures to get a significant win over Kanzou.
With overwhelming strength, merciless methods, shameless tactics, unscrupulous behavior, and an unhinged attitude, Uchiha Kanzou has maintained the upper hand, stomping over Fugaku again and again, humiliating him, again and again.
At this point, the wisest choice was indeed to shift the camp… from Fugaku to Kanzou… and the best method of doing so would be to further the relationship between Kanzou and Mikoto.
Anyway, it was Kanzou who tore away Mikoto's dignity and her purity, and if they end up together, this matter would no longer be that big… at best, it would be just a couple unable to control themselves before marriage, which would not be much of a scandal…
But even if Tadayoshi knew this… he couldn't bring himself to speak of this to Mikoto.
Not after she has suffered so much at the hands of the very same man.
He really couldn't bring himself to make his granddaughter spend the rest of her life with the man who had tormented her… how could he do such a thing to his beloved granddaughter?
But even if Tadayoshi didn't speak about it, Mikoto, who understood this matter very well, chose to bring it up to her grandfather out of her own volition, "Sofu-sama… apart from breaking off the engagement with Fugaku-san, I have one more request…"
"Another request? Yes, speak…" nodded Tadayoshi, turning his attention to Mikoto.
"If possible…" Mikoto began with a conflicted expression, "Let me marry Kanzou-sama…"
"Mikoto… you…" Tadayoshi was takenaback by the request of his granddaughter.
He didn't expect she'd bring it up.
Obviously, he can also see the sacrifice she was trying to make.
"If Kanzou-sama is willing to marry me, then perhaps things could still end well," Mikoto said, clenching her fist.
"Mikoto… will you really be able to do it…?" asked Tadayoshi solemnly, taking a deep look at his granddaughter.
"I…" Mikoto hesitated.
Though she harboured deep resentment toward Kanzou, what choice did she have now?
After what had happened, her path had narrowed to just two possibilities: live out her days in isolation while being forced to serve Kanzou whenever he wants, or resign herself to becoming Kanzou's legitimate wife.
She didn't even bother considering the third possibility in which Kanzou wasn't there because she understood that escaping from his web wasn't going to be possible for her.
And out of the two, Mikoto still preferred the latter.
Her choice was influenced by a few factors… one of them being that by becoming Uchiha Kanzou's wife, she'd retain her dignity, and by extension, her reputation.
Reputation is often times for important to people than their self-worth.
Especially for a woman like her, who was raised in a traditional and conservative environment.
If the matter of infidelity were to be exposed… it would be a scandal… it would ruin her… she didn't want that. She'd much rather suffer internally than bear the shame and resentment externally.
Although this was a very twisted and self-harming choice, it was her choice.
But truthfully speaking, this was still not the decisive factor that influenced her decision.
The decisive factor was her disappointment towards Fugaku, who, despite knowing the truth, didn't do anything about it.
If Fugaku didn't even have the guts to confront the Kanzou who violated his fiancée, she didn't want to be with him…
If Fugaku hadn't known anything about this… she'd still be willing to try something else, bear the shame and resentment even if she had to… but the man clearly knew… yet he didn't do anything.
Let alone confronting Kanzou, he didn't even confront her, questioning her infidelity... or trying to find the reason.
Why didn't Fugaku do that? Mikoto didn't know.
Was he afraid of the matter blowing up as a scandal? Was he afraid of Kanzou?
Mikoto didn't care. What mattered was that he didn't do anything about it…
A man like Fugaku, who could completely ignore his fiancée being violated by his very enemy… Such a man was only going to bring disappointment and suffering to her as he'd continue to let others walk over him again and again.
Women, by nature, are drawn towards men who are providers and protectors.
But the same women, by desire, also want fair treatment, mutual respect, shared values, and intellectual compatibility.
Mikoto was no different… she too wanted these.
It's a pity that she wasn't going to get all of these from the same man…
Neither Fugaku nor Kanzou seems to hold all qualities.
So she had to make a choice… go by nature… or go by desire…
In fact, the choice was quite obvious.
Because qualities like fair treatment, mutual respect, shared values, and intellectual compatibility only come into play when the provider and protector aspect is fulfilled.
If the man isn't even a provider and protector, what point is there for him to show fair treatment, mutual respect, shared values, and intellectual compatibility?
On one side was Fugaku, who had already shown incompetence in his capability to provide and protect.
And on the other side, Kanzou, who openly acknowledged that he wouldn't give her the fair treatment, mutual respect, and so on.
The conclusion was… she was going to suffer either way.
And her fight or flight reason told her that if she was going to suffer either way… it was better to suffer with someone who had a better future and provided security for her.
Moreover, Mikoto herself also understood that Fugaku didn't have much chance… Based on her personal experience and understanding of Kanzou and Fugaku, she felt certain that the son of the former Patriarch, who could easily let Kanzou walk all over him, again and again, wasn't going to become the next Patriarch…
So, rather than becoming the wife of someone who didn't have a chance of becoming the Patriarch, it was better to marry the person who had that chance… after all, all her life, she has been trained and groomed to be the wife of the next patriarch of the Uchiha Clan.
As for who exactly that Patriarch is… what does that matter?
Since Kanzou was going to become the next Patriarch… she'd be his wife.
It might also be Stockholm Syndrome acting up… but Mikoto didn't think so since the choice wasn't being made out of unhealthy attachment towards her abuser, but by pure logic and reasoning.
With such a thought in her mind, Mikoto gave a determined nod, "I shall try my utmost to be the faithful wife for Uchiha Kanzou-san…"
Hearing her decision, Elder Tadayoshi was silent for a while, then gave a nod, "I see… I'll speak with Kanzou-kun."
Elder Tadayoshi had made up his mind to confront Kanzou.
However, he might have to wait—because at that very moment, Kanzou was at Fugaku's residence.
.
.
.
.
Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 69 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]