Chapter 46

A week passed.

Yuuji was acting rather odd in Suiryu's opinion. He appeared a little too calm in a sense, not to mention very content. Yuuji would lie for hours in bed, gently caressing his belly and then started to hum. "What the hell is with you?" Suiryu demanded. "You're acting all… maternal like…"

Yuuji peered over to him, that content smile on his face didn't vanish as he continued to caress his sides. "I feel maternal… I… I know I am doing a good job and I'm happy Kiyoshi is safe. Calypso even said I was doing well." He said and sighed aloud. "I… never though I would enjoy this."

Suiryu could smell it coming off him, hormones to say the least. Perhaps it was the double hit since his wife is expecting and he holds Kiyoshi like a child in himself.

He's over stimulated with maternal hormones.

Still he won't blame him for acting such a way. It's for the best since he is suppose to be kept calm and settled as the egg continued to form.

#

Everyone was doing their part to help Yuuji…

Well most of the people. Calypso has refused to allow Sukuna anywhere near him, it was for the best anyways.

Yua was making arrangement for dinner, trying to decide what to have. When she was approached by Hiro. Haru is the one that has the side of his head shaved… she learned that quickly so she wouldn't confuse them.

She smirked and noticed how much he has started to look like his father Eso. He recently shaved the sides of his head so his hair would appear more like his father's. "Miss Yua, can we take care of dinner tonight?" he asked innocently enough. "My brother and cousins wish to make a grand feast for celebrating. Would you allow us?"

She was taken aback by the request, but nodded. "Sure. I'll leave everything to you."

Hiro's eyes lit up as he rushed off to tell the others.

Curious, she wondered what they would prepare for a meal?

They have nights called 'communal feasting' Most of the time everyone is responsible to make their own meals. All have the ability to do so within their own residence. But every once and a while, they get together to have a big feast. There is rotation as to that makes what, but the main dish and what is to be served all depends on the cook's choice.

But no one has ever refused the meal given.

Tonight, it was to have been her turn with Gojo, Toji, Nanami and Yuuji. But since the children wish to make dinner, she allowed it.

When it was time to eat, everyone was excited to see what would be the main dish of the evening. The children from the curse wombs were quick to bring out the meal and reveal the feast of the night.

It looked like a fire roasted beef!

"Ooo, I haven't had a roast like this before!" Gojo said as he admired the char and smell coming off of it. "Mmm, smells amazing… but it also smells different…"

Yua was about to speak until she saw a massive hand reach over and cut off a massive slice. She turned as Sukuna decided to eat before everyone else was ready. He took in the meat and chewed it, but, that look on his face…

He appeared confused as he continued to chew, he didn't appear sick or anything, but he was concerned about what he just put into his mouth. Before long, everyone had their share, it was time to eat!

She didn't hesitate, she took thin slices and added them to her plate. She liked her meat cut thin since it melts more on the tongue. As her knife cut through it effortlessly, she brought it to her lips. The beef hit her tongue, the flavor of it… amazing… and yet… she took paused. The texture was far different than the usual beef they eat. "You know it's not beef too huh?" Sukuna said offhandedly.

Oddly enough, although getting his own table, he tends to migrate and sit at Yua's table with the family. Then again, Chusi drags him over now so they eat as a family.

Awkward to say the least.

"What is it? It's amazing and yet, you're right, it's tender and yet a little gamey. It's not venison, or anything else…" chimed Chusi.

Gojo on the other hand couldn't stop eating it, he devoured his plate and went back for more, same with the children.

Yua did as well when the temptation was too much to resist. They devoured the meal and yet savored it all. It was amazing, and yet, that look of distrust on Sukuna's face…

"Did you not like it?" she asked of him.

A small smirk came over him. "On the contrary, I loved it. Best thing I have ever eaten and yet… it bothers me. Since I haven't eaten this before…"

She looked about, yet noticed no one really thought anything out of the ordinary.

"Ooo, looks good!"

She peered up to see the Itadori twins had just arrived. "I thought you would be the first ones here, your nieces and nephews made this!" Gojo snickered.

"No one told us dinner was ready." Yuuji said innocently enough. "We were given a lot of appetizers in our room beforehand…"

They took their seats. Sukuna peered at them oddly as they took their first bite of meat. Suiryu instantly froze as did Yuuji. "Wait… since when did they get this!?" Suiryu demanded.

"Don't know, I know that's not beef," said Yua.

"No shit, it's dragon." Suiryu snapped back. "Good thing they are only feeding this to us…"

Sukuna then began to snicker. "Keep telling yourself that. We were all fed this"

They stopped eating instantly. Suiryu turned and saw them smiling the biggest grins on the faces of his nieces and nephews. Calypso herself approached the table, and looked to everyone with her proud grin. "What did you think?" she asked.

"Why… why did you feed everyone dragon!" Suiryu demanded of her.

Everyone paused as murmurs began.

"We're not suppose to say," she said. "But we did as we were told,"

Told…

Yua began to think this was Lady Tiamat's idea. But what benefit was it for a sorcerer or an unrestricted human to eat dragon meat?

She was about to ask Gojo something, when he began to look about oddly. "What the…" he stood up, taking his blindfold off and noticed something going on.

Shin paused as he began to meditate before he too gasped. "Whoa…" he whispered.

"What is it?" Rook asked.

"The energy," he whispered. "The energy around here, it looks like what it does when it gathers around mom…"

"Wait, curse energy around me is different?" she asked.

"Very," muttered Sukuna. "Part of the reason why you are different from the other sorcerers. Your family as always had this ability… part of the reason why the power never went to my head when I was among them… huh, perhaps they did know more about me at that point…" he shrugged his shoulders carelessly to it all.

It still bothers Yua that her family actually cared for this bastard. Why? What was the point? She didn't know and doubts she ever would know the truth.

"It's messing with everyone's energy… but no one is being harmed." Gojo explained. "Still, it's weird after eating dragon meat, it does this!"

Suiryu wasn't impressed. Yuuji was concerned. "I thought eating a dragon was serious, apparently not so much…" Yuuji muttered and continued his meal.

"But, what happens if someone eats it? Is there record of that?" asked Shin.

"Very little," said Sukuna. "From the books I have read, very few were able to digest the dragon meat, let alone eat it. The fact remains this was tender, so tender you could cut it with a spoon. Dragon meat is suppose to be impossible to chew. Perhaps we will see first hand what happens to those who are able to consume it… I am certain many may not be able to keep it down."

That damn smirk that came on his face again…

When the meal finished, everyone thanks the curse womb children for the feast. They merely smiled and nodded to the compliments. "We will serve it again next week," Calypso promised. "In fact, we have to serve this once a week until we run out of meat."

Yua had to get to the bottom of this. She approached Calypso and said. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

She nodded. They walked in silence, far from the others as Yua then said. "So, is there something you want to tell me?"

Calypso paused oddly, as she turned to face her, Yua was taken aback as to how startled she was! "Yua… Lady Yua… I am sorry for not disclosing the meal to you sooner, however, mother insist."

"This… was your mother's idea?"

She nodded. "The dragons that came after our uncles. We cannot waste the bodies as well, we cannot reveal them to the world. We were tempted to return them to the heavenly realm, yet had we, it would be taken as a threat. The only other option was to keep them on Earth. But mother insisted we use every bit of the dragon."

"Is this common among them? This is the first I have heard of promoting such a practice among your kind. I know dragons eat dragons, but to allow a lower species to consume the flesh of one? It's not heard of."

She nodded. "Very few are able to digest the meat of a dragon, humans in particular cannot do such a thing." She explained. "Not unless one knows how to properly tenderize the meat, we have learned through various methods, as well. We made certain this was the wisest course of action. I spoke with grandmother about this as well. She already knew… since she was the one who told my mother to feed this to you."

"So what Sukuna said… damn, I hope no one gets sick from this…"

"They shouldn't!" She protested. "Lady Yua, we made certain no one would be sick from this meal! We wouldn't dare harm the friends of our uncles, you took care of them, and my mother and aunts too when they were expecting us."

She sighed aloud, not really understanding what's going on now. They were fed this on purpose… but what purpose? "Do you know what this will do to us if we manage to keep it down?" she asked.

Calypso shook her head no. "But… mom said it was important that you and everyone ate it."

This was getting concerning. Yua dismissed her for now, and yet now this was bothering her. "I know you followed us, so what do you think?" she asked aloud.

Sukuna lingered out of the forest, he sneered a little but then sighed. "Something is happening, and soon, it will affect everyone here." He said bluntly. "Dragon meat as it has been explained should have been too difficult for anyone to consume and yet, it was done so easily. This was purposely prepared for us to eat…"

"But why? What properties are in dragon meat that would give one benefit?" she asked aloud. "Dragon blood strengthens divine user, no doubt they have eaten dragon meat before when they were plentiful…"

"They tried, but died, which is why they switched to blood."

"Easier to consume, gain and keep the dragon alive for more…" she muttered.

"You know this is bad, right? The fact remains they allowed me to partake in this meal. Something is coming."

She nodded in agreement. "I don't doubt that," she paused and began to think. She recalled Yuuji and Suiryu state how terrified dragons were of them the moment they devoured two before the masses. At the same time, it was typical dragon behavior in a sense.

"Don't put too much thought into this, Yua, they probably would never tell us why."

But, Calypso would have if she knew. Her tone, and how humble she sounded, it was as if she offended an elder and was asking for forgiveness. She shouldn't be seen this high in regard to a dragon, yet, it felt as if she were. "Yua?"

"Thinking…" she said. "Hm, let's let this be for the moment, but keep vigilant. I have a feeling you are right about something coming… that or is this a defense for the Itadoris?" she said aloud.

"What defense?" Sukuna demanded of her. "It merely alters your energy, nothing more at the moment."

"We will see soon enough then."