"We have elected General Katsu as Warden of the Southern Lands."
The grand hall fell into a tense, stunned silence. Setsuto's proclamation echoed like a gunshot, and all eyes turned toward Sesshoumaru as the verdict hung heavily in the air. Every lord and lady seemed frozen, caught between disbelief and outrage. Even the humans observing from the back of the hall leaned forward, waiting for the Western Lord's response.
Sesshoumaru sat unmoving, his expression impassive as his golden eyes met Setsuto's. On either side of the dog demon, his mother and Kagome turned their gazes toward him, both silently gauging his reaction.
To everyone's surprise, the first to speak was not Sesshoumaru, but Katsu.
"My lord," Katsu began, his voice steady but tinged with unease. He stepped forward and bowed deeply. "I… I must apologize for this unexpected turn of events. I had no idea they would choose me, of all people. Please, disregard this and—"
"Disregard?" Sesshoumaru's voice cut through Katsu's words. One brow arched faintly as he regarded the general. "Why should This One do such a thing?"
Katsu froze mid-sentence, daring to glance up at his lord. There was no anger in Sesshoumaru's eyes, no hint of betrayal in his aura. The dog general, clearly caught off guard, opened his mouth to protest further, but was interrupted by the thunderous outburst of the other lords.
"This is an outrage!" a bear lord roared, slamming a fist against his table.
"What does a low-born soldier know about ruling?" a phoenix lord sneered, his voice sharp and shrill.
"So, the West does plan to control the South after all!" barked a wolf lord accusingly.
The hall erupted into chaos as voices overlapped, accusations and insults flying with reckless abandon. Kagome's eyes darted to Katsu, who stood amidst the storm of anger and indignation, clearly at a loss for how to respond.
When Kagome had suggested introducing democracy into the process, she hadn't anticipated this outcome—nor, it seemed, had anyone else. But as the implications of the dragons' choice settled over the room, curiosity burned within her. Why Katsu? What had led them to select him of all people?
"Setsuto," Kagome called, her steady tone reached the albino dragon, and his piercing ruby eyes locked onto hers amidst the chaos. "Why Katsu?"
Sesshoumaru, recognizing the shift in focus, unleashed a wave of his power, silencing the restless lords. "Speak, Setsuto," he commanded.
Setsuto stepped forward, positioning himself beside Katsu. "While we are grateful for your lordship's support and the sanctuary you have provided," he began, "it was General Katsu whom many of our people relied on for survival."
He turned his sharp gaze toward Lord Haruto, his expression hardening. "While others sought only to destroy those they deemed beneath them, the soldiers of the West, under the General's orders, gave us food, protection, and shelter. Not all under the late Southern Lord's rule were loyal to his madness. Many of us opposed him, distancing ourselves from his tyranny, but such choices came at great cost. Countless innocents perished, caught between the Southern and Eastern armies, with no hope of reprieve."
Setsuto's voice softened. "It was General Katsu who ordered the evacuation of those trapped in the line of fire, guiding them to safety at great risk to himself and his men. For many of us, he was not just a soldier. He was a savior."
His words settled over the hall and for a moment, there was only silence. Kagome watched Katsu's face, his expression a mixture of humility and discomfort under the weight of the unexpected praise.
"Fascinating," Lady InuKimi remarked as she fanned herself lazily. Turning her contemplating gaze toward the albino dragon, she added, "For one a hatchling, you display remarkable wisdom. Most would prioritize strength, seeking a leader capable of brute protection. Yet, you have chosen based on morals and goodwill. An intriguing choice."
Setsuto took another step forward to address her. "We have no doubts about General Katsu's ability to lead and protect," he replied evenly. "As for my age, I assure you, Lady InuKimi, I have witnessed the passing of many centuries."
Sesshoumaru's deep voice cut in, carrying a taunting note. "The Lady Mother has a habit of patronizing anyone less than a millennium old. She herself has seen more than a few eras pass."
InuKimi snapped her fan shut, shooting a pointed glare at her son before returning her attention to Setsuto and Katsu. A knowing smile curved her lips before saying. "And yet, it seems you have overlooked one rather significant detail in selecting your general."
Setsuto's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean—"
His question was interrupted by a loud crack from the other side of the grand hall's doors, drawing all attention to the source of the noise. The muffled sound of raised voices grew louder as the commotion approached. Before the guards could react, one of the massive doors was thrown open with a resounding bang.
An enraged red-haired dog demoness stormed into the hall, her emerald eyes blazing with fury. Behind her trailed a flustered and struggling Masaru, his attempts to calm her utterly futile.
"Where is he?!" Makaira's voice echoed through the grand chamber as her furious gaze scanned the room.
The gathered lords and ladies fell silent as she searched for her target. When her gaze finally locked onto Katsu, her expression hardened, and she strode forward with murderous intent.
Katsu visibly paled. He had endured countless battles, faced brutal enemies, and emerged victorious from more than one war. Yet the sight of his mate barreling toward him, anger radiating from every step, filled him with a fear unlike anything he had ever experienced.
"My love—" Katsu began, but Makaira cut him off sharply by stepping into his space with fire in her eyes.
"Have you lost your mind?!" she demanded, her voice ringing through the hall without a care for the audience. "You disappear for nearly a decade, finally come home, and now you're leaving again to play ruler? Did it even occur to you to consult me or your son first?"
Katsu instinctively took a step back. The praise and respect he had just received felt meaningless as he shrunk under his mate's anger. "I haven't agreed to anything!" he protested, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "The announcement caught me off guard, too. How did you even know about this? It's news to me!"
Her tone dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, don't be so naive, Katsu. A guard let it slip to one of the maids—those gossipy bitches couldn't keep quiet if their lives depended on it. By the time word spread to the fields, I was in the middle of harvesting when I heard Yori mention your name. Why else would I come barging in here like this?"
It was then that the entire hall seemed to collectively notice Makaira's disheveled appearance. Her apron was smeared with dirt, her hands bore traces of soil, and her windblown curls framed a face flushed with both exertion and rage.
Katsu winced, glancing around at the audience of lords and ladies who looked on with varying degrees of amusement, horror, and pity. It was clear that Makaira had no intention of softening her approach—or giving him an easy way out.
Clearing his throat, Setsuto attempted to regain the room's attention. "In addition to requesting the General to lead us," he began, though he couldn't ignore the sharp shift in Makaira's glare toward him, "we also propose appointing two ambassadors—one for the West and one for the East. Their role would be to mediate trade discussions and resolve disputes. It's not a position many would eagerly take on, but—"
Before he could finish, two voices rang out in unison, cutting him off with a fervent, "I volunteer!"
All eyes turned to Masaru and Shinobu, who stood on opposite sides of the hall. Their gazes locked and almost instantly matching blushes colored their faces. It didn't take long for the two to piece together the others motives—each clearly hoping the position would allow them to be closer to the one they fancied.
Haruto gawked at his son in stunned disbelief, his brows furrowing as if to ask, What are you thinking? Meanwhile, Makaira's glare snapped to her own pup, her expression one of exasperation.
"It seems there is much left to resolve," Sesshoumaru stated. Rising gracefully from his seat, he added, "We will continue these discussions tomorrow."
Without sparing another glance at the bickering couple now locked in their heated argument, Sesshoumaru extended a hand toward Kagome which she gratefully accepted.
As they exited the grand hall, Kagome cast one last glance over her shoulder. Katsu was gesturing wildly, trying to calm Makaira, whose furious expression could have sent lesser men fleeing. Kagome bit back a smile at the absurdity of it all.