Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

by KuroKoneko Kamen

  Apparently, the explosion had come from within the kitchen. Roze hoped Kusanagi was alright. Magnum raised, she cautiously stepped inside-And into a complete disaster zone. The entire kitchen was a complete and utter mess and that was putting it lightly. From the singed and smoking walls, to the pieces of - well, what Roze had to assume were pieces of the oven that no longer existed - metal scattered about the floor of the kitchen. The kitchen was a total war zone. Had a grenade gone off? Roze began to panic as she saw splotches of red on the kitchen walls...

  “Kusanagi- sama? ” Roze called out as she stepped over some of the smoking debris.

  “Over here.” Kusanagi stood up and dusting herself off turned to face Roze, revealing that she was covered in red splotches.

  Roze’s eyes widened in fear, “You’re hurt!”

  Kusanagi raised an eyebrow at her, “It’s tomato sauce, baka.” Kusanagi began to scratch her cheek bashfully. “I was just trying to make myself some pasta.”

  Roze looked around at what remained of the kitchen in a combination of utter disbelief and shock, “You did all this just while trying to make pasta? You have got to be kidding me!” She lowered her handgun and sighed.

  Kusanagi frowned, “Yea, I know. I wish...that stoic idiot was here, Roze.” Kusanagi turned around to put her back to Roze so that Roze couldn’t see her face. Kusanagi could feel her eyes burning and didn’t want Roze to assume she was teary-eyed 342

  especially over that stoic baka.

  Roze’s eyes widened in shock, she was surprised enough by Kusanagi admitting she missed Ranmaru. “Kusanagi.”

  Kusanagi’s shoulders were trembling, “Oh Roze, I feel like something awful is happening to him. I just know it. Oh Ranmaru, where are you? I need you...” Kusanagi sunk to her knees and put her face in her hands, her mask suddenly shattering.

  Roze quickly went over to Kusanagi and knelt down to embrace her from behind, “Kusanagi- sama, don’t worry we’ll find him. I promise. I know that he too wishes to return to you.”

  ***

  Several days later, Haruka had managed to discover and infiltrate the underground coliseum where the illegal Death Matches were taking place. Concealed in the shadows he observed the bloody death matches one after another while wondering if Ranmaru really had been ‘kidnapped’ by the yakuza after all (perhaps he’d just gone on a nice vacation to the hot springs in Atami) until-The next Death Match was announced and Haruka watched as Ranmaru emerged from one side of the battle arena where a large metal door had been raised. He looked absolutely awful. His butler’s uniform was covered in splotches of dried blood and torn badly in places. His hair was matted to the sides of his face and caked with blood. His expression was drawn, listless. There were dark shadows from obvious lack of sleep under his eyes, and his golden eyes appeared dull, dead. This was even worse than Ranmaru’s usual ‘emotionless’

  self that Haruka had gotten used to. What had happened to him?

  What’s wrong with him? Have they been torturing him too?

  Haruka found he didn’t really want to know.

  Sure, the guy had always been pretty stoic but the loud, fiery, spastic, whirlwind that was Kusanagi seemed to be breaking Ranmaru out of his shell bit by bit. Or so Haruka had observed. Ranmaru’s emotionless expression had sometimes been replaced with an amused half-smirk, his golden eyes had once or twice twinkled in amusement at Kusanagi’s antics... In fact, whenever Ranmaru’s golden eyes had followed Kusanagi there had been a spark there.

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  But now-It was gone.

  The spark, the light that Kusanagi had ignited in him had been snuffed out.

  Shit. On the other side of the arena floor, a metal door was raised and Ranmaru’s opponent stepped outside and into the arena.

  Haruka blinked, he was young. About the same age as Haruka himself and if his fearful expression and trembling were anything to go by he was no fighter. Surely, Ranmaru would notice this and not fight. Ranmaru wouldn’t fight this defenseless young man, right? Ranmaru would show him mercy neh?

  Ranmaru unsheathed his sword, which was glowing merrily with a red-tinged light, and surrounded by a fiery aura. And he charged forward.

  The young man was shaking violently but he steeled himself and raised his own rusty sword in a two-handed grip before him. He actually managed to block Ranmaru’s first strike. Haruka was suitably impressed. But the attack sent the young man sprawling backwards, head over heels just from the force of it.

  The young man hurriedly picked himself up off the ground, a slightly crazed look in his eyes. Uh oh. Haruka thought. The kid’s lost it now. The young man’s pupils were dilated, his expression desperate, frantic, as he quickly pushed himself up off the ground and let out a cry as he charged Ranmaru head on. Well, Haruka had to give the kid credit, he had guts. Shame he didn’t have any skill to go along with it though. “I won’t lose!

  Kyomi!”

  “Kyomi?” Haruka quirked his head. Who the hell was that? Ah, that’s right, she must be one of the hostages. In this case, she must be his hostage. The real reason why he was even fighting in the first place - fighting what he must have known was a losing battle.

  Ranmaru waited until the boy was almost upon him and then let his sword slip past the young man’s defenses-344

  Haruka had to bite down on his lower lip to keep himself from yelling out: ‘No Ranmaru don’t do it!’

  The young man’s head was severed cleanly from his shoulders. Blood sprayed across Ranmaru’s blank emotionless face - and then he smiled, this chilling smile, and Haruka’s heart plummeted. Oh Ranmaru my friend...what have they done to you? Shit, we have to get you the hell out of here ASAP. I have to get back to Kusanagi... Haruka declared to himself as he faded back into the shadows and disappeared.

  ***

  After the fight was over Kuroki Ryu gave Ranmaru back control of his body and he regained consciousness. Why had he given Kuroki Ryu control of his body again? Then again, did it really matter? Did anything really matter anymore? Ranmaru was stuck in this hell whether he liked it or not, so he might as well just accept it.

  Ryoga was passing Ranmaru on his own way out onto the battle arena floor. He would apparently be fighting his own one on one duel against some unknown opponent next. Ryoga put a hand on Ranmaru’s shoulder as he passed and gave Ranmaru a sympathetic look before saying in a low voice, “It’s not your fault.”

  What wasn’t his fault? Ranmaru looked back out to the arena floor and saw a beheaded corpse lying there, bleeding into the dirt ground. Had he done that? Or had Kuroki Ryu?

  Ranmaru was being ushered back towards the holding cells by a guard, who had his hand on Ranmaru’s arm, when Ranmaru decided he would much rather like to stay and watch Ryoga’s fight instead, and so simply stopped walking and turned to face the arena.

  The guard almost fell over due to Ranmaru’s sudden halt and spun around, his expression angry to face Ranmaru, “Oi!

  What do you think you’re doing? Get back to your cell, slave!”

  The guard raised his long metal pole prepared to hit Ranmaru with it, if he continued to rebel and failed to comply with his order.

  Ranmaru turned to look at the guard with the same expression one gives to a cockroach they’re about to step on, on purpose-Bitch 345

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  The guard gulped.

  “I want to watch.” Ranmaru informed the guard nonchalantly and returned his attention back to the arena. The guard hesitated a moment but couldn’t forget the feeling of those icy golden eyes on him and shivered. “Um, yea, unless you’d rather stay and watch your friend’s fight.” The guard laughed nervously, “That’s fine with me, yea. What the hell do I care anyways?” He decided to act as if this was all his idea. Kagura was so going to kill him. The man moaned in his mind.

  Ranmaru’s attention was already focused on Ryoga and on his upcoming duel. The metal door on the other side of the arena floor w
as raised and Ryoga’s opponent stepped out-He was a middle-aged yokai man wearing a business suit, and had glasses on his face. But he had a sword in his hands and a fierce expression on his face. The man seemed determined to fight, though he was obviously not a fighter. Why? Ranmaru couldn’t help but wonder. Why are you fighting?

  He turned his eyes to Ryoga next and was surprised to see an equally determined look on Ryoga’s usually carefree face. And wondered the same thing - why?

  Where had this sudden courage and strength come from for these two men, who were obviously not fighters?

  The businessman and Ryoga faced off both holding their swords out in a two-handed grip before them and they charged each other haphazardly - their blades clashed in an unpredictable dance of blocks and blows.

  “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” The yokai man declared loudly in a shaky voice. “I can’t die here! Not like this! I have to protect them!” The businessman cried again as he waved his sword recklessly through the air.

  Them? Ranmaru quirked his head.

  Ryoga’s expression was grim, “Your family was taken hostage too? I’m sorry but my family is also at stake here so I don’t intend to lose either! I will protect them! To my last dying breath! I have to try! I will never give up!” Ryoga swung his 346

  sword.

  Ranmaru’s eyes widened. Ryoga’s family? They were here somewhere as hostages? And this was why Ryoga was fighting? This was why Ryoga had the will and strength to fight now even though he didn’t want to fight. Ryoga. Why didn’t he say anything? Ranmaru wondered.

  Ryoga let loose a battle cry and charged the man. Ryoga managed to disarm the businessman miraculously, and the man backed away in horror. He turned to run, fear stricken across his face, but Ryoga shook his head and ran after him. Ryoga stabbed the man in the back and ended it swiftly. The businessman fell forward and lay on the ground unmoving. Ryoga sighed and hung his head for a moment before walking over to the body. Ryoga then knelt by the man and turned him over gently before using one hand to close the man’s eyes. Ryoga then raised his hand and seemed to say a small prayer or blessing over the man he had just killed. Something to help guide his spirit on to the right place. And when Ryoga looked up - Ranmaru was surprised to see that there were tears in Ryoga’s eyes...

  “I really am sorry.” Ryoga declared before standing back up and heading back towards the open gateway where Ranmaru was still standing. Ryoga seemed surprised to see Ranmaru and the guard simply watching him as he approached.

  “Come on, the both of you, before Lady Kagura skins me alive.” The guard shook his head at them. “Stupid slaves. The execution is about to begin. Hurry up!” The guard commanded them gruffly, while muttering to himself, “I’m really not cut out for this shit. Maybe I should have tried getting a normal job...like a taxi driver or car salesman, yea.”

  “Execution?” Ranmaru questioned.

  Ryoga turned to Ranmaru, “Didn’t you know about the hostages? Everyone in here has a hostage - if you lose your battle down here then your hostage is killed. The young man you killed earlier for example, see look there-” Ryoga pointed back out towards the arena floor, across it to where another metal door was being raised.

  Two guards were escorting a young woman before them who struggled in their grasp, but it was futile since they were much larger than she was.

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  “No! Stop! Please let me go!” The woman cried trying to escape.

  “That young lady was the man’s fiancé. And so now because you defeated him she will have to die.” Ryoga explained coldly.

  Ranmaru felt sick.

  “And the family of the man I just killed...” Ranmaru looked up to see more guards passing through the same gateway and they were escorting a middle-aged looking woman, who was leading a small girl in tow by her hand. This girl was most likely her daughter. “They will also have to be killed since he failed to defeat me.” Ryoga shook his head, a disgusted look on his face.

  “No one has the right to take the life of another...”

  “Why?”

  Ryoga blinked at Ranmaru as if he’d grown a second head, “Why? Don’t tell me you don’t understand? Don’t you have someone you care for? Someone you have to protect?”

  “Someone to protect...?” Ranmaru mused aloud. Kusanagi...

  Ryoga nodded, “Look there...look at that young lady with the long brown hair...Now, tell me, what’s she doing?”

  Ranmaru turned to look and noticed the shimmering tears that were streaming down her pretty face. “She’s crying.”

  Ryoga nodded. “Exactly. When you kill someone - someone will be sad. Individuals...opponents in battle...aren’t just themselves. They represent a whole group of people - family, friends, lovers, children. It’s not just your opponent that you end up hurting in battle, now do you understand?”

  Ranmaru’s golden eyes focused on the young

  woman...then on the mother and child. They were sad. They were crying. She’s crying because of me. I caused her tears. And now she’ll die because of me.

  Ryoga sighed heavily and ran a hand back through his messy brown hair, “Yes, but that last part is not your fault. There’s nothing you can do after all...We’re powerless.”

  “Nothing I can do?” Ranmaru echoed. Had he even tried 348

  to resist killing the woman’s fiancé? No. He had given himself over to Kuroki Ryu, so that his hands wouldn’t be stained with blood. So that he could hide himself away in a land called denial and try and stay safe from the guilt. But he knew he wasn’t innocent. His hands had been stained with blood once more. It was his fault. And it was time to take responsibility for his actions. “You’re wrong. It is my fault. But I won’t make the same mistake twice.” A fierce expression formed in Ranmaru’s golden eyes, a fire seemed to have been rekindled there as his eyes narrowed at the guards.

  Ryoga’s eyes widened, “Wait, Ranmaru buddy, what are you saying? You’re not thinking of doing something crazy are you?”

  Ranmaru however wasn’t listening as he strode forward and out onto the arena floor. The guard tried to stop him by halfheartedly placing a hand on Ranmaru’s shoulder.

  “Oi! What do you think you’re-”

  Big mistake.

  Ranmaru turned and punched the guard directly in his face, breaking his nose and sending him flying back into the nearby wall with a sickening crack. The guard slid down the wall to where he lay unmoving. “Why me...?” He moaned before passing out.

  Some of the guards had noticed the commotion and had tried to close the gate against Ranmaru so that he would be unable to get back out onto the arena. The large heavy metal door came down once more barring Ranmaru’s way with a clanging crash.

  Ranmaru however continued his way forward and simply raised his sword before him before he brought it down upon the giant metal door, moving his sword swiftly through the air. The door was easily cut into pieces, and the large pieces of metal fell to the ground all around Ranmaru with loud thuds that caused the ground beneath Ranmaru and Ryoga’s feet to tremble since the overall weight of the metal door had to have been at least a ton.

  “Whoa. Suge. ” Ryoga couldn’t help but whistle, “Oh shit, he really does plan on doing something crazy! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!” Ryoga began to panic as he realized what Ranmaru intended to do.

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  Ranmaru stalked out onto the arena grounds, sword raised.

  Ooo~ Someone’s angry. Kuroki Ryu chuckled, Someone’s out for blood~ Want me to take over again, you cowardly bastard? Are you sure you can handle it? Don’t you need me to hold your hand? Don’t piss yourself now. His sword questioned mockingly before he began to laugh at his own jokes. Just shut up and watch, you bastard sword. Ranmaru growled back in his mind and Kuroki Ryu shut up instantly. Ranmaru charged forward, sword raised against the would-be executioners.

  The guards had been pushing the young woman w
ith the long brown hair to her knees, along with the mother and child. The guards had been preparing to behead them as a bloody spectacle for the crowd’s enjoyment. The executioner, who held a giant axe in his hands, was approaching them with a twisted leer on his face. He licked his lips, waiting for the signal for when he would be allowed to take their heads.

  The young woman’s eyes widened when she saw

  Ranmaru approaching the executioner from behind with his sword poised to strike-She screamed when Ranmaru was suddenly taking the man’s head off with his sword.

  But Ranmaru didn’t stop there and immediately turned his attention to the guards who were standing next to the young woman, and the mother and child. These guards immediately rushed at Ranmaru simultaneously thinking that with numbers they would be able to overcome him easily. How wrong they were. They raised their long metal poles and attacked. But they didn’t even get a single hit in on Ranmaru. Ranmaru moved forward and slicing his sword through the air finished them in seconds, their bodies falling down around him in pieces. More uniformed guards began to pour out from gates that began to be raised all around the arena grounds of the coliseum, and they then moved to attack Ranmaru from all sides. But Ranmaru was a demon out for blood now.

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  Meanwhile, up in the stands the man in the pinstriped suit that was standing next to Kagura shook his head, “He’s going berserk.”

  “I know. Isn’t it... entertaining?” Kagura smiled as she watched the blood spurting into the air and severed body parts falling down around Ranmaru.

  “Those are my men down there I hope you realize.” The man flipped his long white hair in a careless gesture, “And really it’s so hard to find good help these days . Mou, the least you could do for me is stop him while I have some of my guards left, Kagura- san.” The man complained in a whiney, petulant voice.

  “Aren’t you going to stop him?”