Demon Progenitor Development Project

Princess Kisaragi sat in the oxcart returning to the palace, her face flushed, her eyes vacant as if deep in thought.

My mind is filled with images of handsome men.

The beauty-obsessed Princess Kisaragi was captivated by this woman who exuded a delicate, glass-like aura.

It completely touched my heart.

But that wasn't Fujiwara no Shugo.

Princess Kisaragi had already seen the portrait, and Fujiwara no Shugo's reputation for bravery had spread throughout Heian-kyo; she was certainly not that delicate and frail beauty.

Thinking of the information I had found, that person must be the son of the Ubuyashiki family.

What a pity, what a pity.

I'm already engaged, and given my physical disability and weak family background, my elder brother would never allow me to marry him.

Princess Kisaragi said with regret.

However, if she marries Fujiwara Shugo, she will likely see this exceptionally handsome young man frequently.

Thinking of this, Kisaragi Hime's slight unease about the close relationship between the two instantly disappeared. Fujiwara Shugo was also a handsome young man of a different kind.

only……

This Fujiwara-sama probably wouldn't be happy for her to marry him.

Princess Kisaragi pondered deeply, "We still need to meet and have a proper talk."

*

The doctor who was summoned was somewhat uneasy, wondering why the Fujiwara Kita family had invited him.

Even he, a physician who traveled through the countryside, was well aware of the Fujiwara Kita family's power and influence.

I haven't heard of any Fujiwara-sama getting sick lately.

The doctor, who had been led into the mansion by the servants, wiped away a cold sweat.

Upon seeing the patient he was to see, he was greatly surprised to find that it was the young master of the Ubuyashiki family.

If today's events get out, it will probably only add fuel to the fire of the already rampant rumors surrounding these two.

The doctor had also heard about the young master's health; the deficiency he had since birth was quite troublesome.

Hiiragi handed over all the details, including past medication records and pulse diagnosis records.

The doctor accepted it politely and respectfully, and after a quick glance, he understood the details, his eyes filled with astonishment.

The records are so detailed that they must be more than just a year or two in length.

It is said that Fujiwara Shugo doted on Ubuyashiki Tsukihiko like a precious jewel, even more so than his own father.

"That's really true," the doctor thought to himself.

After examining him, the doctor took his pulse and frowned slightly. He spoke frankly.

This young master's body was like a leaky wooden bucket; although it required careful care, human strength has its limits, and sooner or later his life would end.

"I have no confidence in Prince Ubuyashiki's condition; I can only say that I will do my best."

After a long pause, the doctor gave his conclusion, his tone very serious, without the previous doctor's attempt to evade the issue.

Hiiragi raised an eyebrow slightly. This doctor who walked in the fields probably didn't understand the ways of officialdom. He didn't leave himself any room for maneuver when he spoke.

too naive.

Look, Muzan is starting to get angry right now.

"Please give it a try. The Fujiwara Kita family will provide everything you need," Shugo simply instructed.

Muzan was completely dispirited, and all the doctors said the same thing, all saying that he was beyond saving.

A doctor with this kind of mentality might just be the kind-hearted doctor from the original story.

It is at least more likely than other doctors who are extremely observant of others' expressions, assess situations carefully, and always leave themselves an out when speaking.

From then on, the doctor practically lived at the Fujiwara residence and didn't even want to go to the pharmacy.

Doctor: If I went there, I would be ostracized by those people and wouldn't be assigned any important tasks. It would be better to stay at the Fujiwara Kita family and discuss medical techniques with my colleagues. (Old face excited.JPG)

Shugo's early preparations allowed the doctors of the Fujiwara Hokuke family to master the highest level of medical technology in the land, almost to the point of obsession.

A person who can devise a formula to turn someone into a ghost must be pursuing the path of medicine, possessing an innovative spirit and the ability to learn.

The doctor, drawing on his own experience practicing medicine in the countryside, strongly agreed with the hygiene habits of the Fujiwara Kita family, which also dispelled the vague confusion in his mind.

Being a doctor is a profession that requires a lot of experience.

To this end, Fujiwara Shugo allowed the physician he kept at home to treat the servants, which not only gave him experience points but also won them over.

There was no nobleman in Heian-kyo more benevolent to his servants than Fujiwara no Shugo.

As for the Fujiwara clan patriarch, who had some reservations, he was persuaded by Shugo with just a few words.

“Treating servants and giving them regular checkups can help detect infectious diseases in a timely manner, improve medical skills, and allow us to treat them better. It can also earn us a reputation for benevolence.”

This deeply moved the kind-hearted doctor, who assured Shugo that he would do everything in his power to heal Tsukihiko.

Fujiwara Shugo doesn't have time to observe this doctor for the time being.

Princess Kisaragi secretly met with him.

Hiiragi had also heard about this Kisaragi-hime from the palace—the woman who was about to become his wife—and was thinking about how to refuse the offer.

He accepted the invitation from this princess who defied societal norms. (Men and women do not meet before marriage.)

Following the directions, he arrived at a secluded place and met... a plain-looking princess who wasn't wearing a twelve-layered kimono.

Seeing that Shugo didn't have many complaints about her attire, Kisaragi smiled, and then saw Fujiwara Shugo subtly distance himself.

Hiiragi: Demons and monsters, get out of here!

Kisaragi's smile froze slightly, and she gritted her teeth inwardly.

The rumors that this man doesn't like women must be true.

Hiraga, who had just sat down, didn't stand on ceremony and got straight to the point.

"Please speak frankly, my lord. It must be because of our marriage." Many people have their eyes on his marriage, and Shugo is already annoyed just dealing with these opportunists.

"Lord Fujiwara should also know about our marriage."

"I have no intention of getting married. Even if you are forced to marry into this family, you will only end up alone in an empty room." Shugo said this in a particularly harsh way.

Princess Kisaragi's expression remained unchanged. Her elder brother had recently taken control of the Imperial Household Department and was opposing the Regent, attempting to seize back power.

Marrying off his sister at this critical juncture is an open secret; everyone knows what he's really up to.

It's perfectly normal that Fujiwara Shugo didn't give her a friendly look.

However, Kisaragi-hime did not want to get involved in political struggles and be used as a tool, especially for a brother with whom she had no close relationship and was even vaguely hostile. She had seen enough of this kind of thing since she was a child.

If she couldn't marry Fujiwara no Shugo, she would only be betrothed to other high-ranking men, all of whom were either quite old or had many wives and concubines. From this perspective, Fujiwara no Shugo was the best choice.

“But Lord Fujiwara, your marriage must be settled soon, and you can’t delay any longer.” Kisaragi-hime pointed out Shugo’s current awkward situation with a smile, and then received a cold stare from Shugo.

In ancient times, remaining unmarried was considered a grave sin.

“We can be a couple in name only. I can even spread the word that I’m jealous, so that the ministers won’t send you a daughter.” Princess Kisaragi smiled, revealing a few black teeth.

"Councilor Fujiwara must be quite annoyed by this."

After a long silence, Shugo finally spoke, "How can I trust you?"

"My brother has recently shown great interest in Tibetans, and the Regent has been quite busy lately." After saying these two unrelated sentences, Princess Kisaragi betrayed her brother without batting an eye.

The Secretariat was equivalent to the Emperor's secretariat, managing confidential documents, and many of its members were from the Fujiwara no Hokuke family.

Princess Kisaragi's intention was to gather intelligence about the palace for the Fujiwara no Hokuke clan. After much deliberation, Hiiragi agreed.

Shugo knew in his heart that as one of the top single men in Kyoto, he could hardly delay any longer.