Chapter Text
“Kisho Arima-kun, Nimura Furuta-kun. What brings you here today?”
Tsuneyoshi Washuu sat at his desk in the wide atrium of the CCG headquarters, the sunlight against his back silhouetting his face in darkness. Nimura had rarely left the Sunlit Gardens: being blindfolded by a family retainer, packed into a transport alongside Kisho-oniisan, and walked into the giant radiance of the CCG headquarters was like taking a trip to another world. To Nimura, Washuu looked like what he imagined the Emperor sitting on his throne would be like, or maybe even God Himself. Washuu’s long beard hung down to the desk, and his face was heavy and blank like a mask. It was impossible to believe that this man sitting before him, radiating power and authority, could be his father. Could be the same man who sat Nimura on his knee and traced the family history, sighing about his ancestors’ selfishness.
Rumor had it that Tsuneyoshi Washuu had actually been in love with Nimura’s mother, unlike the other human and ghoul women who served as wombs for the Washuu clan, whom he treated like breeding livestock. Whether the rumor was true or not, Tsuneyoshi did seem to have a special affection for him – and though Nimura had no such love for his father, he enjoyed the attention.
Nimura raised his eyes to meet Tsuneyoshi’s, but he quickly looked down. Of course, Kisho would be granted permission to speak first. Kisho was his elder. And Kisho was, even as a teenager, an expert ghoul hunter. The world hated ghouls and those like him who carried their blood, but it always loved a ghoul hunter.
He wanted to smash that world.
But in due time.
Meanwhile, he smiled like a good and dutiful son.
Kisho spoke up first. “Oto-sama, we would like to petition you on behalf of our sister, the womb ghoul Rize.”
Washuu inclined his head forward slightly, giving Kisho permission to speak.
“I believe that Rize has above average intelligence, not only for a ghoul child, but even compared to human children. She has a natural curiosity about words and numbers that seems ripe to be developed with at least a basic course of education. I know that it is not standard to allow womb-ghouls to take basic lessons with the other Sunlit Garden children, but I believe Rize has potential to develop her abilities with a mixture of basic lessons, tutoring, and self-study, much as I did in my youth.”
Tsuneyoshi raised an eyebrow. “And what need does a womb-ghoul have of an education? The last I checked, reading classic literature wasn’t required for bearing offspring.”
Nimura scowled at the floor, but then smoothed out his features into a pleasant expression when he met his father’s eyes again. Nimura knew that Washuu loved him more than he loved Kisho. Kisho was always working so hard, trying to earn Washuu’s approval. But Nimura seemed to be naturally good at making people like him.
“Well, yes,” Kisho said, and he scuffed his feet awkwardly. “But, I am simply saying that, even for a ghoul, it would be a tragic waste for an intelligence like hers to remain undeveloped. After all, intelligence is a worthy quality to breed for, no? Let Rize show us just how well she can contribute to the strength of our family.”
Washuu inclined his head in seeming approval. “But I worry … I don’t want her to become restless. She knows her place in our family. Her existence is destined to be a lowly one, and she must be able to accept it. If she grows too sure of herself, she may forget that she is a ghoul. A tame bird in a cage.”
“Father, a caged bird is less likely to grow restless and fly the cage if it is given a little room to stretch its wings, no?”
Washuu was silent for a long while.
“Nimura-kun. What say you on your sister’s behalf?”
Nimura looked up, smiling widely at his father. He was always happy to talk about Rize. She was … well, she was his very favorite person in the whole world. And maybe, if he did nice things for her, she would be even more devoted to him than she already was. He was good at making others love him, but it was Rize’s love he craved the most.
“Oto-sama, I think Rize-chan is a really special person. She is super smart, like Kisho-oniisan said. And it’s like she’s able to see into a person’s true heart, even if they’re hiding it, and then she can say what their heart is thinking in just the right words. She reads the picture books we have in the Sunlit Gardens over and over, and I think it makes her happy. So … I really hope she gets to take reading lessons with the Arima children. I think that would make me happy, too.”
Washuu was silent for a while. A very small smile pulled at the upper corner of his lip. “Very well then. Arima-kun, Furuta-kun, your request is granted. Rize will receive basic reading lessons with the legitimate branch children. But be warned,” he said, his expression darkening like a cloud had passed over it. “I am doing this out of respect for Kisho-kun and fondness for Nimura-kun, not for the girl’s own sake. She is nothing to me. May neither of you give me cause to regret this. Understood?”
Kisho bowed deeply, and Nimura kneeled and touched his head to the floor. If there was one thing he’d learned, it was that the old man wanted to feel appreciated when he granted a favor. And Nimura was more than happy to oblige, if that meant getting what he, Nimura, wanted in the end.
When Nimura raised his head, Washuu smiled wistfully at him. There was no smile for Kisho. Nimura saw Kisho’s brow furrow slightly, but his half-brother’s face was otherwise a serene mask.
“You are dismissed, boys. Go. I have more important business to attend to.”
They both turned away and walked down the cold, echoing hall back towards the Sunlit Gardens – their own beautiful cage.