A Different Mei

Bright sunlight streamed through the glass into the room. Shiraishi Yoshijo opened his eyes, rolled out of bed, then looked at the two exhausted girls on the bed and shook his head with a laugh.

He had kept at them until dawn last night. Shizune said no, but her body had been honest, while Rin had remained shy and timid throughout. Yet in the end, she had still failed to withstand the anaconda's assault, crying herself hoarse.

A strange smell filled the room. Shiraishi Yoshijo opened the window, and fresh air flooded in. The breeze against his face left him feeling refreshed.

The maidservants had risen early and were already busy. Dressed in the Shide Clan's brightly colored garments, they flitted back and forth along the castle paths like flower butterflies.

Watching the scene, Shiraishi Yoshijo stretched lazily. His narrowed eyes made him look like a dozing tiger, and he yawned again and again.

"These past few years have been far too dull."

Either making children or on the way to make children—day after day, that was his routine.

By now, he had nearly two thousand children and over three hundred grandchildren. Those children who had already started families worked very hard, which greatly comforted him in his old age.

Life might have been dull, but that was precisely why it was called life. As long as children continued to be born, he felt that his life was full.

Butterfly Habitat Valley.

He slowly walked up the steps. On the plaza before the palace, he saw Mei teaching a child how to walk, though Mei seemed slightly different.

Her hair had originally been silver, but now it was black.

Before Shiraishi Yoshijo could figure out what was going on, Mei came over with the child in her arms, beaming.

"Welcome