Earth [Gaia], 2007
The dim glow of a bedside lamp cast warm shadows over the cozy room, where a father and daughter sat together, wrapped in the quiet serenity of the night. The father, Hashirama Mugyiwara, gently traced his fingers over the aged pages of a storybook as his youngest daughter, Miyoko, nestled beneath her blankets, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Long, long ago," Hashirama began in a soft, storytelling voice, "before the Queen drew her power from faith, she ruled with an iron fist."
Miyoko blinked up at him, tilting her head. "Was the Queen bad, Daddy?"
Hashirama chuckled, shaking his head. "No, sweetie. The Queen was kind, but she endured many hardships. They shaped her into the ruler she became."
Miyoko pouted thoughtfully. "Was her life sad?"
Her father exhaled, closing the book for a moment as he gave her question its due weight. "Yes, sweetie… it was."
He reopened the book, his voice dipping lower as he continued, "One night, as she sat upon her throne, lost in the haze of sleep, a voice whispered into her dreams. It foretold a prophecy—a child would be born to her, one who would fill her life with happiness. A child of light… her salvation."
Miyoko's eyes sparkled with wonder. "Her son would save her?"
Hashirama paused, a small, knowing smile curving his lips. "That," he said, brushing a hand over her head, "you will have to find out tomorrow. Suspense makes for the best stories, my dear."
Miyoko pouted again but obediently snuggled into her bed, her little voice sleepily murmuring, "Okay… but Daddy, the hero… did he save his mother?"
Hashirama hesitated. He didn't want to spoil the ending. Instead, he simply ruffled her hair and whispered, "The hero… he always kept moving forward."
With that, he kissed her forehead and quietly left the room.
Waiting just outside was his wife, Himawari, her gentle gaze meeting his as they walked toward their own bedroom. Once inside, Hashirama moved to the bathroom, beginning his nightly ritual. As he washed his face and brushed his teeth, he ran through his daily recap in his mind—a habit he had developed over the years.
"Hashirama Mugyiwara, age 35, physical age 16. Born March 19, 1973. Chairman of Mugyiwara Co., the largest corporation in the world. Heir to one of the Seven Great Houses. I live in a mansion near the Hokkaido coastline. I haven't awakened my specialty yet, but that's fine. I was once married to Amelia Lawswurt, a brilliant German scientist. She died giving birth to my third daughter, Miyoko. I never had a son, only three beautiful daughters whom I would give my life for."
He spat out the toothpaste and turned on the shower.
"Satsuya, my eldest, inherited Amelia's kindness and compassion. Nishoku, my middle child, has her intelligence. And Miyoko… fiery, untamed, the very image of her mother. Despite being the reason for Amelia's passing, my daughters love each other fiercely. And I… I love them even more."
"After Amelia's death, I struggled to claw my way out of despair for their sake. As the sole heir of a great house, I was bombarded with suitors. Among them was Himawari Shimura. Our marriage was arranged, but over time, I learned to love her in my own way. We never rushed intimacy—an occasional hand on mine, a stolen kiss… a handjob if the mood struck. A blowjob, maybe, if we were feeling particularly indulgent."
The warm water cascaded down his back as he sighed, lost in thought. But his musings were abruptly shattered by the sound of violent retching.
His body moved before his mind caught up. Throwing on a towel, he rushed back into the bedroom to find Himawari hunched over the bed, pale and trembling, vomiting onto the sheets.
A ghost of a past nightmare clawed at him. The trauma of Amelia's death hit him like a punch to the gut.
"Himawari!" he called, his voice raw with panic as he ran to her side, gathering her in his arms. "Alucard! Get in here, NOW!"
In the blink of an eye, a shadow flickered, and the vampire butler materialized before them. His crimson eyes glowed with ancient wisdom as he immediately began assessing the situation.
Hashirama's mind raced. Was it food poisoning? A stomach virus? God forbid—tuberculosis?
But then, Alucard's expression shifted, his usually unshakable composure faltering.
"Good lord's eternal bliss," the vampire murmured, stepping back slightly. His voice, thick with his Romanian accent, carried a rare note of reverence. He turned to Hashirama, his piercing gaze filled with something close to awe.
"My lord," he said carefully, "Lady Himawari… is with child."
Silence.
Hashirama's world tilted. His breath caught in his throat. His thoughts clashed in a chaotic whirlwind of emotions—shock, confusion… even anger.
This was an arranged marriage. They had agreed to wait. They had never gone all the way. Then how—?
Did she cheat on him?
A dark storm brewed inside his heart. But before it could consume him, Alucard, ever loyal, placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Fear not, my lord," Alucard said solemnly. "Lady Himawari's purity remains intact. My vampire senses confirm it."
Hashirama's breath came out in a shaky exhale. "Then… how can a virgin be pregnant?"
Alucard was silent for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer than usual.
"I have lived for over six centuries," he said. "I have seen many things. I have done many things. But this… even I do not know." He clutched the cross on his neck. "When I was a man, I had faith in the great Lord's stories of a Messiah born from a virgin maiden. Is this the same? I cannot say."
Hashirama was still trying to process everything when the door creaked open.
"Dad?"
It was Satsuya, dressed in her ridiculous penguin pajamas, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What's going on?"
Alucard turned to her, his lips curling into an amused smile. "Lady Satsuya, you are about to become an older sister again."
Her world flipped.
"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" she shrieked, throwing herself at her parents in excitement.
Hashirama forced a smile. He couldn't reveal the truth—not yet. So he simply hugged her back. "Go wake your sisters," he said.
Months passed. The secret of the unborn child remained hidden.
Then, one fateful night, the stars aligned in the sky, forming the birthmark of the Mugyiwara clan.
Himawari's screams pierced the mansion as she went into labor.
The sisters rallied—Satsuya assisting, Nishoku praying, Miyoko hoping. None of them wanted to lose another mother.
And then… it happened.
A single, impossible moment.
The baby was born without aid. His arrival shattered bones, his first breath shook the room, and his cry never came. Instead, his crimson eyes opened—calm, knowing, intelligent beyond reason.
Hashirama's breath hitched.
His first son.
Alucard stepped forward, reverently cradling the newborn.
"Good sir," he said, voice rich with history. "As I have named your forefathers before you… so shall I name him."
He turned his gaze to the child, his vampire instincts whispering of destiny.
"From this day forth, the heir to the Mugyiwara clan… the child born of a virgin… the one I shall serve with my life… shall be known as—"
"Shotaro Mugyiwara."