Dan loathed complexities. However, the family had grown, and with that growth, their needs had multiplied. This was a reality that could no longer be ignored. He sat in his office within the laboratory, a leather parchment spread out before him. He picked up a quill, dipped it into vegetable-based ink, and began to write. Rules. Laws. A framework for how the Walt family would interact with the outside world.
The first point was clear: communication was inevitable. He hated the idea, but it was a practical necessity. Total isolation had become impossible. The family required resources they simply could not produce themselves. Clothing, for instance. He looked down at his own woolen and leather garments. They were functional and warm, yet primitive. The entire family wore the same type: hides and furs from hunted animals, or wool from their own sheep. His wives spun the fabric themselves. While this was sufficient for survival, it was far from ideal, especially with a growing household of forty-eight sons and daughters, twelve wives, and himself. Sixty-one people required a constant supply of clothing. High-quality fabric had to be purchased; it could not be manufactured at home.
Then there was the matter of food. Meat, dairy, and eggs were plentiful—they raised livestock and hunted in the vast forests. But what about a variety of vegetables? Rice? Bread? Diverse fruits? He had attempted to cultivate some vegetables years ago and had succeeded partially, but the variety remained limited, and the production was insufficient for their numbers. They needed trade. He wrote: Limited commercial dealings with the outside world. Acquisitions: fabrics, vegetables, rice, grains, and spices.
He paused. The quill hovered over the parchment. He moved to the greatest problem of all: his eldest children. They were thirty years old. They had passed the typical age for marriage long ago. Dan understood that they possessed natural needs and human instincts. Sam, Leon, Felix, and the other elder sons could not remain bachelors forever. The daughters, too—Sofia, Amy, Hoshi—were adult women. They deserved a normal life. Dan was no fool; he knew what was happening. He heard the whispers and saw the lingering glances. His children were suppressing their desires, but suppression has its limits.
The problem was the lack of options. They could not marry into the outside world. That was impossible. Their Kekkei Genkai was the family's secret, the most precious thing they owned. If one of his children married outside the family, the offspring would inherit that Kekkei Genkai. The secret would spread, and it would inevitably bring grave trouble to his doorstep. Therefore, such a thing was entirely unacceptable.
Yet, leaving them without a solution was equally unacceptable. The family would eventually disintegrate from within; resentment would fester, and conflicts would ignite. He needed a solution. It might not be a perfect one, but it had to be a solution nonetheless. He wrote slowly: For the sons: The family will purchase female slaves.
He stopped and stared at the sentence. It was harsh. He knew this. But this was the era they lived in. Slavery was pervasive everywhere. Wars created thousands of captives, and poverty forced people to sell themselves or their children. The slave market was thriving. When he eventually sent his sons into the outside world, they could marry ordinary girls, provided they brought them back to the family fold. He added a condition: Requirement: Good treatment of the women purchased. No cruelty. No humiliation. They become wives, not property. At the very least, he would ensure this much. He would not permit brutality within his family. The women who came—slaves or not—would be treated with dignity. This was non-negotiable.
However, the daughters presented a much more complex problem. It was impossible to marry them off to outsiders. The Kekkei Genkai would pass to their children, and those children would be outside the family's control. It would be a catastrophe. So, what then? Should they remain single forever? He rejected the thought immediately. His daughters deserved happiness. They deserved families of their own.
The only solution was to bring husbands for them from the outside but keep them strictly within the family, under his control. How? He wrote: Adoption of young children from the outside. Both males and females. Raising them according to the family's way. Selecting the suitable ones as partners for the daughters. It wasn't perfect, he knew. But what was the alternative? They would adopt young children aged five or six. They would be raised as full members of the family. They would be trained, educated, and instilled with absolute loyalty. When they grew up, the best among them would become husbands for his daughters. Since they would live within the family compound under Dan's watchful eye, the Kekkei Genkai secret would remain secure. His daughters' children would be raised as part of the clan. It would keep everything under control.
But what about the daughters themselves? Would they accept this? Dan recalled a conversation he had overheard by chance weeks ago. Rin was speaking with Sofia and Amy about marriage, and the girls had vehemently denied any interest. But he understood that as time passed, things might change, and he wanted the option to be available when that time came. He knew his daughters. They were stubborn and proud, but they were not immune to human emotions. They denied it now, but when they saw their brothers marrying and starting families, their perspective would shift. Loneliness is painful, especially when it spans decades. He added a note: Persuading the daughters will take time. No coercion. Only providing the choice.
He closed his eyes and sighed. The matter was more convoluted than he liked. Nevertheless, this was the best available solution—practical, if not perfect. He reviewed what he had written:
Rules of Engagement with the Outside World:
Trade: Limited. Purchase of necessities only—fabrics, food, tools. No long-term relationships.
Identity: Whoever leaves for the world must hide their origin. No mention of the Walt family, the Kekkei Genkai, or the base.
Marriage (Males): Allowed to purchase female slaves. Condition of good treatment. These women become wives with full rights.
Marriage (Females): Adoption of young children from the outside. Raising them within the family. Choosing the best for the daughters.
Absolute Secrecy: Any leak of family secrets will be judged by Dan personally.
He set the quill aside. That was it. The rules were simple and strict, but necessary. One final step: when would implementation begin? A few years from now. When the eldest had applied the seal and gained sufficient experience in controlling it. Only then would the plan for contact with the outside world commence. For now, they still needed more training and refinement. He folded the leather parchment and placed it in one of the drawers. The rules were ready; the execution would come later. He stood up and stretched. It was time to return to training. Power was more important than rules and laws. As long as the family remained strong, everything else would be smooth and easy.
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