"What are my specific duties?"

  Haruki wasn't interested in small talk; he just wanted to know the schedule.

  "Well, as my personal bodyguard, you'll be by my side during administrative sessions. If there are any diplomatic visits or public events, you'll be my primary shadow," the Seitenshi expined.

  "Understood."

  With his assignment clear, Haruki found a spot against the wall and leaned back, closing his eyes. He wasn't scking off; he was extending his Sense of Fluctuation throughout the entire pace wing.

  He had no intention of being a zy hire. Since he had taken the job, he would ensure her safety with everything he had. No one was going to touch her while he was on the clock.

  The Seitenshi, seeing him with his eyes closed, assumed he was resting. She didn't mind. She simply offered a soft smile and returned to her mountain of paperwork.

  The ruler's life was grueling. Throughout the morning, she handled internal affairs. After a hurried lunch, she moved to press conferences, standing before podiums and cameras to address the public.

  Most of her speeches focused on the "New Gastrea Legistion"—her pn to improve the lives of the Cursed Children and end the systemic discrimination against them. Haruki watched from the shadows. Regardless of how much she could actually change, he respected her relentless effort. She was a lone light in a very dark city.

  During the day, Haruki overheard a significant bit of news: Sōun Ikuma, the ruler of the Osaka District, was scheduled for a diplomatic visit to Tokyo.

  Japan was currently divided into five surviving city-states: Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka, Hakata, and Tokyo. Each was protected by Monoliths and ruled by a sovereign leader. A meeting between two sovereigns was a high-stakes event.

  Naturally, the Seitenshi's personal guard would be on high alert. However, Haruki wouldn't be alone; she had an entire squad of official guard officers. To prepare for the visit, the Seitenshi decided to introduce Haruki to the team.

  "Please wait a moment, S-san. I'll call the escort squad in."

  She waved to the door, and the synchronized cck-cck of military boots echoed in the hallway. Six men entered and formed a perfect line. They wore crisp white dress coats, matching hats, and silver-pted sidearms. They were all exceptionally handsome—they looked more like models for a recruitment poster than actual soldiers.

  As for their combat ability...

  Haruki took one look and decided they were indeed better suited for a runway than a battlefield.

  While Haruki sized them up, the guards were doing the same to him. One man, who stood taller and carried himself with an air of superiority, stepped forward. He offered a practiced, charming smile and extended his hand.

  "Greetings. I've heard about you from her Highness. I am Takuto Yasuwaki, Rank: Second Lieutenant. I have the honor of serving as the Captain of the Seitenshi's personal guard."

  "Mm."

  Haruki didn't take the hand. He didn't even look at it. He didn't even look at Yasuwaki's face.

  The rejection was so blunt that Yasuwaki's smile froze, turning into a mask of suppressed rage. The Seitenshi looked on awkwardly.

  Haruki wasn't being arrogant for the sake of it. Most of the time, he was actually quite reasonable. The problem was Yasuwaki. The man was smiling, but Haruki's senses were screaming. He could feel a sharp, piercing malice radiating from the Captain—a hidden rot behind the "pretty boy" exterior.

  If someone points a bde at Haruki, he doesn't smile back. The only reason Yasuwaki wasn't already bleeding on the floor was because Haruki was being exceptionally patient.

  Sensing the atmosphere souring, the Seitenshi tried to mediate. "Ahem... S-san is a bit... introverted. He's not used to social formalities. Please don't take it personally, Lieutenant Yasuwaki."

  "I see. However, I must advise you, your Highness," Yasuwaki said, his voice tightening. "Your kindness can be a weakness. We cannot simply allow an unknown, masked individual of questionable character into your inner circle. For all we know, he could be an insurgent spy."

  "That's impossible," the Seitenshi said firmly. Her trust in Haruki was absolute.

  Haruki, however, had no intention of letting a gnat buzz in his ear all day. His patience was thin.

  "And I have some advice for you, Seitenshi-sama," Haruki said, his voice cold and echoing behind the mask. "Don't fill your security detail with trash. A bodyguard is responsible for your life; you should be more selective. Trash belongs in a bin, not on dispy."

  "Who are you calling trash?!" Yasuwaki snapped. The mask of the "perfect soldier" fell away, revealing a snarling, ugly pride.

  Haruki actually chuckled. He looked at the six of them and tilted his head. "All six of you. You're just 'vases'—pretty to look at, but empty and fragile. If I call you trash, am I wrong?"

  "You...!"

  Haruki's words ignited a fire. The entire squad bristled, their hands twitching toward their holsters. Haruki didn't care. Their anger was like a light breeze against a mountain.

  Yasuwaki was a government official; he was supposed to be disciplined. But no man could take that level of public humiliation without snapping.

  His logic flew out the window. He didn't care that the Seitenshi was watching. He just wanted to see the masked man crawl.

  Yasuwaki signaled his men. The six guards began to fan out, surrounding Haruki in a tactical circle. Two of them even unclipped the safety straps on their holsters.

  "Lieutenant Yasuwaki, stand down!" the Seitenshi commanded, her voice rising in arm.

  Yasuwaki didn't even look back. "Forgive me, your Highness, but this is a matter of security! I cannot allow this lunatic to remain in your presence! We're removing him—by force if necessary!"

  The Seitenshi realized she couldn't stop them. A look of deep concern crossed her face—but it wasn't for Haruki. It was for the guards.

  "Take him!" Yasuwaki barked.

  Two guards lunged forward, reaching out to pin Haruki's arms. Haruki didn't even draw a sword. He simply stepped into the gap, his right elbow snapping back.

  CRACK.

  The first guard was sent spiraling through the air, spinning 180 degrees before smming into the carpet. Before the second guard could blink, Haruki's boot connected with his sor plexus. The man hit the wall with such force that the pster cracked and caved in.

  "Is he... is he even human?" the remaining guards stammered, their confidence evaporating.

  Yasuwaki's pupils dited. This wasn't a fight; it was a demolition. "Damn you! Who the hell are you?!"

  In the chaos, Yasuwaki drew his sidearm. The three other standing guards followed suit, leveling their barrels at Haruki. Someone's finger slipped, and a shot echoed through the pace.

  BANG!

  The Seitenshi flinched, fearing the worst. But the bullet didn't hit a person; it buried itself in the wall.

  Haruki had vanished from his spot. He moved in a blur of motion, his hand reaching back for Onikiri.

  THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

  Using only the back of his bde, Haruki struck with clinical precision. Three more guards dropped like sacks of flour. They didn't even see the sword move; they just felt the world go dark.

  "Monster... you're a monster..."

  Yasuwaki stood alone, the only guard left on his feet. He was shaking so hard he couldn't even aim his gun. He looked like he was about to faint.

  Pace security finally arrived, rushing into the room to find a scene of total devastation. The incident was quickly recorded: the guard squad had initiated an unauthorized assault on the Seitenshi's personal bodyguard.

  Yasuwaki and his men were stripped of their ranks and taken into custody for disciplinary action. Haruki wasn't even given a formal reprimand.

  "Was that wise?" Haruki asked the Seitenshi once they were alone. "Showing such btant favoritism might cause you political trouble."

  "It's fine," she said, offering a small, clever smile. "Lieutenant Yasuwaki and his men weren't my appointments. They were spies pnted by Advisor Tendo to monitor my every move. By giving them enough rope to hang themselves, I've finally cleared the rot out of my personal escort. You actually did me a huge favor."

  "I see..."

  Haruki realized the girl wasn't just a dreamer. To rule Tokyo, she had to be a pyer in the game of thrones, and she had just used him to checkmate her advisor.

  With the escort squad gone, the burden of protection fell entirely on Haruki's shoulders. He didn't mind. He preferred working alone anyway.

  By the time Haruki left the Sacred Residence, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon.

  He decided to stop by a grocery store to pick up some bentos for Kayo. As he walked through the park near the district border, he noticed a strange sight.

  A young girl was riding a bicycle in circles on a paved pza. She looked to be about Kayo's age, with hair that shimmered like ptinum. She was dressed in a pair of oversized, baggy pajamas and slippers. Her hair was a bird's nest of tangles, and she looked utterly dazed, as if she were sleepwalking.

  She seemed so harmless and "spaced out" that even Haruki's danger sense didn't go off. He intended to walk past her, but then he heard a sharp, aggressive shout.

  "Hey! Watch it, you little brat! You blind?!"

  Haruki turned. Three local thugs had surrounded the girl. It seemed she had accidentally bumped into one of them with her bike. A normal person would have shrugged it off, but these guys were clearly looking for someone to kick.

  One of the thugs kicked the bicycle, sending it—and the girl—tumbling to the ground.

  THUD.

  The girl's back hit the edge of a stone fountain. A small, pained whimper escaped her lips.

  "Talk to me! What, are you a mute? Your bike ran over my foot, you hear me?"

  "Ah... my ankle. I think it's broken."

  "You better pay up, kid. Medical fees aren't cheap."

  The thugs were enjoying themselves, preying on the confused girl. She just stared at them with wide, vacant eyes, her mouth slightly agape as if she didn't understand the concept of a "threat."

  Nearby pedestrians looked away, scurrying in the opposite direction. The systemic apathy of the city was on full dispy.

  Haruki felt the familiar coldness rising in his chest. He walked toward them.

  The leader of the thugs was leaning over the girl, demanding her parents' phone number so he could shake them down for cash. He was grinning, feeling like a big man, until a gloved fist appeared in his peripheral vision.

  CRACK.

  The leader was sent airborne, his teeth cttering together as he hit the pavement.

  The other two thugs turned to fight, but when they saw the masked man with two long swords on his back and eyes that promised a slow death, their bravado evaporated. They scooped up their unconscious leader and bolted into the night.

  ***********************************************

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