The sky was heavy with clouds, and a cool breeze swept through the air. In the midst of this overcast stillness, a single ray of light pierced through the dense clouds, landing upon a lone, withered tree. Unlike the others around it lush with greenery and vibrant blossoms this one stood bare, lifeless, as if time had abandoned it.
Beneath its skeletal branches, a man stood. Dressed in elegant robes, his posture was composed, his face partially concealed by a silk blindfold. Though his eyes were hidden, he faced the dying tree as if studying it, as if seeing something no one else could.
After a moment, he raised his hand and placed his palm against the rough bark. A soft glow pulsed from his fingertips, A faint hum of spiritual energy pulsed from his touch,
His lips curved into the faintest smile as small, as delicate green leaves began to sprout from the brittle branches. But just as quickly as they appeared, the leaves shriveled, turning brown before they could fully unfurl, crumbling into dust upon the wind.
Suddenly…..A distant voice cut through the stillness.
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
The call echoed through the area, growing louder as the owner of the voice drew closer.
"Your Highness! Wh—where did you disappear to? And why… why are you not wearing your mask?!"
The voice belonged to a young man, likely in his twenties. He was panting heavily, struggling to catch his breath yet unable to stop the flood of questions. Before he could say more, a gentle hand rested on his arm.
"Zuzu, calm down. There's no need to worry."
"No need—? Your highness do you have any idea how worried everyone was?" Zuzu huffed, his concern evident. "We searched for you all night! You didn't get—"
"I just needed a break," the man interrupted, his tone light. "So I went to the forest."
Zuzu paled. "The forest?! You went into the forest at night? All alone! But… but why?! Do you realize how dangerous it is? It's crawling with demons! And—and I just heard a report that a fox demon escaped the boundary!"
The man let out a soft gasp, feigning surprise.
"A fox demon… escaped? I wonder how terrifying it must be." He sighed dramatically before offering a small, amused smile his head tilting slightly as his hand remained firmly on Zuzu's shoulder.
"Thanks to my dear friend Zuzu, I'm now aware of this and will never dare to go into the forest again."
Zuzu, however, was unfazed. With an exasperated sigh, he took a step back and raised his hand, showing three fingers before closing them one by one.
"Your Highness, first of all, I am not your friend. I am your the most loyal servant."
"Second, you must stop disappearing without a word. You are to take me with you wherever you go and always remain disguised in front of others."
"And third…" His voice grew more urgent. "The prince disappearance has likely already reached His Majesty… and he has ordered your immediate return to the palace as soon as possible."
The prince sighed, shaking his head. He had heard this many times before. Still, he nodded and started walking. "His Majesty might be furious this time…" he murmured. "We should prepare to leave soon." But after a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back.
Zuzu stood there not following him and he pointed toward the prince.
"Before that, Your Highness…your mask."
Meanwhile,
Arisu stared at Astra, her mind racing as she processed everything she had just heard. She had assumed so much, but now she realized she might not have truly known the full about the one she called her friend.
Astra, watching her expression, let out a small chuckle.
"You heard me right," she said. "The six of us… we don't have families. No relatives, no idea where we come from."
Arisu remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
"You asked me why I don't go against them, right? There's a reason. They rescued me when I was just a child abandoned, left to die in a fire. They were just kids themselves, yet they saved me, took me in. Since then, we grew up together not just as family, but more as friends. Our bond is no less than that of real one. We've traveled together city to city, state to state and kingdom to kingdom performing sword dances, living off our skills. We were just a group of wanderers, never staying in one place for too long, traveling wherever there were ceremonies and festivals to perform."
She sighed. "They never let me practice with them. Never let me use a sword. I don't know why. Maybe they think I'll get in the way. Maybe they think I can't do it. But I want to stand beside them, not just watch from afar. After all I'm not a child anymore… I'll be twenty soon."
At those words, Arisu, who had been listening intently, suddenly furrowed her brows.
"Soon? You mean your birthday is near? When? You never told me! Have you really consider me as your friend."
Astra smirked. "You never asked."
Arisu huffed, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Then when is it?" Astra leaned in slightly, a playful glint in her gaze.
"The same day as the—" She paused, just long enough for Arisu's mind to catch on.
"The Ivory Lotus Bloom Festival," Astra finished. Arisu blinked rapidly, processing her words before gasping.
"The Ivory—! Astra, you share the same birthday as His Highness, the Crown Prince Akira Raizen?!"