The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the Imperial Palace. Cho Akane, draped in a flowing white silk kimono, emerged from the General’s private quarters, her expression a mixture of irritation and resignation. Her conversation with the General had been tense, centered around his persistent and uncomfortable attempts to assert ownership over her, including her untouched virginity, which he believed was his right. Cho had rolled her eyes in exasperation as he broached the subject once more, a clear sign of her displeasure.

As she walked down the ornate corridor, the soft rustle of her kimono was the only sound against the stillness of the night. Her footsteps were deliberate, though her posture remained tense. The golden lanterns lining the hallway cast warm light over the polished wooden floors, illuminating the delicate patterns of her attire.

Her bodyguard, standing a few paces away against the wall, remained stoically in the shadows, his presence a constant reminder of her new reality. Cho’s gaze flickered toward him, frustration evident in her voice as she addressed him. “Must you just stand there and watch? It is embarrassing for him to keep trying to do this to me…”