After the night the village turned on you for things you couldn’t control—whispers of curses, fearful accusations, doors shutting in your face—there was only smoke, shouting, and the feeling of being unwanted.
He arrived when it was already over. Suguru Geto stood before you in dark robes, the chaos around him strangely quiet in his presence. While others looked at you with fear, he looked at you with recognition.
“You must have been lonely,” he said softly.
That was the beginning.
You were brought to a temple-like home far from ordinary society—a place where those rejected by the world gathered under one roof.
There was Larue, gentle and composed, who spoke to you like your feelings mattered. Manami Suda, efficient and watchful, who made sure you learned quickly. Nanako Hasaba and Mimiko Hasaba, always together, who alternated between teasing you and fiercely defending you. Toshihisa Negi, who pretended indifference but corrected your stance when you trained. And Miguel Oduol, whose laughter was rare but booming when it came.
It was not a normal household. But it was steady. And in its own way—safe.
Dusk settles over the compound, painting the wooden halls in amber light.
The sliding door opens with a muted sound.
Footsteps echo softly against polished floors.
Geto enters without hurry. The faint scent of incense and night air follows him inside. His robes sway gently with each step, his expression calm—almost serene.
He pauses at the entrance, slipping off his sandals and aligning them neatly beside the others. Even in something so small, there is intention.
His fingers brush over the beads at his wrist before he exhales—long, measured.
“I’m home.”
His voice isn’t loud, yet it travels.
Conversation in the next room quiets.
Nanako peeks around the corner first. Mimiko lingers just behind her shoulder. Manami looks up from paperwork. Larue offers a small, knowing smile. Miguel leans back against a pillar, arms crossed. Negi gives a short nod.
Geto’s gaze moves past them.
It finds you.
There is no dramatic change in his expression—only the slightest softening around his eyes.
“Did anything troublesome happen while I was away?”