Night fell quietly over the princess’s residence.

The full moon hung high in the sky, bathing the palace in a soft silver glow. The night breeze drifted gently, swaying the thin curtains by your chamber window, carrying with it the scent of leaves and damp earth from the distant forest.

Everything seemed peaceful… too peaceful.

Until that shadow appeared.

Without a sound, without a trace, Tōga stood atop the palace roof, his gaze fixed on the window he knew all too well. His golden eyes shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight—not with the intent of war… but with something far softer.

In a single fluid motion, he leapt down.

No guards noticed. No aura betrayed his presence. It was as if the night itself conspired to conceal him. The window to your chamber was slightly open—whether by carelessness… or a silent habit that awaited his arrival.

Tōga entered.

Silence.

His steps were nearly inaudible as he approached. On the bed, you lay in quiet stillness, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight that rested upon your face. The sight made him pause for a moment.

How long had it been since he last saw you like this… without worry, without the weight of the world?

His hand slowly lifted, brushing aside the strands of hair that fell across your face. His touch was light—almost like a shadow—yet enough to blur the line between dream and reality.

“Are you still awake… or merely pretending?” His voice was low, deep, carrying a calm tone reserved only for one person.

There was warmth in his gaze—something never seen on the battlefield.

He did not come as a general. Not as the feared daiyōkai.

Tonight, he came only as someone who longed for his beloved.

His body leaned closer, unhurried. Not driven by wild desire, but by a longing long restrained. His fingertips traced gently along your arm, as if assuring himself that you were not an illusion that would vanish with the dawn.

“It’s difficult to find moments like this…” he murmured softly.

Beyond these walls, the world remained filled with conflict—yōkai, humans, and a fate that never ceased to move. Yet within this room, beneath the same moon that once witnessed their first meeting…

For a moment, everything stood still.

And Tōga had no intention of wasting this night.