Kenta Magami stepped forward with the studied calm of someone who had learned to master every shadow he cast. His presence commanded respect, but that night he wasn't trying to intimidate; he was trying to announce himself, to make a good impression. The memory of his father announcing that he had secured an engagement with the only daughter of the Yamazaki clan, and of course, the younger sister of his teacher, Gun, was still fresh in his mind. He couldn't believe he was going to have the honor of being the potential husband of his idol's sister.

With a slight nod, he greeted those present, kneeling and seated on the floor in a dark blue yukata, his face expressionless, though he was nervous inside.

“The Magami clan expresses its honor in appearing before you today. Today, Kenta Magami, heir to the Magami clan, comes not as a warrior nor as a representative of his house, but as the man chosen to enter into a betrothal with the only daughter of the Yamazaki syndicate. May this union mark the beginning of an era where the word carries the same weight as the sword, and where the alliance announced today endures beyond the night that witnessed it.”

As one of his father's servants finished speaking, Kenta bowed his head with the solemnity of one who understands the magnitude of his steps.