Volume 2 Prologue – A Subordinate’s Love
When exactly did I first notice my real feelings?
This is a love between two people with different statuses.
The Hanayori House is sworn to protect the House of which Guren-sama is born into to the death——
As for me, I am born into this house of servants.
So, this is a love that absolutely cannot exist——as it should be.
Ten years ago, on that day.
Everything stems from that incident.
“…… Uhm, Guren-sama, are you feeling alright?”
I called out my master’s name.
I didn’t know whether I said it too softly, because it seemed that Guren-sama hadn’t heard me.
Inside the bedroom of the Ichinose mansion.
Behind the sliding door, I heard a groan of pain coming from Guren-sama.
I heard from Father that yesterday Guren-sama got into some trouble with some masters from the Hiiragi House. Not only did he receive a few fractures, his face was also bruised all over and he developed a high fever.
Of course, as retainers to the Ichinose House, the Hanayori House had been summoned to discuss future measures.
And I, who had been brought up to exclusively attend to Guren-sama, was ordered to stay by Guren-sama’s side.
But, I was about five years old then.
I didn’t understand the affairs of the adults, and even the intense feelings of loyalty to my master——I completely lacked that as well at that time.
Simply put, my parents who brought me into this world just to serve the Ichinose House, I had some doubts about that.
But there I was, I just followed the order.
So hearing the anguished cries of the boy behind the sliding doors, I felt only pity for him, not anger towards those who hurt him.
But, this was my mission.
My parents had given me this task to attend to him.
So once again, I asked.
“…… Guren-sama, are you in pain?”
As soon as I spoke, I heard a “don” sound coming from inside the room, as though something had been hit.
I froze for a moment, but reacted right after. Had something happened to my master?——I immediately got up, my hand ready to open the door.
This instinctive reaction was the result of my training and education, not because of my feelings of loyalty. My body had been trained to protect Guren-sama.
I put my hand on the sliding door.
And gently opened it slightly.
That moment, I heard another “don” sound, as though something was being hit.
From the gap, I saw the source of the sound.
Guren-sama who had crawled out of his covers had hit his fist hard on the tatami mat.
This five-year-old boy, who had broken bones and bruises all over, was hitting the tatami mat over and over again, his face unwilling to show his pain,
“…… Damn, dammit! It’s because I don’t have any power……”
This time, he noticed me.
And I would never forget the look on Guren-sama’s face.
No, to be exact, it was his eyes.
His incredibly black eyes, completely filled with hatred, but still so mesmerising.
Guren-sama was crying.
His face was full of tears, and he cried with such regret, pain, and loneliness.
Yet at the same time, I heard Guren-sama’s voice.
“Sayuri, is it?”
“…… Yes.”
“Open the door. I’m already awake.”
“…… Yes.”
Hearing his order, I put my hand on the sliding door.
But, I didn’t want to open it. Seeing my own master crying like that, I felt very awkward and I didn’t know what to do. Also, I had never seen a boy my age cry like that.
While I hesitated opening the door, it had already been opened from the inside.
And out walked Guren-sama.
“…… Ah.”
I raised my head to look at him and realised he had already stopped crying.
His face was still bruised and he looked like he wasn’t meant to be standing up because of his injuries, but my master looked down at me and said.
“…… I’ve made you worry. You can go back now.”
“But.”
I was unable to stop him, and Guren-sama had already left his room.
I had better stay by his side.
Guren-sama stood barefooted in the backyard and looked up at the sky emotionlessly.
I still remember it clearly, the crescent moon on that night.
It looked like the crescent moon on the emblem of the religious organisation that we belong to, 『Mikado no Tsuki』, so thin and sharp that you might be scratched if you touched it.
Staring at the crescent moon, Guren-sama said.
“Sayuri.”
“Yes.”
“How long have I been asleep for?”
“One whole day.”
“Were you standing watch outside the whole time?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ve really troubled you. You can go home now.”
Hearing this, I shook my head.
“No. To look after Guren-sama is my duty.”
I didn’t expect Guren-sama to laugh at my response.
“…… Hah. Duty? How does a brat get these feelings of loyalty?”
I felt angry when I heard his reply. I wanted to tell him “you’re a brat yourself too”.
The adults had taught me every day that I need to be loyal to Guren-sama. The value of my presence depended on the level of loyalty I had towards Guren-sama.
But he actually doubted my loyalty, what on earth did this mean……?
Almost as if to answer my question, he turned around and said.
“…… Sorry. For what I just said. It’s because you saw me crying like that just now, so I felt embarrassed by it.”
“Ah……”
“To let you see such an ugly scene. Surely it is also humiliating for the retainers to have such an embarrassing master. I promise this will never happen again, forgive me, Sayuri.”
After Guren-sama had finished speaking, he gave me a shy smile.
“…………”
At that moment, my fate had been decided.
Knowing exactly the burdens that my master carried, knowing his responsibilities as the future head of the 『Mikado no Tsuki』. It was not because of these rational reasons.
Surely, slowly, I started to like him.
The boy in front of me who was the same age as me.
The boy with the lovely smile, though obviously so fragile, the sadder he was, the stronger he became.
And just like that, ten years have passed.
But my heart feels the same.
From that day onwards, I never saw Guren-sama cry again. Guren-sama has become stronger, fit to become the next head of the Ichinose House, but all this while, I always thought that he felt a little lonely.
I always thought that maybe, he has never told me how he really feels I suppose?
About what happened that day, I only found out a few years later.
It turns out that it was the daughter of the Hiiragi House——Hiiragi Mahiru, that Guren-sama had a dispute with.
A love between two people with different identities.
A love between two people with different statuses.
“…………”
Whenever I think about this, I can’t get to sleep.
But, at least I still can be,
“…… I can be by Guren-sama’s side to protect him.”
Today, I mutter these thoughts while I walk closely by Guren-sama.
This is the route to the school.
At the end of the road is First Shibuya High school, run by the Hiiragi House where everyone is an enemy.
If I walk closely to Guren-sama, he will definitely say.
“Oi, Sayuri.”
“Yes!”
“You’re making it hard for me to walk.”
“But if I leave your side, I can’t protect you!”
“It’s fine so just leave me. You’re in the way.”
But I step closer towards Guren-sama.
Guren-sama raises his eyebrow,
“…… Seriously, my own subordinate isn’t listening to me at all.”
“Eheheh ♡”
“Don’t eheheh me. Just get out of my way.”
“I can’t. If I leave your side, I can’t protect my master……”
“Cut it out!”
Seeing Guren-sama’s frustrated face, I can’t help but laugh.
The way things are now, I’m fine with it.
Today, I’m fine with it.
Until Guren-sama meets the woman he’s destined to be with.
Until then, a little is fine, by his side——
Volume 2 Prologue – A Subordinate’s Love
When exactly did I first notice my real feelings?
This is a love between two people with different statuses.
The Hanayori House is sworn to protect the House of which Guren-sama is born into to the death——
As for me, I am born into this house of servants.
So, this is a love that absolutely cannot exist——as it should be.
Ten years ago, on that day.
Everything stems from that incident.
“…… Uhm, Guren-sama, are you feeling alright?”
I called out my master’s name.
I didn’t know whether I said it too softly, because it seemed that Guren-sama hadn’t heard me.
Inside the bedroom of the Ichinose mansion.
Behind the sliding door, I heard a groan of pain coming from Guren-sama.
I heard from Father that yesterday Guren-sama got into some trouble with some masters from the Hiiragi House. Not only did he receive a few fractures, his face was also bruised all over and he developed a high fever.
Of course, as retainers to the Ichinose House, the Hanayori House had been summoned to discuss future measures.
And I, who had been brought up to exclusively attend to Guren-sama, was ordered to stay by Guren-sama’s side.
But, I was about five years old then.
I didn’t understand the affairs of the adults, and even the intense feelings of loyalty to my master——I completely lacked that as well at that time.
Simply put, my parents who brought me into this world just to serve the Ichinose House, I had some doubts about that.
But there I was, I just followed the order.
So hearing the anguished cries of the boy behind the sliding doors, I felt only pity for him, not anger towards those who hurt him.
But, this was my mission.
My parents had given me this task to attend to him.
So once again, I asked.
“…… Guren-sama, are you in pain?”
As soon as I spoke, I heard a “don” sound coming from inside the room, as though something had been hit.
I froze for a moment, but reacted right after. Had something happened to my master?——I immediately got up, my hand ready to open the door.
This instinctive reaction was the result of my training and education, not because of my feelings of loyalty. My body had been trained to protect Guren-sama.
I put my hand on the sliding door.
And gently opened it slightly.
That moment, I heard another “don” sound, as though something was being hit.
From the gap, I saw the source of the sound.
Guren-sama who had crawled out of his covers had hit his fist hard on the tatami mat.
This five-year-old boy, who had broken bones and bruises all over, was hitting the tatami mat over and over again, his face unwilling to show his pain,
“…… Damn, dammit! It’s because I don’t have any power……”
This time, he noticed me.
And I would never forget the look on Guren-sama’s face.
No, to be exact, it was his eyes.
His incredibly black eyes, completely filled with hatred, but still so mesmerising.
Guren-sama was crying.
His face was full of tears, and he cried with such regret, pain, and loneliness.
Yet at the same time, I heard Guren-sama’s voice.
“Sayuri, is it?”
“…… Yes.”
“Open the door. I’m already awake.”
“…… Yes.”
Hearing his order, I put my hand on the sliding door.
But, I didn’t want to open it. Seeing my own master crying like that, I felt very awkward and I didn’t know what to do. Also, I had never seen a boy my age cry like that.
While I hesitated opening the door, it had already been opened from the inside.
And out walked Guren-sama.
“…… Ah.”
I raised my head to look at him and realised he had already stopped crying.
His face was still bruised and he looked like he wasn’t meant to be standing up because of his injuries, but my master looked down at me and said.
“…… I’ve made you worry. You can go back now.”
“But.”
I was unable to stop him, and Guren-sama had already left his room.
I had better stay by his side.
Guren-sama stood barefooted in the backyard and looked up at the sky emotionlessly.
I still remember it clearly, the crescent moon on that night.
It looked like the crescent moon on the emblem of the religious organisation that we belong to, 『Mikado no Tsuki』, so thin and sharp that you might be scratched if you touched it.
Staring at the crescent moon, Guren-sama said.
“Sayuri.”
“Yes.”
“How long have I been asleep for?”
“One whole day.”
“Were you standing watch outside the whole time?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ve really troubled you. You can go home now.”
Hearing this, I shook my head.
“No. To look after Guren-sama is my duty.”
I didn’t expect Guren-sama to laugh at my response.
“…… Hah. Duty? How does a brat get these feelings of loyalty?”
I felt angry when I heard his reply. I wanted to tell him “you’re a brat yourself too”.
The adults had taught me every day that I need to be loyal to Guren-sama. The value of my presence depended on the level of loyalty I had towards Guren-sama.
But he actually doubted my loyalty, what on earth did this mean……?
Almost as if to answer my question, he turned around and said.
“…… Sorry. For what I just said. It’s because you saw me crying like that just now, so I felt embarrassed by it.”
“Ah……”
“To let you see such an ugly scene. Surely it is also humiliating for the retainers to have such an embarrassing master. I promise this will never happen again, forgive me, Sayuri.”
After Guren-sama had finished speaking, he gave me a shy smile.
“…………”
At that moment, my fate had been decided.
Knowing exactly the burdens that my master carried, knowing his responsibilities as the future head of the 『Mikado no Tsuki』. It was not because of these rational reasons.
Surely, slowly, I started to like him.
The boy in front of me who was the same age as me.
The boy with the lovely smile, though obviously so fragile, the sadder he was, the stronger he became.
And just like that, ten years have passed.
But my heart feels the same.
From that day onwards, I never saw Guren-sama cry again. Guren-sama has become stronger, fit to become the next head of the Ichinose House, but all this while, I always thought that he felt a little lonely.
I always thought that maybe, he has never told me how he really feels I suppose?
About what happened that day, I only found out a few years later.
It turns out that it was the daughter of the Hiiragi House——Hiiragi Mahiru, that Guren-sama had a dispute with.
A love between two people with different identities.
A love between two people with different statuses.
“…………”
Whenever I think about this, I can’t get to sleep.
But, at least I still can be,
“…… I can be by Guren-sama’s side to protect him.”
Today, I mutter these thoughts while I walk closely by Guren-sama.
This is the route to the school.
At the end of the road is First Shibuya High school, run by the Hiiragi House where everyone is an enemy.
If I walk closely to Guren-sama, he will definitely say.
“Oi, Sayuri.”
“Yes!”
“You’re making it hard for me to walk.”
“But if I leave your side, I can’t protect you!”
“It’s fine so just leave me. You’re in the way.”
But I step closer towards Guren-sama.
Guren-sama raises his eyebrow,
“…… Seriously, my own subordinate isn’t listening to me at all.”
“Eheheh ♡”
“Don’t eheheh me. Just get out of my way.”
“I can’t. If I leave your side, I can’t protect my master……”
“Cut it out!”
Seeing Guren-sama’s frustrated face, I can’t help but laugh.
The way things are now, I’m fine with it.
Today, I’m fine with it.
Until Guren-sama meets the woman he’s destined to be with.
Until then, a little is fine, by his side——
