Lord and Father

20 HOURS EARLIER…

After ensuring the aircraft is well hidden, Hoshina makes her way back home.

…

As she approaches civilization, her steps get heavier.

The sound the crank of her feet makes starts digging into her mind.

She shakes her head, stomps the ground and ups her pace.

The grass beneath her feet soon gives way to paved roads. Trees gradually get replaced by houses built from the same wood, with foundations of stone and thatched roofs.

Every gaze that turns to her lingers, drawing more eyes to the growing mass of stares. Whispers sneak around, poorly hidden. Those she doesn't recognize seem frightened, those she knows look shocked. Neither dare approach.

She continues with firm steps towards her home. The guards at the gate and the servants beyond the fence freeze at the sight of her, and she has to call out before they open the gate.

Quivering voices welcome her back. After confirming that Mugen is in his office, she turns to face her lifelong home.

Three stories tall, luxurious glass and ornaments on every window, walls painted in an elegant grey. A symbol of the highest status, a source of envy for anyone beneath the four families.

Or at least, that's what she used to think. What she sees now feels like nothing more than a hollow shell.

Yet still looks as she remembers.

༻──⋆༺𓆩⋆𓆪༻⋆──༺

During the few minutes it takes Hoshina to reach her destiny, more than a few servants get startled upon seeing her. One drops and scatters the silverware she was carrying across the floor. Painful clatter. Still, Hoshina kneels beside the girl to help her tidy up.

The servant tries to decline. 'The mistress shouldn't bother herself with such matters, especially given your current state.'

What state? Can't you see I'm perfectly fine?

Hoshina has the feeling that saying this would be a waste of breath, so she swallows the words and proceeds towards her goal.

…

The doors to her father's office, big and imposing. She used to find them so cool, yet now they are almost intimidating.

She knocks on the door.

"It better be important."

She enters. Mugen keeps his gaze lowered at first, taking a few moments to wipe his staff with a cloth.

Once he looks up, the staff drops on the ground.

Hoshina catches a glimpse of a face she's never seen before. It vanishes so quickly she can't be certain it was there at all.

Mugen's eyes dart at her limbs before returning to her face.

"Close the door."

As Hoshina obeys, he moves to one of the massive windows and shuts it, sealing them off from any outside turmoil and ensuring that whatever happens stays within these walls.

He walks toward her, and she has to suppress a flinch at the sound of each step.

Void eyes, darker than ever, staring at her. She's unable to hold for long and has to lower her head.

Then, it happens.

A hug.

A tight embrace.

Followed by a voice she barely recognizes.

"I'm so glad you're alive." Shaky, frail, insecure. Words she never expected to use to describe him. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

She puts her hands around his back. "I've missed you as well, dad."

He's still her dear father. Even if what she wants to ask him goes against everything he has taught her, Hoshina can at least hope he won't hate her for it.

He doesn't let go for several more minutes. When he does, he's back to his stoic, unreadable face.

"Tell me everything, spare no detail."

She braces herself and swallows.

༻──⋆༺𓆩⋆𓆪༻⋆──༺

When she gets to the part where she struck Kaji with a bolt, every next word becomes harder to say than the previous.

Mugen doesn't give the smallest hint about whether he's disapproving or not. He doesn't blink when she mentions how she could have let go of Kaji to grab the ledge and save herself.

Then, after the explanation of her fall, before she can talk about waking up in an unknown bed, Mugen gives her a signal to stop.

"Tell me more about the maid who tinkered with your equipment."

"She had black hair, and her eyes… were green, I believe. She also…" Another gesture to stop.

"Sakitto. Kuruma's right hand. Warrior, bodyguard, assassin, and presumed dead by now."

"Dead?"

"She and Kuruma disappeared a few months ago, along with one of our magical steeds. I suspect they wanted to end the war by getting to the enemy core. With your testimony I can finally bring his whole house to ruin."

She wants to ask why the war has lasted so long, but now there's a more pressing matter.

"That would also ruin Tina. She's my friend and doesn't deserve something like that."

Like Kaji, Tina shouldn't have to suffer for the sins of her father.

A slight exhale, barely a sigh, before Mugen gives her an explanation about what Puratina had been doing in her absence.

Turns out, right after Hoshina disappeared, a ton of rumors began spreading among the young. Rumors about her being a traitor, a coward who fled to the enemy side, who rejected her own upbringing for the sake of some low life barbarians.

Hoshina has to contain herself. Mugen must think she's holding back anger. A very logical assumption.

He continues by saying how, while gathering intel on her family, he received more than a few confessions about Tina being the origin of such rumors.

"With what we now know, I can give you a whole team and authority to arrest her. You are also allowed to use force." He puts a hand on her shoulder. "Even if she doesn't resist."

Those words shatter the lighthearted mentality she had on the matter.

"Go change in your room. I'll assign a servant to bring you a suit of armor. We'll continue this conversation later."

༻──⋆༺𓆩⋆𓆪༻⋆──༺

Without waiting for the servant or the team, Hoshina goes straight to Puratina's house as soon as she changes her clothes.

Her mother and sister will have to wait.

The darkening streets make it harder for her to attract attention, but they also complicate the process of gaining entry into her home. The night fires aren't lit yet, and the guards at the gate don't believe she's the real Hoshina, going so far as threatening to arrest her.

Fine, let's do this like the good old times.

Left wing. Between the bushes.

Up the fence through the blind spot.

Pet the doggies, who still remember her.

Second floor, third window.

The inability to feel her steps does make the climb more challenging, but the whole process is so ingrained in her body it doesn't matter.

She ceased taking this route when Tina's reproach stopped feeling playful and started sounding aggressive.

I hope you'll forgive me for startling you one last time.