Kazuo PoV
I got out of the bath and fell asleep in my futon. I had to rest. I had to be ready.
The rays of the sun woke me up. I sat up, feeling refreshed. I was ready to go. I just needed a quick bite to eat. I walked into the dining room, where a servant was waiting for me.
"Grand Duke," Hiwa said with a bow. "I've prepared your breakfast."
"Thank you," I said, sitting down at the table.
The meal was simple but delicious: grilled fish, rice, and pickled vegetables. It was a meal fit for a traveler, not a Grand Duke. But I preferred it that way. I was, at heart, a simple man. If I could, I would gladly have given up my title for a quieter life. But... my relatives, they were keen on revenge, on wiping out those who wronged us. I couldn't let Makkuroyama walk that path.
I ate quickly, my mind already on the road ahead.
Before I could finish, I heard a knock at my door. My stomach tightened. Who could it be at this hour? A messenger with bad news? An assassin?
