As the last light of day brushed the rooftops in soft orange hues, Toki untied Lumma's reins from the post outside the forge. The great bird cooed softly, its iridescent feathers catching the light like molten bronze. They were ready to head home. The trials were over, the blade was forged, and the future was just beginning to unfold.
But before they could take off, Toki's gaze drifted across the narrow street to where Tora stood. She was paused at a small merchant stall, her posture relaxed but her eyes keen as they scanned over a row of carefully arranged jewelry. Her fingers hovered over a display of delicate hairpins and brooches — mostly modest things, but glinting with craftsmanship.
Toki approached, a warm smile playing on his lips. "See something you like?"
Tora didn't look at him at first. Her hand lingered on a hairpin — a small butterfly-shaped clip with a polished green gemstone at its center. The stone matched the shade of her eyes almost perfectly. "Doesn't matter," she said after a moment, slipping her hand back. "Leonard still hasn't given me my first salary."
Toki chuckled softly and reached forward, gently lifting the butterfly clip from its velvet stand. He held it up, examining how the light refracted through the stone. "You have good taste," he said, and then, without warning, stepped behind her and nestled the clip into her golden hair.
The metal shimmered in the low light, its wings resting just above her temple. Her hair, soft and wild from the day's forge heat, caught the light like spun honey. The clip sat there like it had always belonged.
Tora blinked, startled. "What are you doing?"
Toki stepped back, admiring his work. "Buying it," he said simply. "What's so strange about that? After all, you were the one who patched up my shoulder after Wiliam nearly broke it during the trial. Least I can do is thank you properly."
Before Tora could object further, the old merchant behind the stand leaned forward with a knowing grin. He was small and slightly hunched, with a bushy gray mustache and rings on every finger. "Young master," he said, "might I interest you in a few more? That butterfly suits your lady friend so well, it's a shame not to have more like it."
Toki turned, a glint of mischief in his eye. "Actually, yes. I'll take six more."
Tora's eyebrows shot up. "Six?"
"Yes," Toki said, nodding as he began to count off on his fingers. "One with an orange stone. One silver. One pink. One blue. One red. One yellow. And the one I just placed in her hair — green."
The merchant's eyes gleamed with joy. "Oh, a wonderful choice, sir! I shall prepare a box at once!" He scurried into the back of the stall, humming to himself.
Tora turned to Toki, arms crossed. "Are you out of your mind? These pins are expensive. And seven of them?"
Toki shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "What can I say? I've decided not to sell the bird after all."
"You were never going to sell Lumma," Tora snapped. "So what's the real reason?"
Toki laughed, the sound light and genuine. "Well, since the triplets — Haru, Natsu, and Aki — all look nearly identical, I figured different pins might help tell them apart."
Tora blinked. "You're buying expensive hairpins just to tell the triplets apart?"
"Of course," Toki said, nodding as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "And I need two more for their older sisters. Suzume, I'm sure, will love it. She's got an eye for pretty things. And even if Yuki hates me, I'll find a way to convince her to wear it."
Tora stared at him, genuinely amazed. "You… really thought this through."
Toki's smile softened. "I pay attention." He glanced at the butterfly clip in her hair. "That silver butterfly Utsuki wears — it's always missing a few stones. So I figured I'd get one just like it. Perfect this time."
The old merchant returned, beaming, with a small lacquered box. He opened it to reveal the six hairpins, each delicately made, each with its own colored gemstone catching the last light of the sun.
"All together, that will be seventy coins," the merchant said with a slight bow.
Toki reached into his coat and withdrew a small pouch. He placed it on the counter and began counting coins. "Let's see... sixty-nine." He paused and looked sheepish. "That's everything I've got."
Tora rolled her eyes, laughing. "So confident... and yet short one coin."
Toki grinned, then reached toward her with two fingers and plucked something seemingly from behind her ear. "Ah! There it is." He dropped the seventieth coin onto the table with a wink.
"You're a clown," Tora said, unable to keep the smile from her lips.
The old merchant clapped joyfully, sealing the box and handing it over with both hands. "A fine purchase! May your evening be blessed, young ones. And thank you for your business!"
Toki bowed slightly and took the box, tucking it carefully into Lumma's saddlebag. The bird blinked at him, patient as ever.
He turned to Tora. "Come on. We'll be late for dinner."
Tora shook her head, still smiling as she followed him. "You're a strange one, Toki. But I think I like that about you."
The streets were bathed in twilight now, warm lanterns flickering to life as vendors packed up for the night and children laughed in the distance. And beneath it all, Toki walked on — a sword at his side, a secret smile on his lips, and six butterfly pins tucked away like blessings waiting to be given.
As the last golden threads of sunlight stretched across the rooftops of the city, Toki and Tora journeyed side by side through the quieting streets. The bustle of the marketplace was behind them now, replaced by the soft clatter of hooves—no, talons—on stone, as Lumma, the great bird mount, carried them closer to the edge of the city. The air grew cooler, and the sounds of the town faded, swallowed by the vast horizon that opened before them. Soon, they would pass through the main gates. Beyond them, only twenty minutes or so until they reached the estate.
Toki sat quietly, lost in thought. His eyes, though open, saw little of the road ahead. The day had been long, grueling even. Between the training, Wiliam's harsh test, the forge, and the encounter at the market, his mind swirled with weighty thoughts and half-formed questions. He didn't notice how tightly his fingers gripped the reins.
Tora, ever watchful, glanced over and frowned slightly. "Toki..."
He didn't respond.
"Toki, look out!"
She shouted just in time. His eyes snapped forward, and with a sharp tug on the reins, he brought Lumma to an abrupt halt. The bird shrieked, wings flaring slightly in surprise, claws scraping against the cobblestones. The sudden stop made Tora clutch his arm to keep from toppling off.
In the middle of the road stood a boy—no older than sixteen—panting, with a shard of jagged glass clenched tightly in one bruised and bloodied hand. Around him lay three burly men, groaning and writhing in pain, clutching their sides and thighs where they'd clearly been stabbed. Fresh blood stained the stones.
But that wasn't all.
There were four more adults, cornering the boy, weapons drawn. Their eyes were wild, vicious, not with justice but vengeance.
Beside the boy stood a little girl, no more than ten, clutching at his side, trembling. Her dress was torn, her cheek marked by a purple bruise. Despite the terror in her eyes, she didn't let go of her brother.
The boy stood protectively in front of her, legs shaking, lip bleeding, one eye nearly swollen shut. And yet, he held that glass shard like a sword, daring the world to try and take her from him.
Toki's breath caught. Something in that posture—it stirred a memory long buried.
Without a word, he swung his leg over and jumped down from the saddle, tossing his sword in an arc toward Tora, who caught it with a shocked expression.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, voice low and tense.
Toki gave her a sideways glance, calm and resolute. "What any knight worth the name should do."
And he stepped forward.
The boy snarled at his approach, holding the shard higher, but Toki didn't flinch.
He stopped a few paces away from the confrontation and raised his voice, addressing the four men facing the boy.
"Seven adults... against two children?" His tone was heavy with disgust. "That's not a fight. That's a massacre."
One of the men sneered. "Stay outta this, stranger. This little rat stabbed my brother!"
Toki looked around at the three downed men. "Looks like your brother's poor choice in morality caught up with him."
Another growled, stepping forward. "These brats tried to rob us!"
"They defended themselves," Toki said coolly. "And now I'll return the favor."
He moved forward, placing himself directly between the children and the approaching men. The boy watched in silence, confused and breathing hard, as the tall man with a red cloak stood like a wall before them.
The first thug rushed at Toki with a roar.
Toki sidestepped the clumsy swing of the cudgel, pivoted low, and drove a fist deep into the man's gut. The air escaped the thug in a broken gasp. Before the man could recover, Toki grabbed him by the hair, pulled his head forward, and slammed his knee into the thug's face. There was a sickening crunch as his nose shattered, and he crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
The second one didn't hesitate. He raised a thick wooden bat and swung it with force aimed at Toki's leg. The weapon cracked loudly—but it was the bat that broke.
"You thought that'd break my leg?" Toki scoffed. "You've got the brains of a dead snail."
He spun, momentum flowing smoothly through his torso, and delivered a brutal back kick to the man's stomach. The thug staggered, and before he could fall, Toki twisted his hips again and landed a powerful spinning heel kick across his temple. The man dropped like a stone.
The third one came in with a knife, fast and low. Toki grabbed the attacking wrist and twisted it sharply, forcing the man to cry out. With a vicious elbow strike to the bicep, the bone snapped. The knife clattered to the ground. A second elbow struck the thug in the temple. Lights out.
The last attacker, bigger than the rest, lunged and wrapped his arms around Toki's waist, lifting him clean off the ground.
"Gotcha now, hero!"
Toki didn't panic. He pressed his palms against the man's shoulders, pushed downward, forcing the man to loosen his grip, and flipped his legs up. He locked his thighs around the man's neck in a tight triangle and twisted midair. The man lost balance and fell backward, slamming into the road with Toki on top. A moment later, the thug's eyes rolled back as he slipped into unconsciousness.
Silence fell.
Toki stood up, breathing evenly. Behind him, the boy's glass shard was still raised, his body shaking, unsure if this new figure was friend or foe.
"Easy," Toki said softly, turning toward him.
But the boy, on instinct and fear, lunged. The shard plunged into Toki's side, deep into his abdomen.
"No!" Tora's scream tore through the air. The girl cried out too.
Toki staggered slightly as hot blood rushed from the wound, coating the boy's trembling hands.
"Why...?" the boy whispered, eyes wide.
Toki didn't back away. Instead, he pulled the boy into a gentle embrace. His arms wrapped around the trembling shoulders as if to say, You are not alone.
The boy pushed harder, as if trying to drive the shard deeper. Toki's arms tightened in return, like a father refusing to let go.
"You're strong," Toki whispered, his voice calm despite the pain. Blood slipped from the corner of his lips. "You've already brought down three men. That's not something just anyone could do."
"I just... I just wanted to protect her," the boy choked out, the fight draining from his limbs.
Toki nodded, one hand gently stroking the boy's hair. "I know. She's your whole world."
"She's all I have left," the boy sobbed. "I didn't want those monsters to touch her. I'd rather die."
"I understand," Toki whispered. "But killing... it changes you. It leaves marks no blade can."
The boy's breath hitched as something cold and hard touched his forehead. He looked down and saw it: a badge, a polished silver insignia engraved with the crest of the Royal Guard.
His eyes widened in horror. I just stabbed a royal knight.
He collapsed to his knees.
"Please," he begged. "Don't hurt her. Don't punish her. I'm the one to blame. Please, take me, not her!"
Toki smiled softly and brushed the boy's messy hair from his forehead. "What's your name?"
The boy looked away. "We don't have names. We're just street rats. Orphans."
Something shifted in Tora's gaze. She stepped forward, lowering her sword. "I grew up on the fringes too. My grandfather raised me there. I know what that life is like."
Toki nodded. "Then from now on... her name will be Hana. And yours—Kandaki."
The boy looked up, stunned. "Kandaki...?"
"It means glass," Toki said. "And you've earned it."
He stood, wincing from the pain, and ruffled the girl's hair gently. "Hana... listen to your brother. He's stronger than he knows."
Tora came to his side, looping his arm over her shoulder. He grimaced but didn't resist.
"Come on," she muttered. "Let's get you home before you bleed out all over the road."
Behind them, Kandaki dropped to his knees. "Thank you!" he called after them. "Thank you for sparing us... for giving us names!"
He hesitated, then shouted louder, desperation in his voice, "Please! Make me your student! I want to be like you!"
But Toki's expression hardened slightly as he turned his head just enough to answer.
"No."
The boy's eyes widened.
"Many years before, I saved two orphan girls," Toki said, voice heavy with old wounds. "One of them, Nihon, grew up to become an assassin. She nearly killed someone I care about just days ago."
He didn't look back.
"I'm done making monsters," he added.
And with that, Lumma leapt forward into motion. Kandaki tried to chase them, calling out one last time—but the bird's wings caught the wind, and soon they had disappeared past the city gates.
The boy stopped running. He collapsed beside his sister, who hugged him tightly.
From Lumma's back, Tora began tearing strips from her sleeve, pressing them into the deep wound in Toki's side.
"You're going to get cold," Toki murmured, eyes heavy.
"And you'll die before dinner if I don't stop this bleeding," she snapped, tying off another strip.
Toki chuckled, blood staining his teeth. "I thought we agreed you'd cook tonight."
"Not if you bleed out and traumatize another set of children."
"Fair."
The sky darkened as they approached the familiar path leading to the estate. Lights twinkled in the distance. Home was close.
And despite the pain, Toki smiled.
He had saved two lives today.
Even if his hands still trembled from the past.