I straightened from the bow and met Akane's gaze steadily, my own eyes reflecting the silver moonlight spilling through the half-drawn curtains. "I do," I said, my voice low but firm.
"I know how you trained her, how you promised her mother on her deathbed that you'd keep her safe, how you've watched over her from the shadows, even when you had to stay away—when she needed you most but couldn't have you. I know the weight you carry. I know you'd give anything to protect her and this family, even if it means sacrificing your own peace."
For a long moment, Akane simply stared at me, her sharp eyes searching mine as if trying to peel back every layer of truth.
The moonlight painted silver across her face, highlighting the faint lines of exhaustion and quiet strength etched there—lines earned in battles unseen by anyone but those who truly knew her. The lines of a guardian who had spent a lifetime balancing duty with devotion, love with sacrifice.
