"Hello, Lady Akari."
A young girl with bright green hair—daughter of the clan lord—walked up to Akari just as they were preparing to leave. She smiled sweetly, both hands tucked behind her back.
"Hello, Lady Blossom," Akari replied with a gentle smile, lowering her fan politely.
Blossom stepped forward and revealed a bundle of fresh flowers, cheeks turning pink as she held them out like they were the most precious treasure in the world.
"Wow, these are beautiful! Are these for me?" Akari said, accepting them carefully, though her tone already carried a hint of playfulness.
"No… they're for Lady Shion." Blossom's face flushed even redder as she looked down, twisting the hem of her sleeve.
"Oh, as expected," Akari sighed softly, disappointment flickering in her eyes though her smile never wavered. "So, you want me to deliver your message to Sister Shion, right?"
"Yes." Blossom bit her lip, voice trembling. "I wanted to give them to her during the engagement ceremony, but I couldn't speak to her. I… I also wanted to ask if she liked the last one I gave her."
Akari's expression softened. "Yes, yes—she loved it so much she waters it every single day. She must be busy now, that's why she's not around. But I promise, when she comes back, I'll give her these flowers."
Blossom's whole face lit up, relief flooding her features.
"Wow, cool flowers," Rin said, strolling over at just the wrong moment. She leaned in and reached out, about to touch one of the blossoms—
"Back off! These flowers are only for my Lady Shion!" Blossom snapped, glaring with fiery protectiveness.
Rin blinked, pulling her hand back as though burned. "Oh, I just wanted to… never mind." She side-eyed Akari, whispering: "Wow, calm down. It's just flowers, not sacred relics."
Akari quickly smoothed the situation with a polite bow. "Lady Blossom, thank you. I'll make sure Shion receives these."
As she and Rin turned to leave, Rin huffed, "What's up with her? I only wanted to touch them and she looked ready to stab me with the stems."
"Well, Sister Shion has a secret admirer," Akari explained softly as they walked. "Lady Blossom has always admired her—she makes flowers and gives them whenever she can."
"Is that why your room is stuffed full of flowers," Rin muttered. "It's like a jungle in there."
Akari chuckled behind her fan. "Yes… but the truth is, Shion rejects them every time. I just keep them so the little girl's heart isn't broken."
Rin gave her a sidelong glance. "Wow, Cousin Akari… you're secretly nice. Didn't expect that."
By now they had reached the palanquin. Rin scanned around. "Where are Brother Minato and Ayato?"
"There—they're with Rei and Master Daichi," Akari pointed.
...
"So, you want me to train you two how to fight?" Daichi asked, arms folded, his deep voice carrying the weight of authority.
Both Minato and Ayato bowed their heads, their expressions deadly serious. Nearby, Rei lounged lazily on her fire dragon, munching red apples she'd taken from the feast. She looked utterly uninterested, but one of her eyebrows twitched at their boldness.
"Yes, Master—I really want to learn how to fight," Ayato said firmly, his voice steady though his hands trembled.
"We couldn't protect our little sister. We're such cowards," Minato added, eyes dark with guilt. "Just because we don't have power like the other clans…" He trailed off, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. Then, with renewed resolve, he continued: "I thought being a farmer was my role in life. But after last night, I realized—I need to protect the ones I love. My family. I can't just depend on the powerful clans anymore."
He raised his head, gaze locking with Daichi's. "Yesterday, we saw how you fought those ants. Even without powers, you killed them. Teach us, Master—please."
Daichi's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what exactly do you want me to teach you?"
Minato straightened, swallowing his nerves. "You used a fan as a weapon. If you could show me how, then a fan wouldn't just be for show—it would be a true weapon. Please… be our teacher."
Rei burst out laughing from her dragon's back, nearly choking on her apple. "You? With a fan? What are you going to do, wave your enemies to death?"
"Shut up!" Minato shouted, face red.
Ayato stepped in quickly. "We don't care if we look stupid. We only want to be strong enough to fight for our sister."
"Yes, Master—please don't refuse us," Minato added, his voice desperate.
Rei rolled onto her back, still laughing. "Papa, you have to train them. I need the entertainment."
Daichi gave her a flat look. "This isn't entertainment. Training is about survival."
But Rei only smirked, tossing him an apple. He caught it with ease. "Didn't you always say the powerless could become stronger than those with powers? That no one should be pushed aside just because they weren't born special? Well—here's your chance. If you train them, it proves your words weren't empty."
Daichi's stern face cracked into a small smile. He sighed, then looked at the brothers. "Okay then. I'll train you two."
Their eyes lit up instantly.
"Thank you, Master—no, I mean Teacher!" Minato said, bowing so hard his forehead nearly hit the ground.
"Thank you, Teacher!" Ayato echoed, bowing multiple times like a bobbing puppet.
Daichi chuckled. "Next week Thursday, Rei will bring you to your training ground. Don't forget to bring your weapon."
"Weapon?" Minato and Ayato repeated together, frozen in confusion.
Rei smirked, waving her apple core at them. "Yeah, geniuses. You need weapons. Or are you planning on using… carrots and hoes?"
Ayato glared. "A hoe can be a weapon!"
"Sure," Rei teased. "If you plan on gardening your enemies to death."
"Cousin Minato! Cousin Ayato! Are you planning on staying here?" Akari's voice called.
The boys quickly hurried after her, their ears still red from Rei's teasing. They caught up with Rin and Akari as they entered the palanquin.
The water horse lifted it gracefully into the air, carrying them away.