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' Is there anything I can do for you to feel better?'
' Lay with me '
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CHAPTER 6
THIRD POV
His gaze swept over the assembly of his subjects, golden eyes narrowing as he assessed each one in turn. The general, clad in armor that bore the scars and scratches of countless battles, bowed deeply before him. "This general greets you, my emperor, has his grace found the herbs? " he intoned, his voice a rumble that carried the weight of his unwavering loyalty.
The emperor nodded gravely. For two days, they had waited in this remote encampment, the wind whispering through the tall pines that surrounded them. The Emperor had set out on a solitary quest, driven by the urgent need to find the herbs that could potentially save his mother, the queen dowager.
He had refused to leave such task to anyone else, his heart heavy with the fear of losing her even if she doesn't really care about him, she was still family.
" Yes " he replied, his voice carrying the weight of sleepless nights and relentless worry. He handed a small bundle of carefully gathered herbs to the general. "Deliver these to the royal physician upon arriving." As the general accepted the bundle, his weathered face softened imperceptibly with empathy for his emperor.
His voice, usually booming with authority on the battlefield, softened to a respectful murmur. "As you command, my lord." The emperor's gaze flickered towards the horizon, where the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the rugged terrain.
Tomorrow, he planned to visit the library, his mind already racing with the tales his father had told of yokai. The wind stirred again, rustling the leaves. He needed to delve deeper into their story, to find a way that he would meet the fox once more
Of course, Ryyu was not the emperor's name.
Ryūji felt a magnetic pull towards Mitsami, a connection that stirred something within him. Something he couldn't express. Mitsami's presence had an effect on Ryūji. His confident demeanor and warm smile seemed to dissolve Ryūji's usual barriers, making him feel understood in a way he hadn't experienced before. To finally converse, to finally see a smile.
