ROSE
Two months have passed since I arrived in this strange world.
And yet, it feels as though something within me has changed without my noticing.
Everything feels confusing. Unreal.
When I first awakened here, I believed I would find a world at war. A world consumed by fear, where a Demon King ravaged cities just as the stories of my kingdom described.
But this place is different.
Peaceful. Quiet. Kind.
Far too kind.
The humans of this world live without fearing the death that may come tomorrow. They laugh. They walk. They plan for the future.
Something that, in my world, was a luxury.
One…
Two…
Three…
The sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air broke the silence of dawn. My breath mingled with the cold morning air as I repeated the movements again and again, trying to empty my mind.
The courtyard of Ryujin-san’s house remained still. The first light of dawn had only just begun to touch the trees.
Then I heard footsteps.
Light. Calm.
I stopped.
Ryujin-san stood before me. His hair fell loosely over his face, traces of exhaustion still visible, as if sleep had eluded him. He wore a dark blue uniform and held a wooden sword in his hand.
His stance was relaxed.
Too relaxed.
“Rose-san,” he greeted calmly. “Would you accept a duel?”
I blinked in surprise.
“A… duel?”
“While we practice, there is something I wish to discuss with you.” He paused briefly before continuing. “I have been meaning to tell you for some time.”
Ah.
So this was it. I had almost forgotten that, days ago, I overheard Ryujin-san and Kiyomi-san speaking about something important they needed to tell me.
I raised my sword, allowing myself a faint smile.
“I accept. Though I must warn you—I am quite skilled.”
Ryujin smiled faintly.
“Don’t be too harsh on me. It has been years since I last practiced kendo.”
“Ken… do?”
I did not understand the term. But it hardly mattered.
I had survived real wars. I had fought enemies who sought my life without hesitation.
What could a doctor accomplish with a wooden sword?
We faced one another.
He lowered the tip of his blade slightly.
Relaxed.
Careless.
I chose to strike first.
The clash of wood shattered the quiet of dawn.
Ryujin stepped back half a pace, deflecting the blow with minimal movement. He used no strength—only the correct angle.
I frowned.
I attacked again, this time from the side. A motion designed to break defenses in real combat.
He blocked once more.
Unhurried.
Untense.
“How is Yoshida?” I asked as I pressed against his blade.
“He’s well. I’ll be taking you both to school shortly.”
Three strikes came suddenly in response. High. Low. Straight. Without rhythm.
I was forced to step back.
Annoyed.
“How do you expect him to attend school in that condition?” I demanded before I could stop myself. “Do you not see how they treat him?”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Ryujin fell silent for a moment.
“I did not challenge you to speak about that.”
The answer irritated me.
I accelerated.
The sound of wood striking wood echoed like a heartbeat.
“I am merely honoring Yoshida’s wishes.”
My attack faltered for a fraction of a second.
“Before he dies.”
The world seemed to stop.
Ryujin noticed.
His sword descended diagonally.
My body reacted on instinct.
Both blades halted mere inches from each other’s necks.
Silence.
Our breaths mingled in the cold air.
“If I had used more strength,” Ryujin said calmly, “I would have reached you.”
I clenched my teeth.
He was right.
Slowly, I lowered my sword.
Ryujin did the same.
Then, as if taking advantage of the moment, he finally spoke.
“Yoshida suffers from a rare illness,” he said. “It is consuming his internal organs.”
A weight settled in my chest.
“And… he was born with complete bodily paralysis.”
He began to walk slowly across the courtyard, as though arranging the words required effort.
“Both together… are leading him toward a slow death.”
His voice remained calm.
Too calm.
That made it worse.
“He does not have much time left.”
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
“As his brother, it pains me to watch him suffer. I have devoted my life to helping him.”
He exhaled quietly.
“But this time… the situation is slipping beyond my control.”
He looked at me.
“But because of you… there may be a possibility.”
I frowned, confused.
“Me?”
“Do you know why we asked you to live with us?”
I shook my head.
Ryujin watched me in silence before answering.
“Because your blood is dark.”
The world tilted.
“The same as Yoshida’s.”
No.
That was impossible.
In my world, black blood belonged only to one race.
A race that—
“That’s impossible,” I interrupted. “I do not possess dark blood. Nor does Yoshida.”
Ryujin said nothing.
“So that is what your red eyes cannot see.”
A chill ran down my spine.
I understood nothing.
The rising sun began to illuminate the courtyard, slowly driving away the darkness of dawn. Yet my doubts only grew.
Ryujin sighed.
“It’s late. I must leave.”
“Ryujin-san, wait—”
He did not stop.
“Yoshida is on the verge of organ failure,” he said without turning. “If it happens, he will die.”
His footsteps faded.
“You cannot help him if you are not by his side.”
He paused briefly.
“Please accompany him today. Maintaining his routine… is the only thing I can do for him now.”
The morning light swallowed his figure as he disappeared among the shadows of the trees.
I remained alone in the courtyard.
Training had ended.
But my mind was more restless than before.
That conversation had planted only more questions.
After returning from school, I would speak with him properly. I needed answers. Yes… that is what I would do.
I looked down at my wooden sword.
Dark blood.
Hope.
Death.
I exhaled slowly.
It was late already.
I needed to prepare to take Yoshida to school.
I dressed in silence.
The school uniform no longer felt as strange as it once had. The fabric was light, comfortable… almost too fragile for someone like me. Still, I stared at my reflection for a few moments.
I did not look like a knight.
I looked like an ordinary student.
That unsettled me more than it should have.
When I descended the stairs, Yoshida was already waiting in his wheelchair. His posture was straight, calm.
Too calm for someone who, according to his own brother, stood on the edge of organ failure.
I watched him silently.
Is it truly right for him to go today?
He could collapse at any moment.
He could…
Die.
The word crossed my mind like a cold blade.
“Good morning, Rose,” Yoshida said with a gentle smile.
As if nothing were wrong.
As if his body were not failing from within.
“Good morning,” I replied.
Ryujin appeared from the kitchen, adjusting the sleeves of his jacket. His expression was composed, but his eyes… were tired.
“Come on. We’ll be late.”
The drive was quiet.
Too quiet.
The streets were filled with people beginning their daily routines. Children walking with backpacks. Shopkeepers opening their stores. Traffic lights shifting from color to color.
A world continuing forward, unaware that someone within that same flow was slowly dying.
I glanced at Yoshida.
He stared out the window in silence.
What is he thinking?
Is he afraid?
Or has he already accepted his fate?
My fingers tightened slightly around the fabric of my skirt.
I do not like this.
I should not be here.
I should not allow this.
The car stopped in front of the school.
Students were already arriving. Some chatted near the entrance, others hurried inside. The atmosphere was light. Ordinary.
Ryujin turned off the engine.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then he broke the silence.
“Yoshida… I need to go look for someone today.”
His voice was firm, yet gentle.
“I may be gone for a while.”
Yoshida nodded.
“That’s fine.”
So simple.
Ryujin turned to me.
“Rose… Kiyomi will pick you up later. Stay with him.”
He said it naturally.
But his eyes lingered for a moment longer than usual.
As if confirming something.
I nodded.
“I will.”
He stepped out of the car and lowered the wheelchair with practiced precision. Then he placed a hand on Yoshida’s shoulder.
A brief gesture.
Silent.
No dramatic words.
No emotional farewell.
Just that touch.
“See you later,” he said.
Yoshida smiled.
“Yeah. Be careful.”
The words lingered in the air.
Be careful.
Ryujin closed the door and returned to the driver’s seat. The engine started again.
He gave a small nod, a faint smile.
The car began to move.
I remained standing beside Yoshida, watching it drive away.
The morning sun reflected across the windshield, making it difficult to see inside.
For some reason…
I did not look away.
That was when I saw her.
Across the street.
Standing still.
A slender silhouette cut against the morning light. Dark hair moving gently in the wind.
Watching.
Nozomi.
Ryujin’s car passed in front of her.
For an instant, the vehicle obscured her figure.
And in that brief moment…
I could have sworn her expression changed.
She no longer looked gentle.
Nor kind.
There was something in her face.
Something tense.
Irritated.
As though she did not welcome his departure.
The car passed.
She became visible again.
Her eyes locked directly onto mine.
Unblinking.
Unmoving.
A strange chill ran down my spine.
Then—
Slowly.
Far too slowly.
She raised her hand.
It was not a casual greeting.
Nor a cheerful gesture.
It was soft.
Almost delicate.
As though she were saying farewell to something…
—or someone.
I blinked.
Only for a second.
When I looked again—
No one was there.
The sidewalk was empty.
The car turned the corner.
And disappeared.
An unfamiliar silence settled within me.
Unjustified.
Irrational.
As though something had just ended without my understanding why.
“Rose…?” Yoshida’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Is something wrong?”
I looked back toward the street.
Nothing.
“It’s nothing,” I said.
But my chest felt uneasy.
Was it real?
Or merely my imagination?
Nozomi had no reason to be there so early.
And yet…
I could swear she had been watching.
Not me.
The car.
The place where Ryujin had just vanished.
I shook my head slightly.
I must be imagining things.
But that feeling…
Did not leave.
