The door creaked open, and a soldier clad in dark and red lamellar armor stormed into the room on the second floor of the army barracks. He dragged a young girl behind, her hair entangled in his iron grip, while she defiantly clung to his hand to ease the pain.

The room belonged to Captain Yasu, the man entrusted with the grim responsibility of overseeing the fort. Sunlight streamed through the large window behind him, casting a spotlight on the sea of yellow papers and scrolls scattered across his desk.

As the soldier entered, Yasu, a man in his forties bearing a scar that marked his left eyebrow and cheek, stood up abruptly. The clatter of falling documents accompanied his rising, but he seemed unperturbed. His black hair, slightly on the longer side, was neatly tied up in a short ponytail, framing his always serious, dark eyes.

Unlike the soldier, Yasu wasn't wearing his armor; instead, he was adorned in a simple black kimono, contrasting with the black and red gear displayed on a special rack in the corner. His sword rested on the wall nearby, next to the rack, while a short wakizashi hung by his belt as his sole weapon.

With a subtle gesture, the captain directed the soldier's attention to the iron plate on the wall, with two thick bracelets, each on a short chain. It served as a place to hang prisoners for personal interrogation.

Understanding the unspoken command, the soldier secured the girl to the iron plate, chaining her arms above her head. Yura was weakened due to spending two days without food or water in a cramped shack. She had initially fought back, pounding on the door and screaming for release. Yet, her struggles eventually waned, leaving her voiceless and her spirit broken, so now she didn’t have enough energy to fight back with a much taller and stronger soldier.

"Leave us," Captain Yasu instructed the man, who bowed and clanged with the weight of his armor while exiting the room, closing the door behind him. Finally, alone with the girl, the captain's stern expression melted into a disconcerting smile as he approached her.

Meeting his gaze with a fierce scowl, the girl remained silent, refusing to speak or give him the satisfaction of her fear.

"You did a stupid thing," Yasu said, his voice cold and calculating. "You shouldn't have attacked the soldiers." His words carried a hint of intrigue as if he were trying to decipher her motives for such a daring act.

The captain's sinister advances continued as he forced the girl to meet his gaze by grabbing her chin. Her lips remained firmly sealed, a thin line etched on her face, revealing her defiance and refusal to give him the satisfaction of a response.

„You are quite pretty,” he spoke as his hand wandered up to her cheek. He caressed it with the back of his fingers, moving it further, to her lips, slightly opening them. „The rosy cheeks. Pink lips... You will probably find a husband soon. I guess the peasant boys are already looking after you. But you like the boy, don't you? That's why you wanted to protect him, didn't you?”

He smiled, and for a moment looked at her, expecting some kind of answer, but she stayed silent. The hostile glare was evident.

The man's hands traveled lower, to her chest. He grabbed the fabric, tightly wrapped around her torso with a strap, untied it, and then moved to the side, revealing her left breast. It was small but ripe, with a tiny brown nipple.

She twitched, then wiggled, clanging with the chain around her wrists, as it hit the plate with the hook.

„You might fight all you want. Nobody here cares. You have to pay for your crimes after all. If you do, I'll let you go,” he informed, continuing to remove the cloth to have a look at her right breast.

Then he looked her in the eyes. There was disgust painted all over her face. He touched her cheek again, and that broke her. She spat in his face. He wiped it off with the same hand, then licked it, smiling.

„You will enjoy it,” he promised, a wicked grin adorning his mouth.

The door to the room burst open. A woman, wearing a black kimono, with red flowers climbing from her feet, in tabi and masterfully crafted zori, to her right shoulder. She had her face painted white, with crimson red around her eyes, and a single strap of the same color, on the mostly white lips. In the very middle of the lower one. Her hair was properly tied with a hairpin, ending with a beautiful red flower made of ruby. It had only five petals, probably glued together around the gemstone in the center.

Her facial features were soft. Plump cheeks and lips, but she, overall, was very skinny.

„Captain,” she said, not even glancing at the peasant girl.

Yasu jumped, straightening his back, before making a deep bow to show his respect.

„Lady Nakagawa,” he addressed the visitor remaining bent in half.

„What are you doing?” She asked raising a single eyebrow.

„I was interrogating the criminal,” he answered shortly keeping his eyes glued to the floor and remaining in his position.

„Look me in the eyes, and repeat what you just said,” she demanded with a ton of voice hard as iron.

He straightened his back, and even looked her in the eyes, as she demanded, but couldn't speak a word.

„She is an asset, and she is to remain untouched. Shove her into a cell, then send her with the boy. Do we understand each other?” the volume of her voice was rising gradually, as she spoke, at the end almost becoming a full-blown scream.

„Yes, my lady,” said the captain.

„I sent a crow to the emperor, and I'm awaiting an answer. If you touch her till then, I'll flog you myself,” she threw, before turning and leaving the room, taking small steps as her attire confined her movement.

Yasu waited for a few breaths, not looking at the girl at all. His eyes remained focused on the entrance to the chamber.

„Guard!” He shouted eventually, after carefully counting down the passing moments.

Soon a soldier appeared.

„Yes, captain?”

„Take the girl, and put her into the dungeon. I want her to be guarded during the day and the night. Nobody touches her. Did you hear me?” He asked. Despite the situation, his voice was quite calm.

„Yes, captain!” The soldier bowed down.

Then he immediately rushed to free Yura out of the bracers. As soon as her hands could move, she fixed her clothing, tightly wrapping it around her chest, and additionally squeezing with her arms. The soldier grabbed her collar and pulled her brutally, then pushed, forcing her to march forward. Nevertheless, she was relieved that she was saved.

Yasu, on the other hand, only allowed a grimace of anger to show on his face when he was finally left alone. He stared for a moment at the open door, like frozen in place. His expression was too enigmatic to allow anybody to read his mind. Eventually, he moved, as if nothing ever happened in his office. He went to the door, and closed it, before returning to the dest, to deal with the papers.