The Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit was an elite squad within the Imperial Army. It had been formed to deal with supernatural incidents. All members of the unit possessed Spirit-Sight and often other paranormal powers as well. Any type of supernatural ability was exceedingly rare, however, and those with the Gift were almost exclusively of noble birth. Since few aristocrats were willing to risk their life in military service, those who joined the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit tended to be eccentric. And thanks to its narrow area of focus, it was both chronically shorthanded and relatively unknown.
The commander of this unit, Kiyoka Kudou, was now absolutely swamped with paperwork. While one had to demonstrate unparalleled skill to rise to a position of leadership within the unit, the work itself was mostly office-based, so he rarely got to participate in missions. Though he would personally tend to particularly difficult assignments or situations that warranted his direct involvement and would sometimes receive orders from above requesting his presence, his current priority was getting through the piled-up paperwork.
Today, however, he found himself uncharacteristically unfocused. He knew the reason—he kept thinking back to what had transpired that morning. Yet, he couldn’t do anything to get it off his mind.
“I won’t eat food that might have been tampered with.”
He had left the new girl to mull over his words and returned to his room to get ready for the day. Yurie had followed him, full of reproach.
“That was no way to speak to a lady. Miss Saimori tried her very best to make that breakfast for you. If I am any judge of character, she isn’t the poisoning type!”
Kiyoka still found it hard to argue with Yurie, who’d raised him in place of his mother, but this time he was determined to stand his ground. He would not eat a meal made by someone he’d only just met and who hadn’t earned his trust yet. It had been a necessary precaution. Especially in light of her being a Saimori. Given how close in rank they were to his family, they could easily be plotting to assassinate him to seize his social position. It made sense for him to be cautious. But if his actions had been logical, then why did he feel uncomfortable about what he’d done even before Yurie told him off?
“Young Master, may I tell you something?”
“Go on.”
Yurie insisted that Miyo Saimori was somehow different from all the previous bridal candidates. Kiyoka had received many marriage proposals, more than a couple dozen. But none of the women had proved to be suitable for him. Some had indignantly turned away at first sight of his modest house. Some had angrily voiced their discontent, asserting it was ridiculous for a man of his stature to be living in a pitiful cottage. Still others had been sweet with Kiyoka but had pushed Yurie around behind his back, and yet more who’d been full of complaints, who’d disliked the food, who’d demanded a different personal room, and so on.
Kiyoka was sufficiently self-aware to know that his choice of domicile was unusual to say the least, but he was fed up with women who didn’t even bother trying to understand the man they might end up marrying, instead criticizing him outright. He was a proud man and conscious of his importance—that he wouldn’t deny. But he was neither conceited nor bossy, he thought, so he wouldn’t stand those traits in other people, either. That had always been the deal breaker.
“I like her,” said Yurie. “She’s considerate and helpful, unlike any of the girls before.”
“…Hmph.”
He’d stolen a look at Miyo when he’d left the living room. Her expression had been impassive but had also somehow given him the impression that she’d been about to cry. Now that Yurie mentioned it, Miyo did seem different from his other suitors.
As he headed out for work, he found Miyo waiting for him by the front door, expressionless as earlier.
“Have a good day.”
She bowed her head mechanically, nothing tearful in her manner this time.
“I’ll see you later.”
With her head so low to the ground, she reminded him of a servant. What had this girl’s upbringing been like? Someone of her status wouldn’t normally have behaved so humbly.
It’s too early to make a decision about her, he concluded while looking through his paperwork. He wasn’t planning on keeping her around too long, but although she was a strange one, so far he didn’t dislike her. There was also the fact that this marriage offer seemed almost too good to pass up on.
What’s this now—I can’t get a girl out of my mind while I’m working? I’m losing my touch. He heaved a sigh and forced himself to concentrate on the documents in front of him.