Chapter 44: It Was Pretty Fun… Despite It Being a Kidnapping At First

I stirred awake at a snail’s pace, as the sunlight slipped through the paper screens in warm golden ribbons across the bed.

The silk sheets felt cool and familiar against my skin, carrying that quiet mix of cherry blossoms and sandalwood that had almost become home to me over the past two weeks.

I blinked a few times, then muttered upward to the air without really thinking.

“Morning, Sys.”

[Good morning, Benjamin Mark.]

…Hm. Wasn’t it “master” they’d call you at times like this?

[Understood: Good morning, master.]

Ah, no, no. I wasn’t trying to say you should… Well, okay, call me that.

[Understood, master.]

The voice in my head was calm, and almost tender now, compared to when I first heard its voice.

I took a deep breath and exhaled. Then I rolled onto my side, only to find something serious that made me froze.

Sakura lay beside me, propped on one elbow, her amber eyes fixed on my face… And tears streaming silently down her cheeks, glinting like tiny jewels in the morning light.

“Sakura?!” I sat up fast. “Why are you crying?”

She blinked quickly, then waved a hand in front of her face like she could brush the tears away. “It’s nothing. Something just got in my eye.”

I stared at her for a long second.

Wait, something got in her eye enough to make her cry? The great Sakura?

Then I’m basically fodder!

And of course, I realize she’s just trying to hide something from me—a bit annoying though. I thought we were close enough to share our hurt together.

Anyway, if she feels it’s not something for me to worry about, then I’ll respect her decision.

Then her lips twitched, as if almost making a smile. But regardless, the tears kept falling.

I wonder what the problem is… and what I should be doing right now.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and managed a small, but shaky voice. “Good morning, Benjamin.”

“M-Morning,” I said softly, reaching out to brush a stray tear from her cheek with my thumb.

Ah… Her skin was so warm and soft, and she leaned into my touch for just a second before pulling back.

We stayed like that; just silently, and simply watching each other.

Uh, awkward… But no bad, I suppose.

I mean, the room felt suddenly smaller and the air was heavier, like the whole world had shrunk to just the two of us on this wide crimson bed.

“This…” Sakura’s voice was barely above a whisper. “This is the last day…”

Ah, she’s right… Was that why she was crying? Maybe not.

“Yeah…” I rubbed the back of my neck, laughing a little to lighten the awkward weight. “It was pretty fun… despite it being a kidnapping at first.”

But she didn’t laugh with me. Her expression turned more serious and more or less pained.

“I’m sorry, Benjamin, for what I did,” she started, “I… didn’t know the kind of man you were, and frankly, I didn’t care. That was selfish of me… to steal you away from Elara with such an underhanded move.”

So… if it wasn’t underhanded, you would still do it?

Well, I opened my mouth to tell her it was okay now, that I totally forgave her, that everything had somehow worked out in its own strange way…

But she gently raised a hand to stop me.

“Please,” she said softly. “Use this last day to enjoy Shishi-no-su to the fullest. No ulterior motives this time.”

“Hey, Sakura! I’m not going to die tomorrow, or anything.” I laughed again, gentler this time in my response. “I could always come visit some other time.”

She only gave me a distant smile; the kind that didn’t really mean she was happy about anything.

“You naïve little boy…”

H-How rude!

“You have no idea how politics work, do you? But that’s what I like about you.”

She leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, then slipped out of bed.

I watched her movement; today she wore a suggestive, deep indigo regal dress that hugged her every curve, the silk so thin it shifted like liquid with each step.

The neckline was plunged low, showing the elegant line of her collarbone and the swell of her breasts; slits ran high on both thighs, flashing smooth skin every time she walked. She looked every bit like the royalty she was, but with temptation woven into it.

I dressed in the casual-looking clothes she’d left for me—loose black native pants and a dark gray “kosode” top with subtle silver needlework.

It was simple and comfortable, but unmistakably Shishi-no-su.

When we stepped outside the royal palace, the entire district was buzzing.

Lanterns hung from every rooftop and tree branch, glowing even in daylight. Beastkin of every kind—foxes, wolves, tengu, bears, deer—moved through the streets in bright robes, laughing, calling to each other, carrying trays of food and flowers.

Music drifted from open plazas: soft koto strings mixed with deep taiko drums and the high trill of flutes.

Children darted between legs, chasing glowing orbs that floated like fireflies.

And then I saw it… the most humiliating harassment I’ve ever faced!

A freaking massive banner stretched across the main plaza: it was my damn face, smiling like a real idiot, and rendered in exquisite detail on silk ten times larger than life itself!

Below it, there was this elegant calligraphy that read: “In Honor of Benjamin Mark, The God-Touched Guest of Shishi-no-su,” and for some reason, I understood the characters, despite not knowing the language.

As I watched the hilarious image of myself, my face was burning from embarrassment.

I looked away quickly, rubbing the back of my neck. “Wh-What’s that? C’mon, you could’ve asked me first!”

“It was a surprise.” Sakura’s lips curved, her eyes glancing somewhere else. “The people wanted to celebrate you.”

“As if! I can tell that you (and probably that Ren) set this up!”

Just then, the civilians noticed us from our racket.

They began to wave, and bow, and call my name with genuine warmth.

“Benjamin Mark-sama!”

“Good morning, Benjamin Mark-sama!”

“Thank you for visiting us!”

Geez… I wasn’t used to all this attention; I felt like a celebrity or something.

And actually, the whole festive thing? It felt like Christmas day back on Earth.

Except instead of snow there were cherry blossoms drifting through the air, and instead of carols there were songs in a language I didn’t know, but completely understood.

Stalls lined the streets offering things like grilled fish, sweet mochi, steaming bowls of ramen, and candied chestnuts.

Those Beastkin children ran up to me, tugging my sleeves, and asking me to play tag or lift them onto shoulders.

Those bold cubs.

I chuckled and let them climb me, spinning them around until they squealed with over-delight.

Okay, I won’t lie: I totally enjoyed myself too. Kids are just too cute and precious…

You know, it wouldn’t hurt to have at least one of my own.

*

Hours slipped by in a blur of food, laughter, food, games, fooling around—and yes—food again.

I swear, I ate until my stomach ached.

And I played until my legs burned, and every time I looked up Sakura was nearby; calmly watching like my mom, smiling that soft smile of hers… though, I could tell there was this unhappiness in them.

When the sun began to dip lower, she approached me while I was crouched on the ground, letting a group of tiny beastkin kids use my back as a bridge for their game of leapfrog.

Totally not embarrassing.

And I swear I wasn’t having THAT much fun.

Also, those small kids were apparently my age-mates in beastkin years. It was very reassuring to discover.

But I let it go since they were literally so tiny, fluffy, and so full of energy. And they squealed every time I pretended to collapse under their “enormous” weight.

So yeah, I don’t care if they’re 30 or 40, they’re still kids.

“As promised,” Sakura said gently, “I want to take you to see my mother.”

“Your mom, huh?” I stood up, brushing the dirt from my knees. “I’m sure she’s just as wonderful as you.”

Sakura blushed and looked away, then reached out and took my arm

he world began to shift; it was as usual—a smooth and seamless teleportation—till we found ourselves standing on a high hill overlooking a vast, peaceful retirement home.

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