"I understand. I'm listening, Ryuga."
"Thank you. Now then, where should I begin...?"
Yugo could tell how much this meant to him. He met Ryuga's gaze with a solemn nod, his focus unwavering as he waited for him to continue.
Ryuga offered a weary smile under that steady gaze, searching for a place to begin. With a long, heavy sigh, he started to recount their history.
"You might have heard rumors, but my family isn't a prestigious house like those three Warrior Shrine Maidens. My father was a guard serving the lord of a small provincial castle—a member of the elite unit that protected the keep. He was an upright man, much like you, and both Yui and I respected him from the bottom of our hearts."
As Ryuga spoke of the past, a flicker of loneliness crossed his features.
Yugo remained silent, having already inferred from Ryuga’s use of the past tense that his father was gone.
"We were a happy family. Back then, Yui could still see, and my father personally oversaw my sword training. This Ryuo-ga is a legendary katana passed down through the House of Renjou. It’s said that even our first head couldn't fully master its power. My father couldn't wield it either... but he gave it to me anyway, claiming that I would be the one to finally surpass our ancestor. I worked myself to the bone to live up to his expectations, and my father, mother, and Yui were always there, watching over me with such kindness. But those days came to a violent end. It was all because of that... Mad Dragon!"
"A Mad Dragon...?"
"That’s what we call dragons in Yamato that have turned against humanity. Simply put, we believe the dragons we worship would never harm us. Therefore, we distinguish the ones that attack as 'Mad Dragons'—creatures entirely separate from our faith."
Ryuga explained the term with a melancholy smile before returning to his story.
"It happened when I was ten and Yui was five. Without any warning, a Mad Dragon descended upon our castle. It tore through homes and ravaged the fields, and while many were caught in the chaos... only one life was lost. Just one."
"Was it... your father, Ryuga?"
Ryuga nodded silently in response to Yugo's question. His voice grew thick with regret and sorrow as he spoke of the end of those peaceful days.
"My father was a guard. He fulfilled his duty until the very end... sacrificing himself to drive the beast back and save us. Yui and I saw everything. We saw his final, desperate strike connect, and we saw the dragon's lightning pierce his body, incinerating him until not even a bone remained."
"……"
"The Mad Dragon retreated thanks to the blow he struck at the cost of his life. But we lost so much more than him. Witnessing that horror left a deep scar on Yui's heart, and she lost her sight. The castle lord my father served was kind to us, but he couldn't show us favoritism. Restoring the village and the fields had to come first. My mother struggled more than anyone to provide for us. Eventually, she collapsed from overwork. Fortunately, her condition has stabilized for now."
It had been roughly five years since that day. Yugo continued to listen in silence as Ryuga described how his entire world had been upended in an instant.
As he imagined the weight Ryuga had carried ever since, his chest tightened.
Words like "painful" or "difficult" were far too shallow to describe the life he’d led. To fall from happiness into such tragedy—losing his father, seeing his sister blinded by trauma, and watching his mother break her health just to keep them alive—Yugo couldn't even begin to fathom the depth of that burden.
And yet, despite it all, Ryuga had pushed forward, honing his skills until he was hailed as the Strongest Swordsman.
"Both Yui and I saw how hard our mother was working, so we did everything we could. I polished my swordsmanship to surpass my father, and Yui learned to see with her soul to compensate for her lost sight. It’s because of those efforts that we were able to attend a school of this caliber. We owe a great deal to that castle lord, too. He was the one who personally petitioned for our status as exchange students."
Ryuga let out a long breath and looked up at the sky. Yugo couldn't tell if he was searching for his father or simply trying to keep his tears from falling.
"I have several reasons for coming here. I wanted my mother to focus on her recovery without having to worry about us, and I hoped that a change of scenery might help Yui's heart heal enough for her sight to return. But... my primary goal is to make a name for myself. If I sharpen my skills here and master the knowledge and technology of this kingdom alongside what I learned in Yamato, I’ll become someone everyone wants to recruit. I want to give my mother the life of ease she deserves after all her suffering, and I want to provide for the sister who has fought so hard to live despite her blindness. For that, I—"
"That’s enough. It’s okay, Ryuga. I understand—I really do. I get why you came here for Yui and your mother. You don’t have to force yourself to say any more."
Yugo couldn't bear to see Ryuga looking so pained any longer. He cut him off, reaching out to grip his hand firmly. He looked Ryuga straight in the eye.
"I don’t know exactly what I can do for you yet. But if you ever need anything, just say the word. As your friend and your partner... I'll give you everything I’ve got. We’re going to make you famous, Ryuga! We'll make sure everyone knows your name!"
"Yugo... thank you. You really are a good man."
Tears welled in Ryuga's eyes as he felt the strength in Yugo's grip. He could tell the offer was genuine, and a small smile touched his lips.
Yugo truly was a good person. His straightforward nature and the way he found his true strength when fighting to protect others reminded Ryuga so much of his father.
...And that was precisely why a sliver of guilt remained in Ryuga's heart.
Nothing he had said was a lie. Everything he had shared was the absolute truth.
However, there was one thing he hadn't mentioned.
His desire to bring glory to his family was real, but he had another objective just as significant. Ryuga felt the weight of a secret he couldn't yet share with such an honest, straightforward partner.