Katsu woke to the muffled sound of footsteps and the golden hush of early light pouring through his window.
For a long moment he lay still.
Suspended between sleep and waking, until the unfamiliar comfort of the mattress beneath him nudged him upright.
It was the morning after his induction as heir—his first true moment alone in the new suite.
He hadn't really looked at the room before now. He sat up. As his eyes adjusted, details emerged with surreal clarity.
Sunlight spilled through grand, arched windows, painting gold patterns across the polished wood floor and warming the ornate rug.
The walls were paneled in deep, rich wood, carved with old sigils and the marks of generations past.
A low settee rested beneath the windows, inviting in its elegance, and bookshelves flanked either side, filled with volumes that gleamed in the morning light.
A heavy curtain framed a private alcove where the bed rested—luxurious, the covers a dark wine-red trimmed in gold.
Velvet drapes hung open, lending the entire room a sense of quiet opulence. Above, the ceiling was painted midnight blue, scattered with golden stars that caught the morning sun and glimmered faintly overhead.
To his right, a wide, arched doorway beckoned. A threshold carved with the crest of Velthra.
Beyond it waited the first shelves of an expansive library: a domed chamber lined with books from floor to ceiling, lit by candlelight and the faint purple glow of enchanted lanterns.
Steps curved down to a reading pit, where armchairs and writing desks waited for hours of solitude or study.
Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Katsu stood, stretching the last ache from his limbs.
The suite felt impossibly large, every carved panel pressed with the weight of legends who had walked these halls before him.
Soft steps carried him toward the archway, feet sinking into the thick rug, curiosity tugging him deeper into his new domain.
For a moment, he simply stood there, taking it all in: lamplight, the promise of thousands of stories waiting just beyond the door, and the hush of a room that, for the first time in his life, truly belonged to him.
He wondered if he'd ever feel worthy of this place.
A faint draft ruffled the velvet drapes, carrying the scent of old parchment and cold morning air.
There was a faint tap at his door.
Katsu crossed the room, not bothering to mask his fatigue.
He didn't sense danger, just a presence—a ripple of curiosity. He opened the door.
A girl in crisp black-and-white stood waiting, violet hair falling to her waist, gold eyes unreadable beneath the ruffle of her maid's cap.
"Hello, Katsu Velthra. I am your Maid in Honor, Lady Mari Hilda-Vasquez. Nice to meet you." Her bow was precise, almost military.
Katsu blinked, thrown by the formality.
"…I have a maid?"
"Yes. Yes, you do."
Mari's tone didn't waver.
"The heir of Soryuun has come to speak with you. She did not bring a representative. Our stealth guards are monitoring her; she's smiling. Appears happy."
Katsu ran a hand through his hair, trying to parse the situation.
"Juju, huh? Wonderful." He glanced back into the room, mind racing. "Is the mission with the Dravantiir and Keahi, still happening as planned?"
"Yes, sir."
He winced. Cringing.
"Please don't 'sir' me. Call me Katsu."
Mari paused, head tilting slightly.
"…Yes, Katsu?"
He almost smiled at her careful precision. "Thanks. How long have you been assigned here?"
"Seventeen hours," she replied without hesitation. "I finished mapping the suite and cataloguing the reading material in your library annex. Would you like a summary?"
Katsu blinked, surprised by her efficiency.
"Uh—maybe later. For now, can you let the kitchen know I'll be eating with the team before we head out?"
"Already done." A faint shimmer of satisfaction crossed her face. "The dining hall is prepared. Will you be changing attire before meeting the heir of Soryuun?"
He hesitated, glancing down at himself, then back at her. "Should I?"
"It is tradition for Velthra heirs to dress in formal colors when meeting foreign dignitaries." Mari's expression was gentle, but firm. "You have an hour, Katsu."
He let out a slow breath, tension draining from his shoulders. "Thanks, Mari. I'll get ready."
She nodded, a single crisp movement, then turned on her heel—leaving behind a faint trace of lavender and old parchment as the door clicked quietly shut.
Katsu stared after her, then moved to his wardrobe, mind whirring.
He was still getting used to having help. Having a 'Maid in Honor'—someone this unflappable, this efficient—felt strange.
Almost like having a shadow he couldn't quite see.
In the distance, the bell tower chimed the hour. Time to be the heir again.
Katsu crossed the suite to the wardrobe he'd only glimpsed the night before.
He shrugged off his cloak and hung it neatly on a hook. "…Hm." The closet door slid open with barely a sound. Inside, every item was perfectly arranged, the fabrics crisp, the colors impossibly pristine.
He pulled out a jacket, turning it over in his hands. "…This is exactly my size. How…?" He frowned, running his fingers along the seams. "Did they do this overnight? Magic, or just too much preparation?"
He moved to the mirror, holding the jacket up against his frame. It fit as if it had been made for him alone.
He stared at the row of garments, uncertain. "And what exactly counts as formal colors? Navy blue? Black, but optimistic? Mari?"
He didn't raise his voice, but she was already there—stepping into the archway as if she'd been waiting just outside, her presence quiet but unmistakable.
"Yes, Katsu?"
Katsu glanced over his shoulder as Mari appeared, posture impeccable, hands folded at her waist.
He gestured helplessly at the wardrobe. "You said formal colors. I don't actually know what that means—what do Velthra heirs usually wear?"
Mari stepped forward without hesitation, scanning the row of garments.
"Traditionally: deep indigo, black, or silver. Accents of gold are permitted for heirs; red only on days of mourning or duels. Today's meeting calls for restraint."
She selected a dark indigo coat with silver piping and held it out to him with gloved hands.
"This will suit you, Katsu."
He took the coat, still a little baffled.
"And the perfect fit? Did you measure me in my sleep?"
A faint quirk touched her lips.
"The tailoring staff are very discreet, and your measurements have been on file since your enrollment. I simply expedited the request."
He managed a half-laugh. "Efficient. Should I expect you to pick my shoes too?"
"If you wish." Her tone was earnest, not mocking. "But I trust your judgment. Black boots, polished. No spurs."
He shook his head, but there was the ghost of a smile in his eyes.
"Alright, Mari. Guess I'll try to look like I belong here."
Mari inclined her head, a hint of approval in her gold gaze.
"You already do."
With that, she stepped back, giving him space.
As she moved to tidy a stray cuff or brush dust from the collar, Katsu found himself grateful.
Not just for the help, but for the strange comfort of her presence.
Maybe having a Maid in Honor wouldn't be so bad after all.
A whisper—cool and velvet—curled through his thoughts:
"You collect new allies like trinkets, my king. One day you'll have no room left for your demons."
Katsu smirked at the shadow near the bookcase. "You could've shown up last night, you know. Or did envy need her beauty sleep?"
A ripple of golden eyes, all teeth and tease:
"Please. Even demons get tired of your mortal anxieties sometimes. Besides—absence makes you more interesting."
He rolled his eyes, but his smile lingered.
Maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought.