Sang's POV:

I walked down the stairs quickly, my cheeks still hot from what I had just blurted at Blackbourne-san.

I didn't mean to sound so full of myself. I knew someone like Blackbourne-san would never need or ask me for help, but I needed him to know that I appreciated everything they had been doing for me, abandoning their home and lifestyle to support me, and that I was on his side.

Walking through the hallway that led to the dining room I stopped for a moment in front of the door, taking in a deep breath to center myself before entering.

The room was in chaos.

And how strange was it that such a thing calmed me and brought a smile to my face?

Kota was sitting at the table with a mildly interested expression on his face while he watched North run around the room after Luke and Gabriel who were laughing like hyenas Sean and Nathan were leaning against a hall, keeping out of the way with smirks on their faces and Victor was nowhere to be found.

I smiled to myself before putting two fingers into my mouth and blowing a whistle.

The sound was deafening and everyone stopped to look at me with wide eyes, a few of them reaching behind their backs or pockets, probably in search of a kunai or shuriken.

Putting my hands on my hips I gave they all a mock glare, "I can't leave the lot of you alone for a single minute before you start arguing?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

North, Luke and Gabriel had the grace to blush a little before North began shouting about sweets and healthy food, while Luke protested against his brother.

I just shook my head, having already seen this scene a few times before at the Academy clan's house.

Moving to sit at the head of the table I glanced at Kota.

He was looking at me with a soft smile that made butterflies take flight in my stomach.

Sean pulled the chair out for me to sit with a flourish and I sat down blushing.

"Who will be going this morning?" I asked Kota and watched as he raised his hand to fix his glasses and got a serious look in his eyes.

"Luke-kun, Nathan-kun and Silas-kun." He answered promptly.

I bit my lip, worrying about them being away at this time of uncertainty.

Kota leaned closer to me from where he sat a few seats down the table and touched the hand closest to him. "They will be okay, Sang-chan." He said, his serious tone of voice practically commanding me to believe him.

I gulped and nodded my head. Blackbourne-san chose that moment to arrive at the room, dispelling all thoughts of enemies, wars and dangers to my boys.

We all sat around the large table and began eating our breakfast.

This morning, not surprisingly, there were Dorayaki filled with chocolate and strawberries and other sweets on the menu.

The food was obviously Luke's and Gabriel's idea. North was still looking displeased but the addition of strawberries to the Doryaki seemed to calm him down a little.

We ate our food with gusto and I listened quietly as the boys discussed about how the things were going at the village and what they had seen.

It was interesting seeing the place where I had been born through their eyes. It was also alarming.

I had known there was a lot to be done, and that the villagers were living precariously, but not having had any opportunity to known other villages before, it had escaped my notice how bad the situation really was.

The houses would need to be fixed, especially as winter was soon approaching. Food and riches would need to be redistributed, laws would have to change.

The richer families wouldn't be happy with the changes I planned to implement, but I couldn't allow the disparity in social classes to remain as it was.

There were people dying of hunger while families threw their excess away as if it were of no importance.

Winter would be here soon and I knew it would require a group effort to get through it.

I met Blackbourne-san's eye and he seemed to understand my request, nodding at me once before standing up from his place at the table.

"Gentlemen, Sorenson-sama," He called for our attention, his voice radiating command, silver eyes glinting. "This morning Sorenson-sama agreed to allow me and Lee-kun to help her with the running of the clan. We will be busy for the rest of the day settling a few of these matters."

The others nodded in understanding and he fixed his glasses before turning his gaze to Luke. "Taylor-kun, Griffin-kun and Korba-kun will be on a mission to find and capture Elise and Marie Sorenson. The rest of you are responsible for finishing our preparations here on the house."

I raised my eyebrow at that last remark and was reward by a millimeter of a smile from Blackbourne-san, almost nothing and yet more than enough to change his whole expression.

I was so surprised at the change that I almost missed his next words completely. "...Coleman-kun will be helping Sean to install a clinic here at the house, with all the supplies we might come to need. After that he, Victor and North will finish decorations on the rooms and other places."

I glanced over at Gabriel and chose to merely nod my agreement. There was no way I could deny him when he looked as eager as a puppy given a treat.

We all rose from the table and started to disperse, I followed Luke, Nathan and Silas to the front gate, Kota right behind me as I wished to say good-bye before they went on their mission.

I wanted to hug them, but I knew it wouldn't be appropriate at the moment with everyone watching, so I conformed myself with giving them all a big smile and wishing them farewell.

They smiled and bowed to me as they left.

The smile was frozen in my face and for a moment I felt my eyes watering as I watched them disappear behind the bend in the street. My heart was squeezing painfully and I berated myself for being ridiculous.

They would be fine and they would come back, there was no reason for crying right now.

I wasn't alone anymore but it seemed that the more I took from these boys, the more I wanted from them.

I sighed and took control of my emotions.

Work first, play time later.

......
Luke's POV:

Me and my brothers took the main road out of the village and headed back to the Academy's lands.

If we wanted information on where Elise and Marie might be we would need to search around the place they had vanished from first.

Maybe they had let something slip before.

"I hope Aggele mou will stay safe while we are away." Silas commented quietly.

The quiet giant wasn't one for commentaries, which showed how much he cared about Sang, considering she was all he talked about recently.

"She will be fine." Nathan answered, "The others will make sure of it."

I sure hoped he was right or my amazing plan wouldn't come to be. Whether because she decided we were incompetent and kicked us all out or because I would kill my stupid brothers with my bare hands for allowing her to get hurt remained to be seen.

The possibility that we might fail and she might die wasn't going to be considered.

Silas just grunted at Nathan's statement.

"Well, now that we are away from the rest we need to discuss disguise possibilities." I told them cheerfully.

Nathan looked at me in horror while Silas just grunted again.

"I don't see why that would be necessary, Luke..." Nathan began to protest only to be interrupted by Silas.

"It is." Was all he said making Nathan shut up immediately with a forlorn expression on his face.

I laughed at him, but Silas next words made my laugher stop and my face go suddenly pale.

"I've already procured a Geisha costume for Luke." Silas said causing Nathan to trip on his own feet and almost fall to the ground, his laugher sounding loud and granting on the deserted road.

At least, for me, it was grating.

"Ha, ha." I said with sarcasm, my mind already thinking over the possibilities for their costumes. There was no way I was going to be the only one to suffer during this mission, or my name wasn't Luke Taylor, The Prankster King.

......
Kota's POV:

Once Luke and the others had departed I turned around and reached for Sang's hand.

I couldn't help myself, every time she was around I wanted to be closer to her.

She blushed a little at the contact but didn't pull away, assuring me that it was fine to be so familiar with her.

Her small hand in mine was cold, the palm a little sweaty and I stepped closer to her, trying to offer some comfort.

"They will be okay." I told her with what I hoped was a gentle smile.

I knew this week had been very stressful for her, but she was strong and would get through it, especially with me and my brothers helping.

It had been years since I had felt the joy and satisfaction of truly helping someone, of making a difference for someone's life, of causing an impact for the better at this world.

Sang was giving it all back to us and much more.

She glanced up at me with her green eyes swirling, a frown marring her beautiful face.

"I hope so, Kota. I really do. You and your brothers have all come to mean a lot to me, I'd hate it if any of you ended hurt."

I squeezed her hand and smiled down at her as I stepped even closer, leaving only a breath of space between us. I couldn't hide the joy that her words caused me.

She truly cared about us. It made me wants to scoop her up and twirl with her in my arms until she laughed with as much joy as I felt at that moment.

But instead I focused on alleviating her fears. "We were very well trained, Sang. I promise you, and we never stop training and honing our skills. The guys will be fine."

She nodded and took a deep breath, bracing herself before she stepped back.

"Come on, we have a lot of work to do." She said as she led me by hand to her office on the second floor.

The smile bloomed in my face once more. This was problematic; I couldn't stop smiling around her.

At this rate the whole village would soon know that I had it really bad for our mistress.

Such a thing was highly improper and could cause us problems.

Approaching the office I saw Blackbourne-san standing just outside of the room, waiting for us.

He glanced down to mine and Sang's hands before turning his gaze to study me.

Perhaps these problems would come sooner rather than later.

......
Head of the Todomi's clan POV:

"Master! We have great news!" A guard shouted as he ran in my direction.

The captain of my personal guard at standing at my side pulled his katana out of it scabbard.

The guard paused and gulped audibly before continuing with what he was about to say while keeping a safe distance. "My lord Todomi-sama, we have received news that Sorenson-sama has fallen."

My gaze sharpened at the young guard's face, he still looked nervous about my captain's reaction, but his eyes shone with excitement and bloodthirsty.

"Are you sure about that information?" I questioned him.

He nodded his head rapidly, like an eager puppy. "Oh yes. He left only one heir in his place. A young girl."

I raised my eyebrow at that. The Sorenson clan owned a badly kept village where most of its people were weak landsman and merchants. Being led by a little girl they'd have no chance in a war.

It would be an easy victory and the Sorenson's were said to possess quite a bit of money, result of having a gold mine in their land.

"Hummm, Iga." I called for the captain's attention, he was an old friend and good adviser. "Call for the others, we need to have a meeting." I told him.

He nodded his head and turned around, walking with brisk steps to fulfill my orders.