Rie, as usual, tried to sneak back into her room. The morning air was warm against her skin as she climbed the outer wall, her feet finding small cracks between the stones. She was halfway up when a voice cut through the stillness.
"Young master."
Rie froze. Her fingers clung to the wall as she slowly turned her head. Standing below was Sensei Gohan, his arms crossed, and beside him stood two guards. Their faces were unreadable.
"Oh, Teacher! You're here," Rie said quickly, forcing a nervous smile as she climbed down. "Um… you wouldn't understand. I got locked out, so I slept here overnight. I was just trying to get back to my room."
Her voice sounded weak even to her own ears. She expected Sensei Gohan to sigh, maybe scold her, but instead, he simply watched her. His eyes were heavy, filled with something she couldn't name.
The guards beside him didn't move either. They stood like statues bowing their heads, not in alertness but in restraint.
"Young master, please get down," Gohan said again, quieter this time.
Rie obeyed, brushing the dust from her hands. "Why do you all look like someone's died or something?" she asked, glancing between them.
No one replied. The air was too still. Even the sound of the courtyard birds was missing. When she had jumped over the wall earlier, she had thought it strange that the main gate was locked, but now…
Her eyes caught movement near the tower. A red flag fluttered weakly in the morning breeze. A mourning flame.
Her heart skipped a beat. "Who died?" she whispered. Then, louder, "Is it my dad? What happened to him?"
She turned toward the main hall, her sandals slapping against the stone path. Gohan and the guards followed closely behind her.
"What happened to my dad?" she demanded, her voice trembling. "Wait, what about Papa? He went on an errand yesterday. Is he back yet?"
The words felt heavy in her mouth, and silence followed. Then, one by one, the guards sank to their knees. Even Gohan lowered himself, head bowed deeply to the ground.
Rie froze. That gesture—it wasn't respect. It was mourning.
"Young master," Gohan said softly, his tone breaking the fragile quiet. "Master Daichi Akarawa has passed. His body and the rest of the guards will arrive soon."
The words hit her like cold water. Passed? Papa Daichi? No. That wasn't possible.
Rie blinked rapidly, her lips twitching into a small, trembling smile. "Hahaha… what a joke, Teacher. That's an expensive one. If you'd said my fad, maybe I'd believe you. But papa Daichi? Come on."
Her laughter was sharp and awkward, echoing against the walls. No one joined her. No one even moved.
Her laugh faltered. "Wait," she said quietly. "Where's Papa? This isn't funny anymore. How did he even get all of you to play along?"
The silence pressed against her chest. The guards' eyes glistened, but none dared to speak.
Rie's hands clenched into fists. "I said, where is my Papa!"
Before anyone could answer, a deep, mournful horn echoed through the air. The sound rolled across the courtyard like thunder. The main gates creaked open.
Rie turned, her heart hammering in her chest.
The guards entered in a solemn line, their armor dulled by dust and blood. Each carried a body wrapped in white cloth. Their faces were pale with exhaustion and grief.
Rie's breath hitched. For a heartbeat, everything stopped. The sound, the light, the warmth of the morning. Then reality pierced through her like a blade.
No one was acting, no one was joking.
The guards lowered the bodies one by one, careful, reverent. The one carried at the front, Daichi's, was placed separately from the rest.
Rie's legs weakened beneath her. She stumbled forward, her mind refusing to understand what her eyes were seeing.
Her fingers trembled as she reached out for the cloth covering his face.
"Papa?" Her voice cracked. "You're back, right? You're just tired?"
When she pulled the cloth away, her knees gave out.
The face beneath was pale and still. Her Papa's eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted like he had fallen asleep. But his skin was cold.
"Papa…" she whispered, touching his cheek. The chill burned her fingertips. "W–what happened to you? Why are you lying here on the ground?"
Her tears fell fast, dripping onto his chest. "Please get up. I have so much to tell you about last night. You can't sleep here. Tell me you're just playing, please, Papa, get up."
Her voice grew louder, shaking with fear. "Papa, please stop this drama, you're scaring me! Please, get up! Please, Papa!"
She collapsed against his chest, her sobs filling the courtyard. Her hands clutched at his robe, unwilling to let go.
The guards bowed their heads. Some turned away, unable to bear the sight.
Rie lifted her tear-streaked face toward Gohan. "Teacher," she choked, "I promise I'll never be late for training again. I'll make better puppets, I swear. Just please, tell my Papa to get up. I don't like him like this."
Her voice cracked on the last word. Gohan's eyes softened, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Then, from the mansion doors, Master Akarawa appeared. His steps faltered when his eyes fell on the scene before him. The body he had been told of that morning, Daichi's body, now lay before him in cold truth.
"Daichi…" His voice trembled as he dropped to his knees. His shaking hands gathered the body into his arms. He held Daichi close as though warmth could still return. "Hey… Daichi, my love, please get up. What happened to you?"
His voice broke. Tears streamed down his face as he pressed his forehead to Daichi's cold skin.
"You promised to stay by my side forever," he whispered. "You said you'd never leave Ryuji's side. Why are you breaking that promise now?"
The courtyard was silent except for their cries.
Rie crawled closer, her hands gripping her father's sleeve. "Daddy," she whispered. "I promise I'll never sneak out again. I'll train every single day. I'll take the night watch. You can send me to Auntie's place, or even block my chi if you want. I'll even break up with Akari, anything you say, I'll listen."
Her voice shook, the words tumbling out between sobs. "Just please, please bring Papa back. Tell him to stand up."
Father and daughter clung to Daichi's body, their tears soaking into his robe. Around them, even the wind fell silent.
No one moved, nor dared to interrupt the sound of grief.
Their cries filled the courtyard, echoing through every hall and corridor of the Akarawa estate. The morning light dimmed behind passing clouds, as though the heavens themselves mourned with them.
And in that moment, Rie wished more than anything that this was just a dream, one she could wake from and run into her Papa's arms again.