The young tamer told his companion how the Emperor had managed to hide his daughter's existence from everyone and how the Empress had never done anything to remedy that situation. He told her that Sui had spent her adolescence locked in a room and that the only moments of freedom were caused by her escapes from the Palace.

Shioko was a great supporter of the female gender and was convinced that in that era, women could not express their true potential and were seen as mere sexual objects capable only of satisfying the needs of men.

They did not have the right to participate in political life and the only ways to get to the top ranks of society were through recruitment in a guild or through marriage to a wealthy man.

However, not all women were tamers or simply interested in a military career. The red-haired archer was driven by a strong sense of justice and emancipation, and her perennial hatred for Shinzo Nishiyama turned into a genuine desire for revenge after Yoichi's tale.

"That slimy maggot... he doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as us! That son of a bitch! Poor girl!" Shioko growled, shaking her head and trying to imagine what Sui looked like based on her comrade's words.

Throughout the story, Yoichi had skipped the part where the Princess promised him loyalty and whispered loving words to him, offering him a piece of her heart.

"What do you want me to do? Why did you tell me about her? Is there any way to save her?" she repeated, eager for an answer to her question.

"From the window of her room in the palace, Sui can see an old cherry tree. She described it to me as a flowering tree, beautiful and showy. Well, she said that when she sees me in front of that tree, she will escape from her room for the umpteenth time and rely on me to leave the city," Yoichi confessed. Inside, the young tamer was afraid of hurting Shioko's feelings.

During his journey with the beautiful red-haired tamer, Yoichi had never thought about the Princess. The time spent with Shioko had passed very quickly, and in her company, Yoichi had always felt protected and at ease.

The empathy he shared with her was something rare and precious. It was useless to deny it: the two Nightblades warriors liked each other, but they couldn't bring themselves to confess it.

"So you want me to help the Emperor's daughter escape instead of you? You want me to break all the rules imposed by Nishiyama and lead the most important girl in the kingdom outside the walls of Goldhaven?" - Shioko had her hands resting along her sides and her eyes slightly half-closed. Yoichi's answer would be crucial.

"Um... well... yes," he replied, massaging his nape and smiling naively. "Listen, Shioko. Although I have much bigger problems to think about, I can't ignore Sui's call for help. The first time I couldn't get there in time, I don't want that to happen again," he added, trying to speak as honestly as possible.

The girl turned her back and took two steps forward, towards the stairs. Her eyes were pointed towards the sky, as the afternoon sun was giving way to the moon, ready to illuminate the corners of the buildings with its white light. "Alright, I'll do it," she spoke, leaving Yoichi speechless.

"What? Really?" he asked, not expecting such an immediate response to that absurd request.

"Yes, really. I don't care if she's a princess or not. I don't want to know anything else about her. Just the thought that someone could be held captive by that self-centered Emperor drives me crazy. I'll go get Princess Sui and help her escape."

Yoichi walked forward and wrapped his arms around Shioko's shoulders, resting his head behind her back and squeezing her into a hug.

She widened her eyes and held her breath as if she didn't know what the best reaction was to that sudden gesture. For the first time in years, she was getting a hug and the one who had tempted fate was the man she liked.

"I knew I could trust you, Shioko," he continued, holding her even tighter and waiting for her to return the embrace. The archer began to breathe again and placed a hand on Yoichi's forearm, letting him know that the affectionate gesture hadn't bothered her in the least.

The arms of a young, strong man had shattered her insensitive, rough shell, melting away her mask of superficiality with a genuine hug.

Several seconds passed before Yoichi loosened his grip. His arms spread wide and Shioko turned toward him, eager to look into his eyes.

I can't believe it...my heart is beating out of my chest! I thought Shioko wouldn't like something so cheesy, but instead, she stood firm and returned my hug! What do I do now? Do I have to follow my instincts? Yoichi asked himself, thinking quickly and trembling with emotion as the girl he was attracted to turned toward him.

The young tamer thought back to Princess Sui and the little kiss they had shared as they exited that dark alley in the capital. The Princess of Tentochu was a very beautiful and incredibly sensual girl, probably any man would have been crazy about her.

But was she really what his heart desired? What did he know about her besides what she had told about her past? How could he be sure that their personalities had been compatible? In a matter of moments, Yoichi found himself coming to terms with his innermost feelings, and when his gaze met Shioko's, butterflies came to his stomach.

At that point, he had no more doubts and, without thinking about the consequences, he trusted his instincts, following the words of his heart.

Joined by the wind blowing gently at the entrance to the Dojo, the two guildmates approached until the tips of their noses touched. In that instant, Yoichi rested the palm of his warm hand behind Shioko's neck and let his lips go to hers.