The morning sun bathed the Almaty Estate in a warm glow, and for Fugo, that sun brought more than just sunlight. Today was going to be his first day of freedom, the day he had long dreamed of.
Three years ago, Lina was given a chance to live in the estate on the condition of labor. Fugo was also given the chance to continue living in his home after a majority vote in the Family. These things will no longer matter as of today.
Lina and Fugo stood by their shed, with knapsacks already packed from the night before, in their hands.
It was time to go.
One of Fugo's uncles, tall and stern with a staff in his hand, spotted them walking towards the gate. Next to him was the man's daughter.
A young woman around the same age as Fugo, with orange hair and yellow tips at the end, similar to Takeshi's hair. She also happened to be Takeshi's younger sister, Chika Almaty.
"Good morning, Fugo, Lina," Chika greeted with a wave.
"Morning."
The uncle took one look at their bags and knew immediately what was afoot.
"Leaving? Without saying anything?"
His gaze then lingered on Lina. "Hmph! The fact that that girl is not already at work means you must be moving out for good."
"Yes, Uncle," Fugo replied calmly, holding Lina's hand. "Our time here is finished."
The uncle chuckled coldly, tapping his staff twice on the ground.
CRASH!
Behind them, the shed collapsed in a heap of debris, sending up a small cloud of dust.
"About damn time," the uncle sneered. "You two always got under my skin."
"Good riddance. Now get out of here. There's no place for you here—literally."
Chika sighed, clearly embarrassed by her uncle's behavior. She bowed her head in an attempt to make things right. "I'm sorry about him."
"It's okay, Chika. See you around," Fugo said, giving her a small nod before walking away.
Fugo's grip on Lina's hand tightened as the uncle turned his back and strode away. Lina's expression remained neutral, but her fingers clutched Fugo's arm for reassurance.
As they passed through the estate grounds, heads turned briefly before resuming their tasks. Servants and family members alike showed no interest in the departure of the young couple. To them, Fugo and Lina were insignificant—easily replaced, and not worth a second thought.
"It's okay now, Lina," Fugo reassured her, his voice soft yet determined.
"The place we're moving to is way better. There's a bigger bed, a proper bathroom, and even a garden space in the back for flowers. I know you've always wanted that."
Lina's face softened as she held onto his arm.
"You made it happen, Fugo. I knew you would." But her tone turned somber.
"Still, adventuring is dangerous. I don't want you to push yourself too far. Where you are now should be enough to get by, right?"
Fugo hesitated before replying. "I'll need to go a bit higher," he admitted.
"The rent is going to take half my earnings, which is more than I'd like. I'll have to aim for floors with better rewards."
He smiled, changing the subject. "Oh, by the way, my party insisted on visiting the new place today. They want to see the house and meet you."
"Your party?" Lina repeated, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Is that girl going to be there too?"
"Irene? I am not sure, unlike the other two, she never verbally said she was going to visit"
They walked for nearly half an hour, their heavy bags weighing on their shoulders. But when they finally arrived, Lina's tired steps quickened.
The house was a charming wooden structure. Its smooth wooden floors gleamed as if freshly polished, and the spacious veranda invited them to sit and relax. The home was well-maintained, a stark contrast to the dilapidated shed they had left behind. Inside, the rooms were airy and bright, though their limited belongings made the room too spacious for their liking.
"If I could see, I'd say it's beautiful." Lina grinned.
"You can call it beautiful regardless, you know. To make me feel good."
Lina adjusted her blindfold, then told Fugo exactly what he wanted to hear, "It's BEAUTIFUL!"
"That's more I like it."
Fugo set down the bags and gave her a tight squeeze. "This is ours now. I'll ensure to keep it that way. Promise."
Soon after, the two began unpacking when a familiar voice boomed from outside.
"FUGO! You in there!?"
It was Renjiro's shout, his voice echoing throughout the street. Kael was there too.
He stood next to Renjiro, yawning with bags under his eyes.
"They're early," Fugo muttered.
A part of him was disappointed by this. He wished for some time alone with Lina first before they arrived.
"Your friends?" Lina asked.
"They are the ones I told you about. My teammates in exploration."
"Then go greet them."
Fugo stepped out onto the veranda, waving them over. "You're here...Welcome."
"This is the place?" Renjiro asked, looking around with wide eyes.
"Damn, you've got yourself a gem! Way better than I imagined."
Kael nodded in agreement, his sharp eyes scanning the structure.
"Not bad. It's solidly built. How much is the rent?"
"Half my earnings for now," Fugo admitted.
Renjiro whistled. "Steep, but worth it. We're going to need a good spot to crash when we party late after exploring."
Fugo groaned. "Don't even think about it."
As the three chatted, Lina stepped onto the veranda, her presence quiet but noticeable. Renjiro immediately turned on the charm.
"You must be Lina," he said, giving an exaggerated bow.
"Fugo talks about you all the time. And might I say, your husband is one lucky guy."
Lina smiled softly. "Thank you. And you must be Renjiro."
Kael introduced himself next, "Kael Veylan. Nice to meet you."
"Where's Irene?" Fugo asked, glancing around.
Renjiro turned around, also puzzled by her lack of presence. "She was just with us a while ago...not sure where she went."
Ten minutes later, after the four had settled themselves on the veranda, that was when Irene chose to show herself. She had a bag over her shoulder, with sword hilts pointing out of them.
The swords were sheathed.
She also had a second bag, but much smaller, inside was neatly prepared bento boxes, five in total.
"Morning fellas," she greeted.
"You all hungry? I brought food."
"It's not leftovers, is it?" Kael asked.
"No, my mom helped me cook it this morning. I promise it's good."
Irene's eyes then lingered on the other girl present, Lina Yoh. A beauty for the eyes, with a blindfold covering her eyes. She was in plain clothing, but even in those, she was still charming to look at. She could not help but notice her curves, flawless skin that was unmarked, and a bigger chest size.
In Irene's eyes, the woman before her was so beautiful, using the word to describe her felt too simple. She could not help it but feel inferior just from a mere glance.
In the midst of her thoughts, Fugo started caressing Lina's shoulders right in front of her. "This is her," Irene thought.
She finally got to see her, Lina Yoh.
"This is the woman Fugo lives with..."