The winds were dry and biting in the Desolate Expanse, a barren land of cracked soil and scattered stone. Here, only the strong survived. The weak either died or found someone strong enough to protect them.
Saji—now dressed in his ANBU-style gear, a fox-faced mask hanging loosely on the side of his head—walked the familiar, dusty path leading to the Mercenary Guild of Ironblood Fang. It had only been a few weeks since his departure, but the place hadn't changed. Gritty, dangerous, and filled with cold eyes and sharper tongues.
Guild Master Gunther, a battle-worn minotaur with silver fur and a single scarred eye, greeted Saji with a grunt and a smirk.
Gunther:
"So the ghost returns. You're not dead after all."
Saji (smirking):
"Miss me already, old man?"
Before Gunther could respond, a commotion outside caught their attention. A crowd had gathered near the plaza. Saji's eyes narrowed when he heard the clanging of chains and a voice hawking out a sale.
---
The Girl with the Broken Ears
Standing at the center of attention was a ragged, sleazy slave trader. Behind him, bound in light iron shackles and dressed in filthy rags, was a young rabbit beastkin girl—no older than sixteen or seventeen, and very visibly eight months pregnant.
Her snow-white hair hung limply around her face, her long ears drooping as if the life had been drained from her. Her belly bulged, yet her arms were stick-thin. She trembled under the jeers and laughter of nearby mercenaries.
Saji's gaze turned sharp.
Slave Trader:
"Rare find! High-class beastkin girl from the deep forest, nearly ready to give birth! Good bloodline—strong body, guaranteed healthy offspring! Startin' at—"
A kunai embedded itself in the wood near the trader's throat, silencing him immediately.
The crowd turned.
Saji (calmly):
"How much?"
The slave trader paled. He recognized that voice.
Slave Trader (stammering):
"F-fifty gold!"
Saji tossed a pouch without a word. The trader fumbled with it greedily and unshackled the girl.
---
A Promise in the Dark
Saji brought her to his modest stone house on the edge of the guild territory. He gently helped her sit down and fetched water, warm soup, and some soft bread.
She ate slowly at first, then desperately, tears silently rolling down her cheeks as she devoured the warm food.
When she was full, Saji knelt beside her, not too close, showing no threat.
Saji (softly):
"What's your name?"
The girl sniffled, her hands resting protectively on her swollen belly.
Rabbit Girl (quietly):
"My name is… Asha. I'm from Seirei no Tami…"
Saji's expression shifted. He had heard the name before, in passing—an elusive forest civilization, home to non-humans.
Asha continued, voice trembling as she explained everything. About her homeland—a harmonious, advanced society that revered the spirits and shunned outsiders. About her people, the Spirit Folk—Elves, Dwarves, Wingedkin, Beastkin—all living in a balance long forgotten by the world of men.
She told him of their use of spirit arts, of teleportation and spatial storage, of homes crafted from trees and stone more luxurious than any palace. A hidden paradise powered by ancient magic and ancestral wisdom.
Then her voice cracked.
Asha (crying):
"My husband and I… we were gathering herbs near the outer forest. Slavers found us. They ambushed us. He fought to protect me… they killed him…"
She sobbed into her hands.
Asha:
"They killed him and sold me. I want to go home… I want to go back to Seirei no Tami… I don't want to give birth here… alone…"
Saji moved without hesitation. He gently pulled her into a soft embrace, careful not to disturb her stomach.
Saji (calm but firm):
"You're not alone. Not anymore."
She looked up at him, eyes red and puffy.
Saji:
"My name is Jon. Jon Saji Caesar… I swear, I'll take you back to Seirei no Tami one day."
He pulled back and offered her a small smile.
Saji (playfully):
"But until then, stay by my side. You'll be safe here. Fed. Protected. And when the time comes… your child will be born free."
Asha broke down again, but this time in silent relief.
Saji stood, walked to the window, and looked out into the crimson-streaked sky of the Desolate Expanse.
There were many roads ahead. But for now… this girl, this child—they were his responsibility.
And he would keep his word.