𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 | 𝐓𝐨𝐣𝐢 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐨

- Chapter 24 -

The sound of a knock on her door interrupts her hopeful gazing out the window. She assumes it must be Anna, probably coming to chat or maybe bringing some news. She turns away from the window and heads towards the door.

Her eyes widen in surprise as she opens the door to find Toji standing there, the last person she expected to see behind the door. His tall figure casting a shadow in the dim light of the hallway.

"Toji?!"

Toji stands there, a cold and casual expression on his face as he looks at Helia. He seems unbothered by the fact that he's trespassing in the maid compound, which is an unusual sight.

He seems somewhat frustrated, though he tries to maintain his usual casual demeanor and stoicism. He lets out a soft huff, as if her surprise has annoyed him just a little.

His voice breaks the silence with a commanding tone, his words leaving no room for debate.

"Come."

He gestures for Helia to follow him with a firm, almost authoritative wave of his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly as he waits for her to comply with his order.

"What? Where are we going? We don't have training today."

His eyes narrow further, a hint of annoyance seeping into his expression as she questions his command.

"No questions. Just follow."

He doesn't offer any further explanation, his tone making it clear that he expects immediate obedience.

He waits for a moment, clearly expecting her to fall in line behind him. She hesitates for a few seconds but she's too curious to not follow him.

"Alright...?"

She quickly puts her shoes on and follows Toji down the corridor, she can't help but marvel at the sight of him in the maid compound.

He strides confidently down the silent corridor, his steps echoing off the walls. He doesn't say a word, not even glancing back at her as he leads the way.

The silence between Helia and Toji becomes increasingly awkward as neither of them speaks for several moments.

He seems entirely unbothered by the lack of conversation, his steps confident and undisturbed.

The only sound is the echo of his footsteps against the floor, and the occasional soft rustling of her clothes as she walks.

After a few more moments of silent walking, Helia and Toji finally leave the maid compound and step outdoors. The cool night air hits her, a stark contrast to the stillness of the corridor.

The darkness is only illuminated by the occasional flicker of light from the nearby buildings. Toji continues forward.

He comes to a halt at the entrance of the east wing, his steps finally coming to a standstill.

The gardens and surrounding buildings are steeped in quietude, the silence only interrupted by the subtle sounds of nature.

With a surprising display of agility and strength, he begins climbing the wall next to the entrance, his movements fluid and seemingly effortless.

He ascends the wall as if it's no more difficult than climbing a set of stairs, his muscular arms and legs finding purchase in the rough bricks.

In just a few seconds, he reaches the top, his form silhouetted against the night sky.

From his perch atop the wall, he looks down at her. His voice floats through the air, commanding and authoritative.

"Come up."