Kyuden Shika

"And sometimes, what is found is not what was expected. Or not alone. Or was underestimated. I get the idea. No plan resists contact with the enemy.

I guess with such a background, you've been courted by all the Crab at the miai. A trained spirit hunter sounds like something they would kill for. At the condition you could marry in their clan of course. I have quite the hard time getting my head around the rules of who's marrying in and who's marrying out in events like this one."

"That is an unfortunate no. Early on yes, and there was a strong connection... but not strong enough to survive contact with the enemy," he says with a smile. "Not that I actually consider him an enemy. Quite the opposite."

"Well, I guess the miai also serves its purpose in showcasing relationships that wouldn't have worked if taken further. Better now than before the altar."

Mitsuki's lip twitched as this reminded her of a certain Unicorn clan champion whose wedding was canceled at the very last minute.

"The troubling thing about it is that it would have worked and both of us knew it. But she did not wish to hurt him, so I took on as much of that burden as I could carry. Despite wanting so much more. But I have moved forward, lessening the pain each day, finding something new and beautiful in a different way."

Mitsuki refrained from commenting that a tragic love story would also be a good thing to add to her book, and instead went for a neutral statement:

"Some things are just not meant to be."

He nods his agreement. "But whoever the Deer match me with, I will try to make happy."