Klarion clenched his fists, fingernails digging deep into his palms as he strode forward. He had entered the Hall of Bonds with quite a bit of uncertainty. The prospect of securing a bodyguard was intimidating enough, compounded by the repeated rejections he’d faced due to his House. But when he overheard the two scions talking about the Leporine, that all fell away. Klarion hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but the closer he came to the cell that held the Leporine woman, the easier it was for his ears to catch the unmistakable sneering tones of the two scions outside it.
“…just a bunnykin,” the one with the rank of a count’s house on his shoulder scoffed, his tone dripping with derision. “I hear they’re obedient enough once broken. If not, I wouldn’t mind taming her myself.”
The second scion threw back his head and laughed, letting Klarion catch a glimpse of a marquis rank on his shoulder. “I don’t even need her to fight. She’d make a delightful distraction in my quarters.”
Klarion’s steps faltered, his breath catching in his chest. His fists clenched harder, and the world seemed to go silent save for the pounding in his ears. Grinding his teeth, Klarion continued striding towards them, his expression dark and unyielding. Clarissa was saying something to him urgently, but he didn’t care enough to hear what.
The two scions, still laughing at their coarse jokes, didn’t notice him until he was nearly upon them. The one who had spoken so flippantly about taming Hatsune — a tall, pale youth with sharp features and an air of entitlement — looked up with a sneer.
“Can we help you, Blacksword?” he drawled, deliberately emphasizing the name like an insult.
Klarion continued walking closer, his shadow falling over the two shorter scions as if he were a storm cloud blotting out the sun. His presence was immediate, heavy, and inescapable. The air seemed to thicken around him as his piercing red-gold gaze locked on the Marquis’ scion, who had been mid-laugh. Klarion’s greatsword shifted in its harness on his back with a metallic whisper as he squared his shoulders, making his already imposing frame seem even larger.
“Say that again,” Klarion said, his voice low and steady, cutting through the room like a blade. The menace in his tone was not shouted but carried an iron weight that promised consequences.
The scion belonging to a Marquis’ house took an involuntary step back, his bravado faltering under Klarion’s unyielding stare. The scion’s compatriot, previously smirking, shrank into himself, his hands fidgeting nervously.
Klarion’s hand drifted near the hilt of his sword, not drawing it but letting its presence loom, a silent reminder of what he could do if provoked. Neither of the scions he faced had weapons of their own, but such was Klarion’s anger at what he had overheard that part of him hoped they would give him a reason to pull his greatsword. Instead, both averted their gaze from his and stepped back from Hatsune’s screen.
Anger abating slightly, Klarion ignored them both to glance at the woman on the other side of the glass. She had paused mid-dodge to glance over toward the commotion. Her expressive eyes reflected a mix of confusion and apprehension as she caught sight of him. Klarion reached out to press the button on the screen.
“Excuse me,” he said, addressing her directly. “I have a few questions if you don’t mind.”
Hatsune blinked, her ears twitching nervously. “Y-yes, of course,” she stammered, her voice soft but clear.
“What are your primary combat skills?” Klarion asked, his tone brisk and professional to cover up the anger he still felt.
“Hey! You’re interrupting —”
Klarion turned his head slowly, fixing the scion from the Marquis’s house with a glare that could freeze fire. The pale-skinned scion had raven-black hair that was impeccably styled, framing an angular face with steel-gray eyes. A perpetual sneer seemed to have etched itself into his face, but it faded under the look Klarion was directing at him. “Be. Quiet,” Klarion said, his voice low but laced with menace.
The scion bristled, opening his mouth to retort, but ultimately snapped it shut, his jaw tightening. Klarion held his stare for a moment longer before turning back to Hatsune, the other scion again forgotten.
Hatsune’s ears twitched, the motion subtle but unmistakable, as Klarion focused back on her. The tension in her body betrayed her wariness, not that Klarion could blame her. From what he saw, neither of the other scions had even attempted to hide what they had been saying from the Leporine. Her green eyes followed him with a mixture of apprehension and guarded curiosity. At least that was what he thought he saw. It was difficult to be sure.
“What is your primary skillset?” Klarion asked.
Hatsune hesitated, looking over to the other scions that still lingered before looking back at Klarion.
“I am trained in a range of combat styles,” she began, her voice quiet but firm, “but my strongest skills lie in swordsmanship and unarmed combat. I have also been trained in evasive maneuvers and reconnaissance.”
Klarion nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Reconnaissance. What does that entail, exactly?”
Hatsune’s brow furrowed as though she was considering how much to reveal. “Gathering intelligence without being seen or heard. Tracking, stealth, observation. My f— instructors emphasized adaptability in the field.”
Klarion caught that she had been about to say something other than instructors, but he was not sure what. Not that it mattered at the moment. “And your swordsmanship — how would you rate it? Compared to the other prospective bodyguards here?”
He caught a flicker of pride passing over Hatsune’s face, but she quickly banished it, returning to the look of guarded wariness she had been expressing when he had walked up. “I was trained by some of the best swordsmen in my homeland. Among my peers, I am considered exceptional. Here, I would say I am in the upper ranks of skill, but it’s hard for me to tell. They don’t allow sparring. Too many chances for accidents, apparently.”
She said the last almost regretfully like she wanted to test herself. Klarion tilted his head, considering. “Modesty. A rare trait.”
Hatsune narrowed her eyes slightly, uncertain whether he was mocking her. “It’s not modesty. It’s truth. The Multiverse is vast, and there are always stronger opponents. Such might have made their way here as well.”
Her words resonated with Klarion, though he did not say so aloud. Instead, he continued, now more curious than interrogative. “You said you’re adept at unarmed techniques. Elaborate on that.”
This time, she answered without hesitation. “Joint locks, grapples, pressure points. Techniques designed to disable or disarm an opponent. Despite my speed, my size is at a disadvantage in terms of raw strength against many, so I was trained to use an opponent’s momentum and vulnerabilities against them.”
Klarion nodded. Her responses had impressed so far, but he had one more he was curious about. “An your lineage?”
Hatsune’s ears twitched sharply, and her amber eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. She crossed her arms, standing straighter as if to shield herself from the weight of the question.
“My lineage?” she echoed, her tone clipped. “That is none of your business.”
Klarion raised an eyebrow but said nothing, giving her time to continue. He noticed then that she had a tail as well. It was flicking behind her, betraying tension.
“What matters is that my family will come for me,” she said firmly, her voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of defiance. “No matter what circumstances brought me here, they will not abandon me. They will not forget me. They will find me. That is all I will say on the matter.”
“I didn’t mean to offend —”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“You haven’t,” she interrupted sharply, though her voice softened as she exhaled. “But I won’t speak of this again.”
Klarion mulled over Hatsune’s words. Her declaration about her family wasn’t just a statement; it was a shield she wielded to defend herself from the vulnerability of her situation. At least, that was what he guessed it to be, given her side glances at the two scions that had been harassing her. He couldn’t help but admire the strength it took to hold onto such conviction, especially in a place that seemed designed to strip prospective bodyguards of their agency. Her firm tone, the set of her jaw, and the glint in her eyes showed a fierce determination that seemed to define her. Yet, behind that strength, Klarion swore he could sense an ache — perhaps the fear that her faith in her family was all she had left. He wondered how she came to be here, in the Hall of Bonds.
Finally, he asked, “Do you want to bond with anyone here?”
The Leporine stiffened, caught off guard by the directness of the question. She glanced away, her expression unreadable. “Want is irrelevant. My duty is to survive. If a bond is what ensures that, even if it means serving another, then I will endure it.”
Her response unsettled Klarion, though he didn’t let it show. The idea of binding someone against their will felt wrong. But he also couldn’t shake the heavy awareness of the other two scions that still lingered at his back. Though cowed, for now, their presence lingered like a pair of shadows, hovering too close and too eager. Though he couldn’t see their faces, he could still feel their anticipation — sharp and predatory. He didn’t need to guess what they would do if given the chance. As much as he still tried to forget it, he had met men like them before back on Earth. They had made their intentions toward Hatsune all too clear earlier, and the thought of her being subjected to their whims turned his stomach. No, he could not let that happen.
“What would you expect from the one you bond with?”
Hatsune hesitated, her green eyes meeting his red-gold ones again. For the first time, there was a true flicker of vulnerability in her gaze. “Strength. Integrity. Someone who will protect me, not use me, as I protect them.”
The simplicity of her answer struck a chord in Klarion. He had no illusions about the kind of power dynamics that existed in the Hall of Bonds, even if Clarissa had insisted otherwise. But hearing her speak so plainly reminded him of the humanity — or beastkin nature, in her case — that he suspected often got lost here.
Finally, Hatsune broke the silence.
“Why are you asking me all this?” she asked, her voice becoming cautious again.
“Because I want to know who I might bond with,” he said, straightening. “And because I needed to hear your perspective, not just about your skills.”
Her ears twitched again, this time in apparent surprise. “Most scions don’t care about that.”
“I’m not most scions,” Klarion replied simply.
Hatsune studied him a moment longer, her eyes lingering on his scars, perhaps searching for hidden motives. Whatever she saw must have satisfied her, however, as she said, “Then maybe you’re worth considering.”
“I will be back in a moment, then.”
The marquis scion, who had been watching the exchange with growing irritation, stepped forward. His eyes burned with anger as he jabbed a finger at Klarion’s chest. “You have no right to barge in on our discussion! She’s already caught my interest!”
Klarion didn’t even flinch. It was hard to feel any intimidation after the Storm Wolves he had fought not long ago. Instead, he looked at the other scion and spoke, his voice like steel, “And what are you going to do about it?”
The scion’s hand dropped, and he took a step back, his confidence again leaving him. Klarion turned his back on him without another word and walked toward the central desk. He could hear fuming behind him, as well as angry whispers when the scion’s compatriot apparently joined him.
“I’ve made my choice,” Klarion said to the attendant behind the desk, who looked up from a ledger she had been making notes in with a polite smile.
“You’d like to bond with the Leporine?” she asked, glancing toward Hatsune’s cell.
“Yes,” Klarion confirmed.
Before the attendant could respond, the angry whispers behind him cut off as the scion who had challenged him stormed up to the desk, his face flushed. “I also wish to bond with her,” he declared loudly, his voice trembling with barely contained frustration.
The attendant’s smile didn’t falter as she turned to Hatsune’s cell. “As per protocol, the final decision lies with the prospective bond.”
Tapping something on the desk, the pane of glass faded away from Hatsune’s cell, almost like it hadn’t existed in the first place. Despite not having heard what they had been saying, when all eyes turned to Hatsune, she looked between Klarion and the other scion. With quick strides, she came over to Klarion’s side, stopping on the side farthest away from the other scion who had tried to make a bond with her.
The other scion’s face twisted in disbelief. “You can’t be serious! Don’t you know who I am?! I am Chadwick Copperhand, heir of a Marquis!” he sputtered. Chadwick turned to Klarion. “You will regret this,” he snarled, venom dripping from every word. “Mark my words, you washed-up heir of a crumbling Archducal House. You will regret meddling in my affairs.”
Klarion stood motionless, but Hatsune flinched at the other scion’s words, her ears flattening. Chadwick’s gaze was attracted by the movement, his eyes cold and filled with disdain. “And you,” he spat. “You dare reject me? You’ll regret it more than he will.”
When Hatsune hesitated again, her small movement back as much instinct as intention, Chadwick twitched as if he was about to move toward her.
Klarion’s hand rose to his sword, and with a single fluid motion, he unsheathed it just enough for the light of the room to gleam off its blade.
“Try it,” Klarion said, his voice once again filled with menace. Chadwick’s hand darted to a pocket, but before he could pull out whatever he was reaching for, the attendant behind the desk barked an order.
“Enough!”
Klarion felt a sudden pressure on his back, firm and unyielding. He glanced sideways and saw the glint of a white mask — a Sentinel.
J-65’s hand pressed firmly down against the hand he had lifted to the hilt of his greatsword, barring him from pulling the weapon further. “That’s quite enough, scion,” she said, her voice cool. “You’re in the Hall of Bonds, not a dueling ground.”
Klarion relented, his hand releasing his weapon. Chadwick slowly pulled his hand from his pocket, his expression furious, but he didn’t dare challenge the Sentinel either.
With the immediate tension diffused in the face of J-65’s arrival, the manager gestured toward the desk. “Both of you, enough theatrics. We have documents to sign.”
When the manager slid a thick parchment across the table, Klarion moved in close to see it appeared to be a contract detailed with intricate script and bordered with a seal that looked to depict a stylized Hall of Bonds.
Klarion scanned the document, his brow lifting slightly. “A bit… elaborate, isn’t it?”
The manager chuckled dryly, extending what looked to be an ink pad. “The Imperial Academy, and the Empire, loves its record, scion. Everything must be documented. Makes disputes much easier to resolve. Now, the Mark of Bonds, then the both of you, place your thumbs on this line here.”
Klarion handed over the Mark of Bonds, which the manager dissolved into the document somehow. He then leaned over to press his thumb against the ink, then against the document. His thumbprint shifted to form a perfect signature of his name. The same thing happened for Hatsune after she pressed her thumb down, her hand trembling slightly. The moment it was done, a faint golden glow surrounded the both of them and a screen appeared in his vision.
Academy Assignment - Mark of Bonds: Your First Bodyguard (Complete)
Congratulations, Scion Klarion Blacksword, and Bodyguard Heishi Hatsune. Your bond has been formally recognized and sealed under Imperial Regulation Code 42.3.1: Scion-Bodyguard Agreements.
Scion Klarion Blacksword and Bodyguard Heishi Hatsune, you are now officially recognized as a bonded pair. May your partnership uphold the honor of the Empire and the legacy of your House and Line.
By the will of the Empire, the Mark of Bonds is now active.
As soon as he closed the screen, Chadwick’s sneering face came back into view.
“Enjoy your little creature,” he spat, the word laced with contempt. “You’ll regret this decision, both of you.” Without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed off, dragging the other scion with him.
J-65 watched Chadwick leave, her posture relaxed and she stepped away from Klarion, her hand coming free from his own. She turned to Hatsune, then back to Klarion.
“Not the strongest choice,” she said flatly, her tone unreadable.
Hatsune bristled, her ears perking upright in indignation. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
Before the Sentinel could respond, Klarion interjected. “She seemed right,” he said simply. “And I couldn’t leave her once I heard what Chadwick was saying.”
J-65’s head tilted again, though this time the movement seemed contemplative. “That’s a noble sentiment,” she replied, her tone now carrying the faintest edge of approval — or perhaps it was just the absence of disapproval. “But nobility doesn’t always lead to survival.”
Klarion’s lips turned up in a slight smile, having missed talking with the stoic Sentinel. “Perhaps not. But it’s a good place to start.”
Hatsune looked between them, her gaze returning to Klarion. “I don’t need to be ‘saved,’” she said, her tone slightly indignant. “I’m capable of protecting myself.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Klarion replied, trying to head off a potential argument based on her tone. “But everyone can use an ally.”
J-65 observed their exchange in silence, her head tilting slightly again as if weighing some unspoken thought. Finally, she straightened, her hands clasping behind her back. “Your choice is made,” she said, her tone final. “And I have duties to return to.”
Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and began walking away. Hatsune’s eyes followed her retreating figure, her ears flicking in annoyance before she turned back to Klarion.
“It is my job to protect you, you know. You didn’t have to defend me,” she said after a pause, her voice quieter but still holding a note of defiance.
“I know,” Klarion said simply. “But I chose to anyway.”
Hatsune seemed to study him for a long moment before letting out a small huff. “I suppose I’ll have to get used to that.”
Klarion was not sure how to respond to what the Leporine had said, so the silence stretched between them as Klarion led the way back to the entrance of the Hall of Bonds.
A raised voice pulled them both up short before they could exit.