So he did the only thing he thought was right to do: Nothing.

Well.../almost/ nothing.

This time, the situation just felt...how would you call it...spine tingling?

So he did the only thing he knew was wrong to do: He reassigned the general elsewhere then played the ignorant when it happened, just like he was feigning sleep now. It was hard to be passive and selfish at the same time.

Now thirty men are gone. And now his general is thirty men short without any idea why.

Thirty soldiers. Sacrificed for the sake of discretion. For the sake of their marshal's obsession with secrecy. For the sake of their general's life.

Tenpou heard the soft scuffle of boots heading towards the door. Heard it stop and hesitate, then go back...must have forgotten something.

Surely, had Kenren been there, things might have turned out differently. Or they might have not. Kenren could have saved them or could have disappeared as well. And that wouldn't have been good because Tenpou needed him...politically of course.

And Tenpou was selfish.

And not a better man.

And because Tenpou was selfish and not a better man, he was starting to wish there was a better man for this job.

He felt Kenren's presence by the bed. Quiet. He was staring again...

Someone with the compassion to love this hell hole more than his own life.

Because Tenpou, despite his love of war, hated death...and so...thirty...

Relaxing his muscles, the marshal tried not to cringe when he felt the warm kiss at the nape of his neck. Felt it retreat with the footsteps, growing cold on his skin with each passing second.

God, Kenren was going kill him.

The door opened...

A laugh. "Tenpou, I know you're awake."