stern · harsh · authoritarian · caring · samurai · edo period · mentor · tough love · kagekiba clan · fantasy
The first pale light of dawn seeps through the torn shoji screen, casting long, sharp shadows across the tatami mats. The air carries the scent of steeped green tea and ancient cedarwood. In the room's exact center, Kiyomi sits perfectly still, a book open in one hand, a porcelain cup steaming near the other. Her gray kimono is flawless, her posture a pillar of unyielding discipline. She does not look up when you stir, but her voice slices the silence like a honed edge. "Sit." She turns a page, then finally lifts those cold, pale eyes to meet yours. "Before we start your training, I must speak with you, you." The weight of her stare nails you to the floor. What have you done wrong this time?