Chapter 37: Queen's Gambit; the Art of Dressing

As Soujin stepped into the room, the atmosphere hit him like a wave. What he had expected to be a formal training hall or a war room was more like a diner. The expansive space was filled with laughter and conversation. Squad 1 members were lounging around tables, enjoying themselves, a few of them in relaxed conversation while others sipped drinks and joked with one another.

Soujin blinked in surprise at the scene before him. At one end of the room, a small stage hosted a couple of musicians who strummed soft tunes on string instruments.

‘Wait, was this a... diner? Is this really how Squad 1 operates? This looks more like a lounge than a place of strict discipline...’

As Soujin moved further into the room, his eyes darted around but before he could make sense of anything, a maid who had been walking past caught sight of his uniform. She stopped. Her eyes widened when she realized he was a captain. Without skipping a beat, she bowed and smiled.

“Captain, welcome!” she said cheerfully. “Please, take a seat. Would you like some tea or coffee? Perhaps a light snack?”

Soujin, still taken aback by the casual vibe of the room blinked in confusion. He wasn’t sure what to make of this warm, almost too friendly reception.

“Uh...” he muttered while scratching the back of his neck. “Coffee sounds fine, I guess. Thanks.”

The maid nodded while leading him to a nearby table. The others in the room hardly paid him any mind, though a few nodded politely in his direction.

He took a seat at the table and then glanced around still in bewilderment. Was this really how Mirumaru’s squad worked? Were they just this relaxed all the time?

After just a few minutes, the maid returned with a steaming cup of coffee. She set it gently in front of Soujin. He sniffed the rich aroma and was soothed but Soujin couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about this whole scenery.

"Thank you," he said while taking a sip from the cup. While doing so, he glanced around the room again. This time, he looked to see if he could catch a sight of Mirumaru.

But there was no sign of Mirumaru.

Soujin furrowed his brow. If she wasn’t in this room then where the hell was she?

He decided to walk over to a group of people who were deep in conversation about something—cats versus dogs, apparently and why animals never seemed to fight with mystcry. It was almost surreal, but there was no time to get distracted by that.

“Excuse me,” Soujin interrupted in a polite tone while putting on a small smile. “I’m looking for Mirumaru. Any idea where I can find her?”

A tall man with messy black hair barely looked up from the conversation but gave him a vague gesture toward the far side of the room.

“Oh, she’s probably upstairs. Last I saw, she was in her office or something.”

Soujin nodded and turned toward the stairs that led up to a second floor; however, when he moved toward the stairs, a maid appeared in front of him. She looked younger than the other maids but was dressed in the same attire.

“Excuse me, sir,” the maid said. “Do you have an appointment with Mirumaru?”

Soujin hesitated for a moment. Then he thought, ‘Ah, what the hell? Might as well tell them. No reason to hide it now.’

With a wry smile, he replied, “Actually... Mirumaru asked me for a date.”

The maid’s eyes widened slightly and she straightened up. “My apologies for holding you up, Captain! I’ll go get her right away.”

Before Soujin could say another word, she had already scurried off upstairs. He took a deep breath. This was it—he was about to see Mirumaru.

His mind started racing again. ‘I’m still not sure about this whole date and why this is what she wanted… but I guess I’m about to find out what it’s like with her.’

The moments felt like they stretched on forever as Soujin waited. His mind was still trying to wrap itself around the idea that he was actually going on a date with Mirumaru. But when she appeared at the top of the stairs, Soujin's thoughts froze.

Mirumaru descended gracefully. Her every step was in an elegance that made everything else in the room blur. Her outfit was a striking work of art that seemed to let off a glow with each movement. The dress she wore flowed downward in a cascade that sparkled like starlight. Each step she took was emphasized by the sound of crystal heels clicking softly against the floor. The lighting made them seem as if they were made of glass.

Soujin couldn’t help but stare. He’d seen her before, yes, but never like this. This was... something else entirely.

Mirumaru stopped at the bottom of the stairs. There was subtle amusement in her eyes that made the tension in Soujin’s chest rise.

She tilted her head with her lips curling into a smile. “Hey, boy,” she said casually.

Soujin blinked. His mouth opened to speak but the words didn’t come right away. Boy? He was more than likely older than her, and yet, she made him feel younger.

"Uh... Mirumaru," he managed while clearing his throat awkwardly. "You look... stunning.”

She raised an eyebrow and then crossed her arms. “Cute. But let’s see if you can keep up with me, ‘Captain.’ You might be in over your head, but let’s find out.”

She stepped forward toward the door. But then, just when she was about to exit with Soujin, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Oh!" she exclaimed while raising a finger to her lips. "Waitaminute."

"What?"

She eyed him mischeviously. "You can't seriously plan to go out like that, can you?"

Soujin blinked, looking down at his Captain's attire. "I—uh... well, no," he admitted while scratching the back of his head. "I guess I didn't really—"

Mirumaru raised a hand, stopping him mid-sentence with a casual flick of her wrist. "No buts, Soujin. If we're going on a date, we gotta do this right." She grinned. "Do I look like the type of woman who tolerates sloppy dates with someone who hasn’t put in any effort and just wears their Divine blade uniform all the time?"

Mirumaru gave Soujin a push and guided him up the stairs with a strong but playful hand on his back.

"Come on, come on. You’re embarrassing yourself." Mirumaru continued nudging him upward.

Soujin’s thoughts scrambled. He had expected a lot of things today but nothing as spontaneous as this.

At the top of the stairs, Mirumaru paused before a set of large double doors. She swung them open to reveal a room that was filled with neatly organized racks of clothes in every color and design imaginable.

Soujin’s jaw dropped slightly. “What is this...?”

"This," Mirumaru said with her hands going to her sides. “is where my magic happens. You didn’t think I’d let you embarrass me on this date, did you?" She winked at him. "Pick something. Anything you like. I’ll be downstairs waiting. Don’t keep me waiting too long."

Soujin just stared at the sheer volume of clothes.

Mirumaru leaned in toward him. "And remember, Soujin. A date isn't just about the company. It's about the look too." She patted him on the shoulder and gave him one last smile before descending downstairs.

, Soujin stood frozen for a moment. He blinked, then turned his eyes to the vast array of clothes before him. He could already feel the pressure mounting.

‘Alright, Soujin. Time to make a decision.’

Soujin took a slow breath. Just like swinging his sword in battle, there was a certain fluidity to the act of picking. A flow, a movement he could almost feel as if the very air around him was guiding his choice.

His affinity with wind had always been a part of him. It was about listening to the air, following the flow and trusting his instincts. Soujin closed his eyes for a moment, trying to picture the wind’s path and felt the draw in his chest. He then exhaled.

He let the gusts of his thoughts sway him and when he opened his eyes again, they were fixed on one thing—a suit. The green one hanging neatly on a distant rack.

‘There.’

Without another word, he stepped forward and brushed his fingers against the fabric.

“Well, this will have to do,” Soujin muttered to himself.

The suit was tailored perfectly to someone of his build. He could imagine the wind swirling around him if he were to wear it. It would feel like freedom—light, easy, effortless.

He stripped out of his Captain's uniform quickly and exchanged it for the new attire. The fit was perfect. Comfortable. Stylish.

With a final glance at the mirror to make sure nothing was out of place, Soujin brushed a hand through his hair. ‘Time to face her,’ he thought.

As Soujin descended the stairs, he was greeted by the sight of Mirumaru standing there with her eyes wide. For just a moment, her composed demeanor faltered, and she let out a delighted gasp.

“Oh. My. God.” Mirumaru practically squealed and her hands were clasped together in front of her chest. “Look at you! You look—wow. Just... wow.”

Soujin blinked. “Uh… I’m not sure what you—”

But Mirumaru cut him off with a wink. She immediately wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him toward the door. “Let’s go! Time for our date!”

Before Soujin could protest, she gave a firm tug and he found himself stumbling forward. “Wait, wait, wait! I don’t even know where we’re going!”

“You’ll find out when we get there,” Mirumaru said with amusement in tone. “Besides, you’re the one who agreed to this, remember? You remember. You’re just gonna have to be surprised!”

Soujin huffed but couldn’t suppress a grin despite reluctantly following along.

Mirumaru and Soujin walked out of the Divine blade society and onto streets of the city. Soujin could only wonder exactly where she was taking him. It wasn’t long before they arrived at a mid-tier restaurant tucked between two larger buildings. The sign above the door read ‘Amendo’. This place was known for offering not just meals but entertainment—music, performances and occasional swordplay competitions. It was the kind of venue where people could enjoy a relaxed night out without the grandeur of high society.

Soujin raised an eyebrow upon entry.The area was full of laughter and the murmur of conversations. A string quartet played softly in the background and the occasional cheer rose up from a nearby corner where some swordplay seemed to be underway.

After being seated at a table near the back, Soujin cleared his throat and decided to get to the heart of the matter.

"So, Mirumaru,” he began while trying to sound casual. “let’s start by getting this out of the way. I barely know you, and yet here we are on a date of all things...”

Mirumaru leaned back, crossing her arms with a small smirk. “Ah, so that’s what you’re curious about,” she teased. “Are you nervous? You don’t seem like the type to worry about things like that.”

Soujin blinked. “It’s not that I’m—well, maybe I’m a little… but let’s be honest here, you barely know me, Mirumaru. What’s the deal with this sudden interest?”

Her face shifted with amusement. “Ah, I get it now. You’re wondering why someone like me would even think about getting involved with someone like you. A little too scruffy, a little too blunt, too much of a troublemaker to boot.”

“Exactly. So... why?”

Mirumaru leaned forward. “Well…I suppose you could say I’m just a little curious about you, Soujin. After all, you’ve made a name for yourself in the Society… but I’m curious about something else entirely as well.”

She paused and let the words hang in the air before continuing. “Im curious…about your reincarnation.”