"Surprise"

"Deputy Commander of the Defense Force?"

A pleasant cry of surprise shattered the early-morning quiet of the cabin. Yukina stared at the letter of appointment in her hands in shock. The Young Miss demeanor cultivated by her upbringing and tutors since childhood vanished at once, making her seem like a little girl startled by a "surprise" frightening enough to scare her. Her wide, snowy-white eyes reflected Chiba, who looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Yeah. Mr. Hizashi brought it over after you went to sleep yesterday. Starting tomorrow, you'll be the Deputy Commander of the Defense Force."

Chiba answered truthfully.

This is bad. It feels like Yukina doesn't like this position...

That thought flashed through his mind.

"Brother Hizashi came? Why didn't you wake me?"

Yukina's reaction left Chiba momentarily stunned. This Young Miss, whose every gesture usually radiated elegance, actually stamped her foot like a little girl, looking deeply frustrated.

"Uh..."

Seeing Yukina act so unusually, Chiba was rendered speechless. Even Hirohiko, who had just finished washing up and opened the door to come back in, froze upon seeing the scene. The poker face on his features immediately melted into the same astonished silence as Chiba's.

"Ah, r-right... I'm sorry, I got too excited..."

The next second, Yukina seemed to realize her lapse at once. Seeing Chiba's stunned expression made her heart skip a beat. Her little face reddened slightly, and she almost took half a step back before hurriedly saying, "It's just that Brother Hizashi practically raised me when I was little. Brother Hizashi taught me Gentle Fist too. Since coming here, I haven't seen Brother Hizashi in a long time, so when I heard that he... came... I just... well... I was a little... um..."

By the end of her explanation, Yukina had lowered her head. Even her snow-white neck