Chapter 1. Knight's Promise

The year 1322

Taichi Hayashi, a 24-year-old young man with 186cm height, black hair, fair skin, hazel eyes and a well-built posture, stood on the front terrace of the noble house where he served.

Yamaguchi was the name of the noble clan that Taichi served. The Yamaguchi clan was one of the most powerful clans in northern Japan during the reign of the Kamakura Shogunate. They controlled trade, regulations, and society in the region.

The Hayashi clan became one of the three guardian clans of Yamaguchi. They had sworn to submit and obey the orders of the Yamaguchi clan, the Hayashi, who belonged to the warrior clan, could not dispute the oath.

"Lord Hayashi," said a servant, calling out to Taichi, who was none other than the leader of the warriors in the Yamaguchi residence.

The young man dressed in ash-black hakama turned his head slowly with his hand behind his back. He looked at the servant who was standing with his head bowed.

"What's wrong?" asked Taichi, cold and indifferent.

"Apologies, Lord Hayashi. We got the news that Ueda Royal soldiers attacked Princess Yamaguchi's entourage," explained the servant.

The servant's explanation surprised Taichi. He didn't expect the Ueda clan to attack, considering the route Princess Yamaguchi was taking was not a disputed area. At Taichi's place, a man in the same suit with only a different colour arrived.

He was Kaiba Nakagawa, one of the chosen warriors from the Nakagawa clan. He arrived with a katana at his waist, a sign that he was about to rescue Princess Yamaguchi.

"What are you doing, Kaiba?" asked Taichi, noticing Kaiba's demeanour.

"I'm going to rescue Princess Yamaguchi," Kaiba replied.

"You're leaving? What about the defences in this castle?" asked Taichi.

The situation was indeed an emergency, but the safety of the Yamaguchi clan leader was more important, as was that of the noble heiress residing in this residence. The conflict between Yamaguchi and Ueda had been heating up in recent years due to a dispute over territory annexed by Yamaguchi.

"The Hara Clan will be in charge of the defences in this castle. You come with me to save Princess Yamaguchi," Kaiba said, the Hara Clan being part of the three clans guarding Yamaguchi.

"I cannot do that. The Hara Clan can't protect this place with the number of warriors they have," Taichi said, rejecting Kaiba's proposal.

"They have to do it. It's an oath that the three guardian clans of Yamaguchi are obligated to live by," Kaiba retorted.

"I will not participate. Great Lord Yamaguchi's safety is the most important thing," said Taichi, rejecting Kaiba's invitation to save Princess Yamaguchi.

Kaiba was silent with a strong look in his eyes, looking at Taichi. The man also told the servant to leave the place where they were talking. Now, only the two men were in front of the terrace of the Yamaguchi residence.

"Princess Yamaguchi's safety is at risk. The Great Lord will not be able to negotiate if his daughter is held hostage by the enemy. That would be bad for the northern region," Kaiba replied.

"I'm sticking to my word. I will guard this place in your absence," Taichi replied.

Kaiba continued to look at Taichi, the man who was arguably the most powerful knight in Japan's northern region, led by the Yamaguchi nobility. If Kaiba failed to persuade him to come along, then he could not guarantee the safety of Princess Yamaguchi.

The man walked steadily toward Taichi until he arrived in front of the man. The encounter of the two as clan warrior leaders in that place drew a lot of attention from other warriors, especially from the Hayashi and Nakagawa clans.

"Princess Yamaguchi loves you. She was hoping you would come to save her. Don't you feel moved to go, Taichi?" asked Kaiba, his eyebrows knitted together with dilated pupils staring at Taichi.

"You have to divide feelings and responsibilities. I have no responsibility for Princess Yamaguchi. My duty is only to protect the Great Lord from the threat of the Ueda clan," Taichi replied, speaking with a cold expression.

"Your annoying principles cost many lives," Kaiba snapped.

"I'll go save him, with or without you, Hayashi," Kaiba continued, turning around and stepping away from Taichi.

The conversation between Kaiba and Taichi was heard by Kiyota Yamaguchi, the first son and heir of the Yamaguchi clan. He had been standing behind the sliding door with his ears constantly listening to their conversation.

His right hand opened the sliding door, attracting Hayashi and Nakagawa's attention. They both immediately knelt with their heads bowed; obeying Kiyota was the same as obeying Grand Lord Yamaguchi.

"Young Master Yamaguchi," greeted the two men.

"Good afternoon, Hayashi, Nakagawa," Kiyota greeted, smiling as he walked over and closed the sliding door.

"I've heard everything. I'm just a stupid brother who can't realize my sister's true feelings," Kiyota continued.

Kiyota's words just now made Taichi and Kaiba confused. They still lowered their heads and did not look at Kiyota. Visible in both of their eyes, the hakama worn by Kiyota was already close to their eyes.

"Taichi Hayashi, raise your head," Kiyota ordered. Taichi did exactly as he was told.

"I ordered you to go get my sister. I don't want her to get hurt or taken hostage by Ueda's warriors. Can you do it?" asked Kiyota, Taichi's eyes locked with Young Master Yamaguchi.

"If that is the order from Young Master, then I cannot refuse. I will save her even if my life is at stake," Taichi replied, firm and unwilling to dodge.

"Very well. As for the castle guard, I'll leave it to Nakagawa and Hara," Kiyota said, walking toward the castle fence with his eyes fixed on the fish pond in the courtyard.

"You can go now, Hayashi," Kiyota ordered.

Taichi stood up straight, nodded slowly and ran as his right hand continued to hold the katana at his right waist. Kaiba did not leave because Kiyota chose Kaiba to guard the castle.

About a hundred Hayashi clan warriors, including their horses and armour, were ready to leave. The castle servant prepared one horse for Taichi to ride. The man quickly got on the horse and left the Yamaguchi castle area.

The location on top of the mountain enabled Kiyota and Kaiba to see Taichi's group leaving down the mountain valley. They rode quickly so that Princess Yamaguchi's safety could be guaranteed.

Hiyashi's entourage drove through the city centre, making many citizens focus on them. News of the attack on Princess Yamaguchi was not spread widely, which was useful for maintaining stable security in the northern region of Japan.

Hiyashi and his warriors arrived at the forest area of Princess Yamaguchi's route. From his current position, Taichi heard the clanking of swords coming from the depths of the forest. The man immediately ordered his warriors to start attacking.

The loud rumbling of horse hooves attracted the attention of Akihiko Yamaguchi, Kiyota's younger sister. From the top of the forest hill, he saw Taichi arrive with his 100 warriors.

"ATTACK!" Taichi commanded.

His soldiers immediately rushed down from the hill, intending to kill Ueda's army, identical to the red clothes. They outnumbered Akihiko's bodyguards, but that didn't matter after Taichi's arrival.

"Hiyashi," Akihiko greeted, smiling widely with a look of happiness in her eyes.

Taichi started down the hill while still riding his horse. He arrived near Akihiko while asking about her condition. Akihiko shook her head slowly, indicating that she was fine.

"Make a defensive formation. Princess Yamaguchi is secure!" said Taichi, commanding from the horse.

The man was thinking of taking Akihiko away from this place. However, something was happening around the forest. Shouts and thunderous footsteps could be heard from the east and west of the forest, leaving Taichi and his warriors surrounded by more of Ueda's army.

"It can't be. How did they get here?" Taichi asked.

There was one man in a red hakama suit sitting on a horse. Taichi realized who he was. He was the commander of Ueda's army and the strongest swordsman in southern Japan.

"Takaki!"

The Ueda warriors ran immediately with swords raised, brutally attacking the Hayashi warriors trying to protect Akihiko. Body parts were scattered, blood spilled over the grass, and screams of pain filled the forest air.

Akihiko couldn't conflict with the sword and could only hide behind Taichi's back. Some warriors asked Taichi to take Akihiko away; Princess Yamaguchi's safety was paramount.

"Akihiko, let's go!" ordered Taichi.

He took Akihiko's hand and led her away from the forest, but Shimamura Takaki would not let his target escape. Fifty horsemen chased after Taichi, half of them using bows and arrows.

Dozens of arrows shot towards Taichi. Some stuck into the body of Taichi's horse, causing him to fall while protecting Akihiko's body from being hit by hard objects.

Now, the situation was reversed. Taichi was surrounded by thirty sword warriors with Shimamura behind them. They started launching attacks at Taichi, but the man managed to fend them off, killing a few.

But his divided attention between Akihiko and himself left him hit by sword strikes. Slashes on his arms, legs, and stomach stabbed left Taichi so badly injured that he fell limp.

"TAICHI!"

Due to the chaos, Akihiko's body was pierced by the sword of one of Takaki's soldiers, leaving both of them in a dying condition in the forest.

"I-I'm sorry ... Akihiko," Taichi whispered, but Akihiko didn't respond as she died from bleeding in the stomach.

"I ... will protect you ... in the next world."

They both died with their hands holding onto each other. Takaki withdrew Ueda's troops as their job was done. Only fifteen of a hundred soldiers remained and brought Akihiko's body straight to the Yamaguchi residence.

Taichi was different. He regretted not being able to pay attention to the situation. He promised to protect Akihiko if the two were reunited again in a different world.

His words became a reality that had to be kept.

"HWAAH!"

Taichi woke up by opening his eyes violently. His head was so heavy, as if he had been hit by a blunt object quite hard.

He glanced slowly to the right and left, seeing a room different from what he remembered. The door to the room suddenly opened and revealed a maid who looked surprised to see Taichi awake.

"Oh goodness! The Young Master is awake," she said.

The maid was so shocked that she dropped the tray she was carrying, causing the bucket and cloth to fall that would be used to compress Taichi's head.

"Young Master? Tell me, where am I? Then where is Akihiko?!" snapped Taichi. He still didn't know who his current identity was.

"Young Master is at the Archibald residence. I don't know who the Akihiko you're referring to is," said the young servant, looking frightened.

"Archibald? What kind of noble name—"

When he saw his reflection in a large mirror beside the large bed, Taichi's words stopped. He saw that his face and body were not the same Taichi. The man had completely transmigrated into the boy's body.

Taichi held his face; fair-skinned, black-haired, and looked thin. Not only that but the clothes he wore also felt so soft, different from the hakama he used to wear.

"What is my name?" asked Taichi, speaking flatly.

"Young Master's name is Tobias Archibald. You are the third son of the Archibald family."