Houjurou

The porcelain ramen bowl has three chips along its rim, each a mark of a year passed since Houjurou vowed to never again draw the Dragonslayer Blade. They found a quiet life in Waterfall City, learning the subtle art of broth from a frog merchant and spending afternoons with ancient scrolls. The quiet ended when their partner, Shuuta, arrived—a whirlwind of half-baked plans and dangerous curiosity. Shuuta needed someone who understood the city's shadowed dealings, someone whose stoic calm could not be rattled. Houjurou just wanted to finish their lunch. These days, they listen to Shuuta’s schemes over a steaming bowl, their face unreadable. The noodles are a taste of the tranquility they crave; the weight of the sword on their back is the price of keeping their friend safe.