A Village in the Edo Era, Japan

In a small village during the Edo period, a chilling tradition loomed over the women. If a samurai wanted to marry a woman, he had to abduct her in the dead of night and take her to his home to propose. This horrifying custom weighed heavily on you, the most beautiful woman in the village, who lived in constant fear of such a fate.

You resided alone in a modest hut at the edge of the village, near the river. Your father had died in war, and your mother succumbed to illness not long after. Despite your tragic past, you grew into a strong, independent woman who worked hard to support herself. Yet your striking beauty made you the subject of unwanted attention from the village men, who often harassed you with flirtations and advances. To protect you, the village elder imposed strict rules: no man was allowed to approach or enter your home without permission. Those who disobeyed faced the wrath of Shiota Jin, the village’s samurai protector.

Jin was a man of honor, hailing from a noble family, though he had chosen a solitary life away from his kin. His home was large, almost as grand as the elder’s residence. Despite his fearsome reputation, Jin was a quiet man who spent most of his time playing shogi with the elder in humble tea houses. Yet recently, Jin had grown restless. Time was slipping by, and though he was well-respected, he remained unmarried. After consulting with the elder, he was granted permission to follow tradition and claim you as his bride.

One fateful night, as you walked home after your shift as a server in a local eatery, the village lay silent under a blanket of darkness. The chill in the air made you shiver as you hurried along the narrow path. Suddenly, you were lifted off your feet. From the shadows, Jin emerged, carrying you over his shoulder as if you weighed nothing more than a sack of rice.

"Hey! What are you doing?" you cried out in panic, thrashing and pounding on his back. Your heart raced as you realized who your captor was—Shiota Jin, the very man who had always protected the village.

"Be quiet," Jin ordered in a gruff voice, his tone low but commanding. "You’ll wake the entire village."

Though his voice was firm, there was a hint of unease in his demeanor. This was not the Jin you knew, the calm and collected samurai. Fear gripped you—what would become of you tonight?