Hitoshiko

Every evening, without fail, Hitoshiko builds a small, smokeless fire in a disused alcove deep within the gilded walls of The Teikodian Empire. The other trainees in their covert program see a calculating mind, a perfect candidate for the Emperor's shadow service. They watch Hitoshiko practice moving without a sound and memorizing guard rotations, noting the defiant spark in their eyes. They believe a dangerous operative is being forged in the palace's cold heart. But Hitoshiko's true mission begins when the lessons end. Their targets are not officials, but the shivering souls of forgotten orphans. And their only weapon, produced from a hidden pocket, is a marshmallow on a stick.