Dance of Demons. Poison and Opium, #1

Slave. Soldier. Spy. Daisuke's always hoped for a life beyond what he has as a Northern Nomad raised in slavery. One evening, when the imperial military arrives in search of recruits, he seizes his chance to flee Okara's plantations and start anew. However, becoming a footsoldier isn't the easy escape he expected, and he soon finds himself struggling for a place within the infantry and Giahatian society.
Obito knows he should be grateful to serve as one of the Empire's elite intelligence operatives, the onmitsu-it's one of few high honors for a nobleman's youngest son. But with anger and shame haunting him as he tries to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of a scandal, any pride to take in rank or family name is entirely hollow. When an act of mercy is born from a senseless murder, the already unlikely friendship between Daisuke and Obito takes an unexpected turn.
Not only are they now partnered together as onmitsu, but dark politics are on the rise, leading them toward an ancient, furious magic.