Inside the Dining Hall

  The pn moved forward.

  More dishes were carried inside.

  Servants moved quickly, heads lowered.

  The leader approached several women first, speaking quietly so only they could hear.

  "You're needed to prepare the guest chambers," he told them gently. "Move naturally. Don't rush."

  Some guards barely reacted, waving them away without care.

  Then he reached his wife.

  A knight sat beside her, already irritated.

  "She's needed elsewhere," the leader said calmly.

  The knight didn't move.

  Instead, he leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing.

  "You people don't decide when you leave," he said harshly.

  The leader kept his voice steady.

  "It's for preparation work."

  The knight ughed — a sharp, ugly sound.

  "Preparation? You think I care about your little tasks?"

  He grabbed the woman's wrist possessively.

  "She stays."

  The leader bowed slightly, forcing himself to remain respectful.

  "My lord, the king's chambers—"

  "Don't hide behind the king," the knight snapped, standing up suddenly. "You sves always think you're clever. Always whispering, always pretending you matter."

  His voice grew louder.

  "You cook. You clean. That's all you are."

  Heads began to turn.

  The tension thickened.

  The leader's hands trembled slightly — but his expression remained calm.

  "I only wish to follow orders properly."

  The knight stepped closer, eyes filled with contempt.

  "You wish too much."

  The noise finally drew attention.

  Daigo rose from his seat above.

  "What is happening here?"

  The knight straightened instantly.

  "He's interrupting service, my king."

  The leader bowed deeply.

  "My king… we only wished to prepare the guest rooms and your chambers before you commanded it. The kitchens cannot manage both tasks at once."

  Daigo sighed lightly.

  "I should have brought more workers."

  He waved his hand.

  "Fine. Ten minutes. Then I want her back."

  The knight clicked his tongue but released her reluctantly.

  The leader bowed again, relief hidden behind obedience.

  The pn was moving forward.

  The Discovery

  Ten minutes passed.

  The feast continued.

  Laughter. Music. The sound of ptes and voices blending into a chaotic rhythm.

  Then Daigo noticed.

  She had not returned.

  His eyes shifted slowly toward the lower level of the hall.

  "…Where is she?"

  The question was quiet — but it cut through the noise.

  Some of the nearby knights froze.

  Before anyone could answer, a sve stepped forward nervously.

  The same one who had been watching from afar earlier.

  "My king…" he said, bowing deeply. "I saw them. They are escaping."

  For a brief moment, the world seemed to stop.

  Daigo's eyes widened slightly — then sharpened with terrifying focus.

  "…Escaping?"

  His chair scraped loudly against the stone as he stood.

  "All knights," he said, voice rising. "The sves have escaped. Go. Now."

  Several knights jumped to their feet.

  Others ughed.

  More than half of them were drunk, barely steady as they stood.

  One even smirked as if it were a joke.

  Daigo's expression twisted instantly.

  "You think this is amusing?" he snapped.

  His voice smmed through the hall like a bde.

  He cursed them openly, fury burning through every word.

  "Move!"

  The knights scrambled upright, panic finally repcing their drunken arrogance as they rushed toward the exits.

  Some remained behind, dragging captured workers from the kitchen — those who had failed to escape — pulling them into the dining hall to be questioned.

  Daigo didn't watch.

  He was already moving.

  The doors burst open as he stepped into the courtyard.

  Outside, groups of guards stood near the barracks, drinking and talking casually.

  His rage exploded.

  "Just because there is a feast does not mean you abandon your orders!" he roared.

  The guards froze instantly.

  "I told you to surround the entire pace grounds. Why are you all standing in one damn pce?!"

  Their faces went pale.

  They bowed quickly, stammering apologies.

  "Don't apologize," Daigo snapped. "Move. Hunt them down."

  The guards rushed into motion.

  Moments ter, one knight returned, breath heavy.

  "My king… they took a ship."

  Daigo's eyes narrowed dangerously.

  "Which one?"

  "The fastest vessel we had — the one still under restoration."

  "And you allowed this?"

  "No matter which boats we take," the knight continued nervously, "we won't catch them immediately. Only after several hours… wherever they're headed."

  Silence fell.

  Daigo's anger surged.

  He cursed loudly, voice filled with raw fury as his aura pressed heavily against everyone around him.

  Torches flickered.

  The air itself felt heavier.

  His mind moved rapidly.

  If they reached the Water Country and spoke…

  It would not truly change his pns.

  But—

  His thoughts stopped suddenly.

  His expression shifted.

  "…Wait."

  His voice lowered.

  "Where is my maid?"

  His eyes darkened.

  "Where is Reika?"

  The guards froze.

  No one answered.

  And in that moment…

  His anger turned into something colder.

  Something far more dangerous. this is the first half so just follow up on it

  The guards froze.

  No one answered.

  Daigo's eyes darkened.

  "…She escaped too."

  Silence filled the courtyard.

  One knight stepped forward slowly, head lowered.

  "Yes, my king. She was st seen in the lower kitchens. After that… no one saw her."

  Daigo clicked his tongue.

  "Prepare ships. Move."

  The guards rushed immediately.

  "And send word to the Justice Nation," he added without looking back. "Inform them sves escaped during the feast. Nothing more."

  "Yes, my king."

  Another knight approached quickly.

  "My king — a report just came in. Tesuro and his brothers have already taken a boat. They're following them."

  Daigo sighed quietly.

  "Of course they did."

  He paused, gaze lifting toward the sky.

  "Those three are a major factor in this war…" he muttered to himself. "…but if they fall, Shirou should be able to repce them."

  His eyes narrowed slightly.

  "…Either they bring Reika back… or they kill her."

  He turned and continued walking as the pace shifted into full pursuit.

  The next afternoon — Justice Nation.

  The throne room stood silent except for the echo of footsteps as a messenger hurried forward, kneeling before Shirou.

  Shirou sat upright upon the throne, face calm, almost distant, eyes unfocused as if staring past the walls.

  His mother stood beside him.

  As the messenger read the letter aloud, her expression shifted slowly — confusion turning into disbelief… then anger.

  "…Escaped?" she repeated quietly.

  The word sounded wrong in her mouth.

  Her fingers tightened around the delicate stem of her wine gss.

  "How," she asked slowly, voice dangerously controlled, "do sves escape?"

  No one answered.

  Her jaw tightened.

  "They exist under chains. Under supervision. Under discipline."

  The room grew colder as her voice sharpened.

  "And yet… they walk away?"

  Her grip tightened further.

  Gss creaked under pressure.

  The advisors exchanged nervous gnces.

  "My Queen," one began gently, "perhaps we should review the situation calmly—"

  The wine cup flew from her hand.

  It shattered against a pilr with explosive force.

  Red wine spshed violently across the stone, dripping downward like blood as fragments of gss scattered across the floor.

  Her breathing became heavy, sharp.

  "Incompetence," she hissed.

  Her eyes burned with fury — not fear, not worry — but insulted pride.

  "They were sves," she said, voice rising. "Property. Controlled lives. And someone allowed them to forget their pce."

  She began pacing, each step striking the ground harder than the st.

  "They run. They embarrass us. They make us look weak."

  Her nails dug into her palms as she turned back toward the messenger.

  "Do you understand what that means?" she demanded. "If sves can escape… others will believe they can too."

  The advisors tried to intervene again.

  "My Queen, anger will not—"

  "ANGER?" she snapped, spinning toward them.

  "This is not anger. This is correction."

  Her aura felt suffocating, suffused with cold authority.

  "The world remains orderly because those beneath know their position. If that belief cracks… chaos follows."

  She inhaled sharply, forcing herself to stand still, but her hands trembled slightly with restrained rage.

  Meanwhile, Shirou did not move.

  He stared forward, silent, untouched by the storm beside him — eyes distant, empty, unreadable.

  Back in the Mothernds.

  Izan sat at his desk, flipping through a thick book while their teacher lectured. Rin watched quietly beside him, gently pying with the cat resting in her p.

  Daiki and Kawa were half-asleep as usual, barely listening.

  As Izan read deeper, a section about "forms" caught his attention.

  His eyes widened slightly.

  "…Forms…"

  Instantly, he thought about his Kitsune one-tail transformation.

  Excitement bubbled inside him.

  He spoke mentally.

  Sayaka — what does the one-tail form actually do? And how many forms are there?

  Her voice echoed calmly in his mind.

  We will talk after css.

  Izan immediately pouted, shoulders dropping.

  Thirty minutes felt like torture.

  Rin noticed his expression and giggled quietly.

  Izan groaned under his breath.

  ?

  After css ended, Daiki and Kawa slowly rose from their desks like zombies, eyes half-closed as if sleepwalking.

  They walked together toward the loud chaos of the lunch hall.

  Suddenly—

  Sayaka appeared beside them out of nowhere.

  "Do you have your notes?"

  Izan instantly pulled them out without hesitation.

  She nodded.

  "Kitsune possess nine tails," she began. "Each tail multiplies your overall abilities. If you unlock one tail, your stats increase one times. Five tails would grant a five-times amplification."

  Izan froze.

  "Wait — ALL stats? Agility, strength, magic damage, stamina — everything?"

  She nodded.

  He looked completely stunned.

  "You can also access emergency tails," she continued. "If you can use one tail, you may temporarily reach two — but it has a strict time limit."

  Izan scribbled notes rapidly.

  "The first tail grants blood manipution through burning," she expined. "You may heal or poison through the burn. Damage can occur over time instead of instantly. The stronger the target, the longer poison takes to activate. As long as you see or sense blood, you can control it without physical contact."

  Daiki suddenly became fully awake.

  "That sounds broken," he said.

  Rin nodded while petting her cat.

  Kawa smirked. "Maybe I'll become a furry too."

  Izan ignored them.

  "What about the other tails?"

  Sayaka paused.

  "…I don't know."

  Izan's head snapped up.

  "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?" he said nervously.

  Everyone ughed.

  "When I recorded my memories during my time with your mother, I must have forgotten to write those parts," she admitted calmly. "But once you unlock each form, I will instantly remember and transte the knowledge directly to you."

  Izan groaned dramatically.

  "I'm dying to know…"

  "I shall leave now," she said.

  She gnced back briefly.

  "Do not forget — Aurelia's css today. Stay an extra hour with her, then join Rin and me for training."

  They nodded.

  And just like that—

  She vanished.

  Soon they were in Aurelia's css.

  Once everyone settled down, Rin and Kawa opened a book about mana control. Rin read carefully while Kawa followed along beside her.

  Izan sat to Rin's right, reading a book about healing.

  The first section expined that before healing others, the user had to prepare their mind first. A healer's thoughts had to remain calm, steady, and focused or the mana flow would break.

  Izan quickly began writing notes.

  Not long after, the css ended.

  Rin closed her book and stood up.

  "I'm heading to training."

  Kawa stretched her arms.

  "I'm going to sleep."

  She walked off toward the dorms without another word.

  Izan stayed behind in Aurelia's css, continuing to take notes while the teacher reviewed a few final things.

  Meanwhile Rin headed toward the training grounds.

  When she arrived, Sayaka was already there.

  Nearby, Yurei was lying across a metal bench, zily waving her hand in the air.

  Sayaka gnced toward her.

  "I had to drag her here to watch your performance."

  Rin tilted her head slightly.

  "My performance?"

  Sayaka nodded.

  "We'll spar," she said. "I need to see your strengths and your weaknesses. Then we'll know what needs work."

  Rin understood immediately.

  She nodded once.

  "Alright."

  Sayaka stepped back onto the training ground, rolling her shoulders slightly as she loosened up.

  Rin walked forward as well, stopping a few meters away from her.

  Behind them, Yurei stayed sprawled across the metal bench, one arm hanging off the side as she watched zily.

  "Don't die," she muttered.

  Rin ignored the comment.

  She steadied her breathing.

  Sayaka raised her hands calmly.

  Rin mirrored her.

  Both of them settled into their fighting stances, eyes locked on each other as the sparring match was about to begin.