At that moment, something inside him shifted.
His desire for a peaceful resolution vanished. The need to de-escalate was gone. He had tried to be diplomatic. He had tried to be reasonable. But this was no longer about diplomacy.
It was about honor.
These people clearly needed to be taught a lesson in respect and humility.
His calm expression did not change. But his eyes grew cold. Now, he just wanted to teach this arrogant woman a lesson. A lesson she would never forget.
He lowered his hands. The warm, gentle light he had been summoning faded away.
The Knight-Captain smirked, thinking he was surrendering. "Finally come to your senses, brat?"
Riku looked at her. A slow, cold smile spread across his face. "Senses? No. I've just decided to stop playing with you."
The captain laughed. "Playing? You call that pathetic light show 'playing'? You are a child with a sparkler."
"That was a test," Riku said, his voice quiet. "A test to see if you were worth my time. You failed."
