Morning arrived sooner than Toki expected.
Not because the sun had rushed the horizon—but because he had never truly slept.
He lay still for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, listening to the faint hush of the estate awakening. The stone walls held the cold of the night, but his body was warm, humming with restrained energy. His thoughts were already moving several steps ahead, arranging plans, calculating outcomes, tracing invisible lines of cause and effect.
He had found something last night.
Not an answer—but a direction.
And that was enough.
When the knock came at the door, gentle but deliberate, he was already sitting up.
"Toki?" Suzume's voice called softly. "Breakfast is ready."
"I'm coming," he replied, rising to his feet.
He dressed quickly, pulling on his commander's uniform rather than his usual loose training clothes. The fabric settled around him with unfamiliar weight, the insignia resting against his chest like a quiet reminder of responsibility. Today wasn't about comfort. Today required authority.
When he stepped into the hallway, the manor was already awake. Light filtered through the tall windows, pale and silver, bathing the stone in a calm that felt almost deceptive.
The dining hall doors stood open.
Inside, everyone was already gathered.
Haru, Natsu, and Aki sat together, whispering excitedly over their plates, barely containing their energy. Leonard occupied his usual seat, posture straight, eyes focused on a report he was reading with habitual calm. Utsuki and Lilith sat across from one another, an unspoken tension lingering between them—less sharp than before, but still present, like a scar that hadn't fully healed.
Suzume stood near Hana, who was perched on her lap, swinging her legs lazily as she nibbled on bread.
Kandaki sat stiffly at the table's far end, hands folded, posture rigid in a way that betrayed both discipline and uncertainty.
And beside him—
Tora.
She stared at her plate as though it had personally offended her.
Toki stepped inside, and the room shifted subtly. Conversations quieted. Eyes turned toward him.
He took his seat beside Tora.
"Morning," he said.
A few voices echoed the greeting.
Leonard glanced up from his report. "You don't wear the uniform often when you're on duty."
Toki accepted a cup of tea from Suzume before replying. "I had too much to think about this morning. Didn't feel like changing twice."
Leonard's eyes lingered on him a moment longer. "I see. Did you find what you were looking for?"
Toki took a slow sip. "I think so. Now I just need to test it."
Leonard's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Then you're already ahead of where you were yesterday."
Toki exhaled quietly.
After a moment, he spoke again. "I'll be leaving for the capital shortly."
That earned a reaction.
Ozvold straightened. "Then I'll prepare as well."
"So will I," Kandaki added instantly.
Toki shook his head. "No. This time, I'm going alone."
Kandaki blinked. "What?"
Toki reached for the sheath at his side and withdrew his sword, placing it carefully on the table in front of Kandaki. Then he set four dense metal bars beside it with a dull clink.
"This," Toki said, "is your training."
Kandaki stared. "You're… leaving me behind?"
"Temporarily," Toki replied calmly. "I can't train you properly while dealing with the capital's situation. But I can prepare you."
He tapped the sword lightly. "That blade may look thin, but it's heavier than it seems. Ozvold will help you attach these weights to your arms and legs. You'll train until your body adapts."
Ozvold raised a brow. "That sounds… painful."
"It will be," Toki agreed. "But necessary."
Kandaki clenched his fists. "You were going to sign me up for the junior knight trials…"
"I still am," Toki said. "But not the summer intake. The early trials. They're in four days."
Kandaki's eyes widened. "Four days?!"
"If you think that's impossible, say so now," Toki said evenly. "I won't force you."
Kandaki didn't hesitate. "I'll do it."
The words came out sharp, resolute.
"I'll train harder than ever. I won't waste this chance."
Toki nodded once, satisfied.
Then he turned to Tora.
She stiffened instantly.
"You're next," he said.
She scowled. "You already know my answer."
He reached down without warning and lifted her legs, resting her calves across his own lap.
"Hey—!" she protested.
"Stay still," he said calmly.
His hands moved with precision, fingers pressing along her calves and ankles. She winced as he applied pressure.
"That hurts!" she snapped.
"Because it's strained, not torn," he replied. "If it were torn, you'd be screaming."
She crossed her arms, sulking. "I am fine."
"You're not," he said gently. "Your form puts too much stress on your tendons."
He extended her leg carefully, then secured two of the metal bars along it with a strip of cloth.
"This will force your muscles to adapt properly," he explained. "You land flat-footed. That's good for endurance, but terrible for sprinting."
He met her eyes. "You need to run on the tops of your feet. You're built for explosive movement, not endurance pacing."
She swallowed. "And if I can't?"
"Then we adjust," he said simply. "But you won't quit."
She looked away, frustrated—and then nodded.
"I won't."
Utsuki had been watching quietly.
"Looks like you found your answers after all," she said.
Toki met her gaze. "I had help."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"I'll be leaving now."
Lilith rose instantly. "I'm coming with you."
He sighed, then gave a short nod. "Fine."
As they turned to leave, Utsuki spoke again.
"Be careful."
Toki paused at the doorway and looked back.
"I will," he said. "
Outside, the cold air hit his lungs like a blade, sharp and clarifying.
As he mounted the great bird and felt its wings tense beneath him, his thoughts sharpened.
Everything was aligning.
The theory.
The preparation.
As the creature leapt , Toki's fingers curled around the edge of his coat.
The courtyard gates groaned softly as Toki dismounted.
The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of stone dust and iron. The sun had only just climbed over the eastern towers, painting the palace walls in pale gold. Soldiers turned their heads as he entered, some straightening instinctively, others offering quiet nods of respect.
Lilith dismounted behind him, her cloak fluttering as she landed with practiced grace.
"I'll head inside and deliver the report," she said, brushing dust from her gloves. "The council's already waiting."
Toki gave a brief nod. "Don't let them bury you in questions."
She gave a humorless smile. "That's their specialty."
As she walked toward the inner halls, a soldier approached Toki, snapping to attention.
"Commander," he said hesitantly. "May I ask… what would Lady Utsuki say if she saw you arriving with another woman?"
Toki didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached out and flicked the man lightly on the forehead—just enough to sting.
"That," he said calmly, "is a dangerous question."
The surrounding soldiers stiffened, then relaxed as a few quiet chuckles spread.
"Focus on your duties," Toki added. "We have work to do."
He turned, his voice rising just enough to carry. "Training begins now. Half of you with me. The rest—sparring drills."
Groans and excited murmurs followed as the group split.
Toki took off at a steady run, boots striking the stone rhythmically. Half the unit followed close behind, struggling to match his pace. He didn't slow.
As they ran, his thoughts drifted—
Lorelay is already at the morgue…
The words weighed on him. If his suspicions were right, then the pieces were already moving. The idea that the enemy had acted again gnawed at him.
He exhaled slowly, forcing himself back into the present.
"Status report," he said without turning his head.
A soldier behind him replied, slightly winded, "No new bodies reported this morning, sir. But… Lady Lorelay arrived at the morgue before dawn. That usually means—"
"I know," Toki cut in. "Thank you."
They ran in silence for several more minutes before he finally slowed them to a stop.
"That's enough," he said. "Break."
As the others dispersed, Toki remained where he was, staring at the far wall of the courtyard.
For a moment, he wasn't really there.
The stone, the banners, the cold—everything blurred at the edges, as if the world had taken half a step back without asking him. His hands rested on his hips out of habit, not intent.
So it's begun.
The words didn't bring clarity. Only weight.
"Again," he said, though he wasn't sure why.
The soldiers reformed at once. Snow had been trampled into dirty ice beneath their boots, yet their movements were steady. They ran when he ran. When he slowed, they didn't falter. Breath rose in pale clouds, but no one complained. No one broke formation.
Toki drifted through the exercise, correcting a guard here, knocking a blade aside there—his body remembered what his mind refused to hold. The cold bit deeper as hours passed. Sweat froze against skin. Muscles screamed.
And still, they endured.
He noticed it too late.
A runner stumbled—then caught himself. Another adjusted his stance without being told. When Toki called for a switch, the groups rotated smoothly, as if they had rehearsed this without him.
Since when…?
Snow began to fall, thin and relentless. The winter light dimmed faster than it should have. Toki raised his hand to halt them, meaning to end it—yet they kept moving for another breath, another strike, another step, before stopping.
They were tired. He could see it now. But they were standing. Holding. Enduring more than he had asked.
As the sun bled out behind the palace walls, Toki dismissed them at last. They saluted and left, backs straight despite the cold.
Alone in the courtyard, Toki stared at the darkening sky.
"If they keep going like this, my 200 will be worth 2000. I can't take full credit for their progress, but it reassures me that my division is doing so well without me."He thought.
They're moving forward, he realized.
And I'm the one lagging behind.
Near the gate of the courtyard, Toki almost collided with Bernard.
"Tok—" Bernard began, lifting a hand in greeting.
Toki moved on instinct. His palm covered Bernard's mouth, firm but not rough, eyes darting briefly toward the palace windows.
"Lilith," he murmured, voice low. "She's still inside, isn't she?"
Bernard blinked in surprise, then nodded once Toki let go. "Yes. She's delivering her report from yesterday." He lowered his voice. "To be honest… the people from Moonlight's church are unsettling. They're interrogating her harshly. Far harsher than necessary."
The words landed heavier than Bernard intended.
Toki felt it immediately a small, sharp twist in his chest. Of course they are. He looked away, jaw tightening. He hadn't stood beside her when he should have.
"Come with me," Toki said suddenly.
Before Bernard could ask anything, Toki grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along. The urgency in his grip left no room for protest. They mounted Umma in practiced silence, the great bird shifting impatiently beneath them before breaking into a swift run toward the gates.
Only once the palace walls were far behind them did Bernard speak again.
"…Where exactly are we going?"
"The cemetery."
Bernard stiffened. "At this hour?" He glanced at the sky, already bleeding into deep oranges and cold purples. "It's almost sunset."
"I know." Toki's voice was quiet, burdened. His eyes stayed fixed ahead, unfocused, as if watching something that wasn't there yet. "But there's someone we need to meet.
"I need answers," Toki replied. "And there's only one place I'll find them."
They reached the cemetery just as the last edge of the sun slipped behind the frozen hills.
Winter had stripped the place bare. Snow lay thin and uneven across the ground, disturbed by footprints that had no business being there so late in the day. Stone markers jutted from the earth like broken teeth, their shadows stretching long and warped as twilight bled into dusk.
Toki felt it before he saw it.
That quiet pressure at the back of his skull—the sense of being expected.
Umma slowed, feathers rustling uneasily. Bernard leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"…We're not alone," he muttered.
At the far end of the cemetery, near the oldest graves where the names had been worn smooth by time, two silhouettes stood motionless. One tall and rigid. The other slimmer, half-hidden behind him, posture relaxed in a way that suggested confidence rather than fear.
Toki dismounted without a word.
His boots crunched softly against the frozen ground as he and Bernard approached. The air smelled faintly of cold stone and old incense—recent, not forgotten.
So you came after all.
"Beautiful weather," Toki said at last, his voice cutting cleanly through the silence. Dry. Almost casual. "Perfect for burying new victims, wouldn't you say, Smith?"
The taller figure turned, revealing a familiar face lined with exhaustion rather than age. Mr. Smith adjusted his coat, the corner of his mouth lifting into a restrained smile.
"We were hoping you wouldn't notice," Smith replied. "Didn't want to add more weight to your shoulders."
Toki snorted softly. As if you ever spared me that courtesy.
From behind Smith, Lorelay stepped into view. The dim light caught the pale gleam of her eyes, sharp and observant as ever. There was no trace of fatigue in her stance, though Toki could see the tension held carefully beneath it.
"You're sharper than I expected," she said coolly. "Most people would have needed a body to start asking questions."
Toki met her gaze without flinching. "Most people aren't looking in the right direction."
Bernard shifted beside him, clearly unsettled. "Hold on—what's going on here?"
Toki didn't answer immediately. He inhaled slowly, the cold air burning his lungs, organizing his thoughts. Doubt pressed at him from all sides—not about whether something was wrong, but about how thin his footing truly was.
If I'm wrong… I waste their time. If I'm right… things get much worse.
"I came to report a hypothesis," Toki said finally.
Smith's smile faded. Bernard blinked. Lorelay's expression sharpened, interest flickering openly now.
"A hypothesis," Smith repeated. "That doesn't sound like you."
Toki glanced briefly at the graves around them. Too many. Too close together.
"I believe the Star Collector is not using magic," he said. "At least—not in the way we think."
Silence followed.
Then Bernard frowned. "You're saying the invisibility—"
"—is an optical effect," Toki finished. His voice steadied as the idea took shape aloud. "Reflection and refraction of light. If they can manipulate the way light bends, disperses, or returns to its source, then vanishing from sight isn't sorcery. It's physics."
Lorelay's eyes narrowed. "You're suggesting that it's something similar to a mirror.."
"Yes. And more than that." Toki's thoughts raced now, words keeping pace. "If light can be redirected, attacks that rely on sight—or even energy projected through visible spectra—could be reflected. "
Smith folded his arms. "It would also mean this enemy isn't simply powerful," he said slowly. "They're precise."
Toki nodded. "Which makes them more dangerous."
The cemetery felt colder suddenly.
"I don't have proof yet," Toki admitted. The words tasted bitter. He hated this part—the uncertainty, the gap between instinct and evidence. "But if you give me what I need, I can get it."
Smith studied him for a long moment. "And what exactly do you need?"
"An artifact capable of producing controlled vibrations," Toki said. "And another that allows us to perceive heat."
Lorelay let out a low hum. "You think vibration could disrupt the light's stability."
"Yes. If the medium is disturbed, the illusion should collapse temporary."
Smith shook his head slowly. "We have artifacts like that," he said. "But even with my authority, acquiring them won't be easy. Not without justification. Especially not now."
"I know," Toki replied quietly. "That's why I'm not asking you to give them to me today."
Smith raised an eyebrow.
"If my theory is correct," Toki continued, "then by tomorrow, I'll bring you proof."
The wind swept through the cemetery, stirring loose snow across the stones like drifting ash.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then footsteps approached from behind.
Sharp. Angry.
"What did I just tell you?"
Lilith's voice cracked through the stillness like a whip.
Toki turned just in time to see her storming toward them, coat half-buttoned, dark hair pulled loose from its tie. Her eyes were blazing—not with fear, but with frustration barely held in check.
"You said you wouldn't disappear again," she snapped. "You said—"
"I know," Toki interrupted gently.
That only seemed to make it worse.
"You always know," Lilith shot back. "And then you do it anyway."
Guilt slammed into him harder than any accusation before.
He stepped forward without thinking and took her hand.
The contact was warm.
"You're exactly who I needed," he said.
Lilith froze. "That's not an answer."
"It's the truth."
Before she could protest further, Toki turned and guided her toward Umma. With quick, practiced movements, he helped her up onto the bird's back, then mounted behind her.
Bernard stared at them, stunned. "Wait—where are you going?!"
Toki looked back over his shoulder, eyes dark but focused.
"To test a theory."
Umma surged forward, claws striking sparks from stone as she bolted onto the road leading away from the cemetery.
"Are you insane?!" Lilith shouted over the wind. "Where are we going?"
Toki leaned close, his voice low but steady against her ear.
"Somewhere dangerous."
"That doesn't narrow it down!"
"Good," he replied. "It means we're on the right path."
She clenched her jaw. "And what exactly am I supposed to do when we get there?"
Toki's grip tightened—not possessive, but protective.
"Prepare for combat."