The ground had fallen into an eerie silence around them...only, the kind that pressed against eardrums and made every heartbeat feel thunderous. All eyes were on Ennagiri, who stood impossibly calm, the red gem glinting sharply in Sozai's hands.
"Yes, yes… a Daozu. A second Daozu once offered this to me. Are you concerned about the gem itself—or about my position as a servant here?"
Ennagiri's voice carried the weight of calm irritation, threaded with unshakable confidence. No mortal, yokai, or spirit could sway him. Yet, beneath the stoic mask, a quiet flicker of hope pulsed—just enough that Sozai might keep the red gem he had chosen.
Saimei's chest tightened, humiliation slicing through him like a sharp blade. Not merely as a warrior, but as a man. He felt exposed, stripped of honor, and burned with disbelief. His fists clenched until his nails bit into his palms.
"Who… who is she? A human? Yokai? Ghost? What the hell…?!" Saimei's voice cracked, fury and disbelief coiling into a storm that could snap the strongest branch. "Don't tell me it's some human! You're going to tell me every single detail of that day, Enna. Every last one!"
Ennagiri's gaze remained cool, measured, almost amused in its detachment.
"And if I don't?"
Saimei's growl deepened, resonating through the hall, a low drum of danger. "If it's human… I swear I'll end you myself."
The surrounding yokai stiffened. Some whispered under their breath, shaking their heads. "He's not foolish enough to bind himself to a human," one murmured. Others merely nodded, unconcerned, recognizing the prudence in keeping distance from mortal matters. But Saimei's aura alone radiated the raw threat of a storm about to break.
Before the tension could snap, Sozai darted forward with reckless disregard, scooping the gem into his hands as if he had claimed a star itself.
"Thank you, Enna!! It's gorgeous! Look—it even matches my robe~"
He hugged the gem tight, eyes sparkling with impish delight. His gaze flicked to Yurei, tugging at the hem of the borrowed robe he wore—still Yurei's from that mortifying morning encounter. The smirk on Sozai's face widened; he basked in the subtle chaos he caused.
Yurei's face burned crimson. I… I can't believe this! His mind raced. Did he just… accept it? As if it were nothing? His pulse hammered. His head felt dizzy. His thoughts tripped over themselves, a jumble of fear, anger, and helpless jealousy.
Before Yurei could spiral further, a cold hand gripped his arm. He looked up—Kyoren. Or at least, someone identical to him. The usual fire in his eyes was gone, replaced with chilling calm.
"T—thank you… Kyoren-sama…" Yurei stammered, bowing quickly, heart racing.
Kyoren inclined his head slightly, eyes half-lidded beneath the silver cloth. His voice, soft and calm, finally cut through the day's chaos.
"You're unwell?"
Caught between panic and confusion, Yurei nodded "yes" by mistake, then corrected himself with a shake of the head. Kyoren's gaze lingered only a moment before he simply replied, "Alright," turning back to watch the guards.
The court erupted into audible shock.
"Sozai… that's literally a marriage proposal you just accepted!!"
"Ennagiri, seriously?! You proposed to him?!"
"Sozai—you're a guy!!"
Ennagiri's calm only magnified the tension. He revealed nothing about the gem's origin. His eyes flicked to Sozai with a subtle plea to keep the red. Beneath the mask, a heartbeat of fragile warmth stirred—an almost human pulse.
Finally, he spoke, voice steady: "Right now… I have only the red. That's the one I could give. If you wish to exchange it, you'll need to wait until the ceremony ends."
Sozai's grin widened impossibly. "Red's perfect! I like it just like this. No change needed!"
The others froze. Eyes wide. Mouths agape. The implication that Ennagiri must have more gems—while they could barely dream of one—left them speechless. Their gazes flicked between the two, the absurdity and audacity of it almost unreal.
"Ennagiri… you have more of those gems?! We can barely dream of one and you've more?! What thing are you?!" whispered a guard, trembling with disbelief.
Yurei's frustration boiled. He could barely breathe. Who could have given him these treasures? And worse—was that someone more deserving than me?
Saimei slammed his palm to his forehead, muttering through gritted teeth, "If it's a human… I will tear him apart myself." Every word struck the air like a drawn blade. Yet even his fury could not pierce the gray, untraceable mystery of the human who might have gifted this gem.
But Sozai, oblivious to the undercurrents of fear, pride, and chaos, clutched the gem tighter. "No! It's mine now! I like it, it looks good on me—that's it! I don't care if it's a marriage thing or a death curse, it's my gift! And you—are just jealous!"
He bolted, ponytail streaming behind him, gem hugged like a treasure. The guards stumbled to keep pace, laughter ringing through the hall as chaos trailed after him.
Ennagiri pressed his lips into a thin line, hiding the faint smile threatening to break free. Perhaps it was the color itself, or the mischief of fate—but that red mattered more than he expected.
He cleared his throat, lowering his gaze. For a brief, fleeting moment, all thoughts of tradition, duty, and decorum vanished—just enough for Sozai's joy to pierce through the calm veneer.
Saimei crossed his arms with a stormy huff, glaring daggers at Ennagiri as if to say, I'll deal with you later. His heavy steps rumbled like a dragon's, echoing through the hall.
The others stared as though Ennagiri had shattered every wall of mystery surrounding him.
"Sozai, wait for us!!"
"Why don't you believe in tradition?!"
"Did you really accept Ennagiri's proposal?!"
"Do you two actually have feelings—??"
Chaos erupted as the group chased after the mischievous Sozai. Yurei nearly lunged forward to grab him, thoughts burning: What kind of cat is he?! No shame at all!! Duty held him in place, and he clenched his fists in frustration.
Sozai twisted, latching onto one guard's ponytail for balance. The guard yelped as Sozai wrapped an arm around his neck, then grabbed another nearby major with mischievous audacity.
"Shut up! It's not like that! What, do you all want me viral in front of the royals?!"
The guards collapsed into laughter, the hall ringing with uncontrolled chaos. Sozai's bright grin, impossible and untamed, shone like sunlight cutting through shadow.
Amid it all, Ennagiri's gaze lingered on the runaway Sozai, a single, almost imperceptible pulse of warmth stirring in his chest. Hidden from the world, it was as real as the red gem clasped tightly in Sozai's hands.
And somewhere deep in the shadows of his thoughts, the truth of who had gifted him that gem remained obscured, blurred, and untold—waiting, quietly, for the right moment to surface.