Ryden's voice came out heavy, a rumble that felt more like a verdict than a plea. "Veon—" he began, "our first priority is the safety of our people." His eyes did not soften. "I know I did wrong to Auren. It's my fault." The words landed like stones. He did not ask for forgiveness; he accepted the blame as a weapon.
Veon's left hand curled into a fist, the fingers digging white into his palm. The pain went unnoticed by Ryden, but it was real—salt and iron behind Veon's calm. A blank, hollow look flickered across Ryden's face for a heartbeat, something he'd been hiding for years. Then he continued, colder now: "You must counter Auren—for Ryuki City. That is your oath."
The sentence closed the room like a trap. No questions remained. The silence that followed was thick and heavy; the blue light of the room washed their skin in a ghostly glow, but the moment itself felt dim, as if the light had been swallowed.
