The royal hall of Koha trembled with disbelief.
"What… how could this be?" King Yami's voice cracked through the silence, echoing off the marble pillars. Ministers shifted nervously as the news sank deeper into the room like a blade piercing flesh. "Doer and Wandland… withdrawing from the war? Why? What changed?"
A minister swallowed hard. "My lord, they say… it is because of the request letter sent by King Rui."
Yami blinked, unsure if he had heard right. "A letter? What can a mere letter possibly change?"
In Velvet-
"You say what can a letter change, "Rui burst out, joy in his voice, "See? It changed everything—there won't be a war now!"
"But at what cost!" Lucas's voice suddenly shook, his emotions breaking free. "Degrading yourself before those scum–those egoistic kings who care for nothing but their swollen pride! They would not spare their own fathers, and yet—you—" His voice cracked. Tears fell down his cheeks. "You gave them your life… Why, Rui? Why?"
Rui didn't flinch. His calm expression made Lucas's pain even heavier.
"Why… you ask?" Rui's voice softened, almost breaking. "Lucas… I lost the meaning of everything. Since my wife—my love—died giving birth to our son… and my newborn was abducted, most likely killed… I had nothing left."
His hands tightened into trembling fists.
"But I saw hundreds of homes destroyed because of me. I am the king—so why did I do nothing? A child asked me that." Rui's voice hollowed. "A little girl… four years old, maybe. Her home lay in ruins. Her family was already dead.
But she—dust-covered, trembling, a stranger to me—still asked whether I was alright.
Then, with a childlike innocence that broke my heart, she said, "Where is the king? He was meant to be our hope… so where is hope now?"
I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. What answer could I give?
Then, in the blink of an eye, a falling brick found her.
She went limp—dying in my arms before I even understood what had happened.
"
Silence swallowed the room.
"I cannot anymore, Lucas. Even if it takes my life… let me save them. If they are safe—just them—then I exist. If not, I am nothing."
"R…Rui…" Lucas whispered.
"Say no more." Rui's tone sharpened, but not in anger—only resolve. "I know what you'll say, so leave it. Besides, their demands were valid. I promised to fulfill them under the light of justice."
"Where is the justice in this!?" Lucas snapped, trembling. "King Sai of Wandland—he wants you to drink filthy water from his soldier's boot! And that scum Nolan of Doer—he wants that absurd cave expedition! Something else is in that cave besides Code Crystals, you know it. He's losing his mind. He demanded seven thousand of our troops! How will we survive?!"
Rui exhaled slowly. "Better to lose half our troops alive… than lose all in war. They will be safe. They will not fight for his selfish ambitions, only participate in the expedition. That is enough."
"We still have our own forces," Rui continued. "You. And the two great generals of Velvet—Karaan and Shira."
Lucas's expression darkened. "But they're gone. Four years. No word. How do we even know they're alive?"
"Because," Rui said quietly, "I was the one who sent them."
"But even if they are alive—what can two people do?"
"Enough, Lucas." Rui's voice thundered lightly. Not out of arrogance—out of unshakable conviction. "You fear too much. You are the strongest general in this world. If you doubt yourself, then doubt me instead."
Rui's eyes glowed, bright as lightning.
The castle trembled.
The entire kingdom felt it.
---
Koha – The Capital City of Murakami
King Yami slammed his palms onto the armrest. "So just because Rui accepted their insane demands, they've agreed to withdraw from war!? Why!?"
Frustration twisted his voice.
"What were the demands? Tell me!"
The minister gulped.
"Wandland's demands were… First: sixty percent tax every year. And all trade agreements must be done exclusively with Wandland for fifty years."
Yami's jaw dropped. "Impossible… and the alternative?"
The minister hesitated.
"Speak!"
"Or… King Rui Yamazaki must drink water from one of Wandland's soldier's boots."
Yami leaned back, stunned. "Surely Rui would never accept such humiliation."
"My lord…" the minister whispered, "King Rui has already accepted. And he agreed to send seven thousand troops to Doer."
Yami stared, mouth hanging open. "No negotiation… nothing? Why would a king abandon pride and dignity for—what? Nothing in return?"
"My lord… it is because of his people."
"What? His people were safe! The war was between the three nations—to crush those small border kingdoms. Rui had no reason to involve himself."
"They say Rui thinks the whole world is his people."
The king inhaled sharply. "Enough. Leave me."
The minister bowed and left.
Yami stared at the ground.
"Rui… how long will you hold this war back? Eventually… the world will break. And when it does… it will break you too."
---
Back in Velvet
"So, Rui," Lucas said, exhausted, "what are we going to do now?"
"Wandland," Rui answered immediately.
"Wh… what?"
"We leave for Wandland now. Then Doer."
"Why so fast? Can't we wait? Talk? Negotiate?"
"No." Rui looked out the window. "Trust me, Lucas. If peace could be reached through talk, I would choose that every time. But this is the age of liars. I cannot risk anything now."
Lucas clenched his jaw. "We are safe. Velvet is safe. Our people are fine. There is no threat. Why must we risk everything for others? Why must we sacrifice our lands, our assets, our lives… for people who are not ours?"
Rui turned toward him.
"You know this better than anyone. I am the Sword of Three Nations. The title given by the former King of Koha, the former Queen of Wandland, and the former King of Doer."
He stepped closer. His voice deepened.
"Tell me, Lucas. What does a sword do?"
Lucas whispered, "Cut the crimes… punish the criminals."
"Yes. And it upholds justice. Maintains balance." Rui lifted his shirt slowly.
Two glowing eyes stared from his back.
Lucas stumbled. "Wh–what is this…?"
"The Eyes of Justice," Rui said calmly. "I was born with them. I am the only person alive with this Code. The only one possessing ten percent pure Code energy."
Lucas's face drained. "Ten… ten percent!? Impossible! Koha itself only has two percent combined! And this Code… I've never seen anything recorded like this. Not in any archive. This shouldn't exist."
Rui sighed. "You are right. It shouldn't. Even I don't understand fully. But this is all I know."
Lucas stared. So much power… yet so much pain behind it.
"Lucas," Rui said, stepping back, "prepare yourself. I will release my energy. Hold onto yourself. If needed—use your Command on me."
Rui inhaled deeply.
"The chains can now be freed."
Silence.
Pure, suffocating silence.
Lucas frowned. "What is this… my ears—"
A scream of pure energy exploded.
"HAAAAAAAA!"
Lucas was thrown back as if struck by a thousand storms. The very air twisted around him, suffocating, devouring every sound except the roar of Rui's power.
What… what is this…?
He slid across the ground, unable to stop himself.
It felt like a hundred hurricanes—compressed into a single breath.
His consciousness blurred.
"I… I can't…"
Darkness swallowed him.
---
"Hey. Wake up." Rui shook him lightly. "It's already night."
Lucas blinked. "D… did I fall unconscious?"
"Yes." Rui scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "Sorry. I shouldn't have released three percent at once."
"T… three percent!?" Lucas stared as if seeing a ghost. "Only three… who are you, Rui? What are you…?"
Rui looked at his own hand for a moment, then shook his head.
"I don't know. But I do know this: I must protect my people at any cost. Pride, respect—I will throw them away. Poison—I will drink it. Life—I will give it gladly. As long as my people are happy. Safe."
The smile he wore glowed brighter than any light. Lucas found his own eyes stinging.
I understand now, Lucas thought. You have a task to fulfill. And I… I finally understand mine.
I must protect Rui.
No matter what.