Three days passed quickly.
Today was the peace talks.
Not much happened during those three days, aside from progress on my Celestial Workshop.
My asauchi was finally finished. It hung at my waist now, a simple ornate longsword. The design resembled the first sword I'd ever made with my Celestial Workshop.
It should have been completed much earlier. But my slots got sidetracked. The Oracle. Rule Breaker. I'd started both projects, then stopped them halfway through. I didn't have an immediate need for either right now.
Right now, all of my slots were focused on a single item. The Dimensional Cube.
I'd learned something during my time in Niflheim. Something important.
It was better to focus all my Workshop slots on one item rather than split them across multiple projects. Concentrating my resources meant faster results. Better quality. More efficiency.
Splitting my attention between too many things just slowed everything down.
So. Dimensional Cube it was.
[Dimensional Cube: 1 day remaining]
One day.
I stared at the countdown. Focusing everything on a single item really was the way to go. What would've taken a week was now almost done.
After this, the Zodiac Pieces. Back to the original plan.
[Aquarius Hendekatos] was next. A piece made specifically for Sona.
Then Koneko's piece. Then Kuroka's.
Loki taught me something important. Something I should've realized sooner.
He showed me what my biggest weakness was and Loki exploited it. Trapped me. Tortured me. Made me helpless.
And I wasn't going to let that happen again.
There were others out there. Beings smarter than Loki. Craftier. More dangerous.
It was a wake-up call for me.
I looked at the longsword hanging at my waist.
My asauchi. Still in its sealed state. It would take weeks to awaken. Maybe months.
But it needed to be on me at all times. I had to nurture it with my own mana. Constant contact. Constant connection.
That's how these things worked.
I ran my fingers along the scabbard. The weapon felt... incomplete. Dormant. Like it was waiting for something.
I couldn't wait for it to awaken. I was really curious about what its abilities would be.
What kind of spirit would it awaken?
The anticipation was killing me.
But there was no rushing it. Some things just took time.
I adjusted the sword's position at my hip.
A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Leon?"
It was Rossweisse.
"We should get going."
Right. The peace talks.
I took a breath. Straightened my clothes.
There was something at the back of my head. A feeling. An instinct.
This peace talk wouldn't be simple.
Call it draconic intuition. Call it paranoia. I didn't care what it was called.
I was never wrong about these things.
"Leon?" Rossweisse called again. "The car's here. Are you ready?"
I grabbed my coat. Checked my sword one more time.
"Yeah," I said, opening the door. "Let's go."
Rossweisse stood in the hallway. Dressed formally. Professional. Her expression was calm, but I could see the tension in her eyes.
She felt it too.
Something was off about today.
=====
The car was quiet.
Just the three of us. Me. Rose. Yamamoto.
Yamamoto sat in the driver's seat. Rose sat beside me in the back. Her hands folded in her lap. Tense.
I glanced at her. "You okay?"
She nodded.
"What about you?"
I smiled. "Of course."
A pause. Then I asked the question that had been on my mind since this morning.
"Are you sure you want to come?"
Rose's head turned sharply. Her eyes narrowed.
"Leon—"
"I'm serious," I said. "You don't have to be there. It could get dangerous."
Her expression shifted. A cute pout formed on her lips.
"I'm not the weak Valkyrie anymore," she said firmly and confidently. "I can handle myself."
I knew that. But that didn't stop me from worrying.
I reached out. Touched her cheek gently.
"I know," I said quietly. "I just want to make sure you're safe."
Rose's pout softened. Her expression warmed.
She leaned into my touch slightly. A small smile crossed her face.
"Stop worrying so much," she murmured. "I'll be fine."
"Can't help it."
"I know." Her hand came up. Covered mine. "But I'm going. Someone needs to keep an eye on you."
I smiled despite myself.
Yeah. That sounded like Rose.
Yamamoto's voice cut through the moment. "We're approaching Kuoh Academy, Leon-sama"
I pulled my hand back. Rose straightened in her seat.
The school came into view through the windshield.
But I could feel it. The wards. The barriers. Layer upon layer of magic blanketing the entire campus.
Anti-teleportation measures. Detection spells. Security protocols.
This place was locked down tight.
There was a reason we took the car. The meeting place was full of anti-teleportation spells.
I could teleport directly if I really tried. Force my way through. But that would risk destroying all the barriers and spells already set up.
Not worth the hassle.
Better to just drive.
After a few moments, we arrived at the entrance.
Two figures stood guard at the gates. One devil. One angel. One from each faction.
Both straightened as our car approached.
Yamamoto slowed to a stop. Rolled down the window.
The car pulled through the gates.
"Leon Mishima-sama," the devil said. "We've been waiting for you."
The angel nodded. "Please proceed to the main building. The others are already gathering."
Yamamoto proceeded to drive us toward the main building.
We parked near the entrance.
I stepped out of the car. Rose followed. Yamamoto stayed behind.
The main doors opened before we reached them.
A butler stood there. Tall. Impeccable suit. The Gremory crest on his collar.
"Leon Mishima-sama," he said with a slight bow. "Rossweisse-sama. Welcome. Please follow me."
We walked through familiar hallways. Past the student council room. Past classrooms I'd seen dozens of times.
But today they felt different. Empty. Quiet. Like the whole school was holding its breath.
The butler led us to the conference room.
A massive circular table dominated the center. Seven chairs arranged around it.
The room was already half full.
I recognized faces immediately.
Sirzechs Lucifer stood near one side. Red hair. Easy smile.
Serafall was beside him. She waved cheerfully when she saw me.
Michael stood across from them. His presence was... overwhelming. Pure. Powerful. He wore a red robe with a gold cross on the front of his white alb. He has golden shoulder plates with a white sash and a golden halo set above his head.
Gabriel stood next to Michael. Beautiful didn't even begin to describe her. Silver hair. Blue eyes. An angelic presence that made the room feel warmer.
Then there was Azazel, wearing that damn smirk on his face as he lounged in his chair like this was a casual lunch meeting while Baraqiel stood behind him.
All of them powerful. All of them dangerous.
This was the first time all three factions had been in one room since the Great War.
The tension was thick enough to cut.
"Leon-kun!" Serafall bounced over. Her cheerful energy was jarring against the serious atmosphere. "You made it!"
"Serafall," I said with a slight nod.
She grabbed my arm. Started pulling me toward the table. "Come come! Everyone's been waiting!"
Rose followed close behind me.
"Leon Mishima," Sirzechs said smoothly. His voice carried easily across the room. "Thank you for hosting these talks. Your company's neutrality makes this possible."
I nodded.
"Mishima Corporation is honored to facilitate peace between the three factions."
Michael stepped forward.
"We are grateful for your service," he said. His voice had this quality to it. Like bells. Or chimes. "Your reputation precedes you, Leon Mishima."
Gabriel smiled warmly. "It's wonderful to finally meet you properly. I've heard so much about you."
"The pleasure is mine, Gabriel."
Azazel hadn't moved from his chair.
"Leon…" he said. "Been a while."
I met his gaze. "Azazel."
Serafall clapped her hands. "Okay! Now that everyone's here, let's get started!"
She gestured to the circular table. "Please, everyone take your seats!"
I moved to my chair. Rose stood behind me.
The seating arrangement was deliberate. Three distinct groups. Equal representation. And me sitting between them all.
The neutral party.
The mediator.
Sirzechs cleared his throat. The room fell silent immediately.
"Thank you all for coming," he began. His tone had shifted. More formal. More authoritative. This was Lucifer speaking now. "Today marks a historic moment. The first official peace talks between our three factions since the Great War ended."
Michael nodded. "It has been far too long. Too much blood has been shed. Too many lives lost on all sides."
"Agreed," Baraqiel said gruffly. "The Grigori has lost too many good brothers and sisters to pointless conflicts."
"As have the devils," Sirzechs added.
"Yeah yeah," Azazel drawled. "Let's skip the speeches and get to the actual talking."
Several angels bristled at his casual tone. Michael just smiled patiently.
"Very well," Michael said. "Then let us begin with—"
A shudder ran through the building.
Sirzechs's expression darkened. "What was that?"
Another shudder. Stronger this time. The windows rattled.
Azazel stood slowly. His casual demeanor gone. "Someone's attacking the wards."
"Impossible," one of the angels said. "We have twelve layers of spells prepa—"
CRACK.
The sound split the air like thunder.
A barrier broke. I felt it shatter. Felt the magic dissipate.
Then another crack. Another barrier gone.
"They're breaking through,"
Michael's wings spread wide. "Everyone, defensive positions!"
The room erupted into motion.
Rose moved closer to me. "Leon—"
"I know."
My instincts had been right.
Something was very wrong.
And we were about to find out what.
====
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