After his morning training, Haru returned to his room.
The warm steam from his bath curled around him as he rinsed away the scent of sweat and iron. When he dressed and stepped into the corridor, his expression was calm — but his senses were sharp, alert.
Descending the grand staircase, he noticed Lex in the main hall, crouched beside a weapon rack, polishing his sword with silent focus. The faint scent of oil and steel filled the air.
Lex looked up when Haru's shadow fell over him.
Their eyes met — no words, just a nod.
But Haru could already feel it — the tension that hung in the air, thick and uneasy. The mansion was quieter than usual. The servants whispered, the guards moved faster, sharper. Something had happened.
"What's going on?" Haru asked, his tone calm but heavy, like the stillness before a storm.
Lex exhaled through his nose, setting the blade aside. "There was an emergency meeting last night. We got reports that monsters have started attacking the nearby villages."
Haru's eyes narrowed. "Monsters?"
"Yeah," Lex said grimly, standing and tightening his gauntlets. "But it's not normal. The monsters— they're going berserk. Even docile creatures from the forest are turning violent. It's spreading fast."
Haru stayed silent for a moment, absorbing every word.
Lex continued, lowering his voice. "The scouts said the monsters' eyes were black… like something corrupted them. The elders think there's a demon behind it."
"A demon," Haru repeated softly.
Lex nodded. "It's just a theory, but… it makes sense. The villages closest to the mountain were the first to fall. It's like something's controlling them, driving them mad."
Haru's expression didn't change, but his hand instinctively brushed against his sword.
"I see," he murmured. "Then this peace was never meant to last."
A distant bell rang outside the mansion walls — a signal for the soldiers to prepare.
Lex glanced toward the sound, then back at Haru. "Looks like we're heading out soon. The lady will probably want you with her."
Haru's gaze drifted to the window, where the faint silhouettes of dark clouds gathered on the horizon.
"Then let's not keep her waiting," he said quietly.
When Haru stepped into the courtyard, he saw Seraphina standing near the carriages, speaking with several captains. Their faces were grim, their voices low. The tension in the air was heavy — even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Seraphina's usual calm expression was gone, replaced by concern. The captains' reports were grim: monsters attacking villages as expected… but there were also rumors spreading faster than they could confirm — reports that people were turning on their own. Mages, warriors, even civilians. Entire towns collapsing into chaos.
Haru stopped a few steps away, listening silently.
Lex and Levis stood beside Seraphina, their weapons ready. Despite the chaos in the reports, she looked slightly more at ease with them close — her trusted men.
When she noticed Haru, she turned to him quickly.
"Haru," she said, her voice calm but edged with worry. "You'll stay here for now. I don't want my brother to know you're with us yet."
Haru met her gaze and simply nodded. "Alright."
A faint smile curved on her lips, though her eyes betrayed her unease. "Good. We'll be back soon."
She turned toward the carriage, her white cloak swaying in the wind as she climbed in. Lex and Levis followed her, each taking position — Lex beside her inside, and Levis riding with the soldiers.
Fifty armored soldiers formed a column behind them. The rhythmic sound of boots and hooves echoed through the courtyard as they departed, the banners of the Valtherion Empire fluttering under the pale morning light.
Haru watched silently from the steps of the mansion, hands in his pockets, his gaze lingering on the disappearing convoy.
"Monsters… and now humans, too," he murmured to himself. "This world really is falling apart."
Haru followed Wizz down the long marble hallway toward the meeting chamber. The sound of their footsteps echoed faintly against the stone walls lined with banners of the Valcrest crest.
"Is it alright if I come with you?" Haru asked calmly as they walked.
Wizz turned his head slightly, eyes widening in mild surprise. "Of course. Most of the people in there are loyal to the princess," he said with a chuckle, though his tone grew lower. "But some of them… prefer to stay neutral. Just stay calm and don't glare too much."
Haru said nothing, his expression unreadable.
As they approached the meeting hall, a heavy pressure filled the corridor. Several generals stood nearby — men whose strength alone could shake small armies. Their presence was suffocating, their mana sharp and dense. Each one of them turned the moment Haru stepped closer.
Their instincts screamed danger.
They could sense it — that invisible, crushing aura leaking from Haru even though he wasn't trying to release it. His mana was… unnatural, foreign. It didn't flow like that of a human or beast, but something far older and more violent.
A few generals subtly reached for their swords, their gazes narrowing.
Before anyone could speak, Wizz raised both hands and laughed.
"Alright, alright, calm down! I know what you're feeling," he said cheerfully, stepping between Haru and the others. "But relax — this guy's one of ours. No need to get nervous or start a war in the hallway, alright?"
The room fell silent for a few seconds. The generals exchanged wary glances, their hands slowly retreating from their weapons.
Haru simply walked past them, his expression calm — but his presence left the air heavy, as if a beast had just passed through.