After the presentation, the existence of the guardian families was no longer a secret. The world knew about magic, the Kartnod, and the struggle that had continued for generations to prevent their return. It had also learned that there were people willing to help them, groups that had long been working to break the seals keeping them imprisoned.
That revelation had dealt a serious blow to Valerius's plans. The ignorance of governments and the public had allowed much of that struggle to remain hidden. Now, any attack against the families could raise questions that no one would previously have known to ask. People were beginning to understand that the recent clashes had a history and that the enemy also had allies.
The consequences of that decision had begun to emerge even before the cameras were turned on.
A few days earlier, on January 13, we were preparing to leave the Minamoto mansion and retrieve the relic.
Just two days before, we had celebrated Eleonor's birthday. For a few hours, we had been able to share something as simple as flowers, a cake, and a quiet conversation. Now we were about to retrieve another of the relics I needed to gather, and I hoped it would help us discover more about our past.
There were two hours left before our departure. I had just left my room, and after so many preparations and authorizations, I could hardly keep still, knowing we would finally be going to the place where Haruki had secured it.
I found Sophie in the corridor, checking her communicator.
"Is everything ready?" I asked.
She looked up.
"Haruki is finishing his review of the authorizations. If nothing changes, we'll leave as scheduled."
"Do we know how long the journey will take?"
"He'll tell us when we meet."
She put the device away and began walking with me.
Near the meeting room, we found Eleonor and Irina. They were speaking quietly, but stopped when one of Haruki's assistants approached.
"Mr. Haruki has asked you to come in. He has just received a call from Ms. Ciara."
Eleonor glanced toward the door.
"Has something happened?"
"He hasn't told me."
We went inside without asking any more questions.
Haruki stood beside the table. The departure records were still open on one of the screens. When he saw us, he stopped reviewing them and motioned for us to come closer.
"Ciara needs to speak with us before we leave."
Shortly afterward, her image appeared before us.
"Thank you for answering so quickly," she said.
Her expression was serious. She looked at Haruki, then at those of us gathered around him.
"We've just reached an agreement with the government representatives. The guardian families will make a joint public presentation."
Sophie stood still beside the table.
Haruki rested a hand on the back of a chair.
"Has it been confirmed?"
"Yes. The decision has just been finalized. The broadcast will be worldwide, and the representatives of all five main families will participate."
I looked at Eleonor. She was still watching the screen.
Since the attacks, footage of the battles had circulated everywhere. The governments could not keep discussing those events without explaining who had intervened and where those forces had come from.
"We need to coordinate our statements and agree on what information we will reveal," Ciara continued. "Preparations will begin immediately. Haruki, I need you to be there."
He glanced briefly at the departure records.
"We're scheduled to leave in two hours to retrieve the relic."
"I know. That's why I wanted to contact you before you left the mansion."
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Haruki stepped away from the chair.
"Can't we leave as planned and join the call afterward?"
"I need you available during the preparations. We must review the documents that will be made public, each family's explanations, and the terms of our cooperation with the governments. We cannot give contradictory accounts during that presentation."
Ciara then turned her attention to Irina.
"Irina, I know you're still recovering from what you went through in Anadyr, but you are the one leading the Sevianko family. Natasha is not yet ready to take on this responsibility. I'm asking you to join us for the presentation and represent the family."
Irina remained silent for a few seconds before nodding.
"Understood, Ms. Ciara. I'll be there."
I lowered my gaze to my bracelet.
Until a few minutes earlier, all I had been thinking about was reaching the facility and retrieving the relic. Now, a decision made far from that mansion had interrupted our journey before it could begin.
"How long will we have to wait?" I asked.
Haruki examined the information in front of him again.
"We'll reschedule our departure for a week from now."
I raised my head.
"A week?"
"Yes. Over the next few days, we'll need to handle the presentation and the coordination that follows. We also have to adjust the transport arrangements and reconfirm the authorizations for the new date."
Eleonor spoke up.
"Will the relic stay in the same place?"
"Yes. It will remain under guard."
"And the protective measures?" Sophie asked.
"They'll remain in place. The postponement does not change the access procedures."
I nodded, though I could not help feeling frustrated. We had waited for everything to be ready, and now we would have to let another seven days pass.
Ciara looked at me from the screen.
"Noah, I understand that you want to move forward. But we also have to address what is happening outside our facilities. Some cities are still recovering from the attacks, and millions of people do not understand what they faced."
"I know," I replied.
I stared at the bracelet for a few seconds before adding:
"I just hoped we could make some progress with this today."
Haruki nodded.
"So did I. But the relic is protected. We can afford to wait this week."
Irina moved a little closer to the table.
"How much of what we know are we going to explain?"
Ciara took a moment to answer.
"We'll speak about the families, magic, the Kartnod, and the events that brought us to this situation. We must also explain that there are groups that have worked to free them. People need to understand the history behind what happened."
Eleonor folded her arms.
"That will affect those who still operate by taking advantage of the fact that no one knows they exist."
"We hope so," Ciara replied. "But we must be careful. Revealing that those groups exist does not mean we know all their members."
Haruki returned to the table and closed the record he had been reviewing.
"I'll prepare for our participation."
"I'll send you the agreed information as soon as we finish organizing it," Ciara said. "And one thing must be clear: everything concerning Noah and the true purpose of the relics will remain confidential."
We all nodded.
The conversation continued for a few more minutes. Ciara explained how their statements would be coordinated and what information each representative needed to review. Irina noted what she had to prepare, while Haruki asked about a few details concerning his family's documents.
When the call ended, we remained around the table.
Haruki summoned the man in charge of the preparations.
He arrived shortly afterward, holding a tablet.
"Would you like to review the departure arrangements, sir?"
"We're postponing the departure. Inform the staff that we won't be leaving today."
The man looked at the record.
"The units are already ready."
"Have the equipment returned to secure storage and keep the transport available for the new date. We'll leave in a week."
"Understood. Should I also notify those in charge of access?"
"Yes. I'll coordinate the changes to the authorizations with them."
The man acknowledged the instructions and left.
Sophie checked her communicator.
"I'll inform the people who were preparing our things."
Irina remained beside Haruki.
"I'll need to consult the Sevianko fleet reports before the presentation."
"You'll have a room available and access to whatever connection you need," he replied.
Eleonor touched my arm gently.
"Come on. They have work to do."
I followed her into the corridor.
At the far end, two staff members were returning with some of the equipment they had prepared for the departure. One stopped to listen to instructions over his communicator, then motioned for his companion to follow him back to the storage room.
Everything had begun to come to a halt with a speed that felt strange to me.
"You didn't like the change," Eleonor said.
"Is it that obvious?"
"A little."
I kept walking beside her.
"I understand why we have to do it. But every time it seems we're about to retrieve one of the relics, something happens."
Eleonor was quiet for a moment.
"Haruki confirmed that it's safe. For now, that's what we know."
I nodded.
As we reached the corner of the corridor, Sophie caught up with us.
"Everyone has been informed."
"So we have a week," I said.
"And plenty of information left to review," she replied. "I don't think we'll run out of things to do."
I looked back toward the meeting room one last time. Haruki and Irina were still inside, focused on preparing for a presentation that would change how the world saw them.
Our departure would have to wait.
In the operations area, the postponement instructions began reaching the different stations.
The man working for Masumoto received the update along with the rest of the day's orders. The transport was being removed from the immediate schedule, and personnel assignments needed to be adjusted.
He read the new date.
One week.
He checked the record again before acknowledging receipt of the order. No destination was listed, and no details about the facility had been added. It stated only that the departure had been postponed on Haruki's orders.
He continued working.
He received the returning equipment, checked the deliveries, and left the necessary inspections pending until the rescheduled departure. When he had an opportunity to step away without attracting attention, he contacted Masumoto.
The response came shortly afterward.
"What is it?"
"The departure has been postponed."
Masumoto fell silent.
"Until when?"
"A week from now. They've just informed all assigned personnel."
"Do you know why?"
"The order doesn't say. Haruki made the decision after receiving a call."
"Has the destination changed?"
"I don't have access to that information. For now, they've only changed the date."
Masumoto looked toward the men waiting with him. They had arrived in Japan to act as soon as Haruki's movements allowed them to locate the relic.
Now they would have to remain there longer than expected.
"Confirm any further changes," he ordered. "Especially if they change the transport or the escort."
"Understood."
The call ended.
Masumoto reviewed the update and contacted Valerius. When his image appeared, Markus was beside him.
"There's been a change," Masumoto reported. "Haruki won't be leaving the mansion today. The departure has been postponed by a week."
Markus turned to Valerius.
"Our men are already prepared."
"I know," he replied.
Then he looked at Masumoto.
"Is there any sign that they suspect something?"
"My contact hasn't reported any changes in surveillance or any investigation. He only received the postponement order."
Valerius remained thoughtful.
"Then hold your positions."
"We'll have to revise our arrangements to wait another week," Masumoto said.
"Do it. We still need Haruki to lead us to the relic."
Markus moved closer to the screen.
"I'll coordinate what's needed for the team to remain there."
Masumoto nodded.
"I'll report back when I have more information."
Valerius stopped him before he could end the call.
"Find out what caused the change."
"I'll try."
The image disappeared.
At the Minamoto mansion, Haruki had already received the first documents from Ciara. Beside him, Irina reviewed the information they would need for the presentation while the staff prepared the equipment for the connection.
Among those files was an account of the attempts to free the Kartnod and the groups that had taken part in them.
Haruki opened the document and began to read.
At that same time, Masumoto was reorganizing his men to wait another week. The information he had sent Valerius mentioned only a postponed departure.
They still did not know what had forced Haruki to remain at the mansion.