Umma reached the palace sooner than expected.
Her massive legs slowed, folding carefully as she stopped. Snow scattered beneath her talons. The great gates stood open, welcoming her arrival in silent obedience, as if the palace itself had sensed who was coming.
Toki slid down from her back.
"Wait here," he murmured, brushing her feathers.
Umma lowered her head slightly in response, her warm breath fogging the air.
He turned away before she could nuzzle him again.
Because if he stayed any longer, he might not have had the strength to leave.
The palace corridors were empty.
No guards stood at attention.
No servants hurried past.
Only echoes followed him.
Each step rang too loudly against polished stone.
Toki walked slowly, hands buried in his coat, eyes fixed forward.
Every door he passed made something inside him twist.
Turn back.
The thought whispered in his mind again and again.
What was the point?
What was the point of discussing snow festivals and merchant permits when tomorrow would be soaked in blood?
When tomorrow would tear everything apart?
He stopped briefly before a tall window.
Outside, the city glowed softly beneath layers of snow. Lanterns flickered. Smoke rose from chimneys.
A peaceful night.
He clenched his jaw.
You don't belong to that peace anymore.
He resumed walking.
He had long since accepted something most people never had to face.
That sacrifice was not a single act.
It was a cycle.
A repetition.
You gave something of yourself.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until there was barely anything left to give.
As the one who carried fragments of shattered worlds, Toki understood that truth better than anyone.
He could not place that burden on others.
Even if—
Even if, right now, more than anything else in existence, he wanted someone to share it.
The final door stood before him.
Large.
Heavy.
Carved with symbols of authority and history.
His hand hovered over the handle.
For a moment, he considered turning away.
Running.
Hiding in the manor.
Reading to the children.
Listening to Yuki complain.
Watching Utsuki study.
Pretending.
But he pushed the door open.
The meeting hall revealed itself in solemn silence.
A long table stretched across the room.
At its head sat King Mathias.
Calm.
Straight-backed.
Eyes sharp beneath silver hair.
To his right sat Bernard and Harold.
To his left, Smith and Lorelay.
One seat was empty.
Roland's.
That absence stood out more than any presence.
Strange.
The meeting had been summoned by the king himself.
Toki stepped inside.
All eyes turned to him.
Smith looked first.
Held his gaze for half a second.
Then lowered his head.
Toki felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
His cheek seemed to burn again with phantom pain.
The memory of that slap still lingered.
Lorelay noticed immediately.
She glanced between them, sensing the tension like static in the air.
Toki forced himself to breathe.
Focus.
He turned to the king and bowed slightly.
"Thank you for waiting, Your Majesty. I apologize for being late… again."
Mathias studied him for a long moment.
Then waved a hand gently.
"Sit, Toki."
No scolding.
No sarcasm.
Just quiet acceptance.
That somehow hurt more.
He took his seat.
Silence followed.
An uncomfortable one.
Mathias was used to Toki breaking it.
With arguments.
With suggestions.
With reckless ideas.
But tonight—
Toki said nothing.
He stared at the table.
Bernard shifted uneasily.
Harold folded and unfolded his hands.
Smith refused to look up.
Everyone felt it.
Something was wrong.
Finally, Mathias cleared his throat and spoke in a lighter tone than he felt.
"It seems we should keep this meeting short. We all look exhausted."
Toki nodded faintly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The king leaned forward.
"In two days, the Snow Festival begins. Merchants will arrive tomorrow to prepare their stalls. At the same time, we have the first selection for young knights."
He paused.
"We must decide patrol assignments."
Toki raised his hand slowly.
"I volunteer. The Fourth Division will supervise the examination."
Mathias blinked.
"You're sure? Patrol duty in the market would be easier. You seem… tired."
Toki met his gaze.
"I registered Kandaki. I haven't been by his side lately. This is the least I can do."
Silence.
Then the king nodded.
"Very well."
He turned.
"Bernard, Harold, Roland—you'll patrol the marketplace."
Bernard and Harold nodded.
"I'll inform Roland when I find him," Bernard added.
Again, silence.
Mathias glanced at Lorelay pointedly.
She sighed internally and smiled.
"Well," she said lightly, "since we're done with business… Have you prepared gifts for your ladies? Tomorrow the merchants from all five kingdoms will arrive."
Bernard forced a smile.
"As long as I can't bring her the sun, Elizabeth will complain. But I'll try to find something acceptable."
Harold chuckled softly.
"I'm thinking of chocolates. Melissa may be a tyrant, but she has a weakness for sweets."
They laughed weakly.
Then—
All eyes turned to Toki.
He didn't respond.
Lorelay tilted her head.
"Toki?"
She repeated softly.
"What will you give Utsuki? And the girls? Those little gremlins surely have high expectations."
Toki stared at his hands.
Then answered quietly.
"I wish I could give them tomorrow."
Everyone froze.
"But," he continued, "I still have too much to do before then."
He stood.
"I apologize. I should leave."
Mathias looked at him.
"…Thank you for coming."
Toki bowed and turned away.
Smith looked up.
Opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then raised his hand weakly.
"Toki—"
Nothing came out.
Bernard bit his lip so hard that blood welled.
Harold stared at the table.
The king massaged his temple slowly.
Trying to understand.
Trying—and failing—to grasp what was happening to his strongest knight.
Outside, the courtyard was quiet.
Umma waited patiently.
Snow gathered on her wings.
Toki walked toward her—
And nearly collided with someone.
Reginald.
He passed by without slowing.
Toki spoke without looking.
"Your big brother is looking for you."
Reginald stopped.
Normally, he would have ignored it.
But something in Toki's voice made him turn.
"Aren't you going to ask where I've been?"
Toki finally glanced at him.
His eyes were empty.
"I don't care."
Reginald stiffened.
Toki's voice was flat.
Every word deliberate.
Final.
Reginald scoffed.
"Watch where you're going."
Then walked away.
Without looking back.
Toki placed his hand on Umma's saddle.
Then—
He felt it.
Pressure.
Like invisible chains snapping into place around his body.
His muscles froze.
His breath caught.
He could not move.
A familiar, overwhelming presence descended upon him.
"Stay."
Mathias' voice echoed across the courtyard.
Toki's heart sank.
The Division of the Emperor.
Absolute command.
He stood rigid, unable to resist.
The king approached slowly.
His footsteps were calm.
Measured.
He stopped in front of Toki.
Looked up at him.
"Toki," Mathias said quietly.
"Let's talk."
The night held its breath.
And Toki knew—
This conversation could not be avoided.
They walked slowly across the training grounds.
Side by side.
Two figures drifting through the falling snow like restless spirits.
No guards followed.
No servants watched.
Only their footprints remained behind them, pressed gently into the white surface—fragile proof that they had passed through this place at all.
The palace walls loomed in the distance, silent and distant.
Here, in the open field, everything felt smaller.
More honest.
Mathias folded his hands behind his back as he walked.
For a long time, he said nothing.
Neither did Toki.
The wind whispered through empty weapon racks.
Banners stirred lazily.
Life continued.
As if tomorrow did not threaten to shatter it.
Finally, the king spoke.
"I can see it," Mathias said quietly.
Toki glanced at him.
"The weight you're carrying."
He stopped walking.
Turned to face Toki.
"I will not interfere," the king continued. "I won't pry. I won't command. All I will do is offer advice."
A faint smile touched his lips.
"That is all I'm allowed to give… after everything you've done for this kingdom."
Toki lowered his gaze.
Snow gathered silently in his hair.
"Your Majesty," he murmured.
Then, after a pause:
"If you knew… that you had to abandon who you are… to save the people you love…"
His fingers tightened slowly.
"Would you do it?"
Mathias did not answer immediately.
He resumed walking.
Toki followed.
They moved again like drifting shadows.
"I was younger than you," Mathias began at last.
"Much younger. Much more foolish."
He looked up at the darkening sky.
"When I met my wife… I was not a king yet."
A soft breath escaped him.
"I had five brothers."
Toki's steps faltered slightly.
"All of them wanted the throne," Mathias continued calmly. "All of them were stronger than me. Smarter than me. Better loved."
His voice remained steady.
"I knew that if any of them succeeded… she would never be safe."
Toki felt a chill that had nothing to do with winter.
"So," Mathias said, "I killed them."
Silence crashed between them.
Five.
Five brothers.
Executed.
Erased.
"For her," the king added quietly. "I told myself it was necessary. I told myself it was love."
He laughed once—dry, hollow.
"When she found out… she slapped me."
Toki blinked.
Mathias smiled faintly at the memory.
"Hard," he said. "Across the face. In front of half the court."
He shook his head.
"And then she told me…"
His voice softened.
'"I would rather live a dangerous life with the real you… than watch you become a murderer for me."'
Toki felt his chest tighten.
"She was furious," Mathias went on. "She cried. She screamed. She didn't speak to me for weeks."
He paused.
"But… in time… she forgave me."
They stopped walking.
The king turned to him.
"The Dragon King sensed the darkness inside me," Mathias said. "He forged a pact with her. Not with me."
Toki's eyes widened slightly.
"The strongest guardian this kingdom ever had," Mathias whispered. "Bound not to the crown… but to her heart."
Snow drifted between them.
"When she died," he continued, "he retreated. Locked himself in the chamber behind the throne."
His shoulders slumped.
"He has never come out since."
Toki swallowed.
"The kingdom lost its greatest weapon," Mathias said softly. "Because of my choices."
He resumed walking.
"In life," the king said, "you will always sacrifice something to protect something else."
He glanced at Toki.
"But that does not mean you must sacrifice yourself."
He stopped again.
"The means do not justify the end."
Toki clenched his fists.
"But what if there is no other way?!" he asked suddenly.
His voice cracked.
"What if every path leads to ruin?! What if every option costs lives?!"
Mathias faced him fully now.
"There is always another way," he said firmly.
"Always."
Toki shook his head.
"You don't understand—"
"I do," Mathias interrupted gently.
"I understand better than you think."
He stepped closer.
"You must change how you see the problem."
He tapped his temple lightly.
"When you find no solution… return to the beginning."
"Look again."
"Ask yourself what you missed."
Toki's breathing grew uneven.
"We give children pencils," Mathias continued, "because they are allowed to erase."
"They are allowed to be wrong."
"They are allowed to try again."
His gaze hardened.
"But adults write with ink."
"Because not every mistake can be fixed."
He gestured toward the palace.
"We get very few chances."
"And that is tragic."
The wind picked up.
"But," Mathias added slowly, "I do not envy those who can fix everything."
Toki frowned.
"To face every disaster… with the heart of a child… over and over…"
He shook his head.
"That would be unbearable."
A tired smile touched his lips.
"I once wanted to be a king who could do everything alone."
He chuckled softly.
"Now I am just an old man who approves council documents."
Then he placed his hand on Toki's shoulder.
Warm.
Heavy.
Sincere.
"But I am grateful," Mathias said.
"For people like you."
Toki looked up.
"Because you remind me how small I am."
"And because of that… I find the courage to ask for help."
His hand tightened briefly.
"Thank you."
He stepped back.
"That was a pleasant conversation."
A pause.
"But I won't keep you."
"It's almost dinner."
"I believe you are already missed."
Toki stood silently.
Snow clung to his lashes.
To his coat.
To his thoughts.
Finally, he turned and walked toward Umma.
He mounted her slowly.
Before leaving, he looked back.
"Thank you for the advice," Toki said.
"But… I don't know if I'm brave enough… to ask for help."
Umma spread her legs.
Power surged beneath him.
She launched forward.
Through the gates.
Into the night.
Mathias remained alone.
He raised his hand and waved.
A small, lonely gesture.
"May you reach the inkwell quickly, Toki…"
He whispered.
Before your words become permanent.