Leo sat up slowly as morning light streamed through the window. The estate was quiet. No footsteps in the hallway. No voices carrying through the walls. Most delegates were probably still recovering from last night's dinner or preparing for the remaining days of celebration.
But Leo had something more pressing.
No more delaying. No more pushing it aside. He had promised himself he would deal with this today, and he would.
The talk.
The challenge. The stakes. Everything Iori had laid out at the mountain overlook felt both distant and immediate. It was as if it had happened to someone else, yet it was also the only thing that mattered. The cold stone. The fading stars. Her voice steady despite the weight of what she was saying.
He washed, dressed, and settled into the chair by the window. Somewhere private. Somewhere he could think clearly. The morning sun warmed the armrest. Outside, the garden stretched quiet and still.
He took a breath.
"Axiom."
