Chapter 67 – The King's Return
The doors closed behind them.
Brook stood in the middle of Xcution's headquarters, staring at the room he'd once known so well.
Nothing had really changed.
The same table.
The same chairs.
The same old marks on the walls.
But everything felt smaller now.
Or maybe he had simply changed.
Henry dropped his bag onto the floor.
"I'm home."
Sera smiled.
"You're finally admitting this place is home?"
Henry looked around.
"I never said I liked it."
Kael laughed.
Brook smiled.
For the first time since returning, he felt his shoulders loosen.
Then Rick spoke.
"Don't get comfortable."
Everyone looked at him.
Rick stood near the doorway with Shoyo beside him.
Henry frowned.
"Why?"
Rick looked toward the window.
"Because word travels quickly in Shinokuni-01."
Brook's smile faded.
"What word?"
Rick looked at him.
"You're back."
Brook sighed.
"That doesn't sound like a problem."
Rick's expression remained serious.
"It depends on who hears it."
A few streets away, inside the royal district, a young guard rushed through the palace doors.
He nearly collided with one of the royal attendants.
"Your Majesty."
King Aldric looked up from the documents on his desk.
The guard dropped to one knee.
"Xcution has returned."
Aldric became completely still.
"Who?"
"Xcution."
The King slowly stood.
"Henry?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Aldric's expression softened for the first time.
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
Aldric exhaled.
"Good."
The guard hesitated.
"There is more."
Aldric looked at him.
"What?"
The guard swallowed.
"Brook returned with them."
Silence.
Aldric's expression changed.
"Brook?"
"Yes."
"How many Sources?"
The guard looked down.
"Three."
Aldric slowly walked toward the window.
He stared across the capital.
Three.
He had heard the rumors.
He had dismissed some.
Questioned others.
But now the boy was standing inside his kingdom.
Aldric turned.
"Send word to Henry."
The guard nodded.
"Tell him I want to see him."
The guard hesitated.
"And Brook?"
Aldric looked toward the door.
"Not yet."
Back at Xcution's headquarters, Henry was eating.
Kael watched him.
"You always eat this much?"
Henry looked at him.
"You'll learn."
Kael smiled.
Sera threw a piece of bread at Henry.
"Leave some for everyone."
"I've been traveling for weeks."
"So have we."
"I'm bigger."
Brook laughed.
"That's your excuse?"
"It's a good one."
For several minutes, the room was filled with laughter.
Brook sat quietly, watching.
Then he realized something.
He had missed this.
Not the building.
Not Shinokuni-01.
Them.
He looked around.
Xcution.
His family.
His expression softened.
Then a knock came.
The laughter stopped.
Crowley stood.
He opened the door.
A royal messenger stood outside.
"Henry."
Henry stood.
"What?"
"The King requests your presence."
Henry's face changed.
"Now?"
The messenger nodded.
"Immediately."
Henry looked at Brook.
Then Crowley.
Crowley gave him a small nod.
"Go."
Henry grabbed his coat.
Kael looked confused.
"Who's the King?"
Henry sighed.
"My father."
Kael's eyes widened.
"Your father is the King?"
Henry looked at him.
"Unfortunately."
Brook laughed.
Henry pointed at him.
"Don't."
Brook smiled.
"Sorry."
Henry left.
The palace was exactly as Henry remembered it.
Massive halls.
Stone pillars.
Royal guards.
Paintings of former rulers.
Henry walked through the corridors slowly.
He hadn't been here in months.
But every step brought something back.
His childhood.
Training.
Arguments.
His father's expectations.
The feeling of always being watched.
He reached the throne room.
The doors opened.
King Aldric stood near the large windows.
Henry stopped.
Aldric turned.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Aldric walked toward him.
Henry expected questions.
Anger.
A lecture.
Instead, Aldric pulled him into an embrace.
Henry froze.
His father rarely did that.
Aldric held him tightly.
"You came back."
Henry swallowed.
"Yeah."
Aldric stepped back.
He looked at his son.
"You look thinner."
Henry laughed.
"That's what you say?"
"You look terrible."
"That's better."
Aldric smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
"I was worried."
Henry looked away.
"I'm sorry."
Aldric shook his head.
"Don't apologize."
He placed a hand on Henry's shoulder.
"You're home."
Henry nodded.
For a moment, the King wasn't a King.
He was simply a father.
Then Aldric stepped back.
"What happened outside?"
Henry's expression changed.
"A lot."
"I've heard reports."
"Reports aren't the same."
"No."
Aldric looked toward the window.
"They rarely are."
Henry hesitated.
"You heard about Brook?"
Aldric nodded.
"Three Sources."
Henry looked at him.
"Yeah."
"Is it true?"
"Yes."
Aldric's expression hardened.
"Does he control them?"
Henry thought about it.
"Not completely."
"Which ones?"
"Michael. Lucifer. Death."
Aldric went silent.
Henry noticed.
"What?"
Aldric looked at him.
"Nothing."
Henry frowned.
"You're doing that thing."
"What thing?"
"Where you know something and pretend you don't."
Aldric smiled faintly.
"You're more like your mother than you realize."
Henry's expression softened.
Then Aldric looked toward the doors.
"Bring Brook to me."
Henry frowned.
"Why?"
"I need to speak with him."
"About what?"
Aldric's eyes became serious.
"Something I haven't spoken about in years."
Henry stared.
"What?"
Aldric didn't answer.
Back at Xcution headquarters, Brook sat alone outside.
He looked at the city.
People moved through the streets.
Children played.
Merchants shouted.
The world seemed normal.
Yet Brook knew better.
He could feel something underneath it.
Something old.
Something watching.
His hand began to glow.
White.
Brook immediately closed his fist.
The light disappeared.
He took a breath.
"Control."
A voice answered inside his mind.
Good.
Brook froze.
Michael.
Brook closed his eyes.
"You don't usually talk first."
You are beginning to understand.
Brook frowned.
"Understand what?"
Restraint.
Brook looked down.
"I didn't use you."
You did.
Brook opened his eyes.
"What?"
Control is not refusing to use power.
Michael's voice was calm.
It is choosing when to use it.
Brook remained silent.
Michael continued.
You will face the first test soon.
Brook's heart tightened.
"How soon?"
No answer.
Brook opened his eyes.
Rick was standing behind him.
"You talking to yourself?"
Brook looked over.
"No."
Rick smiled.
"Good."
Brook stared at him.
"You knew?"
"Knew what?"
"About Michael."
Rick sat beside him.
"I know that you're beginning to hear him."
Brook looked away.
"Everyone knows everything."
Rick laughed.
"Not everything."
Brook looked at him.
"What do you know?"
Rick's smile faded.
"I know enough to be worried."
Brook sighed.
"That's not helpful."
"No."
Rick looked toward the palace.
"But it is honest."
Brook followed his gaze.
"What happens now?"
Rick looked at him.
"Now?"
He smiled.
"You go home."
Brook frowned.
"I am home."
Rick shook his head.
"No."
He pointed toward the royal district.
"That's home."
Brook stared at the palace.
"Why?"
Rick's expression became serious.
"Because King Aldric has been waiting for your return."
Brook's face changed.
"Why would the King care about me?"
Rick didn't answer.
Brook stood.
"Rick."
Rick looked up.
"Yeah?"
"Why does everyone keep looking at me like I'm something they remember?"
Rick stared at him.
Then quietly said:
"Because some people do."
Brook's chest tightened.
Before he could ask anything else, the headquarters doors opened.
Henry stood there.
He looked at Brook.
"My father wants to see you."
Brook stared.
"King Aldric?"
Henry nodded.
Brook looked toward the palace.
For the first time since returning to Shinokuni-01…
he felt genuinely nervous.
Not because Aldric was a King.
Because Aldric was Henry's father.
And apparently…
he knew something about Brook.
Something important.
Brook stood.
"Okay."
Henry smiled faintly.
"Ready?"
Brook looked at his hands.
Then at his family.
"Yeah."
He started walking.
Behind him, Shoyo watched silently.
Rick noticed her expression.
"What?"
Shoyo shook her head.
"Nothing."
Rick frowned.
"You don't look like nothing."
Shoyo looked toward Brook.
"He has no idea what he's walking into."
Rick sighed.
"Does anyone?"
Shoyo's eyes remained fixed on Brook.
"Not anymore."
End of Chapter 67