Leo woke to movement in the hallways before dawn. Servants rushed about, guards coordinated, and the whole compound buzzed with activity. Today the Jubilee began.
He dressed in simple clothes and went downstairs. The common areas already hummed with purpose. Staff carried First House decorations, checked travel plans, and confirmed security details.
The delegates gathered for breakfast. The meal stayed quiet. Even Akane's usual energy felt dialed back by the weight of anticipation.
"Nervous?" Daichi asked Leo quietly.
"Should I be?"
"You'll be presented as part of our delegation. That will mean scrutiny from every faction." Daichi sipped his tea. "Just remember, you represent the First House now. Conduct yourself accordingly."
"No pressure."
"Exactly." Daichi's lips twitched in what might have been a smile.
After breakfast, the group split up to prepare.
As Leo crossed the courtyard toward his room, he noticed something strange. Three servants he had never seen before wore estate colors, but their faces were unfamiliar. They moved with sharp precision, more like soldiers than household staff. One caught him staring. His eyes were cold.
Leo brushed it off. He was the new guy. Maybe he was overthinking it.
He did not notice the figure watching him from a second-floor window, or the quick hand signal given to someone below.
---
Mid-morning, a knock sounded on his door.
"Master Leo? Lady Iori requests your presence in the courtyard."
He found her there alone, running through forms with her katanas. She moved with her usual precision, but her posture looked tighter than normal.
She noticed him and stopped. "Leo."
"You wanted to see me?"
"I did." She sheathed her blades and turned to face him fully. "Once the Jubilee begins, we'll be surrounded by politics and pageantry. So I wanted to speak with you before all that."
"Alright, what's up?"
Iori stayed quiet for a moment, choosing her words.
"You'll be presented as traveling with our delegation. Some will be curious about you, a human among Oni. Others will see you as a weakness, a sign that we're desperate enough to pad our numbers with outsiders."
"That's not very encouraging."
"I'm being realistic." Her expression stayed serious. "There will be nobles who look down on you, or those who want to test you."
She paused. Something dark crossed her face. "And others... with worse intentions. I've heard whispers. Threats that concern me."
"What kind of threats?"
"Not something for you to worry." She met his eyes with sharp intensity. "Stay close to our group today. Don't wander off. Please."
The quiet plea at the end felt so unlike her usual commands. It sent a chill down Leo's spine.
"Iori, what's going on? I mean just earli—"
"It's not something I can tell you unfortunately." She glanced toward the city. "Just... be careful. Trust your instincts. And if something happens—"
"What do you mean, if something happens?"
"...Nothing." She turned back, composure sliding into place again. "I'm being paranoid. Don't worry about it."
But Leo did not believe her.
"Hold your head up," she continued, voice firm once more. "Don't let anyone make you feel lesser. You've earned your place here. Remember that."
Something in her tone made Leo step closer. "Are you worried about me?"
"I'm protective," she said quietly. "Of those under my House's banner. That includes you now."
"Just protective?"
Iori's gaze sharpened. For a moment the almost-kiss from the other night hung between them.
"Don't push, Leo," she said. "Not today."
He backed off. "Understood."
She relaxed a fraction. "Good. Now go and get ready. We leave in a few hours."
Leo turned to leave, then stopped. "Iori?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you, really, for believing in me."
She did not answer right away. When she did, her voice came softer. "You're welcome. Just... keep yourself safe."
---
The afternoon brought more activity.
Akane found him in the garden, practically vibrating despite the morning tension.
"Leo! Look!" She twirled, showing off her formal attire, a crimson and gold outfit that marked her as Second House nobility. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"It suits you," Leo said honestly, smiling.
"Yours will too! I saw it earlier. Very handsome." She grinned. "You'll have all the noble ladies staring."
"That's not really my goal."
"Maybe not, but it'll happen anyway." She sat on a nearby bench and patted the space beside her. "Can I ask you something?"
Leo sat. "Go ahead."
"What's it like? Being the only human in our group?"
He thought about it. "I haven't really thought about it but... not as bad as one would expect."
"Because of Lady Iori?"
"She's part of it, yes."
Akane studied him with surprising sharpness. "You like her. I mean really like her."
Leo did not deny it. "Is it that obvious?"
"To me, yes. To her?" Akane shrugged. "Maybe. She's hard to read, but I've seen how she looks at you when you're not paying attention."
"How does she look at me?"
"Like she's trying to figure out a puzzle." Akane smiled. "It's interesting. Lady Iori doesn't usually let people get to her."
Before Leo could reply, Akane's face grew more serious. "Be careful at the Jubilee. Not everyone will be as welcoming as our group. Some people... they don't like change. And you represent change."
"I've been hearing that a lot today. Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good." Her brightness returned, though it looked a little forced. "Now come on! I want to show you the sweets I bought yesterday—"
---
Daichi found him later in the estate's small library.
"Reading?" the tall Oni asked, settling into a chair across from Leo.
"Trying to." Leo closed the book on mana theory. "Hard to focus."
"Nervous?"
"More like... awareness that everything's about to shift."
Daichi nodded slowly. "Big events like the Jubilee have that effect. Paths cross, alliances form, conflicts ignite."
He paused. "You're walking into a complex game, Leo. Politics between races, old grudges hiding behind diplomatic masks."
"Any advice?"
"Watch more than you speak. Listen for what's not being said. And remember, everyone has an agenda."
"Including you?"
Daichi's expression stayed even. "Including me. My House has interests, same as any other. But the difference is I don't wish you harm. That's more than most will offer."
"I appreciate the honesty."
Daichi stood and moved toward the door. Then he paused, hand on the frame. "One more thing."
"Yes?"
He looked back, face grave. "If explosions start, or panic erupts, or people start screaming... Don't be a hero. Protect yourself first. The Jubilee may not go as planned."
Leo's blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"
But Daichi had already left.
---
Evening came, and with it, time to dress.
Leo returned to his room and opened the box. The crimson and black fabric seemed to drink in the fading light.
He dressed carefully, adjusting every piece. When he finished, he stood in front of the mirror.
The man looking back belonged here now.
A knock sounded.
"Master Leo? It's time."
He took a deep breath, checked his reflection once more, and stepped out.
---
The delegates gathered in the estate's main hall.
Leo walked in and his breath caught.
Iori stood at the center in ceremonial robes of crimson and black silk that flowed like liquid shadow. Her white hair was arranged in an elaborate style with shining ornaments. The red markings on her pale skin stood out clearly. At six-foot-six, she commanded the entire room.
The robes highlighted every curve: narrow waist, full hips, and the structured top that accentuated her breasts. Regal. Dangerous. Beautiful.
Her eyes met Leo's across the room. Something passed between them, acknowledgment and a hidden thread of worry.
Then she looked away and addressed the group.
"We leave shortly. Remember your training, your dignity, and what you represent." Her gaze swept over them. "Am I understood?"
"Yes, Lady Iori," they replied together.
Even Takeshi straightened.
Ornate carriages waited outside, flanked by guards in formal armor. The whole procession projected strength.
They departed as the sun touched the horizon, bathing the city in orange and gold.
---
The journey took them through districts dressed for the Jubilee. Banners hung from every building. Stages filled plazas. Vendor stalls sold festival food and souvenirs. Thousands of people flowed toward one destination.
The Grand Arena.
It rose like a monument, a massive stone coliseum that could hold tens of thousands. Lights blazed inside. Other delegations arrived at the same time: elves with flowing banners, dwarves in polished armor, beastkin in tribal colors.
Security felt heavier than it should. Guards wore combat armor under their dress uniforms. Mages watched rooftops. Checkpoints searched people thoroughly.
"Is it always like this?" Leo asked Iori quietly.
"No," she said, eyes scanning the crowd. "This is different."
Their group entered through a VIP entrance. Whispers followed them. Eyes tracked Leo especially, a human among Oni.
Inside, the arena took his breath away. Tiered seats rose high, already packed. The central floor stood ready for performances. A shimmering energy dome covered everything overhead.
Attendants led them to front-row seats, a position of honor that put them on full display.
As they sat, Leo glanced up toward the academy section. He saw her.
Polished black hair. Hazel eyes locked on him.
Her face was pale and strained. No playful smile. Just raw terror.
She stood suddenly, pushing through her row, lips moving.
Run.
Leo shot to his feet. "Iori—"
The explosion ripped through the western stands.
Not fireworks. Real fire and destruction.
Stone shattered. Bodies flew. The shockwave slammed across the arena.
For one frozen second, fifty thousand people stayed silent.
Then chaos exploded.
Screams. Stampeding crowds. People trampling anyone who fell.
More blasts tore through different sections, spreading panic.
Leo searched desperately for the elf. She had vanished into the surging mass.
"MOVE!" Iori grabbed his arm with bruising strength and yanked him back. "Stay together! NOW!"
Akane looked pale but focused. Daichi had somehow drawn a blade. Takeshi and Yuki moved to protect the group's sides.
Another explosion rocked closer.
Through the smoke and fire, Leo saw them.
Figures in dark cloaks moved against the panicked crowd, weapons drawn, heading straight for the delegation sections.
"They're coming for us," Leo said.
Iori's eyes hardened. She stepped forward, aura flaring into solid blades around her hands.
"I know."
"Behind me," she commanded. "All of you, now."
Leo called his swords from the beads. Defiance and Resolve settled into his grip.
The cloaked figures kept coming.
Iori's aura surged, massive and terrifying.
The nightmare had begun.