The King Who Doesn't Ask
"My second command."
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Even the faint rustle of silk and armor seemed to die halfway through the air, as if the hall itself was holding its breath.
Leon leaned forward slightly.
Golden eyes burning.
"I want all of you…"
A pause.
Slow.
Deliberate.
His fingers tapped once against the armrest of the throne—soft, controlled, but it echoed louder than it should have in the silence.
"…to listen carefully."
The throne hall fell into absolute silence.
Not the kind born from fear—
But the kind that came when people knew something important was about to be said.
Every gaze fixed on him.
Fingers resting near her elbows, Rias hovered by the throne, shoulders loose but not quite soft. A slight tightening around her red gaze gave it away. She turned her chin slightly, watching him without moving anything else. Then came a small release of air - barely more than silence.
