Ryuken announced the third rest day at the beginning of week eight. He delivered the news with his usual brutal efficiency at the start of breakfast—no ceremony, no lengthy explanation.
And then, he actually stayed at the table.
This was entirely different.
On the first two rest days, the old master had completely vanished before anyone else even finished half their bowl. This time, he calmly reached out and poured himself a second cup of tea. It was a microscopic, mundane action, but it landed with the heavy, specific weight of a tactical shift. Inside this suffocating compound, every single one of Ryuken's movements carried vital information.
Kaito stared blankly at the steaming tea. Ashe slowly turned her head and looked at Kaito. Vane watched Ryuken lift the ceramic cup with the hyper-focused attention he reserved for things that possessed absolutely no established precedent.
Lancelot just kept eating.
