The papers in the drawer had increased. Kenji had confirmed it before sleeping last night—or rather, it would be more accurate to say he hadn't slept at all. Gaius's words, the tension in the council chamber, his own back reflected in the foresword's vision. They passed through his mind in sequence, and consciousness finally faded only when morning light began streaming through the window. The fortress dining hall "Sumigarama" was filled with morning aromas. The smell of forest mushroom stew simmering and the savory fragrance of baked black bread mingled together, soaking into the stone walls. The sound of Head Chef Hana stirring a large pot continued in steady rhythm. Kenji settled into a corner seat, cradling the soup bowl in both hands. It was warm. Just that was enough to push some of the clutter in his head to the edges. "Kenji-san!!" A water-colored head burst into his field of vision. Lina sat down beside him with a tray, her expression as if nothing had happened. Her golde