I woke up before sunrise. As soon as I opened my eyes, I remembered the decision I had made the previous night. I could no longer postpone the meeting between the nations. The more time passed, the greater the chance that the Demon King would act before we were prepared.
I got up quietly so as not to wake the women. I opened the bedroom window and watched the sky begin to take on its first orange hues. The morning air was fresh, and the city was still quiet.
After getting ready, I went downstairs to the main hall.
The smell of freshly prepared coffee had already filled the mansion.
Little by little, the women also began to appear.
Elara was the first.
"You woke up early today."
I nodded.
"I have an important meeting with the king."
Scarlett pulled out a chair and sat beside me.
"Are you going to talk about the meeting?"
"Yes."
"We've waited long enough."
Liriel also agreed.
"The sooner the kingdoms align their strategies, the better."
Her assistant took a sip of tea before commenting.
"I imagine gathering so many kings won't be a simple task."
"It won't be."
"But it's necessary."
We finished breakfast while talking about possible matters that could arise during the council.
Lyannis believed that the elves would immediately support any defensive plan.
Rai'kanna was certain that her father would also send reinforcements when necessary.
Vespera remained quieter, simply listening attentively.
Before leaving, I looked at all of them.
"I'll be back before lunch."
Scarlett smiled.
"Good luck."
I left the mansion and walked through the streets of the capital.
The movement was beginning to increase.
Merchants were arranging their stalls.
Blacksmiths were lighting their forges.
Guards were beginning their shift change at the main gates.
It was an ordinary morning for everyone.
But I knew that important decisions would begin to be made that day.
A short while later, I reached the castle.
The guards let me pass as soon as they recognized me.
"Good morning, Lord Takumi."
"Good morning."
I entered through the familiar corridors until I reached the area near the main hall.
One of the employees quickly informed them of my arrival.
It did not take long for the king to authorize my entrance.
Upon entering, I gave a slight bow.
"Your Majesty."
The king smiled.
"Good to see you again, Takumi."
"Have a seat."
I obeyed.
He quickly realized that I had come there for a specific reason.
"I imagine you didn't come just for a visit."
I smiled discreetly.
"Indeed, I didn't."
I took a deep breath before continuing.
"I would like to talk about the meeting between the nations."
The king folded his hands over the table.
"I've been thinking about that as well."
"The demons' movements continue to increase."
"The soldiers sent north have sent new reports."
My gaze became attentive.
"Did they confirm anything?"
"Yes."
"The demon army remains concentrated."
"But some troops have begun changing positions."
"The problem is that we still don't know why."
I remained thoughtful for a few seconds.
"This confirms my concerns."
"The Demon King is preparing something."
The king slowly nodded.
"I believe that as well."
He rose from his chair and walked toward a large window.
From there, it was possible to see much of the capital.
"The kingdom continues to live normally."
"People work."
"Children play."
"But we know that this peace could disappear quickly."
I stood up as well.
"That's exactly why we need to act now."
"If each kingdom prepares its own strategy separately, we'll waste too much time."
"We need to work together."
The king looked at me again.
"And what would you suggest?"
"Immediately summon all the allied leaders."
"Those who can attend in person will come here."
"The others can participate using magical communicators."
"That way, no one will be left out."
The king smiled slightly.
"That was exactly what I had in mind."
His answer satisfied me.
He called one of the advisors waiting outside.
"Begin the preparations immediately."
"I want messengers sent to all the allied kingdoms."
"The magical communicators must also be ready."
The advisor bowed.
"It will be done, Your Majesty."
As soon as he left, we continued talking.
The king spread a map across the table.
The main allied kingdoms were marked.
"The Elven Kingdom should respond quickly."
"The Dwarven Kingdom as well."
"I believe the Dragon Kingdom will send representatives without difficulty."
I carefully observed the map.
"I would also like the military commanders to be present."
"Even if only a few."
"It will be important to hear different opinions."
The king agreed.
"The more information we gather, the better our decisions will be."
We talked for quite some time.
We discussed possible ways to organize the meeting, the security of the castle during the gathering, and even the matters that should be addressed first.
When we finally finished, I felt that a major step had been taken.
Before leaving, the king spoke again.
"If everything goes as planned, the council can begin tomorrow morning."
I smiled.
"That was exactly what I hoped for."
"Thank you for your trust."
He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You earned that trust."
I said goodbye and left the castle.
As I walked back to the mansion, I noticed that the city continued exactly as usual.
People went about their routines without imagining the decisions being made inside the castle.
Perhaps that was for the best.
My duty was precisely to prevent that peace from being destroyed.
When I arrived at the mansion, I found everyone gathered in the main room.
Scarlett immediately stood up.
"Well?"
"The king agreed."
Everyone's faces showed satisfaction.
Elara smiled.
"When will it be?"
"Tomorrow morning."
Liriel took a deep breath.
"Then we will finally begin defining the future."
I nodded.
"Yes."
"The time has come for all the kingdoms to speak with a single voice."
I spent the rest of the evening talking with them about what might happen during the council.
Each one shared her opinions, raised possible concerns, and commented on the allies who would probably participate in the meeting.
When I finally went up to my room, I felt that the day had marked the beginning of a new stage.
After months of strengthening alliances and gaining experience, the time had come to officially unite all the kingdoms.
The next morning, the greatest political council since the beginning of the war would finally begin.