— Aiko, go back to your seat. We can talk later. Let him finish speaking. — Emilia said, trying to keep control of the situation.

— If you say so... — Aiko replied, finally moving away, but not without giving Kay one last defiant look.

Kay took a deep breath, resuming her explanation:

— In short, this Monarch is a real threat and, under no circumstances, should be ignored.

The king nodded thoughtfully.

— I already understand the situation, but you didn't come here just to report this... Am I wrong? — he asked, with a tone of suspicion.

— With the captain's absence, his daughter will take over his position. However, she is still immature and inexperienced in this area, and her mother will certainly need to help her. I trust in the ability of the two of them together, but protecting both kingdoms will be too heavy a burden for them alone. That's why the mini-ghoul will stay in Mineforde for the rest of the week to protect them. And I need you to forbid all civilians from leaving this kingdom. — Kay said.

The king frowned.

“And where else would they go?” he muttered dismissively.

Kay ignored the provocation and continued:

“The Sixth Division will be in mourning for the rest of the week. To ensure the safety of the kingdom, I have taken the liberty of requesting reinforcements from the other squadrons. Each will send a support squadron. At least, that's what I hope. Even if some refuse, the others will be enough. That's why I ask that no one seek out the leaders, not even the vice-captain or Captain Takemichi's mother. They are both his family, and they need this time to process their loss.”

The prince took a step forward, hostility evident in his voice:

“Who do you think you are to act without asking permission?”

Kay gave him a straight, impassive look.

— Keep your hostility in check. As soon as the week is over, we will return to our normal activities.

The king intervened calmly:

— I understand. Takemichi was the mainstay of the entire army. You, who were close, need this moment. Since you have provided reinforcements to protect the kingdom, I will allow you to take this time for yourselves.

Kay bowed her head slightly, as a sign of respect.

— Thank you. Oh, and there may be soldiers who decide to leave the army. It is understandable, since they have lost their greatest inspiration. Therefore, I ask that you allow these soldiers to return to their homes taking their suits and bladed weapons.

The king narrowed his eyes.

— Noxium has become a rare material. That mine was a real find, but the resource is limited. Still, do you want to let them take the weapons?

— It will be beneficial. Soldiers scattered along the wall can serve as the first resistance, until the army arrives to fight. — Kay argued confidently.

The king pondered for a few seconds before speaking:

— I allow the use of the suits and bladed weapons. However, the firearms will remain with the active soldiers of the army. But tell me something... As a guarantee: if neither the captain nor the mini-ghoul eliminated the ghouls, who killed them? Was it you?

Kay raised his head, looking directly at the king.

"Yes," he answered, with conviction.

"All the ghouls, including the General?" the king exclaimed, surprised.

"Yes," Kay answered, without hesitation.

The king leaned on his throne, analyzing him with a shrewd look.

"Of the entire army, I believe you are now the strongest in the Sixth Division. How do you assess this threat?" he asked directly.

Kay pondered for a moment.

"The Captain and the mini-ghoul had already exhausted part of the General's forces, so I did not witness the speed that my squad reported. But, in fact, his attack was incredibly fast," he said thoughtfully.

Joana approached, her expression intrigued.

— Wait a minute, Kay. What attack did the General make? — she asked, frowning.

— I don't think you saw it because of the smoke, but he tried to hit me with his tentacles. That's why I cut them off. — Kay explained.

Ryuji narrowed his eyes, skeptical.

— Are you sure he tried to attack you? — he asked, suspicious.

— He tried. — Kay confirmed firmly.

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Joana leaned closer to him and whispered, in a cautious tone:

— This General revealed a power greater than when he was fighting the Captain. It was this power that led the mini-ghoul to defeat.

Kay gritted his teeth in frustration.

— "Nobody told me anything about this... Now it's over!" — he whispered back.

The head of the guards, who had been listening attentively, crossed his arms.

— If you're saying that the General tried to attack you, but was using his maximum power at that moment, that means he didn't even use his full strength against Takemichi! — he declared, his deep voice echoing through the room.

— "Damn old man!" — thought Kay, irritated.

The king turned to the leaders, his gaze fixed.

— Is that true? — he asked.

Joana inclined her head in affirmation.

— Yes, Your Majesty. That was something the General himself said when he started to take the mini-ghoul seriously.

— But at that moment I had the limit break activated! — Kay pointed out, trying to justify his victory.

The king kept his serious but thoughtful look.

— Did the civilians see you killing the ghouls? — he asked.

— They did. — Kay confirmed.

The king stood up, the decision made.

— Bring some reporters immediately. We'll make the announcement right here! — he ordered.

Kay let out a murmur:

— Damn...

Joana gave a slight smile.

— Don't complain. It'll be better this way. — she whispered.

In a few minutes, the reporters entered the throne room, bowing to the king.

— Your Majesty! — they said in unison.

— Welcome. — the king greeted with a brief nod. — I'll make an announcement to the people. Could you broadcast it? — he asked.

“It would be an honor, my king!” the reporters replied, hurrying to adjust their cameras.

Kay and the leaders retreated to the back of the room, leaving the area free for recording. Within minutes, the reporters signaled that everything was ready.

The king stood up, his voice echoing through the hall as he began:

“Dear citizens of the kingdom of Valtreon…”

The speech went on for long minutes, detailing the events in Mineforde, the loss of Captain Takemichi, and the actions to protect the kingdom. Kay crossed her arms, whispering to Yan:

“What a long speech!”

Yan replied, keeping his gaze straight ahead:

“He is explaining everything to the people. It is understandable that it is so detailed.”

Finally, the king concluded, turning to the camera:

“After this week of mourning, the army will return with new leadership. Captain Takemichi’s daughter, who already serves as vice-captain, will take command. I know many of you may feel insecure, but I assure you: this is not the end. We have worthy leaders, and they are here. Now, I will pass on a few words to you.

Kay's eyes widened in confusion.

"What?!" he exclaimed, almost too loudly.

Ryuji leaned towards him, whispering:

— The king doesn’t know how to end it and threw the ending at us.

Joana gave a warning look.

— Show confidence. — she whispered.

The leaders walked forward. Kay shook her head, whispering:

— I’m not good at speeches. Don’t get me involved in this.

Yan replied impatiently:

— That’s impossible!

— As the king mentioned, the Captain is no longer alive to lead us. But it was thanks to him that the civilians, the guards and we got out of Mineforde alive. — Joana took a deep breath, emotion in her voice. — Although the Captain lost his life, we didn’t have any more casualties because of his sacrifice! I understand that you may be scared and worried, but our new captain is a person capable of leading us. I assure you: we will become stronger to continue protecting you! So please, don’t lose faith in us. And I ask you to understand that this week of mourning is important, because our Captain was also our source of inspiration, just as he was for many of you! — Joana concluded firmly.

Ryuji took a step forward, crossing his arms before speaking:

— I don't have much to say, since the king and Joana said what I wanted. But I assure you that we will continue fighting to protect this kingdom and advance in our victory against the ghouls. I say this on behalf of Lena too, who stayed at the base to support the soldiers! — he stated, with conviction.

Yan took a deep breath before speaking, his tone full of regret.

— I know that, to the civilians who were there, we seemed pathetic when showing leadership. But at that moment, we made the best choice to avoid more casualties. Still... — He lowered his head, his voice heavy. — I ask that you keep an eye on us and allow us to redeem this mistake. I promise that it will not happen again! We will protect them with everything we have, even if it costs us our lives!

The leaders then looked at Kay. He hesitated for a moment, but took a step forward.

“I believe many of you do not know me, but you must have seen me in some photo from Mineforde. I am the leader of the Fifth Squadron. You can call me Alpha Zero.” He adjusted his posture, his voice deep and sincere. “For some, my words may not have the same impact as those of my veterans, but I ask you to listen to me. When I joined the army, I did not get along with Captain Takemichi. However, as time passed, on and off missions, I began to see the light that many saw in him. That feeling of trusting your life to another person. Over time, I came to admire him. Despite the occasional arguments, he and my veterans trusted me to lead a new squadron. And now, I promise again: I will live up to the title that was given to me!” — Kay said, his voice thick with emotion.

He saluted.

— In honor of what the Captain was to us and to you, I ask you to understand: we need this moment of mourning in his memory. When we return, we will be stronger than ever! So strong that the ghouls will fear us! — His aura began to emanate, intense as a living flame. — I guarantee that they will not go unpunished! We will hunt them until there are none left in this world! — Kay concluded, seriously.

Yan patted him lightly on the back, trying to ease the tension.

— Calm down, man! — he whispered.

Kay blinked, realizing what he had done.

— I hadn't noticed... — he murmured, hiding his murderous intent.

Everyone present, except the squad leaders, was visibly shaken, trembling with fear at Kay's intensity.

Kay took a deep breath and concluded:

— That's what I wanted to say. Please try not to leave the walls. We will ensure your protection here. In closing, it is a pleasure to meet you! — He saluted again.

Joana ended her speech with a note of confidence:

— Even without the Captain, we will continue fighting to win. Trust us!

The leaders saluted and returned to their positions. The king raised his hand, his voice firm and inspiring:

— Let us continue advancing together for the good of humanity! I count on your support!

The journalists ended the broadcast, still shaking slightly after the intensity of the speech.

— I thank you. — said the king, with a brief smile.

— It was a pleasure, Your Majesty! — replied the journalists, before leaving with their legs still shaking.

Kay watched the reporters leave and commented, with a slight smile:

— That's what being professional is!

The king made a closing gesture.

— This meeting is over. Good work, everyone!

Kay turned to the others.

— I have something to do at the castle. I'll see you later. — he said, as he left.

Joana followed him with her eyes, crossing her arms.

— Don't go and find a way to have yourself executed, understand? — she said, with a slightly provocative tone.

Kay shrugged, already leaving the room.

— Don't worry!

Emilia also stood up, heading for the exit.

— Don't go and find a way for me to have to execute you! — the queen joked.

— Don't worry! — Emilia replied, smiling before leaving the room.

The scene changes to Emilia's room.