The Met [part 2]

The Emperor's Gaze on Lady Amari Yui

Emperor Tsukimei Asahi shifted his cold, calm gaze onto Lady Amari Yui, momentarily ignoring Suzuki Kyōi. His voice was firm and authoritative, but there was a subtle note of suspicion.

"Lady Amari Yui," he said, his words amplified by the silence of the room, "is what Kyōi said true? I want to hear every detail, with no omissions."

Amari Yui remained calm, but inside, she could feel the weight of that question bearing down like a mountain.

She knew that the truth would not favor Kyōi.

She also knew that lying to the Emperor was out of the question.

Her heart raced, but she kept it from showing on her face.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Kyōi felt sweat forming heavily on his forehead.

The tension was palpable, and the silence following the Emperor's question made him feel as if the air in the room had become stifling.

He tried to maintain a composed expression, but he knew that Amari Yui might reveal the truth.

The truth he had tried to conceal behind a softened version of events.

He felt his hands trembling slightly behind his back, attempting to hide the obvious signs of his nervousness.

Amari Yui stepped forward, bowing her head in respect, but maintaining a tone that was both decisive and honest.

"Your Majesty," she began, "what the prince has said is not entirely false... but it is not entirely true either."

Kyōi's breath caught for a moment, feeling each word like a blade sinking deeper.

"It is true that Ryushin Tenkū provoked and insulted him, attempting to undermine the prestige of the Imperial Family. However..." Yui paused, observing the Emperor for any reaction.

Seeing that his face remained impassive, she continued:

"Kyōi did not accept the bet for a just cause or to defend the honor of the Family. The truth is, he was driven by pride. The bet, as well as the challenge, was personal, not diplomatic."

The air in the room grew even more tense.

Kyōi's sweat became more apparent, beads running down his forehead as his face turned pale.

He tried not to move, to maintain an appearance of control, but inside, panic was rising.

The Emperor's Gaze

Emperor Tsukimei Asahi listened closely to Amari Yui's words without changing his expression.

The tension in the room was tangible, and even the smallest sound seemed like a deafening echo in the silence filled with anticipation.

After Yui had finished speaking, the Emperor shifted his gaze again, looking at both of them with his calm, unflinching demeanor.

His face was like carved stone, emotionless, but the weight of his words was about to crush Kyōi's heart.

"I understand," he finally said, his voice low but sharp. "At this point, it is pointless to ask for further explanations on how things truly unfolded."

He paused, and the silence became almost suffocating.

"Show me your memories directly," he commanded with undeniable authority.

It was not a request but an order that none present dared to defy.

Kyōi held his breath, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

His hands trembled imperceptibly as he tried to control himself.

He knew he could no longer hide anything now, but the thought of exposing every detail of his error, every moment he had tried to obscure, paralyzed him.

Emperor Tsukimei Asahi, noting his silence, shifted his gaze directly onto Kyōi, his amber eyes penetrating like blades cutting through every defense the prince still tried to maintain.

Kyōi felt the blood freeze in his veins, and sweat began to pour even more heavily from his forehead.

The words that followed were like a direct blow to his already wounded pride.

"I should have done this from the start, you know..." the Emperor said, his tone calm but heavy with disappointment. "But I had hoped you would at least have the dignity to tell me the truth."

That phrase struck Kyōi to the core.

It was not just a simple reprimand but a declaration of how deeply he had disappointed his Emperor, his own father.

His lips moved slightly, but no words came out. He felt overwhelmed, unable to defend himself.

"Why lie to me, Kyōi?" Tsukimei Asahi continued. "Did you think I wouldn't uncover the truth? That a softened version of the facts would somehow save your honor?"

Kyōi, crushed by the weight of the words, could do nothing but lower his head, the sweat now running down his neck.

He knew that the moment of reckoning had come. There were no more excuses or justifications that could save him.

The Emperor raised his hand slightly, and a soft wave of energy rippled through the room.

The memories requested would be exposed in all their rawness, with no chance of deception.

Kyōi visibly trembled now, knowing that every fragment of truth would be laid bare before the Emperor's eyes.

The Memories Revealed

With his hand still raised, Emperor Tsukimei Asahi made a simple yet powerful gesture even before Suzuki Kyōi and Lady Amari Yui could willingly offer their memories.

A gentle vibration filled the air, and an invisible wave of energy, emanating from the Emperor himself, began to fill the room.

Lady Amari Yui and Suzuki Kyōi immediately felt the pressure increase, as if the reality around them was bending.

A soft, ethereal light began to glow around them.

It was the physical manifestation of divine sense.

The Emperor, with his silent command, began to extract the memories of both individuals present.

These, like fragments of light, detached from their minds and began to take shape before him.

The memories were not mere abstract recollections but took on a concrete form: a sphere of pulsating energy, containing every detail of the banquet, every word spoken, every action taken.

The sphere floated in the air, growing in intensity as it filled with information.

Kyōi and Yui could feel its weight, as if a part of themselves was being detached and laid bare.

Kyōi, with sweat now dripping down his face, watched helplessly as his most intimate memories were collected in that sphere of light.

He knew there was no way to hide anything.

Everything, from his impulsive actions to his rash words, would be revealed.

Emperor Tsukimei Asahi remained silent as the sphere fully formed.

His amber eyes gleamed with a bright light, reflecting the sphere that now floated before him.

With a simple gesture, the sphere drew closer to him, and without hesitation, he took it in his hands.

The room remained immersed in a deafening silence.

The Assimilation of Memories

The Emperor closed his eyes, allowing the sphere of energy to merge with his divine sense.

The memories, now physically separated from their owners, were slowly absorbed by the Emperor, whose power allowed him to take in these experiences without suffering the trauma that usually came from assimilating someone else's memories.

For a moment, the sphere shone brightly, then dissolved completely as it was absorbed into his body.

The energy that had surrounded it dissipated, leaving only the Emperor, still and silent, organizing every detail of the memories.

Even though he did not need it at his level of power, he was nonetheless accustomed to this operation, which took him only a few seconds.

Thus, his mind began to process the information in an orderly manner, revisiting every scene, every word exchanged at the Ryushin banquet, and connecting the missing fragments Kyōi had tried to conceal.

The complexity of the process required precision.

Without the proper focus, the explosion of knowledge could have caused a memory dissonance, but Tsukimei Asahi was used to handling such power.

His mind, trained and disciplined, organized each fragment, linking every scene into a clear and vivid picture.

Kyōi, watching the unmoving face of the Emperor, knew that any attempt to manipulate reality was now futile.

His hands, clenched into fists behind his back, trembled. There was no more escape.

The Truth Comes to Light

After what seemed like an eternity, the Emperor opened his eyes.

The atmosphere in the room had become even denser, as if the very air was saturated with the power of the memories just absorbed.

His eyes were firm and piercing, and in his gaze was an understanding that transcended words.

"I have seen everything," he said, his voice quiet but carrying an inescapable authority. "Every moment of the banquet. Every word exchanged."

Tsukimei Asahi fixed Suzuki Kyōi with a coldness that could have frozen even the bravest man.

"Kyōi," he said, "not only did you accept the bet out of pride, but you also tried to hide your true motivation from me, your Emperor, your father."

Kyōi lowered his gaze, unable to withstand the force of the Emperor's stare.

Sweat continued to pour down his face, while every muscle in his body trembled under the weight of those words.

"I might have understood if you had yielded in a moment of anger," Tsukimei Asahi continued, "but to lie... that is unforgivable."

The Emperor turned slightly, briefly looking at Amari Yui.

"At least she had the courage to be honest."

Kyōi felt as if the ground beneath him was collapsing.

Every word the Emperor spoke was a blow to his pride, to his status.

He felt his world crumbling.

"The judgment will be passed," the Emperor concluded, "but first, there is more to reveal. Your actions do not concern only yourself, Kyōi. They have broader implications, extending beyond your personal failure."

The air in the room grew even heavier, and Kyōi understood that the worst was yet to come.