Hiroshi's hands were still shaking as he and Lila hurried through the dimly lit corridors of the elven palace. The memory of the masked attackers was fresh in his mind—their eerie movements, their silent coordination, the undeniable intent behind their attempt to take him. He had never felt so completely helpless before, and the weight of that realization pressed against his chest with every step.
Lila walked beside him, her posture tense, ears twitching at every small noise as she scanned the halls like a predator hunting for danger. Her earlier confidence had remained intact, but Hiroshi could sense the unease in her. The attack had rattled both of them, though neither said it out loud.
"We need to move fast," Lila murmured, glancing at Hiroshi as they approached the grand council chamber. "They might already know something happened."
Hiroshi took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Then we make sure they listen."
The massive wooden doors loomed ahead, intricate carvings of ancient battles decorating the polished surface. Hiroshi felt his stomach tighten as he stepped forward, pushing them open with more force than necessary. Inside, the council was already in session.
Altheria sat at the head of the table, her regal form as poised as ever. Across from her, Brunhilda leaned back in her chair with her hammer resting against the armrest, her expression already skeptical as Hiroshi barged in. Other key leaders—dwarfs, elves, and a few beastfolk elders—turned toward him with varied expressions of curiosity and irritation.
"You could have waited to be summoned," Altheria said, arching a delicate brow. "Interrupting a council meeting is not the most diplomatic approach."
"Yeah, well," Hiroshi panted, catching his breath. "Diplomacy isn't exactly my strong suit."
Brunhilda smirked. "Finally, something we agree on."
Lila stepped up beside Hiroshi, her presence offering him reassurance. "This is important," she said firmly, her voice unusually strong for someone so soft-spoken. "We were attacked."
The murmurs in the chamber grew instantly louder, whispers spreading as the council members exchanged uneasy glances. Altheria's expression shifted slightly, her fingers curling around the edge of the table. "Attacked?" she repeated. "By whom?"
Hiroshi straightened. "Masked figures. Five of them, maybe more lurking in the shadows. They didn't try to kill us—they tried to take me."
Altheria's gaze sharpened. "A kidnapping attempt."
Brunhilda let out a short breath through her nose, resting her chin on her fist. "Interesting."
Lila stepped forward, folding her arms. "They were highly trained. Coordinated. And they didn't belong to any faction I've seen before."
"Which means someone is operating in secret," Hiroshi added. "Someone who wants to control whatever this prophecy is about."
Brunhilda exhaled sharply, standing from her seat. "This is why I hate politics. It's always full of people hiding their real intentions."
Altheria ignored her comment, focusing entirely on Hiroshi. "Did you see any symbols? Hear anything that might indicate who they were?"
"No," Hiroshi admitted, frustration creeping into his voice. "No markings, no words. Just masks and silence."
The room grew quiet again, tension thickening as the weight of his words settled over the council. The idea that an unknown group had infiltrated the capital and attempted to abduct the supposed Chosen Sovereign was dangerous—not just for Hiroshi, but for everyone.
"Whoever they are," Altheria finally said, "they are organized. If they have spies here, then we are already vulnerable."
Brunhilda frowned. "So what do we do about it?"
Altheria glanced at Lila, then back at Hiroshi. "You said they retreated. Did they seem surprised that Lila fought back?"
Hiroshi thought back to the fight—the masked attackers had been quick, coordinated, but they hadn't expected resistance from Lila. The way she had intercepted them, moved against them—they had hesitated, if only for a moment.
"Yeah," Hiroshi said, realizing the implication. "They underestimated us."
Brunhilda snorted. "Fools."
Altheria tapped a finger against the table, deep in thought. "This means they were confident in their plan. They assumed they'd succeed." Her gaze flicked toward Hiroshi. "And that means they have reason to believe you are truly valuable."
Hiroshi groaned, rubbing his temple. "Great. So now I'm walking treasure for kidnappers."
The doors to the council chamber suddenly burst open, and a frantic elf guard stumbled inside, panting. "Forgive the intrusion, but we have received troubling reports from the outer forests."
The entire room turned toward the guard. Altheria straightened in her seat. "Speak."
The guard swallowed before continuing. "There have been sightings of masked figures near the city's outskirts. They appear to be scouting."
The murmurs in the council erupted again, voices overlapping in alarm and concern.
"We don't even know who they work for," a beastfolk elder said grimly.
"Could be rogue mercenaries," another offered.
"They wouldn't be this organized if they were mere sell-swords," Altheria countered, her gaze growing colder.
Hiroshi sighed. "Look, we can sit here guessing all day, or we can do something about it."
Brunhilda smirked. "Now you're starting to sound like a leader."
Altheria ignored the remark. "Fine. We will double security in the capital, especially around the palace. Hiroshi, you are not to go anywhere without escort."
"What?! I don't need babysitters!" Hiroshi protested.
"You are the prime target," Altheria said matter-of-factly. "Whether you like it or not."
Hiroshi groaned but didn't argue further. He knew she was right, even if the idea of being followed everywhere made his skin crawl.
"We should also prepare countermeasures," Lila spoke up. "If we wait too long, they'll have the advantage."
Altheria considered her words. "Agreed. I will assign scouts to track their movements. We need information before we act."
Brunhilda cracked her knuckles, grinning. "Let me know when we get to the part where we start bashing heads."
Hiroshi sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had barely been in this world long enough to understand it, and already, someone was targeting him. As much as he wanted to pretend this wasn't happening—as much as he wanted to go back to being an ordinary college student—he knew there was no turning back.
This wasn't just a misunderstanding.
This was the beginning of something bigger.