𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑫𝑶𝑴 𝑶𝑭 𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑬 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐗𝐋𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 - 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐒

LÉA DUBOIS DIDN'T SPEAK THE NAME ALOUD, yet she didn't need to for Asahi to understand immediately whom she was talking about. When it came to Jujutsu sorcerers and powerful women, it could only ever been about one person – Kinzoku Kogane, the Goddess of the Divine, the First Sorceress bathed in royal glory... the woman who changed history forever.

Asahi let out an exasperated sigh, clutching his glass tighter before turning to look at the woman.

"Is that why you summoned me? To talk about ancient history and politics?" He asked, yet there was an edge to his voice, a sliver of doubt.

Léa smiled, deciding not to press him further. It didn't matter that Kogane was not ancient history – not really, at least – or that Asahi's duty as the Master of Japan was strictly related to politics, all the mattered was the issue at hand. Madame Dubois let out a tired sigh, stepping away from the painting and the wall and going back to the small cart by her table. She set down her drink, turning towards her desk with narrowed eyes. Without further thought, Léa gripped Mikazuki's abandoned dagger, pulling it out from the desk and turning to face Asahi.

"While that would certainly be an interesting conversation, no." The Frenchwoman began with a sultry tone as she twirled the blade between her fingers. "I called you because Mikazuki, your daughter..." she put emphasis in that last part. "is showing some worrisome behaviours that make me seriously question her loyalties."

The Kinzoku shrugged, wholly uninterested by whatever Léa was saying.

"She swore an oath." He said simply, like that sentence was reason enough to drop the subject and move on onto other more pressing matters.

Léa Dubois clenched her jaw, a wave of anger washing over her while she did her best to remain calm. The temperature in the room dropped, as if mimicking her own Cursed energy.

"Yes. But it wasn't the right one, was it?" She strained out.

Mikazuki had been smart, and like a cheeky brat who knew nothing outside of the bounds of her privileged life, she'd made sure to change the wording of her oath, knowing the magic of such ritual would not bind her to The Magistrate, but to the dearly departed.

I, Kinzoku Mikazuki, pledge my undying fealty and loyalty to the dearly departed, and I promise to never cause them any harm, my homage to them completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit.

To the dearly departed, like it was some sort of grand joke instead of the life-binding pledge every sorcerer aged sixteen had to make. For the sake of The Magistrate. For the sake of the world. Léa's expression soured at the memory, yet her face shifted the moment she caught Asahi's stare. He was mad now, she could see it in his eyes and in the taut lines drawn all over his face.

"Then you should have said something instead of pestering me with this nonsense." He defended as he stalked towards the sorceress.

Kinzoku Asahi didn't stop, pushing Léa until she was flush against her desk, hands gripping the edge of the mahogany as she leaned back and away from the man. There was so much contained raged behind his gaze Madame Dubois could barely breathe. He was so close she could smell the faint scent of his cologne – peppermint with some sort of musk.

"I don't know what game you think you're playing, but whatever it is... you're losing." Asahi warned with a stern tone.

Léa pursed her lips, pushing back against Asahi as she straightened her back.

"I'm playing the same game I always have." She spat clearly. "The same one you used to excel at before you let weakness overtake you."

Asahi grimaced. A slap would have hurt less than those words, yet the man didn't even flinch at the accusation. Yes, he was getting old – but just a single-malt scotch whiskey, time had done nothing but fine tune his skills, including that of murder.

"Weakness?" He asked, contorting his face into an ugly unnatural grimace. "Weakness?" He repeated, like he couldn't quite believe those words had left Dubois' lips.

Asahi could feel his blood rumbling, the cracks in his arms widening as golden glitter poured out from the wounds. The gold lingered in the air for a second before assuming a different form and turning into sharp needles, all of which rotated until they were facing the sorceress. Léa swallowed past the lump in her throat, her hand still gripping the edge of the desk for support.

"There is nothing weak about being King of Sorcerers." Asahi gritted out before fixing the woman with a look of disdain in his face. "Not that you would know."

"Are you threatening me?" Léa asked slowly, all fear gone from her voice as low dangerous tone settled instead.

Asahi laughed easily, the golden needles dissolving into a shower of glitter. All threat was gone from his person, yet his eyes remained unchanged.

"None of the sort, this is just a small reminder." The Kinzoku spoke merrily, that dark look still hiding behind his golden irises. "I've already lost two sons, one child exiled and another one bed-ridden." He said slowly, no discerning emotions behind his words, like he was speaking of the weather instead of his children. "I would appreciate it if you stopped trying to kill my new heir."

The Kinzoku clan had been visited by misfortune more than once since Asahi became the head of the clan. First, it was Katsuro, who was killed at the tender age of six. Then Niko, who willingly went into exile for the sake of love, foregoing everything the Kinzoku believed in. Keisuke had been next, drying at the hands of a special-grade Curse named Twister. Then his daughter Suzuki, who had been born with an uncurable disease born of witchcraft and magic.

Asahi – and the clan of the Kinzoku – could no longer afford any more loses, not when so much had already been taken away, be it destiny or design.

Léa didn't miss a beat, tilting her head to the side as she surveyed the man in front of her.

"Why?" She asked, amuse dripping from her voice. "Are you planning on dying any time soon?"

The question lingered in the air for less than a second, and before Madame Dubois could go on creating theories in her head, Asahi cleared his throat. But even as the following words left his mouth, there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. It was gone in a second, and for a moment, Léa almost thought she imagined it. But no, it was clearly there.

Uh.

"Unfortunately for you, no." Asahi replied coldly before taking a deep breath. "However, I cannot leave everything in destiny's hands. My clan needs and heir just like I need a strong successor that will continue the bloodline. I'm just being meticulous."

Léa scoffed, deciding not to call out the lie.

"If you want Mikazuki to survive past the age of thirty, then you should try to knock some sense into her." She pointed out sharply. "She is reckless and refuses to follow The Magistrate's rules." Madame Dubois paused, setting her gaze on the man with a questioning expression on her face. "How long do you think it'll take before she turns on all of us?"

Asahi paused, tilting his head to the side as he surveyed her carefully, carefully choosing his next words as he knew they could come to haunt him sooner rather than later.

"None of that matters." He said with more honesty than Léa thought he was capable. "If you keep leading this incursion against her, I won't stand in the way when she chooses to retaliate." Asahi smiled devilishly, eyes darting back to Elizabeth's I painting. "...and we both know just how dangerous the wrath of a goddess can be."