"Just plain matcha, if you please," said the princess, her lance still poised and leveraged to strike. Held over her shoulder, blade pointed down at Yukimura, gravity would do the rest.

The king felt no animosity from her. Rather, she seemed resigned. She wasn't looking at him, exactly. Her gaze veered just a little over his shoulder, and he followed it to the Trance tome.

Just the same, he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes. His attention was captured instead by the pendant hanging from her neck.

"Niou, do as our esteemed guest asks," said Yukimura. He'd been infuriated by her existence eight hours ago; now he was afraid she would take his mistakes and drag Lissa down into a war he'd never prepared her to wage. "There should be supplies in the cabinet hidden behind the portrait of my father... you know how Yanagi arranges things."

He waited for Azura's eyes to rest on the portrait warily.

"The weapons cache is within the conference table; it's hollow," he added, speaking honestly because he needed her goodwill, and the only way to get it was to prove he had nothing to hide. "The cabinet there really is just tea and snacks for when we're working."

"I'm aware I provoked you with my song," she said. "So I will not attack while your man is occupied."