章 43: Bold Request

"My condition is this," he finally announced, his voice ringing clear. "If I manage to land a single hit on Gariel, or even Aesira..." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, then pointed towards the empty seat at the table. "Then I claim the right to sit in that chair."

A stunned silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft hum of the magical cooling system. The audacity of his request was palpable. Here they were, discussing a war against demons, and this student was challenging the very foundation of the Square Table's power structure—the ranking of its ten strongest members.

The first to react was Gariel, the Child of Angel. A guttural laugh erupted from his throat, the first time anyone had heard him laugh during this tense meeting.

It's my first time see Gariel Laughing…

Anya, the Valkyrie's Fury, remained silent, her eyes fixed on Gariel with an unreadable expression.