"Oh", he chuckled and waited for the servant to leave. He took his chopsticks out, but didn't dig in yet. "So Akodo-san is pulled by glory, duty, and perhaps even love in three different directions? Quite honorable to have such privilege." He bobbed his head very well-to-do.

The Lion gives a dry chuckle. "Yes, privilege indeed." His face turns thoughtful. "Is it the same for you, Daigotsu-sama? Or do all considerations point you in the same direction?"

"Who knows?" he started eating, and humming to himself.

Akihiko's face turns confused as he tries to understand the response. Trying not to be rude, he takes a drink of tea. Perhaps tellingly, even the tea can't dislodge the confused look.

"Hmm," he finally says, turning attention to the meal. After two bites, he asks, "How are the members of your delegation? Any more confident about tomorrow than we are?" he asks, only half joking.

Shokomaru laid his chopsticks down and leaned away from his meal to answer, covering the interruption with a sip of coffee the servant had refilled after leaving their food.

"The Spider scurry well, Akodo-san. No need to worry about us", he said. "I'm more interested in how you'll do. Been making friends with the Unicorn, hmmm?"

The Lion smiles, tilting his head just slightly. "Well, Daigotsu-sama," he says with a little chuckle, "I think circumstances are making friends of the Lion and Unicorn clans. But yes, our clans have many reasons to be good friends."

"That's good", he said. "Be a shame to only have to fight one of you." He sipped his coffee again. "But that aside, I assume these circumstances include marriages planned here on Asakaze?"