The king was alone… trapped with a truth striking his heart, warning of something immense collapsing inside him.In his vast chambers, where heavy curtains swallowed the moonlight, he tossed in his bed like a man trying to escape the shadows of his own mind.
Sleep refused to come.Memories lashed at him like whips.
In his mind he saw Darius standing before the council, wearing the confident smile he once admired…proposing a new project…the ministers applauding…and the king smiling proudly.
Then the scene shifted—Darius returning from an economic tour, merchants praising his brilliance…and the king patting his shoulder, saying:
"You are the pride of Orvallis."
But then came the blow from the depths of memory—Ken's voice during the last meeting:
"The savior stood above the crises… because he was the one who created them."
The king felt a blade sink into his chest.
He struck the pillow with his fist.
Another phrase echoed:
"Forty-eight hours before the crisis was announced…"
His eyes trembled—glassy with tears.
He whispered, as if confessing a sin beyond forgiveness:
"I was blind…completely blind…"
The pride he had carried for so many yearsnow twisted into a thorn of anger, worry, and regret.
He pressed a hand over his face and murmured:
"How did he deceive me?How did I allow this…?"
He shut his eyes tightly—
Midnight had long passed.The city lay silent…
Until—
BOOOOM!
An explosion shook the royal prison.The walls trembled, and guards rushed from every direction.
A guard shouted:
"The cannon! Someone fired a cannon at the cells!"
The night-shift commander arrived as dust billowed from the upper cell block.
Guard:"Sir! It's the cell of… Duke Fitzberg!"
Before he could finish, Fitzberg burst through the smoke—running like a beast that had escaped death.
His clothes were torn, his face smeared with soot and dirt.
Guard:"Catch him!!!"
Fitzberg sprinted toward the residential quarter beside the prison.The alleys were dark, save for the glow of taverns still open.
Five men stumbled out of the Bull's Arm Tavern, laughing drunkenly…
Only for their expressions to freeze all at once.
Man 1:"What the—?!"
Man 2:"That's a noble! In fancy clothes!"
Man 3:"And he's being chased by guards!!"
Fitzberg ran wildly—shoving barrels aside, leaping over a cart, crashing into a shop door,and continuing through the narrow alleys.
The guards yelled:
"Stop! By order of the King!"
He turned toward the road leading to the main square.He tried to climb over a stone wall but—
"Grab him from the right!"
Two guards lunged—one snatching his leg, the other his arm—and dragged him down.
He fell, screaming:
"Let me go!! I'm a Duke!!This is injustice!!"
Iron cuffs locked around his wrists as he was pulled back toward the prison—his voice echoing through the night:
"I'll have you all punished!!The King will regret this!!Let me go!!!"
A guard replied coldly:
"Tomorrow… you'll speak before the court, not now."
Elsewhere ,In one of the long palace corridors, the First Prince, Adrian, walked with his usual calm—his face emotionless.
From the opposite direction came the Second Prince, Leon—treading heavily after a half-sleep.
As they drew near, Leon asked:
"Did you expect this?What do you think about the whole Darius situation?"
But Adrian didn't even look at him.He walked past as if the one speaking was nothing more than air…
Without saying a single word.
Leon stopped, stunned, then muttered:
"Damn it…"
The five men who had seen Fitzberg's escape sat trembling, arguing with a mix of fear and excitement:
Man 1:"Did you see that?! He ran like a demon!"
Man 2:"He was being chased by guards! A noble being hunted! Is that even real?!"
Man 3:"I told you—it's war with Cartos…"
Man 4:"No. The one who escaped isn't a soldier or a spy… he's a noble."
Man 5:"What in the world is happening in this kingdom?"
No one had an answer.
As the first light spread, the report of the escape reached the king.
He read it quickly…and the color drained from his face—
Then he struck the table with his staff.
King:"He escaped from the prison?!!Under the guards' eyes?!This is a challenge to the throne itself!"
His voice rose, like a muted roar:
"Accelerate the trial.It will be held today… after noon."
The decree hit the advisors like thunder.
Four squads of royal guards marched into the major markets.Each stood on a stone platform, unrolling a scroll and reading aloud:
**"Hear ye! Hear ye!By order of His Majesty Alexander Val Orvallis…The High Royal Court will convene to address cases oftreason, manipulation, and the endangerment of the Kingdom's securitycommitted by certain nobles.
All citizens are to remain calmand avoid gathering near the walls or the royal palace.
Any rumor-spreading or attempt to incite chaoswill be considered a crime against the Kingdom.
This is a royal decree, and all must obey."**
Faces gathered in shock—a woman covered her mouth, an elderly man pulled his cloak tight.
Man:"A royal court…? That's serious."
Boy:"Will someone be executed, sir?"
Old man:"Don't speak of death, boy…but it seems something tremendous is happening in the palace."
The five tavern men met again in the market crowd.
Man 1:"See? It's not a war with Cartos like you said."
The one who had argued the night before lowered his voice:
"Yes… a royal trial…But a royal trial against who?"
He leaned closer, whispering with fear:
"That's… worse than any war."
Ken
Ken stood by the window, watching the guards spread through the city.Behind him was Marvin.
Marvin:"Your Highness… this trial will be ruthless.I fear some will try to exploit loopholes."
Ken:"It doesn't matter.Today… we show them that our hand is the stronger one."
Marvin exhaled softly, uneasy:
"Let's hope things go exactly as we planned."
Ken gave a faint but confident smile:
"If they don't go as planned…they'll go as we want."
End of Chapter.