Deep within the imperial palace—far beyond the halls open to guests—we lay hidden in the shadows near the Emperor's bedchamber, scarcely daring to breathe.
The air was heavy with incense and silence, broken only by the distant echoes of music drifting in from the grand hall where the celebration was underway. Laughter, clinking glasses, and polite applause—all of it felt unreal compared to the tension here.
"How long do we have to wait like this?" a hushed voice muttered beside me.
"Just a little longer," came the reply, equally quiet. "His Majesty will come out soon."
I clenched my jaw.
We didn't have much time. Every passing second made my nerves tighten further. This was the heart of the palace—the most heavily guarded place in the Empire. One mistake here wouldn't just mean failure. It would mean death.
Just as my unease threatened to overwhelm me—
"…He's coming out."
