Chapter 158: The King’s Isolation

The grand palace, usually alive with the constant hum of activity, felt strangely subdued in the dim light of dawn. King Ryu Pinion paced the length of his private council chamber, the opulent surroundings failing to soothe the turmoil brewing within him.

Tapestries depicting long-dead kings and their triumphs hung from the walls, but today they seemed more like ghostly reminders of past glories—glories that felt increasingly out of his grasp.

Kerrigan Lokir. Her name was on everyone’s lips. Ever since the banquet, whispers of her rise had grown louder. In the eyes of the people, she was no longer just a force of change; she was becoming a symbol of what the kingdom could be.

To some, she represented a new era, a future where the crown and the people stood united. But to King Ryu, she was a threat—a dangerous, uncontrollable force that he had failed to tame.

He stopped by the window, looking out over the sprawling capital. The city was waking up, bathed in the pale light of morning, bu