The moment he entered, the air itself seemed to bend.
He glanced toward Elder Silk and spoke lightly, almost amused. "Am I the only one who keeps aging?"
The words sounded like a joke, yet my spine locked in fear. I could not even lift my eyes properly.
"Draids do not age," Elder Silk replied sharply. "You know that. And suppress your mana—you're intimidating her."
"Oh?" His gaze shifted to me. The pressure lessened, yet somehow his presence became heavier. "I didn't notice we had company."
I dropped to one knee instantly. "My lord, I apologize for today's events. We were only protecting the forest. The fault is mine—"
"Stand," he interrupted calmly. "I know what happened. This is not the time for formalities."
I obeyed, though my legs trembled.
"Don't worry so much," Elder Silk said, her tone softer than I had ever heard. "He is kind and wise… most of the time."
"I am always kind and wise," the king replied dryly. "Don't teach the child lies."
They spoke as if they had known each other for centuries. I felt completely out of place.
He reached up and removed the black cloth concealing his face.
I had expected wrinkles. Frailty. Signs of two hundred years of life.
Instead, I froze.
He looked young—unnervingly so. Even Elder Silk appeared older beside him, and draids did not age. His build was lean, his black hair untouched by gray, his blue eyes sharp and alive. He looked like a man in his prime, not a king nearing the end of his life.
"You are using it again," Elder Silk said, anger laced with concern. "Slowing aging is one thing, but reversing it? Halving your power just to keep this form—"
"I am still 10 times stronger than you even at half of my power," he said calmly.
Her glare could have split stone.
"I know you worry—for me and for Azeria," he continued, his voice lowering. "But even without this, I have only a decade or two left. When I fall, this kingdom follows. I chose to spend my remaining time protecting my people… even if it costs me everything. But now—"
His gaze shifted to the unconscious boy bound on the platform.
"—there may be hope."
My heart tightened.
"How can you trust him?" I asked quietly.
"We don't," Elder Silk and the king answered at the same time.
The king exhaled slowly. "But if I die now, nothing will stop the Himura family. Azeria will not only fall in their hands —it will be enslaved."
"Himura?" The word slipped from my mouth before I could stop it. "Who are they?"
Elder Silk glanced at the king. He nodded.
"They rule Lycracia," she said. "The largest continent, it's on our east. The Strongest nation. Strongest royal bloodline now ."
"Then why they want Azeria?" I asked.
The air grew heavy.
"Do you remember the calamity from a hundred years ago?" Elder Silk asked.
How could I forget? I nearly lost my life that day and we all still carry trauma from that night.
"That night," she continued, "in the heart of the Lycracian Empire, King Arthur Heath slaughtered the imperial palace. The empress, imperial gaurds … even the princess. He was the strongest in whole Sylviopia. No one could stop him. It became known as the Blood Moon Night. The whole palace was filled with blood and stacks of bodies."
My chest tightened.
"The previous emperor, the current emperor, and the Queen of Perthiana joined forces to kill him. Arthur died that night. In retaliation, Emperor Himura ordered his forces—those who were stationed in Temps Forest—to wipe out everything they found."
My hands curled into fists.
"So it was because of him," I whispered. "Because of Arthur… we suffered. Chris suffered."
"Why?" The word tore out of me. "Why did he do it?"
"You will learn the truth in time," Elder Silk said softly.
She continued.
"The next day, the council of seven nations convened. Emperor Himura claimed Arthur sought to conquer Lycracia, boasting that strength freed him from all law of us insects and he can get whatever he want. The Queen of Perthiana and the Dwarf King of Corella supported his claim—they said they witnessed it."
Her gaze drifted to the king beside her.
"Queen Liana Heath—Arthur's mother—stood alone. She tried to prove her son's innocence trying to do all she can, but in the end, all she could do was bargain."
My breath shook.
"Emperor Himura demanded the execution of the entire Heath family and the right to rule Azeria. Queen Liana offered herself instead. She renounced her royalty, surrendered all treasures and magical advancements said he can execute her however he want, and got on her knees bowing to every member of the council, begged that her husband be spared until old age claimed him and Emperor can have Azeria when Heath family doesn't have any heir."
Tears streamed down Elder Silk's face.
"The council agreed."
My vision blurred.
"She was executed that same day. Publicly. Broadcast to every nation using magisphere."
I felt sick.
"They stripped her of her royal garments infront of the crowd and bound her in mana-suppressing chains. The crowd was ordered to kill her, kill the women who gave birth to a devil—again and again using magic. When she neared death, mages were ordered to heal her, only for the torture to begin anew."
My legs nearly gave out.
"She never screamed," Elder Silk whispered. "She sat there… empty. Broken like an empty shell breathing."
The king's fists trembled.
"When King Edward begged them to stop the humiliation and let her wife rest in peace, Emperor told him it was the agreement isn't it, my family begged too but your son didn't stop and all council members were smiling looking at him as he was helpless. He was powerless and can't do anything for his wife bounded by duty as a king. In the end, Emperor Himura I'm not a monster like your son if you would ask me nicley I will grant her death —he got on his knees crying and begged to grant his wife death."
My chest burned.
"That day," Elder Silk said, "Azeria cried."
The room was silent except for quiet sobs.
"How," I said hoarsely, "can someone like Arthur Heath be our king he was blinded by power?"
The king's mana exploded outward—suffocating, sharp, filled with grief and fury.
"He killed his own mother."
"Kyla!" Elder Silk snapped. "Enough."
She turned to the king and bowed her head. "Please… calm yourself."
Slowly, the pressure eased.
But the damage was done.
I stood there trembling, heart shattered, knowing one thing with terrifying certainty
This kingdom was built on blood and lies.