The King opened a route beneath his throne by removing one stone untouched throughout his reign.
He remained seated while royal engineers released six mundane catches from around the heavy dais.
Golden ward lines continued through his spine plus both arms, tying him to the capital's weakened circulation.
When the final catch withdrew, half the throne slid aside to reveal a narrow descending stair.
"My father called this the root passage," the King said while one hand held an active ward seal. "Every earlier surviving foundation record contradicts at least one other account."
Hajin examined the opening with Divine Eye before approaching its first step.
Nullstone lined seven upper steps, swallowing ordinary mana plus turning deeper geometry into a blank vertical wound.
"No ruler mapped the entire structure?" Hajin asked while testing the nearest wall with an iron probe.
