In the Winter Kingdom, a messenger delivered an urgent communication to King Hayden. After reading it, the monarch crumpled the paper with a grunt of disgust and ordered his horse to be prepared. He departed immediately for Queen Risny's castle.
Upon entering the imposing main hall, Hayden saw Risny seated with her usual expression of indifference, but also the clear disapproval in the eyes of Commander Eisen, who observed him with contempt.
Aware that he needed to hide his true intentions, Hayden kept his mind clear, knowing that Risny had the ability to read thoughts. What he didn't know was that her ability went beyond that—Risny perceived the nuances, the hidden layers, the thoughts he strived to suppress. Risny knew Hayden's true intentions, but for now, she considered them irrelevant.
Kneeling before Risny, ignoring the inquisitive gazes of the elite knights present, Hayden pleaded:
"Supreme Queen Risny, I did not know! I was unaware of Leticia's powers! I had no idea she was hiding these powers."
Commander Eisen, however, was not inclined to listen to his excuses.
"You are incompetent! The prey was right under your nose, and you didn't even notice."
"In any case, I was following orders, even if indirectly," Hayden retorted, standing up and facing the Commander with a defiant look.
His aversion to Eisen was no secret; to him, Eisen was an obstacle that needed to be removed, a feared warrior who held Risny's admiration. This only fueled Hayden's hatred, increasing his ambition to take his place.
"I will carry out Queen Risny's will," Hayden declared, his eyes fixed on Eisen. "I will prove my loyalty and efficiency. And I will take your post as First Elite Knight."
"But he's not even the 1st Elite Knight anymore," intervened Vyza, an elite warrior from the second division, known for her long violet hair, her extravagant dresses, and her vast knowledge of poisons and potions.
Hearing her comment, Eisen's gaze fixed on her, and Vyza felt a wave of tension in the air, a clear warning of the danger he represented. Realizing her mistake in exposing a secret, she instantly teleported away, avoiding a potential confrontation.
Hayden was momentarily confused. "So, if he's no longer the 1st Elite Knight, who is?" he thought, intrigued.
Risny, who had read his thought, offered a subtle smile.
"Why don't you try to find out?" Risny asked with an enigmatic smile. "And if you are able, defeat him," she said, observing the growing rivalry with curiosity.
This small provocation made it clear that she appreciated the conflict, encouraging the internal dispute among her knights. For Risny, competition was not a problem; it was a means of revealing the true potential of those who served by her side.
...
Meanwhile, in the Winter Kingdom, Laurenn was in the library meticulously examining royal documents, determined to draft a complete and accurate report for the next council meeting. Despite the resistance from some staff members, who questioned his authority and competence, they could not refuse to provide the requested documentation.
Upon examining the kingdom's budget, Laurenn noticed alarming discrepancies. The funds received by the kingdom were not being properly passed on to the population. Intrigued, he began to review other documents, but the more he investigated, the less he understood how the financial situation had deteriorated so badly. With the material gathered, he decided to report directly to King Hayden.
Hayden, humiliated by Risny and Eisen, had returned to the castle thanks to a portal opened by Latifa, an elite knight who at that moment had a portal key. Arriving at the castle, Hayden ignored everyone around him and went straight to his chambers, anger burning with every step. The humiliation he had suffered consumed him.
Moments later, Laurenn knocked on the door, asking for permission to enter and announcing his presence.
"Majesty, I need to speak with you. It's important," he said respectfully.
Hayden, however, was in no mood to be disturbed.
"Get out!" he shouted, his voice reverberating through the room. "A useless person like you can't help me with anything!"
In a fit of fury, he threw a glass at Laurenn, which shattered against the door right behind him. A small fragment hit his face, causing a superficial cut.
"Forgive me, Majesty," Laurenn said in a low voice, bowing in a gesture of apology and leaving the report on the table before exiting.
One of the ladies-in-waiting, who was waiting in the hallway, rushed to help Laurenn.
"Your Highness! Are you alright? Your face... it's bleeding!"
"It's just a superficial cut. It will heal soon," Laurenn replied, downplaying the injury. "You should get some rest; it's already late."
In his room, Hayden clenched his fists with such force that his palm began to bleed. He spotted the report left by Laurenn, glanced quickly over the pages, and, without hesitation, threw it into the fireplace, watching the flames consume the paper until it turned to ash.
"I need to eliminate Leticia... and Laurenn... forever," he murmured to himself, his tone laden with a dark determination.