Sun rays peeked in through the red velvet curtains, illuminating the image of a man who bore the heaviest burden of Eldoria on his shoulders. King Hendrick lay on the bed with his eyes closed, however, his posture was stiff as though still on high alert.
The room was enthralled in a heavy silence as a man stood by and checked the king. His expression was grave.
"His royal majesty's heartbeat and pulse are steady. After my diagnosis, I…see nothing wrong with him," the man, who looked like a royal physician, stated, his words coming out low and careful while bowing slightly before the two men who stood in the room.
The lean man at the right side of the bed scoffed. "So, are you trying to tell us that his majesty willed himself into a coma?" His words were sharp, and the physician shivered, cold sweat breaking down his back.
"Or are by any chance suggesting he is cursed?" another man, clad in white priestly robes, questioned. His spectacled eyes narrowed at the physician, whose eyes widened in horror.
To call the King cursed was akin to treason and that could have his head on a plate in the next minute. The doctor immediately shook his head like a broken toy.
The temperature in the room had dropped considerably, as though the very air responded to the oppressive presence of the two men.
A sudden knock at the door intervened, releasing the physician, who let out the breath he had been holding. The archbishop turned to Minos with a raised brow before moving to open the door.
"Your Highness, fancy meeting you here," the archbishop exclaimed, a pleasant smile lighting his face as he opened the door.
Garran stood at the threshold, his expression stoic. He bowed curtly before attempting to enter, but was immediately barred.
"Archbishop…" His voice was low and demanding, his eyes gleaming dangerously."What is the meaning of this?"
"Apologies, Your Highness. The king ordered that no one sees him at the moment."
From inside the room, sharp clicks of shoes echoed against the marble floor. Soon, the visage of a middle-aged man with fine wrinkles on his face appeared at the door. He smiled and offered a slight bow.
A scowl formed on Garran's face while his hand curled into a fist.
"Not even his heir? Not even the crown prince?" Garran's voice cracked with anger, his fist turning white.
Minos, however, simply smiled and bowed his head. "Apologies, Your Highness. It is an order from above." And with that, he closed the door, leaving Garran fuming behind it.
Inside, Minos' expression turned cold the moment the door shut.
"So grumpy. He might need a little holy water," the archbishop said with a playful expression.
"Dr. Rex, pull down the blanket," Minos ordered, ignoring the comment. He took a seat by the window, watching intently.
The physician gulped but obeyed, carefully lowering the blanket. When he reached the king's ankles, his eyes widened in horror.
"What… what is this?" he whispered, nearly choking on his own breath. Fresh sweat broke down on
The king's leg looked unnatural — veins protruded in twisted shapes, glowing faintly beneath skin that had begun to harden like stone.
"What is happening to him, Rex?" Minos asked calmly, his eyes never leaving the physician's horrified expression.
"I… I…" the doctor stammered.
"This is beyond useless," the archbishop spat, his countenance contorting in disgust at the sight. "Saints have mercy."
Minos' calm gaze fixed on the physician. "Tell anyone about this, and I'll have your head as my next goblet." His voice was quiet, but the smile spreading across his lips made the words more terrifying.
The doctor trembled violently as Minos stood, covering the king with the blanket once more and drawing the curtains shut.
"Shall we?" Minos gestured to the door. "The king is counting on your discretion, doctor. I'm sure when he wakes, he will extend his gratitude." A saintly smile tugged at his lips, chilling the man further.
"The… the feeling is mutual, sir." Dr. Rex stammered, offering a shaky bow before hurrying out of the palace halls.
"Archbishop Liu, it must have taken you effort to arrive so quickly. You have the king's thanks," Minos said lightly, his smile faint.
"Nothing much at all. He is the king chosen by the sun," Archbishop Liu replied in a sanctimonious tone.
Just then, the princess rushed into the halls, her face pale, her breathing panicked.
"Father! Where is my father?" Sera demanded, clutching her skirts tightly.
Minos smiled when he saw her, bowing slightly. It was the same smile he had shown everyone — polite, calm, and unreadable.
"My princess, the king is well. The physician said he was merely… stressed," he replied, his eyes meeting hers as though he wanted to peel back every secret she carried.
"Stressed? What is he doing? Is he in his room?" Sera asked quickly, her eyes darting past him, desperate to see.
"Yes, my princess. However, his majesty ordered that no one should disturb him," Minos said smoothly. To the world, his tone was calm and respectful. To Sera, the words rang hollow, almost mocking.
"Even his own daughter?" Her voice trembled as she fought to keep her emotions hidden.
"Yes, Your Highness. He also instructed me to remind you to continue your training with your new governess."
"Governess? For what? I thought I graduated last year." Confusion clouded her eyes.
"Yes, you did. But the king said you should learn one or two things about marriage." Minos' words dropped like a stone in water. He paused, watching her pale. Then, with his polite smile intact, he left her standing there.
"Marriage…?" Sera staggered.
Adna quickly caught hold of her lady to prevent her from collapsing, and guided her away."
Above them, the sun hung high, condescending like an emperor demanding praise. As it aligned at the center of the sky, bells rang across kingdom. Citizens from all walks of life dropped to their knees, heads bowed in prayer.
Even in the palace, servants abandoned their duties, transforming the entire of Eldoria into something that resembled a vast temple.
While the kingdom prayed, Sera sat blankly on her bed. Her beautiful blue eyes brimmed with tears, her face pale. Thoughts churned in her mind, each one darker than the last, until Adna's voice broke through.
"My princess, the High Steward said he will be fine. Please, calm yourself," Adna urged, her voice strained with forced hope.
"Fine… pray… the Sun…" Sera muttered weakly. She turned to Adna, her voice trembling. "What did I do wrong? Didn't I pray every day? Didn't I give offerings? So what went wrong?"
Her voice fell lower with every question until it was barely a whisper.
Adna's throat tightened. She knew exactly where this pain came from but could not form an answer.
"It was his wish to take her—"
"Why was it his wish? I was barely eight!" Sera's voice snapped, her blue eyes flashing with anger beneath the tears.
Adna fell silent.
"Mother also died like this… I… I was with her and she—" Sera's sobs broke loose, words cut short by grief.
Adna hurried to pour the greenish tea, pressing it gently to her lips. Within minutes, Sera's trembling eased, and she sank back under her blankets, finally still.
Adna watched her for a long while, then sank to her knees before the window. Hands clasped tightly, she whispered into the silence:
"Please… save her. Save my princess."