Eri Pov
The kitchen of the Kazunaga Palace had been awake since three in the morning. Under Lourice's meticulous orders, the air was filled with the aroma of charcoal-grilled fish, steaming ginger rice, and sweet honeyed pears—all of Elara's favorites. The long dining table was set with the finest porcelain, and two silk cushions were placed side-by-side.
For the first time, the palace was prepared for a peaceful morning between two Queens.
In her private dressing room, Eri stood as her attendants adjusted the sleeves of her dark charcoal-grey Hanbok. She caught her reflection in the mirror—her expression was softer than usual. She was actually looking forward to the quiet.
But then, the heavy doors slid open. Ali rushed in, his face pale and his hands trembling as he held a stack of ancient-looking scrolls.
"Your Majesty," he whispered, his voice urgent. "The tax audits you requested... the numbers don't add up. Lord Gidon has been lying for years."
Eri's eyes darkened. The soft light of the morning vanished from her face, replaced by the cold steel of a ruler. She looked at the door leading to the dining hall, then back at the scrolls.
"Cancel the breakfast," Eri commanded, her voice turning into ice. "Summon the Council. Every single one of them. Now."
The Great Chamber was suffocating. Fifty lords and governors stood in rigid rows, their ornate silk robes rustling as they shifted in fear.
Queen Eri stood at the head of the long stone table. She was a striking figure, her presence so dominant that she seemed to swallow the room's light. Her eyes, cold and sharp as a winter frost, scanned the faces of her subjects until they landed on one man.
"I have spent the dawn reviewing our ledgers," Eri began, her voice low but vibrating with a dangerous edge. "We have fifty cities under the banner of Kazunaga. Thirty-four are thriving, funding our growth and feeding our people. But the other sixteen?"
She slammed a heavy scroll onto the table. The sound was like a thunderclap in the silent hall.
"They have been stagnant for a decade. Especially Uran."
Eri's gaze locked onto Lord Gidon. She didn't move, but the weight of her stare was so heavy it felt as if she were physically pinning him against the wall.
"Uran is our primary agricultural hub. It should be the heart of our trade," she continued, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Yet, for ten years, while the rest of the kingdom evolved, Uran has stayed in the dirt. No hospitals. No universities. No progress. And yet... the leadership never changes. It is always your family, Lord Gidon. Generation after generation, holding onto the same soil."
The other ministers looked away, afraid to even breathe. Lord Gidon's face turned a sickly shade of grey.
"Your Majesty," Gidon stammered, his voice cracking. "Uran is... it is a difficult land. We do our best with the budget. The taxes from the thirty-four wealthy cities are shared, yes, but the population is growing! We have many mouths to feed—"
"Enough!" Eri barked. She walked slowly toward him. She didn't need to be taller than him; the sheer power in her stride made Gidon shrink. "The budget for Uran is massive. More than enough to build a city of gold. And yet, the only ones living in gold are you and your kin."
"We were born wealthy, Your Highness!" Gidon shouted in a final, desperate act of pride. "My ancestors built that city! We help the people in our own way! You cannot blame us for the struggles of the farmers!"
Eri stopped inches away from him. She didn't shout back. Instead, she just stared into his eyes—a cold, predatory look that made Gidon's knees literally knock together. The silence was deafening.
"Is that your final answer?" Eri asked, her voice deathly calm. "Because I am tired of reading your lies. I will be visiting Uran myself. I will walk through your streets and talk to your people."
She reached out and gripped the collar of his robes, pulling him just an inch closer so he could see the lack of mercy in her eyes. "If I find a single coin that belongs to the people sitting in your personal vaults... I will not just strip you of your title."
Her voice became a chilling promise. "I will sentence your entire bloodline to death. I will erase the name Gidon from the history of Kazunaga. Do you understand me?"
Gidon couldn't even speak; he could only offer a weak, terrified nod.
Eri let go of him as if he were trash and turned to the rest of the Council. "The rest of you, look at your books. Because I am just getting started."
She swept out of the room, her crimson-lined robes snapping behind her. She had a kingdom to fix, but as she reached the hallway, her pace slowed. The fire in her eyes dimmed for a second as she looked toward the dining hall. The feast was cold. The table was empty. And she knew that Elara was somewhere in the palace, wondering why her Queen had chosen a war over a meal