King of Eronvale—Lucen Thorne Eroner—sat inside his private office, a quiet space lined with scrolls and maps. His butler stood silently nearby, awaiting orders.
Lucen’s golden hair was neatly combed back, and his sharp blue eyes were fixed on the docunt in his hand. Calm yet focused, he read every line with the weight of a nation resting on his shoulders.
Eronvale was one of the four great human kingdoms—ranked second in strength due to its powerful military and vast wealth. Their relationships with the other nations remained steady, even friendly—strengthened by the shared fear of a common enemy that lood beyond their lands.
The world was overcrowded by dragons, and the human nations were surrounded on all sides. The landmass they occupied had its southern edge touching the vast ocean, which stretched into the icy, uninhabitable frozen lands.
Eronvale stood tall at the northernmost tip of the continent, directly bordering the territory of a dragon Warlord. This made them the first line of defense—and the first target.
For years, their survival had depended on a single fragile lifeline: the pact. A powerful agreent, sealed by the Great Sage, that kept the dragons from launching a full assault.
But the Sage was dying. And once she passed, so would the pact.
After that, Eronvale would be like a man standing at the edge of a cliff—knowing the fall was coming, but not knowing when... or who would give the final push.
"Sir, shouldn’t you take a rest?" asked his loyal confidant gently.
Lucen let out a tired sigh. "I need to finish this... or I won’t be able to close my eyes in peace."
He was reviewing the security protocols for the upcoming summit—an event that would bring leaders from all over the human nations to Eronvale. It was more than just a eting; it was a desperate effort to prepare for the end of an era.
The Pact, ford nearly eight hundred years ago, had held the dragons at bay. But now, whispers filled the halls of every kingdom—the Great Sage who forged it was nearing her end. And when she passed, so would the barrier of peace.
For years, every nation had quietly built up its defenses, preparing for the day the skies would no longer be safe. This summit was their final attempt to unite, to plan, and perhaps, to survive.
As Lucen skimd through the list of arrangents, a knock echoed from the heavy wooden door.
He allowed himself a faint smile. "Must be Tia," he said, gently closing the folder.
The butler smiled knowingly. At least there was one person in this world who could make the king willingly set aside his work.
But the mont the door creaked open, Lucen’s shoulders dropped in visible disappointnt.
"...Son," he muttered, hiding his sigh. "Co in."
He gestured to the chair across from him. The butler, standing by the side, barely suppressed a grin at the king’s dejected expression.
Prince Erwin Eroner, the eldest of Lucen’s children, walked in with a firm expression on his youthful face. As he took a seat, there was no hesitation in his voice.
"Father... Cedric has been removed from the Alpha Team."
Lucen, who had been reaching for the docunt again, froze mid-motion.
"Wasn’t he just promoted?" he asked, brows narrowing. "What happened?"
He rembered hearing from Minister Ross that the forr captain had endangered the entire squad, which led to Cedric being made the new leader. Lucen didn’t usually involve himself in his children’s affairs—he believed in letting them find their own path. But this...
Being removed from Alpha Team ant it wasn’t just a minor mistake. It was serious.
"What he’s been hiding all this ti... soone found out," Erwin said with a sigh, clearly frustrated. "I warned him. With his condition, he shouldn’t have chosen that profession."
Lucen let out a breath. "It was bound to happen. Still, I didn’t think he’d be exposed after coming this far."
Erwin let out a dry laugh. "He wasn’t caught. Soone snitched."
Lucen’s expression turned serious. After a short pause, he said, "Hades?"
"Of course. Who else?" Erwin replied.
Even with all his struggles, Cedric had managed to keep his weakness hidden. But those close to him—his team—must’ve noticed it by now.
The butler’s eyes narrowed. "My lord, should I send soone to deal with Hades?"
Lucen raised a brow. "Hmm? And why would you get involved in a fight between two n? Sure, Hades played dirty, but Cedric is on the battlefield. He has to overco every challenge on his own. Or give up and return."
The butler quietly sighed... if only Lucen knew how much Ross had already interfered in this ss.
"Father, I’ll say it again. Cedric isn’t ready to manage anything yet. He’s still a short-tempered boy. And yet, you gave him sothing as important as the budget."
Erwin had warned him before—that handing such a serious responsibility to Cedric could end badly. But Lucen’s reply hadn’t changed.
"Until I see the true ruler in any one of my three children, I’ll give all three of you the sa chance," Lucen said.
Erwin clenched his jaw and stood up.
Lucen didn’t stop him.
But soon enough, Lucen would look back on this day and admit—Erwin had been right.
°°°°°°°
A/N:- Is this story interesting? Not receiving many comnts makes nervous.
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