Alen's POV

In the temple, it was the first roundtable meeting held by Prince Kral since the engagement ceremony.

Despite it being daytime, candles were lit in front of each elder's seat in the meeting room. They burned quietly, with their flames flickering and occasionally producing crackling sounds, adding some ambiance to the weighty atmosphere of the room.

Prince Kral did not wear the traditional white robe for the roundtable meeting, nor did he put on the masks that everyone was supposed to wear. Instead, he donned a pitch-black robe, and the golden royal emblem on his chest gleamed brightly. No one expected that, on the day after the engagement...