Prince Jing had a dojo in his house, situated near the forest, at a strategic distance that provided him with the privacy he needed for his private training sessions.

After the queen returned to the palace, he and his friends went there to train. After a satisfying sparring session among them, they sat in a circle on their knees in the center of the dojo, talking about their duties as warriors.

“We heard the counselors talking about your marriage death sentence,” Nico teased, a sarcastic smile on his face.

“Wow, gossip spreads like wildfire in the palace,” the prince replied, ironically. “But it’s not a fact—it’s speculation. It’s not like...