I followed King Karim closely as he led the way out of the party hall and up a flight of marble, gold-worked grand stairs and soon we were in a private chamber of even greater wealth. The rich, mahogany woodwork adorned with intricate carvings lined the walls, exuding an air of impossible splendor.

  At the heart of the room y a magnificent centerpiece—a vast, circur Persian carpet of deep, enchanting blue. Its surface was adorned with exquisite embroidery, showcasing a serene, white bear standing majestically in the center. The threads seemed to glisten with the soft ambient lighting, creating an ethereal glow around the carpet.

  Two plush sofas, ornately embroidered were strategically pced opposite each other at the edge of the Persian carpets, as I insist on calling them.

  King Karim walked to the legless table attached to the wall by the side, and with a sense of reverence, he reached for the sole bottle resting there. It looked like a relic. A work of artistry, crafted from a rich, amber-hued gss that seemed to capture the very essence of liquid gold. Its body was adorned with intricate, hand-etched patterns. The neck of the bottle was wrapped in a fine, aged leather, embossed with the royal seal, hinting at the exclusivity of its contents.

  "Quite the stunt you pulled there at my own party," he said, his back to me as the sound of liquid pouring into a gss resonated in the room.

  The pressure in the room suddenly became suffocating, as if the very air had thickened with an invisible weight. I raised my hand for closer inspection, and it was indeed trembling. Even though so slightly it was still surprising since the oppressive atmosphere was no where near that of Butler. Just how strong was he that even the strongest in the continent can't compare? What a fucking waste.

  A loud, boisterous ugh interrupted my thoughts, slicing through the tense atmosphere. "I have seen stronger men crumble at that," he said, still ughing heartily as he approached, extending a gss toward me. "You are an interesting d."

  I collected the gss, which was like the others, thick and with intricate designs and less transparent than what I was used to but it seems a bit more refined, with rings of gold around it's short stem.

  King Karim went and sat on a sofa.

  "Too bad all that will come to an end" he said and I raised an eyebrow, confused.

  "the grand mage, " he added. "He will be attacking you soon. Very soon I would say, with what happened tonight"

  "It's fine" I said, taking a sip of my drink. My face instantly contorted in disgust. The taste was like a harsh sp to the senses, and I struggled to hide my reaction.

  "Too much for you?" he said, ughing softly. "It's a special drink, one of a kind, you know? Almost like your kingdom's soap."

  The room became quiet, and the king took another sip of his drink.

  "When does the sales of the new soaps start?" he asked, looking at me. "I have daughters that will like it."

  "I told you, too expensive" I said, almost putting the gss to my lips again.

  "I'm sure I could quite afford it" the king said, amused.

  "It's not just about the price, King Al-Hashem" I expined, pcing the gss down on the ground beside the sofa, deliberately away from the precious Persian carpet. I dread tasting something like that again. "It's about the price, and the fact that I don't sell it to anyone but friends"

  "You sound like a merchant," King Karim remarked with a soft ugh, the tension in the room momentarily dissipating. "I am not riding to your aid just because of some soap, no matter how special you think it is."

  "And I'm not saying you should" I said immediately. "Montreal stole from me, and is profiting off of it. All I want is a ban of what Montreal stole from me in your territories and I will make the soap avaible"

  The king regarded me with a thoughtful expression. "Quite extreme, won't you say?"

  I shrugged nonchantly. "Not really. I'm fine either way. I'm just telling you the condition for me to sell you or anyone in your kingdom the soap."

  He stared at me for a moment, then his smile remained warm as he said, "Well, I didn't invite you to my party to talk about your soap. What do you think of my daughter?"

  And there it is. Just like Mother suspected.

  King Karim has many children but only two with his first wife, who is now te. A girl and a boy. Amara, the oldest is Karim's favorite child but rumor has it he prefers for his oldest son to take his pce as king. The fact that Mittelreich doesn't have an heir apparent even at this point means it is more than just a rumor. Though Amara is more powerful and talented, her younger brother has the backing of the nobles and high families of Mittelreich, and that makes King Karim fear for his kingdom. Amara won't settle for less and is not the most marriageable. All hope was lost until rumors of a promising king began to spread. A young, desperate king. The perfect candidate for a difficult spinster.

  "She's beautiful" I said simply.

  "That she is" the king replied, now probably realizing he should have had a center table. "Takes after her mother in that regards. I invited you to talk about a marriage engagement between our two families"

  "I'm already engaged, King Al-Hashem"

  "Ah, yes, the unawakened druid girl," he remarked, as if it were a minor detail he had momentarily forgotten. "I'm sure something can be done about that. Surely your kingdom is more important than a... pretty face."

  "I can handle Hohenberg," I asserted.

  He studied me intently, as though trying to gauge the sincerity of my words. "The threat of the grand mage is not something you can bluff your way out of," he finally said. "Right now, this may be the only way to save your kingdom."

  "Thank you for your concern, King Karim, but I have no intention of marrying your daughter," I stated firmly, careful to maintain respect in my tone. "I will take care of the grand mage"

  King Karim stared at me for a moment, and then, with a sigh of resignation, he seemed to accept my decision.

  "I don't know if I should be disappointed or intrigued," he mused, rising from his seat. I followed suit.

  He reached into his jacket's inner pocket and withdrew an amulet adorned with a striking blue ruby. "At least think about it. Give this a bloodied press if you change your mind."

  I looked at the amulet been handed to me. I would have rejected it outrightly because there's no way I would change my mind, but there was something off about the way he was giving it to me. Like it was beyond what we just talked about.

  "Wise choice," King Karim remarked when I accepted the amulet and tucked it into my pocket. "Now let's go enjoy the rest of the party."

  We made our way downstairs, descending from the grand staircase into party below. The vish event was still brimming with rich nobles, each engrossed in their own conversations and revelry.

  However, as we reached the foot of the stairs, a sudden commotion disrupted the atmosphere. Anastasia, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, hurled herself at me with an intensity that threatened to unbance me. In her tight embrace, her body pressed closely against mine, drawing the attention of onlookers.

  The older woman's tears dampened my neck as she clung to me, and I couldn't help but notice a few curious eyes turning our way. I hoped they didn't notice the casual pcement of my hand, resting a bit lower than it should, below her waistline.

  We remained in that intimate embrace for what felt like an eternity, the eyes of the nobles lingering on our unexpected dispy of affection. Anastasia eventually detached herself from me, her arms still wrapped around my neck, and my hands remained in their questionable position below her waistline. The moment held an air of tension and intrigue as we continued to draw the attention of the room.

  "We will support you," she said, her teary eyes locking onto mine with a heartfelt intensity.

  "Anasta--"

  "We will support him!" she turned swiftly and directed her words at her husband, her emotions still palpable in her voice. Her husband, perhaps swayed by her strong conviction or sympathetic to her cause, backed down, his demeanor shifting.

  We found ourselves almost surrounded by curious nobles, their hushed conversations turning to our unexpected exchange.

  "It's fine" I reassured Anastasia, gently taking her arms off my neck. "I'm gd you like it but I can take care of the grand mage"

  At that moment, I began to feel a cold sensation at my spine, and soon Helene's astral projection began to form before me.

  "Sorry to disturb your party, Your Majesty" she said, "But it has begun"

  "Is everything ready?" I asked.

  "No," she replied, "But it will be by the time they get here"

  "That's fine," I said. "Send out the message"

  She bowed, and the smoke dissipated.

  Fuck. That's not how I thought it will go. I guess it's time for the bishop to move.