The throne room hung in thick, suffocating silence. The moment Daemon spoke, every eye locked on him.
Elias tilted his head, the old Duke's face twisting with mockery.
"Daemon what? Who the hell did you drag into this, Your Majesty? A child?" He let out a sharp, dry laugh.
The king leaned back, unbothered, his wine glass barely tilting.
"He's not just any child, Duke Elias. He's the prince of Varyndor."
The air snapped cold. The room fell dead still.
The Duke's amusement soured in an instant. His eyes narrowed on Daemon, scanning the boy's calm expression.
"So... the reincarnation of the Demon King walks freely into this palace. You must be desperate, Your Majesty, bringing a devil to your table. You've truly given up on this kingdom if you've allied with the same creature who once drowned the world in fire."
Daemon tilted his head slightly, unfazed, lips curving into a slow, cold smile.
