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Claiming the Throne
Chapter 18 - The King

Chapter 18 - The King

In a large, dark corridor, a tall male figure walked toward the massive door at its end. As he passed through the faint shafts of light cast by the tall windows along the walls, his eyes glowed briefly. Reaching the door, he pushed the large handle. The door creaked open, revealing a massive room with the same oppressive darkness. The atmosphere was heavy, with little to no light. A long red carpet stretched through the center of the room, leading up to a grand staircase in the middle.

The man entered, his head bowed. He walked along the red carpet and stopped near the stairs. Falling to his knees, he bowed low.

"Your Majesty, I report that the kid has escaped," he said in a strong but quiet voice. "Our forces were all brutally killed, and we’ve completely lost him."

A heavy silence filled the room.

From the top of the stairs, a voice broke through the stillness, sharp and full of anger. "Escaped? He escaped? Without a trace?!"

The figure seated on the grand throne shifted slightly. His alabaster skin caught the faint candlelight, and his long, dark hair framed his sharp features with an ethereal elegance. Though much of his face was obscured in shadow, the crimson glow of his eyes pierced through the darkness. His intricate black coat and pristine white ruffled shirt added to his imposing presence. The deep red curtains and purple roses surrounding him gave the throne a somber, almost otherworldly beauty.

"Othid," the Demon King snarled, his voice like ice, "how could you let a mere slave escape? You, the second-best general of the kingdom! How?"

He clenched his fist and struck the armrest of his throne, cracking it.

Othid remained silent for a moment before replying, "It was a mistake, Your Majesty. But you must not underestimate Kajin. He is strong, and even the Great Demon King knows it. This is what we have feared all along."

The Demon King sighed in frustration and folded his hands. "You have disappointed me, Othid. And I... Darius, the Demon King, do not tolerate disappointment."

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Othid bowed lower. "I understand, Your Majesty. I assure you, we will capture him as quickly as possible."

Darius remained quiet for a moment before speaking again. "You know, Othid... since the day that creature was born, my reputation has only suffered. We’ve lost two border wars, one with the Eldarion Kingdom and the other with the Ironland Kingdom. Then there was the prison escape almost ten years ago. Over a thousand prisoners broke free because our troops were foolish enough to chase two useless children, allowing the entire prison to rise up against us. And still... they managed to catch only one of them."

Darius clenched his fists, his voice calm but seething with rage. "And now, the other one escapes." His crimson eyes glowed brighter, and the air in the room grew heavy with an oppressive energy.

Sensing the danger, Othid squeezed his eyes shut as an overwhelming pressure filled the space. His body trembled under the weight of Darius’s killing intent, cold sweat dripping down his face.

"Tell me, Othid," Darius spoke slowly, his voice chilling. "Was I wrong to kill them all?"

A wave of magic burst through the room, shattering all the glass into a million fragments.

"No, Your Majesty," Othid replied, trembling. "You were completely justified. They all deserved it."

Darius slowly closed his eyes, and the suffocating pressure eased. Othid let out a silent breath of relief.

"Othid," Darius commanded, his tone steady but firm, "reinforce the border security. Double, no, triple the guards. Ensure that the slave does not escape again. I will assign the Royal Patrol to intensify their search. They may take up to 40% of the troops from all five armies if necessary."

Othid’s eyes widened at the statement but said nothing.

"Any questions, Othid?" Darius asked, sighing deeply and crossing his hands.

Othid hesitated before asking, "Shall I report this to the Queen, Your Majesty?"

Darius chuckled bitterly. "No need. She doesn’t care what that slave does, whether he’s alive, dead, a slave, or free. She doesn’t care."

Othid nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty." He stood, still bowing his head. "I shall take my leave now. A meeting with the generals will be held in an hour as per your orders."

Darius gestured for him to go. Bowing once more, Othid walked toward the door. His steps were slow and deliberate. Once outside, he shut the door, leaving Darius alone in the throne room.

Darius crossed his legs and exhaled angrily. "I have to do everything myself these days. I’m surrounded by idiots. Ever since the war with the humans, they’ve grown slow and lazy. Not a single order is carried out correctly."

Rising from his throne, he muttered, "So much to do… so much incompetence to deal with. It’s all so exhausting."

He began descending the cold, white stairs, his expression as dark as the room around him.