It was a scene that compelled absolute astonishment. 

Upon seeing Sienna's face, the thirty-first King of Aroth, Daindolf Abram, had fallen to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground. He had been waiting for her while anxiously pacing around the room.

Honein, the Crown Prince, was horrified to see his father in such a state. He knew well how his father upheld his dignity and authority. 

Years ago, when the issue of Eugene Lionheart's entry to Akron was being debated, Daindolf had sent his son, Prince Honein, instead of participating in person.

The reason was simple. 

Kiehl's Lionhearts were descendants of the Great Vermouth, and they were so prestigious that not even the Emperor of the Kiehl Empire could easily deal with them.

Daindolf had been hesitant to confront these heirs of Vermouth. In particular, despite being born from a collateral line, Eugene Lionheart was the only child to have become adopted into the main family in the history of Lionhearts.

He had found it difficult to maintain the authority and dignity of a king in front of a seventeen-year-old boy with such a background. 

Even during the hearings related to Akasha that followed, Daindolf did not attend in person. Despite it being a matter far more significant than the entry to Akron, he had sent his son as his proxy. 

He had wanted to avoid any dealings with Eugene Lionheart and had not wanted to take any responsibility as a king while maintaining friendly relations with the Archwizards opposing Eugene. 

Aroth was a constitutional monarchy. The royal family had been in power for a long time, but they did not hold a stronger influence than Aroth’s council. That was why King Daindolf had been highly conscious of his external image and authority and why Honein, as the Crown Prince, had been sent as a stand-in since childhood. 

"Your Majesty...!" 

The royal guards,...