UNIFIED W

Chapter 43: Irregular, part 8

The council hall slowly emptied, but King Prime VII remained, rising only when silence finally settled, then went after Erica toward her room.

The corridors were dimly lit, the marble floors reflecting the fading light of the sunset. He found her standing by the window, gazing out at the city below.

He paused for a moment, listening to the distant hum of the palace, before pulling her into a quiet embrace.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Your brother doesn't mean harm. He's just... lost."

Erica closed her eyes and leaned into him, holding the moment between them. When they separated, King Prime VII turned to the window, gazing out at the city below, its towers and streets glowing in the fading sunlight.

"Tell me something, Erica. What do you think it takes to be a great leader?"

The question caught her off guard. Her fingers curled at her side.

"A leader should be someone people can believe in. Someone who gives them hope."

The king glanced at her.

"And why would they choose to believe in you?"

Erica hesitated, but only briefly.

"Because you stay true to your morals and face the choices that no one else dares to take."

A quiet silence lingered before the king smiled and placed a gentle hand on her head.

"You're close. But you've missed the most important part."

Her face warmed with embarrassment.

"A true leader learns from those who came before, especially from their mistakes."

Erica nodded slowly, and in an instant, his warm expression vanished.

"I fear your brother is following the same path my father once walked, a path that leads into darkness."

Erica looked up at him.

"What was Grandfather like... as a ruler?"

Erica's words hung in the air longer than she expected. King Prime VII's jaw tightened, though he tried to hide it.

"He cared only for power. So much so that he ignored everything else. Even his own......"

King Prime VII stopped before he could finish his sentence. Erica moved toward the door, her hand lingering on the frame, then turned back with a gentle smile as she spoke.

"Don't have dinner without me. I'm going out with Toki for a while."

A soft smile curved his lips. Once she had gone, he stayed at the window, the city glowing beneath him, his mind deep in thought.

'Erica, I'm sorry you have to carry on this burden, but you are the only hope for the world.'

***

The inner city buzzed with life as Erica and Toki walked side by side.

The moment people noticed Erica, heads turned and smiles spread through the crowd.

"Princess!"

"Good day!"

She smiled politely, waving when she could, though her shoulders slowly tensed.

Toki walked a step behind her, silent. Her gaze stayed low, her expression distant, as if she hadn't slept properly in days.

She rarely spoke around others. Only with Erica did her guard lower. Toki was slightly taller than Erica, her red-brown hair tied loosely behind her.

A faint scarlet glow lingered in her eyes when the light caught them just right.