Kaito forced a nervous laugh. "Misaki… I think we heard that wrong. Could you repeat that?"She nodded. "Hayato is going to be engaged to the princess of the Ice Nation. The ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow night. He's on his way there now."
For a long, breathless moment, the room remained silent.
Then everyone shouted in unison—
"WHATTTTTTTTTTTTT?!"
Akemi's voice cracked. "M-M-Ma…ma… marriage?!" she stammered, whirling to her left in disbelief.
To her horror, Eiji had turned to stone—eyes fixed forward, lips pressed together, not moving an inch.
"Oye, Eiji!" Akemi called, waving a hand in front of him. "Say something!"
No response.
Yushin leaned back with a sigh. "Due to the shock, his body's become stiff."
Hataki, arms crossed and brow furrowed, tilted his head. "Wait… what do you mean getting engaged?"
Misaki looked away for a moment. Her voice came out low, almost reluctant.
"Hayato's marriage is the first step of my father's grand plan."
That caught Kaito's full attention. His carefree demeanor dropped.
"What's your father's plan?" he asked, eyes narrowing.
She hesitated, then answered.
"To take over the global market… and ultimately use that power to claim the Mighty Chair."
Hataki's eyes widened. "The Mighty Chair? That's the seat of the World Authority… So how does marrying off Hayato to the Ice Nation's princess help him get there?"
Misaki exhaled deeply, bracing herself. "We all know the Ice Nation owns the largest fishing harbor in the world. It handles shipments to every continent. But what most people don't know is that the region is rich in rare, untapped resources.
My father runs a weapons manufacturing industry—and with guns and ammo being rare and feared worldwide, he sees an opening. If he gets access to those resources, he can mass-produce weapons again, reintroduce the power of warfare into a peaceful world… and corner the arms market."
"The harbor… and the lands…" she added, voice heavy, "are ruled by the princess. Since her father passed last year, she holds absolute control."
Kaito's mind raced as the puzzle clicked into place. "So if one of your father's sons marries her… she transfers power to him… and then the king declares Hayato as the next ruler of Sirocaan. He ends up controlling both nations."
Misaki nodded. "Yes, sir Kaito. You're exactly right."
Hataki stepped forward. "Then tell me this, Misaki. Why Hayato? Why not your older brother? You told us before your father never considered Hayato his son—so why now? Why bring him back just to name him heir?"
Misaki's expression darkened. "Because my brother is a monster."
Everyone fell silent.
She spoke slowly, words laced with pain. "He's not the kind of man anyone could love. He's killed men, women… children. He takes what he wants, and kills those who resist. If the princess rejects him, all my father's work would be for nothing. But Hayato—he's the opposite. He's noble. Kind. The world believes in him. That's why my father needs him."
Kaito folded his arms, deep in thought. "Let's say the wedding goes through, and Hayato becomes king of the Ice Nation. If he's crowned as ruler of Sirocaan, then everything falls into his and the princess's hands. How does that help your father? He loses control."
Misaki trembled, clutching the fabric of her dress. Her knuckles turned white.
"He's going to kill them both," she whispered. "After the marriage."
Gasps filled the room.
Yoto's breath caught in his throat. Rage flared in his eyes, barely contained.
Hataki stepped forward, fists clenched. "How do you know that?"
Misaki didn't look up. Her voice wavered as she began to recount the memory.
The Night
The palace halls were quiet, cloaked in the stillness of night. Misaki had just finished her walk and was returning to her room when loud voices echoed from her father's chamber.
Curious—and cautious—she approached, taking a careful peek through the slightly open door.
Inside, her father sat regally on a high-backed chair. Before him, one of his ministers knelt—covered in blood.
"So," the king's voice rang out coldly, "what do you say now? Will you follow me, or not?"
The minister spat blood defiantly. "I won't follow a monster who plans to murder his own son for power and profit. I'm not like you."
The king's eyes narrowed. "You know speaking to me like that can cost you your life."
The minister coughed, a dark crimson trailing from his lips. "I lost all hope the day you seized the throne. You already killed those who remained loyal to the former king. We know the truth. Bury it all you want, but if it comes to light, your entire reign will collapse."
The king leaned forward. "You're right about one thing. I killed those ministers—and their families—because they refused to kneel. The others lived because they swore allegiance. You think I left loose ends?"
"You… You monster…" the minister gasped.
The king's expression didn't change. "Everyone who knows the truth will die eventually. For now, they serve me. But your time ends here."
With a nod, he signaled to a guard.
The minister's eyes widened. "You MONSTER! HOW COULD Y—"
A spear pierced through his back, the blade erupting from his chest.
He crumpled to the floor, choking on his final words."You… will… die… for what… you did…"
The king scoffed. "What a waste of time. Get this filth out of my sight."
The guards bowed and began dragging the corpse toward the door. Another followed, mopping the trail of blood.
From the corridor's shadows, Misaki watched, breath trembling, eyes wide in horror.
"He's going to kill Hayato…" she whispered, then turned and ran—vanishing down the hallway, unseen
Back to the Present
"That's what happened…" Misaki said, her voice hollow. "My father is cruel. He'll sacrifice anything, anyone, to reach his goal."
She stepped forward and bowed deeply, her voice cracking.
"Please… help my brother. I have no one else to turn to. I can only ask for your help."