The council chamber was filled with a suffocating tension. Elders sat in their high-backed chairs, their eyes locked onto Kael, who stood bound just moments ago but now stood firm, his presence demanding attention. He was no longer laughing. His playful demeanor had faded, replaced by a cold, determined aura.

  An elder leaned forward, his voice carrying the weight of age and authority. "Do you even understand the weight of your decision, Kael? Who do you think you are, throwing your life away for vengeance? Are you a fool? You are the sovereign leader of Velmora! If you fail, this nation will bear the consequences. A war could be sparked, and our reputation shattered."

  Kael remained silent, his jaw clenched as flashes of the past struck him like lightning. His father, once a pillar of strength, had been reduced to a lifeless corpse. His mother, the gentle warmth in his life, was gone. All of it stolen by one man—the Monarch of Rhinestone. His hands curled into fists, nails digging into his palms. This wasn't just about revenge. This was justice. This was destiny.

  The elder sighed, mistaking Kael's silence for hesitation. "Sit," he ordered, motioning to a chair placed before them. Kael stepped forward, slow and deliberate, lowering himself onto the chair as if he were a king on his throne rather than a boy being judged.

  "You speak of war," Kael finally said, his voice cold. "But war began the day Rhinestone spilled my family's blood. You think I don't understand the risk? You think I don't know what this means for Velmora?" He exhaled sharply, his eyes blazing. "Do not lecture me on duty, old men. I know duty more than any of you. While you sit in comfort, debating politics, I have lived with the consequences of your inaction."

  Another elder scoffed. "We understand loss, Kael. But you are blind if you think vengeance outweighs the safety of your nation. We will not allow you to act recklessly. If you walk this path, you will be removed from your position as president of the Sovereign Council. You must choose—your title, your nation... or your revenge."

  Silence blanketed the room.

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  Kael rose to his feet. "You speak as if I am seeking your permission. I am not. I am informing you. This isn't a matter of if—I will kill the Monarch." His words struck the elders like a hammer. "You think stripping me of my position will change anything? That I need a title to have power?"

  He pulled the golden emblem pinned to his chest—the mark of the Sovereign President—and tossed it onto the table, the clinking sound echoing in the chamber. "Keep your symbol. Keep your titles. I do not need them to be who I am."

  Gasps rippled through the council, but one elder smirked, whispering to another, "This is what we needed to see. His resolve is unshaken."

  One elder, who had been watching carefully, finally spoke. "You may act as if you do not need us, but even you must acknowledge the reality of war. A leader does not act alone, Kael." He leaned back, eyes calculating. "Let's say you succeed. If the Monarch dies, Rhinestone will be in chaos. They are rich in resources—minerals, trade routes, wealth. A country without a leader is ripe for the taking. Velmora can strike at the perfect moment."

  Kael narrowed his eyes. "You mean to use my mission as a prelude to conquest?"

  The elder chuckled. "We mean to make your mission more than personal. If you succeed, Velmora will invade Rhinestone. Your vengeance will not just be yours—it will be our nation's triumph."

  Kael remained still, absorbing their words.

  "And if I refuse your games?"

  "Then you lose everything," another elder cut in sharply. "Your title, your legacy, your people. You will be cast aside, an outlaw with nothing but your pride. But if you accept... we will grant you sixty days to succeed. You will be given a cover—an illness, to explain your absence. In the meantime, your Vice President, Rose, will assume leadership. If you return victorious, you will not only reclaim your position, but you will return as the man who handed Velmora a kingdom. If you fail—" The elder's eyes sharpened. "You will lose everything."

  Kael looked at Rose, who stood quietly, her eyes betraying concern. She had always been his most trusted ally, and now she was being used as leverage.

  He smirked. "You're playing a dangerous game, old men. But fine. Sixty days? That is more than enough time."

  The elder nodded, satisfied. "Then it is settled. You have sixty days to assassinate the Monarch. May your vengeance serve this nation well."

  Kael turned, the ghost of a smirk on his lips. "Vengeance? No. This is justice. And I will deliver it."

  As he walked out, Rose hesitated before following. "Kael... are you sure about this?"

  He didn't answer immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet but unyielding. "I am not just sure, Rose. I am inevitable."