Page 21 of The White King's Favorite

“I believe I have chosen to try and remain by my master’s side, my King. Please, will you allow this senile old man to introduce his candidate?”

“This is inadmissible!” suddenly shouted one of the men seated. “How dare this traitor come back?! Your Majesty, you don’t have to listen to this decrepit traitor! The candidates have already been chosen! This–!”

The man suddenly went mute as he turned his head toward the King, and his eyes opened wide in fright. He immediately went back to looking down, visibly terrified.

They all heard a scoff.

“See, Yassim, no one wants you here. Did you think I was being kind to you because I gave you a reason to be allowed back? Fine, then. Let’s see who was insane enough to follow your lies all the way here...”

Yassim bowed slightly, and every soldier stepped aside, letting the two girls appear.

Only Cessilia stood forward, unafraid. She walked ahead, past all the men, and to the center of the room, facing the King. She was stunning in her own way, standing tall and facing the sovereign, unafraid. Her skin was lighter than anyone else in the room, and yet it was a warm, beautiful, brown-copper shade that contrasted with those amazing, green eyes. Not only that, but she wore a striking purple dress under a white fur coat, and all that gold...

All eyes turned to the King, waiting to see his reaction to the foreign woman.

It wasn’t anything like they expected.

Ashen the White was seated on the simplest throne in the room, although his was in silver metal, without any decoration, cushion, or embellishment of any kind. The King himself didn’t wear any jewelry, crown, or expensive fabric. He was even half-naked, the scars on his exposed torso visible to all. Yet, he was standing out more than anyone else in the room. His white hair, as white as snow, was falling in irregular waves on his large, muscular shoulders, a striking contrast to his dark skin. His face was sculpted with thick lines and a square jaw with a few spikes of a growing beard sticking out. Despite him looking no older than thirty, there was something scarily deep and ancient in his dark eyes. The dark circles beneath them made it even worse, burying his irises deeper in the shadows. He didn’t seem human, or like he was the same kind as the other people standing in the room. He exuded an aura of death and danger like a resting predator. The silver chair may as well have been a god’s throne... a god of death. Anyone with any experience in battles could tell he was a warrior and a merciless killer. The way all the other people in the room physically reacted to his presence reeked of sheer terror.

Cessilia was the only one not to display an ounce of fear.

Instead, as she appeared before him, the King’s previous irritated expression fell. An incredible silence befell the room as if they had all been transported to a sacred place. In fact, they were witnessing an epic scene, a living painting. There seemed to be no one else but those two people, and all the others were quiet witnesses. No one could understand what was happening, but it felt breathtaking. The complex emotion on the cold-blooded King’s face, and the Princess’ pure, candid gaze she held without fear.

Even Yassim was shocked by what he was seeing. Before any of them had realized, the King was standing, his eyes riveted on the young woman as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. There was something happening between those two people, something deep, complex, and... personal.

“Y-Your Highness,” mumbled Yassim, “this is Princess Cessilia, daughter of the Dragon Empire, niece of Her Highness the Empress.”

The King didn’t reply. In fact, it was as if he hadn’t heard the old man at all. His eyes were still riveted on Cessilia as if he was seeing a ghost, or a monster.

The Princess was the first to react. Very slowly and gracefully, she bowed, her long hair sliding down her shoulders as she lowered her head to him.

“K-King... Ashen,” she simply said in a delicate voice.

That was it, yet those words looked as if she had slapped the King. In utter shock, his subjects saw him take a step back. Something felt wrong about all of this, something no one else could understand. However, the King didn’t reply to the Dragon Empire’s Princess. He clenched his fists, and instead, directed his furious glare toward Yassim.

“You cunning old snake...” he hissed, looking like he was about to murder the elder.

Everyone in the room was trying to make sense of this situation. Was the King sparing the Princess because of the Dragon Empire? Why was that young woman completely unafraid? How was old Yassim even still alive after daring to do such a thing? More importantly, what was that reaction earlier...?

“Y-Your Majesty,” said one of the nobles. “You don’t have to add the... Princess to the candidates. If you refuse her, we can... send the lady back to her homeland.”

As he said that, the man had looked at Cessilia, but she hadn’t reacted at all. In fact, he should have watched his King instead. Ashen suddenly turned his murderous glare to him, and the man felt his lifespan vanish at once. Normally, after that, there would have been no way to keep his head on his shoulders. Not when the King was visibly about to have him pay for those words with his life.

Yet, nothing came. The King looked stuck where he was, unable to unleash his usual display of complete violence.

“...She stays,” he hissed between his clenched teeth.

Everyone there was once again rendered speechless. What was wrong with the King? He could have obviously refused Yassim’s offer, sent those women back where they came from, and killed the old man once and for all! In fact, that was the most optimistic ending everyone had foreseen the minute Yassim had reappeared!

Being unable to grasp the King’s reactions was certainly scarier than his usual murderous ones. Everyone in the room kept staring, in utter dismay. No one dared to say a thing anymore. Instead, they were trying to make sense of this, or ready to give up as long as they’d keep their heads. Even Tessa, a few steps behind her, was staring at her cousin and the King in confusion. She had known Cessilia since they were children, and she found something unusual in her cousin’s behavior. She had never been one to step forward like this or stand out at all. Yet now, she was dominating the room, almost equal to that ruthless King. Even more intriguing was the way that ruthless King was staring at Cessi...

With everyone deeply involved in this odd situation here, and those two people who kept staring at each other as if a world belonged between them, they all failed to notice the new appearance.

She silently stepped out from the shadows behind the King. Her red dress floating around her, the young woman walked with a smile on her lips, stepping fearlessly next to the King. She had deep red hair, a hint of sharpness in her black eyes, and was amazingly beautiful. Her chuckle resonated as she stood very close to the King, her breast almost touching his arm. With a smile on her red lips, she leaned to whisper in his ear.

“Do we have guests, my King?”

The King didn’t react or answer her, but she didn’t seem offended at all. Instead, she kept a perfect smile, and put a hand on his shoulder, staring at Cessilia with him.

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