He conjured a chair from the shadows and seated himself beside the king.

“Zeke Draker, Your Majesty.”

The king, realizing an uninvited guest had breached his chamber, erupted in fury.

“Is there no one here? An intruder has entered! Seize this man at once!”

Yet, despite his command, no one came rushing in.

Zeke looked at the king and spoke calmly.

“I’ve temporarily silenced the room, Your Majesty, because there’s something I wish to discuss with you.”

The king clenched his teeth and flailed his arms in frustration.

“You dare threaten me, you scoundrel!”

Zeke, observing the king’s inability to think rationally, replied softly.

“I mean no threat, Your Majesty. I’ve come only to ask a question.”

He gazed at the blind king and continued.

“The curse upon the Thebea royal family—it wasn’t cast by Bahamut, was it?”

The king froze, his flailing arms coming to a halt.

He turned his unfocused eyes toward Zeke’s voice and shouted.

“What nonsense is this? The curse was indeed cast by the evil dragon Bahamut!”

“Is that so? In that case, I cannot lift the curse, and I should take my leave.”

The king, flustered, waved his hands desperately in Zeke’s direction.

“W-wait! Didn’t you say you could break the curse?”

“Your Majesty, how can I break a curse when we don’t even know its true origin? My investigation shows it has no connection to Bahamut, so there’s nothing I can do.”

The king bit his lip, trembling as he stared into the void with his sightless eyes.

Zeke spoke again.

“Your Majesty, if you wish for the curse to be lifted, you must tell me who cast it and what it entails.”

The king clutched his head, his teeth chattering, and finally spoke in a trembling voice.

“Y-you’re right. The curse wasn’t cast by Bahamut.”

“Then who was responsible?”

After a long hesitation, the king finally whispered.

”…The princes of the fallen kingdoms.”

Zeke’s eyebrows twitched at the revelation.

“Please, tell me more.”

Pressed by Zeke, the king took a deep breath and continued.

“A thousand years ago, the princes of the six kingdoms that fell… they sought refuge in Thebea, the last stronghold.”

“What connection do they have to the curse on the Thebea royal family?”

The flames in the fireplace roared more fiercely.

The king shivered as he spoke.

”…A sacrifice was needed.”

With a bitter smile, he confessed.

“To summon the absolute power to stop the evil dragon, the Thebea royal family… used the princes of the fallen kingdoms as sacrifices.”