Jiho's pulse quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm. There was something far deeper at play here than she had ever imagined. The truth behind her lineage, her bloodline, the mer's connection to the Gu family—it all pointed to this moment. The emperor was no longer her concern. It was the figure beside him, the mer who had been watching her, waiting for this confrontation.
The mer didn't speak, but its presence filled the room with an overwhelming, suffocating force. Jiho took a deep breath, steadying herself. She had fought wars, faced countless enemies, but this… this was different. This was personal.
