章 167: Friends and family

Alpheo sat beside Jasmine on the raised platform of the royal court, his throne deliberately positioned slightly lower than hers. He was after all merely the consort— and at that still not recognized as such by law. 

The room was alive with murmurs as courtiers and nobles gathered, but the atmosphere shifted as Alpheo's attention turned toward the figures kneeling on the cold, stony floor before the throne. This was Alpheo's first time presiding over court as prince consort, a role not yet official.

Kneeling at the center of the hall were Egil, Asag, Clio, and Jarza—four of his most trusted comrades. Their heads bowed respectfully, yet their pride was unmistakable. The gleam of fresh knighthood on their armor was a mark of their recent elevation, a reward for their loyalty and achievements during the siege of Confluendi. They had earned their place here through steel and blood.