Leo knew he had to be strong, not just for his father, but for the entire empire. The days ahead would be filled with challenges, both seen and unseen. Yet, as he sat there, surrounded by the very people who were supposed to aid him, he couldn't shake the feeling of isolation. His father's health was failing, and with it, the stability of the realm seemed to teeter on the edge of a precipice. He would have to draw on every lesson his father had ever taught him, every piece of wisdom he had gleaned from watching the court's machinations.