Chained to old wounds

CH135

Morgan

085

I shuddered as the door closed behind me. My hand skimmed over my concealed sword. I wasn’t

sure what I would do this time, especially now that he had no real means to catch me off guard.

The image of that battlefield, the blood and the burning air filled my mind. Pyra shuddeered and retreated further into my mind, recoiling from the memory.

As uncomfortable as it made her, she had to accept that it was a part of her.

The darkness and death she’d caused, the darkness that she loved in Tarofu was a part of her.

I rested my head back against the door and took a deep breath, hoping and wishing that things wouldn’t be so hard going forward. Something told me that was just wishful thinking, but I had to have some hope.

I didn’t see Tsuneo until later that evening, when it was time for dinner. The room was tense. I

could feel the weight of everyone’s stares, even before I had said anything. The long table was set, glimmering with polished silverware and the finest dishes, as though the grandeur could mask the growing resentment. But nothing could, not tonight..

I glanced down at Kai, swinging his legs happily as if nothing was wrong. It was charming to see him happily enjoying his food, oblivious to the tension in the room.

Tsuneo sat beside me, quiet but present as always. I appreciated his steady calm. This wasn’t going to be easy, but it had to be done.

I took a deep breath, casting a sweeping glance around the table. Lady Maro sat with a cool indifference that didn’t quite hide her arrogance and anger. Lady Jun was more composed, though her hands fidgeted subtly in her lap. The rest of the family was quiet, avoiding eye contact, waiting for whatever was coming.

1 cleared my throat to address the family.

“As you all know,” I said, my voice steady, “we’ve been reviewing the royal accounts.”

I saw Lady Maro stiffen ever so slightly, but I kept my gaze neutral.

“The budgets set forth by Queen Haruka were meant to ensure that the palace functioned. smoothly and fairly for everyone.” I paused, letting the weight of my words settle over them. “But we’ve found several issues. I’ve addressed the most egregious overspending direction, but there

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CH135

are others who have spent far beyond your allotted amounts.”

The room went silent, the only sound being the soft clink of silverware against a plate as Kai innocently fumbled with his food. The tension grew thick, like the still air before a storm. I kept my eyes scanning over the room.

“Those of you who have exceeded your budget have until three hours after dinner to gather the items purchased with the extra funds and return them to the royal treasury—or repay the value in gold. I’ve had your personal attendants made aware of the amounts and will leave it to you to decide what you are willing to part with.”

Silence followed. Heavy and sharp.

One of Hayato’s daughters was the first to break it. “You expect us to ”

“I do,” I interrupted, locking eyes with her. My tone was sharp, leaving no room for “This is not up for debate. The money spent belongs to the crown, not you.”

argument.

She stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line as if holding back words she knew she couldn’t afford to say. I could see the rebellion in her eyes, the way she bristled at the idea of being held accountable. But the memory of Ari, and what Tsuneo had done to her, hung in the air like a shadow. She paled, the fight slowly draining from her face.

“Queen Haruka gave you a budget for a reason,” I continued, softer now but no less firm. “If you

chose to exceed that, then you chose to face the consequences of it.”

Lady Jun shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her hands now tightly clasped in her lap. She had spent less than Maro, but still more than she was allowed.

“If you do not follow my instructions, you will have a much more serious problem.”

Another woman’s mouth opened as if to speak, but the woman beside her stopped her, whispering something that had the color draining from her face. She bowed her head and said nothing..

I allowed myself a small, inward sigh of relief. I glanced down at Kai, his eyes darting between me and his plate, oblivious to the tension that had just been broken. His small voice cut through the silence like a ray of sunshine.

“Are we getting dessert?”

The sheer innocence of his question made me smile. I looked at Tsuneo, who chuckled softly. beside me, and then back at Kai.

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“Yes, we are. It’ll be out soon.”

“Awesome. I’m so hungry! My tutor had me running around all day.”

room

As I picked up my glass of water, the began to buzz again with soft conversation. The tension was still there, but more muted now. The ladies of the harem were all quiet. Some of them were pale with worry. The looked like they wanted to get up and get started now, but didn’t want to offend Tsuneo or miss the rest of the meal. The others around the table were more reserved, focused on their plates, though I could see the thoughts racing behind their eyes.

Tsuneo reached for my hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. I looked at him and smiled.

After dinner, I gathered with Lady Jun, Anya, and Maya in my sitting rooms. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, its warmth a sharp contrast to the tension still lingering from the dinner conversation. I could sense that tonight would be equally heavy, but for different reasons.

I sat down in a plush chair, smoothing my gown and giving the women before me a calm but focused smile. “Let’s get to it. We have a lot to prepare for before we start making the rounds.”

Anya was the first to speak. “The food stores are still being restocked. The harem drained them. significantly, but the shipments from the outer provinces are arriving. We’ll need more meat and grain, especially for the banquet.”

I nodded, taking mental notes. “Any notes on where we stand budget wise? Can we afford any of the delicacies usually served?”

Maya tapped her chin. “We have a bit of wiggle room, especially if the reclamation of goods go to plan. There are a few traders who specialize in that. They’re used to dealing with the royal family. I can coordinate with the kitchen to make sure we procure enough without going overboard.”

“Good,” I said. “What about entertainment?”

Lady Jun spoke next, her voice softer than the others.

“We’ve arranged for several troupes to come from the southern cities. Dancers, musicians, acrobats–the best of the best. It will be a spectacle.”

“Perfect,” I said, feeling a little more confident about the preparations. “The Convening is as much about politics as it is about appearances. We need to make sure everything is flawless.”

Anya nodded and leaned back slightly, her expression more serious. “And the security? I know you had some reservations about which guards and soldiers we could trust,”

The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride