Kingdom’s Bloodline
chapter-605

In the Ballard Room, the deep and solemn voice of King Kessel echoed with unwavering authority, just as it always did when decisions were made during council meetings.

It appeared that the outcome was already determined.

With this thought in mind, the ministers composed themselves, adjusting their postures. Some appeared slightly more at ease, preparing for the imminent conclusion of yet another meeting. But not this time.

Under the scrutiny of all present, the Iron Hand King lifted his head and surveyed his courtiers. “Your words are well-founded.”

While speaking, the King’s right hand suddenly emerged from the shadows of his throne, extended outward, and gently flipped over, palm facing up, hovering just above the council table.

It was like a cold, unsheathed blade, impervious to the warmth of the autumn sun.

Courtiers such as Gilbert, Cullen, Kirkirk, and Solder wore puzzled expressions, uncertain of the King’s intent.

Yet the Iron Hand King, his expression unchanged, kept his right palm held aloft, and declared, “You have indeed thought this through.”

Amidst the ministers’ exchanged confused glances, only the scar-faced intelligence officer, with a discerning look in his eyes, stepped forward. He reached out, picked up the document titled ‘Petition of Jade City on Alternatives to Service’ from the table, and respectfully handed it to the waiting hand of the King, passing by each astonished courtier.

“This letter, it’s nothing but a poisonous thorn,” King Kessel’s voice was tinged with seriousness. “While it may seem like a compromise, a concession, but in truth, it exploits the Renaissance Palace’s vulnerability and harbours a hidden agenda,” the King slowly raised the letter, revealing the Iris Flowers crest on it.

“We can’t even make this public, or we’ll find ourselves on the wrong side of justice.” Every servant in the room instinctively straightened up in their seats under his piercing gaze.

“Remember the saying, ‘Rather die for friends than foes’. Leinster’s son exemplifies this well...”In the next moment, the Iron Hand King’s fingers suddenly clenched, crushing the letter in his grip!

The few gathered people who had their eyes fixed on the letter jumped in surprise.

Only then did Kessel speak, his voice calm yet determined,

“He truly lives up to his family’s reputation."

Amid a heavy silence that defied words. Viscount Kenney, the Minister of Trade, cleared his throat with evident difficulty, trying to dispel the heaviness in his heart.

“This letter,” Kenney said, bowing respectfully to the King, “will cost him dearly.”

King Kessel cast a sharp look his way but didn’t say a word.

The letter, crumpled and creased, still clung to his grip.

“Of course,” Solder ground his teeth with frustration, “and for his disrespect and disloyalty towards both Your Majesty and His Highness...”

Prime Minister Cullen’s trembling voice broke in, “But not this time.”

He seemed to revert to his frail, elderly self, coughing before concluding the heated meeting, “At the very least, we’ll have to postpone discussions about reducing conscription and expanding the regular army until next season...” Just then, “But it got out.”

The King’s words were abrupt and void of emotion, as if he were talking to himself.

No one reacted immediately.

“It... got out?” Kirkirk wore a bewildered expression.

“My, Your Majesty?” Solder ventured to ask.

“I said,”

In that moment, the Iron Hand King raised his gaze, his imposing presence magnified within the cramped Ballard Room.

“As we’re speaking,” he went on, "every sentence, every word, and every letter in this petition has already been intentionally made public, leaked, and spawned widespread rumours.”

A hush fell over the meeting room.

Gilbert struggled to believe, stuttering, “Wh-what?”

Viscount Kenney’s eyes widened darted around. “Is Your Majesty saying... this letter made its way out?"

Prime Minister Cullen leaned forward with a grave expression. “When? Why?”

However, the King simply shook his head calmly and revealed the consequences matter-of-factly. “The Secret Intelligence Department is still handling it, but if the situation doesn’t go as planned... I believe it won’t take long for everyone in the Kingdom to learn that the Renaissance Palace is making its moves starting from Jade City, shaking up the old ways, stripping the suzerains of their military authority, cutting down on conscription, and expanding the regular army.” “All the way until... it affects the entire Constellation.”

Renaissance Palace, Jade City, old ways, suzerains...

With each word the Iron Hand King uttered, the icy tone in his voice grew more pronounced.

The Prime Minister was the first to fully grasp the situation, his eyes widening slightly.

“So, you’re saying...”

“As you put it. Bob,” the King stated in the calmest, most unruffled tone, not hesitating to voice what was on everyone’s mind, “the entire Constellation is on the brink of a major upheaval.” “From this moment onward, we find ourselves at the centre of the storm.”

“There’s no turning back.”

The courtiers quickly understood the gravity of the matter, and tension gripped the room. “What’s going on?

“Who’s behind this?”

“Has the culprit been caught?

“What’s our next step?”

“We need to thoroughly investigate those behind this!”

Amidst the different conversations and shared anxiety, the King leaned back in thought, blending into the darkness.

“How on earth did such a crucial piece of correspondence get leaked?”

Adviser Solder turned sharply to the other side, his tone accusing. "What’s the Secret Department’s take on this? And what about those rumours? What’s the situation right now?” Standing next to the council table, the scar-faced intelligence officer bowed confidently.

“We’re still trying to track down the source and minimise the impact of the rumours,” he replied calmly, as if the nation wasn’t on the verge of a crisis. “But as for the letter’s delivery, the security measures along the way, and the palace’s confidentiality, everything appeared to be in order.” Then, the scar-faced man’s tone took an intriguing twist. “There was just one aspect we couldn’t account for—the letter was personally delivered by the Duke of Iris Flowers' courier.” A sudden quietness fell over the room.

“Are you suggesting, Zayen?” Prime Minister Cullen frowned. “That while delivering the message, he intentionally leaked its contents and spread rumours?”

The scar-faced man neither confirmed nor denied it, simply stating, “We’re still looking into it.” With a clear target in mind, the anger in the Imperial Conference burst forth, “Covendier, hell, who does he think he is?!” “Dammit, this is just...”

“Slicker than his old man. I’ll give him that!”

“Is he really going to flip the whole chessboard over in a fit of rage?”

Among the courtiers, Gilbert had been quietly observing all along. Finally, he let out a sigh.

“It could be that, after the banquet, when Your Majesty confronted him for his actions,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said wearily, his initial shock replaced by exhaustion, “Jade City saw right through our weak spots in the negotiation terms.”

However, Prime Minister Cullen scratched his chin, his expression serious.

“That doesn’t quite add up,” he commented.

“Zayen may not be a saint, but he’s not a fool either. The fact that he wrote this letter is enough to prove his slyness and self-preservation,”

The Prime Minister thought aloud, “He wouldn’t be foolish enough to back both the Renaissance Palace and himself into a corner.”

“Then it’s even worse,” Viscount Kenney chimed in, wary. “Someone else did it, plotting against both sides.”

“Somebody is hoping for chaos in the Kingdom, just like in the past...”

In the middle of the heated discussions, a voice at the head of the long table cut through the noise, “It doesn’t matter.”

The crowd hushed, their collective gaze fixed on the King. “Whether or not he was behind it, that’s not the point.” A cold glint flashed in the King’s eyes, “Our Kingdom has never been short of enemies.” “What matters is...”

“How we respond.”

After uttering these words, King Kessel let the ‘Petition’ slip through his fingers. It landed between the setting sun and the gathering darkness, the wrinkled Iris Flowers crest facing the ceiling in solitude.

A few seconds later, the Imperial Conference, like a pride roused by a threat, shook off their earlier languor and slowness, each person now keen and resolute.

“Get our secret agents working extra hours and put them into action; at the same time, send out letters to clarify and put an end to these rumours...”

“Start the investigation by looking into the recent grievances expressed by the regional nobles; we might find some leads...”

“We need to be careful with the wording in the announcement; there might still be some flexibility...”

“The nobles, especially the regional lords, and how they react, we need to prepare contingency plans right away...”

“Send diplomats to appease the suzerains in the grain-producing regions and explain the situation to them...”

“I’m afraid the preparations for the military will have to be postponed; we can’t leave any room for misunderstandings...”

Amidst the intense debate, only Prime Minister Cullen and Gilbert remained silent. Cullen had a contemplative look on his face as he studied Covendier’s letter, while Gilbert calmly sorted through the documents before him, lost in his own reflections.

As for King Kessel the Fifth, he sat on his throne, expressionless, almost as if he were a disinterested observer.

Then, suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the room as Military Advisor Solder slammed his hand on the table, immediately grabbing the attention of everyone present.

“Listen up, everyone!”

Solder’s face was grave, his initial hesitation giving way to determination.

“At this point, I believe the situation is inevitable, and our choices have become quite clear.” Gilbert furrowed his brow, turning to Solder as if anticipating his next words.

“Solder?”

Solder declared firmly.

“Since there’s no turning back, why not go all out?”

In that moment, the Military Advisor was brimming with determination,

“Your Majesty, let’s officially respond to Covendier, accept his petition, and announce to the entire nation: starting from the Jade City, military reform is a must!”

Everyone was left dumbfounded, or rather, startled by this bold proposal.

“Solder, have you ever thought about the consequences?” There was a heavy pause, and Gilbert finally spoke up, his voice strained, "Including what we just talked about...”

“Of course!" Solder cut in sharply, turning to face him.

“But now that things have come to this, our carefully laid-out plan has gone up in smoke. There’s no room for pretence or compromise for us anymore,” Solder hesitated, his tone turning harsh. "We go through with it.”

"Or we walk away, for good.”

“There won’t be a ‘next time’.”

He scanned around the room, and many of his colleagues couldn’t meet his gaze, some appearing serious, others unsure.

At the head of the long table, the King sat in silence, deep in thought.

Solder, however, didn’t waste time and, with a sweeping gesture of his large hand, declared, “Kirkirk, locate the funds.”

The Chief of Finance arched an intrigued eyebrow. “What?”

Solder fixed a firm gaze on the Constellation Minister of Finance,

“If this is Jade City’s doing, we can kiss their financial aid goodbye. But, in this scenario, military reform needs to take centre stage! As we planned before, let’s start by trimming the Jadestar Private Army in the areas around Eternal Star City, taking them from the loyal vassals of the crown, and bolstering our regular forces. That’s the only way we’ll be prepared for what lies ahead.’ Kirkirk paused for a whole three seconds, his frustration becoming palpable.

“Well, not jumping to conclusions about the situation and leaving out that His Majesty hasn’t approved your iffy ‘idea’ yet...”

“Our budget is already stretched thin. If this letter gets out and causes a fuss, our finances will take an even bigger hit. Without more income, we might have to cut elsewhere, like officials’ salaries, or even consider imposing more taxes—and that would make things worse...” Kirkirk appeared visibly flustered,

“And, to top it off, restructuring the military isn’t as simple as it sounds. Even if you’ve got those officers lined up, do you realise the costs of maintaining just one regular soldier, covering everything from their salary and equipment to logistics and housing? Can it really match the cost of a bunch of Jadestar Private soldiers who can be called up as needed?”

“I get it!”

Solder's fist thudded onto the table, jolting everyone in the room.

“Kirkirk, I get it; trust me, I totally get it,” he bellowed, “your frustration, whether it’s from dealing with those tricky southern yokels playing you with their books during tax time or watching His Majesty get outsmarted by Covendier just now—I’m right there with you!”Kirkirk just pressed his lips together.

Solder rose abruptly, firmly planting both arms on the table and leaning in close.

“But let me tell you, Kirkirk, the regular army is the key to flipping the script. Expanding and restructuring it are just the beginning, my friend...”

Solder’s face lit up with an almost fanatical intensity, leaving Prime Minister Cullen raising an eyebrow.

“We might pay a price in the short run, but it’s an investment in the Kingdom’s future. And mark my words: one day, with His Majesty’s decree, the Kingdom’s Wrath will march right into Jade City’s Crystal Palace, surrounded by a legion of our finest soldiers, and ‘convince’ Zayen Covendier and his cunning accountants to pay up honestly, getting back every penny we spent today and then some. We’re in this for the long game.” Solder’s expression left no room for doubt.

“Long game?” Solder was met with a wry smile from Kirkirk. “Yeah, I had this distant cousin who was quite the gambler. Whenever he came to borrow money for his ‘business’, he’d say the same thing—until the Blood Bottle Gang came knocking for their loans.”

With a tone of disbelief, the Chief of Finance leaned back in his chair, asking, “So, what sets you apart? A high roller?”

The clash between those two had everyone in the room raising their eyebrows.

The advisor clenched his fist, his emotions going from disappointment to straight-up anger. “Why can’t you see?” he snapped.

Solder sighed dramatically, “More regular soldiers means more money!”

“Why can’t you see?” Kirkirk retorted, equally frustrated. “No money, no regular soldiers!” “Then go find the money]" Solder’s furious yell practically shook the whole Ballard Room. “You’re the Kingdom’s Chief of Finance, for crying out loud! Beg, borrow, heck, even sell your ass if that’s what it takes. But. for the sake of this Kingdom, find that blasted budget for military expansion!”

Their unceremonious shouting had their colleagues frowning, but neither the Prime Minister, who should have been leading the meeting, nor the respected Foreign Affairs Minister, nor the King himself, seated on his throne, uttered a word.

“You’ve finally fucking got one thing right! Big Soldier! “

Kirkirk stood up; even though he was shorter than Solder, he had just as much determination.

“I'm the Chief of Finance] And last year? In case you’ve forgotten? It was your Military Affairs Office right here, boasting and forcing everyone’s hand. You made the benefits of going with the campaign sound like the best thing since sliced bread! You pushed the Finances to approve the budget, strong-armed the Department of Agriculture into supplying provisions, leaned on the Foreign Affairs to smooth things over, and the Secret Department to pave the way. You recklessly

'nor the King uttered a word'; ra^-Fstl, (idiom) steadfastly stand one's ground.

sent a whole bunch of regular army troops—retirees, active-duty, reserves, trainees, and fresh recruits—straight to the Blade Fangs Camp! Sent them off to the Western Desert! Shoved them into the desert!”

The faces of the people in the council meeting stirred with memories and regret.

“Without your botched ‘business venture’, would we have the need to beg Jade City for money, let alone fall into Covendier’s trap like this?

Kirkirk shot a glance at his colleagues who were on his side, a sly grin on his face,

“Itching for a repeat performance, aren’t you?”

“Hey!”

Solder clenched his fist.

“That was all about bringing back Prince Thales, the Jadestar’s bloodline, the Kingdom’s heir!” “You couldn’t be more right!” Kirkirk shot back, not hiding his irritation, “Then why don’t you go ask him for the money?”

Solder was rendered momentarily at a loss for words, flustered by the slick retort.

“Kirkirk, be mindful of your words!”

Gilbert, unable to bear it any longer, raised his voice to intervene,

“Both of you, sit down, and don’t disgrace yourselves in front of His Majesty.”

Kirkirk reluctantly took his seat, making a point to noisily bump his chair in a display of discontent. Solder grumbled and flopped into his seat, clearly not ready to let the argument die down.

“Enough with the snide remarks and finger-pointing. Quit playing innocent, Wallet.”

“And when it comes to sending troops to the Western Desert to welcome the Prince, you weren’t just in the loop; you were probably all for it—let’s not pretend you didn’t have some personal interests at play!”

Now, it was Kirkirk’s turn to be caught off guard.

“Me? With personal interests? At play?”

Kirkirk was flustered; there was a mix of surprise and anger in his expression.

“Now, look here, you rustic, grapevine-born yokel...”

But Solder didn’t hold back; he pointed right at the other man.

“It wasn’t until after the banquet that I figured it out, but yes, Kirkirk, it’s you!”

“After the Desert War. a bunch of highfalutin central nobles set their sights on the changing situation in the Western Desert, grabbing land left and right, breaking all the rules, and aiming for their own pockets.”

“Now, with the ‘Land Assessment Order’ deadline creeping up, they're doing whatever they can to scrub their dirty records...”

Kirkirk’s face turned as white as a sheet.

“You. Wallet, supported our Western Desert campaign from the get-go; you even sneakily greased the palms of a few frontline officers. Why? To make the regular army stir up chaos and put on a grand show in the Western Desert! To catch those greedy noble landowners off guard, make them slip up, and turn them into a goldmine for your Department!”

The advisor’s revelation sent shockwaves through the Imperial Conference, and even King Kessel’s eyes flickered with interest.

Kirkirk seethed with anger and said, “This is pure nonsense... baseless accusations...”

“I have the list of those officers, so what’s it going to be? Do you want to confront them, or should we have the intelligence officers look into it?”

“You, Your Majesty, I...” Kirkirk stammered nervously, struggling to find the right words.

Solder clenched his teeth and continued to press on.

“And for this, you even went behind our backs and leaked information about the regular army’s Western campaign!”

“What about that poor bloke from Mirror River who got the short end of the stick at the royal banquet? The Doyles, was it?”

“They were just one of the fat lambs on your list!”

In the Imperial Conference, the ministers were surprised and couldn’t help but regard Kirkirk with newfound interest.

Viscount Kenney cleared his throat and asked with concern, “Um, my father-in-law also has some business in the Western Desert. You wouldn't...”

“How could I. Lord Kenney!” Kirkirk flashed a sycophantic smile.

But then he turned to the King, his face a mask of distress. “Your Majesty, I was just, well...” King Kessel simply narrowed his eyes, watching Kirkirk closely.

“Kirkirk, you sure live up to that ‘Wallet’ nickname,” Gilbert said, seeing through Kirkirk’s expression and sighed. “No wonder folks say you can really pull out a coin from your back pocket and know exactly how to keep this Kingdom running.”Kirkirk’s cheeks twitched.

“Yeah.”

On the other side, Prime Minister Cullen snorted and added a cryptic comment, “Others’ back pockets, though.”

Solder grunted in annoyance, his stance quite obvious.

In response to the attentive crowd, Kirkirk swallowed hard and hastily raised his hand.

“Alright, Your Majesty, please let me explain...”

“Yes, it’s true. For this campaign, we did have some extra fines and income that could have been factored into the next quarter’s financial plan...”

“The Doyle family?” Gilbert whispered.

Kirkirk hesitated, sensing the scepticism in everyone’s gaze and his voice faltering.

He took a deep breath.

“That’s correct! But the Doyle family deserved it! Over the years, they’ve encroached on our borders, engaged in unlawful land deals, smuggled and evaded taxes, provided false population figures, and flouted various traditional norms. They should have been dealt with a long time ago! Our Department is wholeheartedly dedicated to our nation, and we act with absolute fairness...”“Cut the crap; where’s the money?” Solder cut through his explanations, getting straight to the point.

“Now, the Prince has been back for several months and our mission is complete, shouldn’t your Department be well-stocked by now?”

The advisor was uncompromising,

“Why are you still claiming we're short on funds here at the Imperial Conference? When the South Coast Hill pushed us into a comer, you clung to your wallet, hindering His Majesty’s military reform!”

His accusations were direct and unapologetic, and rendered Kirkirk both shocked and infuriated.“You, you, I...”

He looked around, but none of his colleagues dared to interrupt. Solder's gaze was sharp and threatening.

Kirkirk felt his head spin. He had to take a deep breath before yelling at the top of his lungs, “Prince Thales]"

As soon as these words came out, everyone paused in bewilderment.

“What?” Solder asked, clearly puzzled.

Kirkirk gasped for breath and spoke with frustration,

“I’m sorry, but what I’m about to say—1 really didn't want to discuss it here, especially after...” He calmed his breathing and said in resignation,

“But yes, when it comes to the Doyle case, Solder, in terms of the regular army’s standards, it could provide enough manpower for you to expand your forces by eight hundred to a thousand heavy cavalry, not to mention their accompanying equipment and logistics. There might even be some extra.”

Solder pounded the table and mouthed, “I knew it.”

But then Kirkirk’s tone changed,

“But! After Prince Thales, I mean, that incident at the banquet, the Doyle matter was thrust into the public eye. What used to be a simple case turned into a nationally watched issue, and even the case files were taken away overnight by the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department!” Someone couldn’t resist turning their head to look; the scar-faced intelligence officer remained expressionless, as if he hadn’t heard a word.

Solder frowned and remarked, “The Western Desert is huge; your sources of wealth definitely go beyond just them, for sure.”

Kirkirk sighed, his voice tinged with pity. “You’re right! But don’t forget. Prince Thales stood up for the Doyle family last night in the name of His Majesty! Now, everyone thinks the Doyles have the Duke of Star Lake backing them, the rightful heir to the Kingdom...”

“This mess has spilled over into our other cases too. Nowadays, no one dares to touch anything related to land mergers or the old and new nobility," Solder’s expression shifted slightly.

Kirkirk, consumed by frustration, burst out, “That’s why when I said, ‘go ask Prince Thales for money,' I meant it!”

Gilbert sharply rebuked him. “Kirkirk!”

Realising his error, Kirkirk regretfully waved his hand. “I know, I know. I didn’t want to put it that way either!”

With the matter tied to the royal family, no one dared speak lightly. Many stole glances at the King at the end of the long table.

Yet King Kessel remained unfazed, as if what Kirkirk just complained about had nothing to do with his son and heir.

Seeing that no one spoke up, the Chief of Finance regained some of his confidence, “Alright, let’s not bring up the Prince... So, don’t always point fingers at me. Big Soldier.” “If you had handled things out there in the Western Desert a bit smoother, more efficiently, and with some actual profit, we wouldn’t be in this mess, would we?”

Solder thought about speaking up but had second thoughts.

“I mean, seriously, it’s been over half a year; you’ve moved armies around, trekked halfway across the Kingdom, and even ended up fighting our own people for some reason—how much money and provisions have we wasted through this whole ordeal?”

Kirkirk’s words flowed more smoothly, and he slammed the table in frustration, his voice carrying across the cramped meeting room.

“And what did we bring back, huh? Oh, right, a report requesting more troops!”

“You’ve gobbled up such a chunk of the Kingdom’s budget, achieved a thing, and not even earned a single coin from horseshoes!”

“So, what exactly do you want?”

Solder couldn’t hold back any longer and jumped to his feet, slamming the table,

“Do you want my soldiers to shed blood and guts in the Western Desert, attack the Ruins, raid Wing Fort, take over Brave Souls Fort, or even ransack the darn homes of local nobles?” “Should we turn the entire Western Desert into a barren wasteland and hand over all the spoils to the Finances, just so that when you sit here comfortably counting your coins, there won’t be so much nagging and finger-pointing?”

Kirkirk couldn’t help but scoff,

“Well, why didn’t you guys just go for it, huh?”

“Just look at the result? After all that fuss, you lot practically went on a sightseeing trip out there. Heck, even the Prince himself got couriered back by those Western Desert nobles!” The Military Advisor fired back in anger,

“Go for it, you say? His Royal Highness pulled a disappearing act in the Western Desert, and he even accepted a sword and a banner from them!”

“Kroma and Bozdorf escorted him back to the capital like it was a royal parade!”

“What could we do? What should we do? Tell me!”

Kirkirk, brimming with newfound confidence, shrugged it off, “Then why are you laying into me?” “Go have a chat with the Prince!”

“Why not share your woes with him? Ask him why he’s buddy-buddy with the enemy, blocking your troops, screwing up my income, giving Covendier an opening, leaving us all in a bind, making it difficult for His Majesty, which ended up jeopardising the whole military reform...”“You two, that’s enough!” Gilbert snapped sternly.

“You’ll never get it, Wallet!”

Solder, fuming but still chuckling, paid no heed to the Foreign Affairs Minister s reprimand.

“All you see are the coins jingling and the gold glinting. You’ll never grasp why we were out in the Western Desert, what we’re sacrificing for the Kingdom—”

As the tension escalated, a sudden crash drew everyone’s attention. They turned to find the scarfaced intelligence officer standing there, his apologetic expression contrasting with the broken teapot at his feet.

“My apologies,” the scar-faced man hastily bowed. “I’m to blame.”

“I was just... thirsty.”

The courtiers finally redirected their attention.

“Right,” Prime Minister Cullen muttered under his breath with his head down, but then his eyes brightened.

“You’re indeed to blame.”

With their exchange disrupted, Solder and Kirkirk both huffed in annoyance, retaking their seats and casting glances away from each other.

However, the Foreign Affairs Minister was beyond furious.

“Solder, Kirkirk, mind your language. This has nothing to do with His Highness Thales!” Gilbert’s tone was severe,

“The most significant contribution to the Kingdom is the safe return of His Highness to the capital. And nothing else!”

“Let’s not forget, we’re here to discuss strategies to address the challenges posed by the leaked letter. This is a matter of the Kingdom’s affairs; don’t turn it into a personal feud.” Solder and Kirkirk finally managed to rein in their expressions somewhat.

However, at that moment, the Prime Minister cleared his throat.

“Don’t fault them, Count Caso. Both Master Solder and Lord Kirkirk are also left with little choice...”

Duke Cullen shook his head thoughtfully.

“Be it the Western campaign or royal banquets, it seems His Highness Prince Thales always has impeccable timing...”

“Just like with this letter.”

The Prime Minister turned to the King, with words still left unsaid.

“It’s pushed us to our limits.”

“To a corner.”