Amidst the laughter, one figure sat alone, quietly observing the scene. His expression was calm and detached, seemingly unaffected by the lively chatter around him. Dressed in a long, dark coat, his unkempt hair fell over a gaunt face partially hidden by a scruffy, long beard. Dark circles shadowed his pale eyes, and his skin had a ghostly pallor, stretched thin over a frame that looked frail and malnourished. He might have been mistaken for a beggar were it not for his finely crafted attire—distinctive and uncommon, marking him as someone of importance or intrigue.
Before him lay a feast: plates of roasted meat, grilled seafood, and hearty dishes that could easily feed four or five men. Yet, he ate alone, consuming the food with a focused, methodical intensity, as though each bite was a ritual of survival rather than enjoyment.
The inn's young serving girl had noticed him earlier when he ordered enough food to turn heads. Gathering her courage—as his ghastly appearance was intimidating to most men, let alone a young girl—she approached his table with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about the noise," she said, glancing at the rowdy crowd. "They get a bit lively when Grandpa Oro is telling his stories. Can I bring you anything to drink?"
The stranger looked up, his gaze meeting hers. His green eyes were weary, as if sleep and peace had eluded him for far too long. He didn't speak but shook his head slowly, declining her offer.
"Alright, then," The girl said, her tone gentle. "If you need anything, just let me know."
The man gave a faint nod before returning to his meal.
As she moved away, the stranger continued his meal in silence, his eyes briefly flicking to the old storyteller across the room before returning to his plate.
After the laughter finally died down, the young man leaned forward, curiosity shining in his eyes. "But what do you mean the king's wife was his weakness, Grandpa Oro?"
Another local, sitting beside the young man, added, "Yeah, did she do something to him?"
Oro took a slow sip of tea, savoring the warmth before answering. "Hmmm… no, it wasn't like that." He set his cup down. "As I said, the king was powerful, sharp-minded, and possessed great knowledge. Naturally, he had many admirers—countless people wished to follow him. But he was also known for his generosity and kindness. Unlike most rulers, he didn't shut himself away in a palace. It was common for him to walk among his people, eat from street vendors, and speak directly with the common folk."
A customer scoffed. "I'll be damned if such a king ever existed, haha!"
Oro chuckled, his gaze lingering for a fraction too long, as if amused by something unspoken, before continuing.
"One day, while the king was strolling through the streets as he often did, he met her."
The inn grew silent, the crackling of the hearth the only sound as the listeners hung on his words.
"She had long golden hair that flowed like silk, eyes like polished jade, and skin as fair as candle wax. The records describe her as a peerless beauty with a gentle and kind soul." He paused, pouring himself another cup of tea. "But—she was a commoner."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Even so, the king fell in love at first sight—or so they say. Against the opposition of his advisors and nobles, he made his decision. How could a ruler of such power marry a mere common girl? they asked. But he was the king, and his word was law. So, they married." Oro exhaled, his expression tinged with something unreadable. "And that… was where the problem began."
A customer frowned. "Why was that a problem, old man?"
Another chimed in, "Could it be that he started neglecting the kingdom?"
Oro took another sip of tea before answering. "No, quite the opposite. Under his rule, the Cloudpeak Kingdom flourished like never before. The problem… was that the king was too deeply in love."
Silence. Then—
"Wait, hold on. That's a problem?" someone asked, baffled.
Oro nodded. "Yes. He was so devoted to his wife that he refused to even glance at another woman. No matter how many noble ladies tried to get close to him, he ignored them completely. He swore that she would be his only wife, no matter what."
The servant girl, who had been listening quietly up until now, suddenly scoffed. "Pfft—Grandpa Oro, you ought to make your stories more believable! A man like that doesn't exist, not even in fairy tales~."
Her comment was all it took for the customers to burst into laughter once again, the old man Oro chuckled, his eyes gleaming with wisdom as he continued.
"Hohoho~ well, after the king made such a decision, he unknowingly incurred the wrath of the noble families who had supported him. After all, how could they accept a commoner as their queen? And without the king marrying other women, all the noble houses that had hoped to secure power and influence through political marriage—well, their ambitions were utterly crushed."
"Mhm~ that makes sense," murmured the customers, nodding in agreement as they broke into a heated discussion among themselves.
Oro took a sip of his tea, letting their chatter settle before continuing.
"This also presented an opportunity for his enemies—other kingdoms and empires that feared the king's power. They had been wary of the rapid rise of his kingdom, and now, they saw a potential weakness. There were also those who coveted the king's knowledge, his methods, and his secrets."
A customer leaned forward, eyes wide with anticipation. "So… did they rebel?"
Oro smirked. "Well… no."
"Huh?!" The customers murmured, their surprise evident.
"Hohoho~ not yet, at least."
The old man's grin widened as he let the suspense hang in the air before explaining.
"The king was no fool. He was a man of unparalleled strength and wisdom. No one—not even the so-called great empires—dared to act recklessly against him. And as for the noble families? They convinced themselves that, given time, the king would come to his senses—that he would eventually grow bored of his wife and take other women as consorts."
"And so, time passed peacefully. The kingdom thrived, its prosperity reaching new heights under the king's rule. A year went by… then another. In the first year, the queen bore him twins. In the second year, she bore another set of twins. Four children in total—two sons and two daughters—each of them outstanding."
Oro's expression softened as he spoke. "The king was overjoyed. His happiness was contagious, spreading to the people through his generosity and kindness. Anyone who saw the king and his wife together would say they were blessed. They looked perfect, like a match made in heaven. And to be blessed with such remarkable offspring? It was almost too good to be true."
He took another sip of his tea, his expression darkening as he set the cup down. His tone shifted—deeper, more serious, more ominous.
"But having everything too perfect… is not always a good thing. It backfired."
The once-lively tavern fell silent, everyone holding their breath as the old man continued.
"Jealousy. Envy. Greed. These things fester in the hearts of the ambitious. Soon, whispers began to spread. They called the queen a witch, an enchantress. They claimed she had bewitched the king, that she had manipulated him into refusing other women. That she sought to control the kingdom for herself."
A murmur of unease rippled through the crowd.
"They sowed discord, trying to turn the people against their own queen. They sought to ruin her reputation, to shatter the public's love for her, hoping to weaken the king through scandal. They wanted to force him to cast her aside."
"But the king…" Oro's lips curled into a knowing smile. "He was no fool. He saw through the schemes of his enemies and the greedy nobles within his own court. He knew this was nothing more than an attempt to strike at him from the shadows."
The customers let out a breath of relief. "So what did he do?" one of them asked eagerly.
"He did nothing."
"Huh?!" The customer gasped in disbelief.
Oro nodded. "He refused to give his enemies the reaction they wanted. If he made a move, they would have used it as an excuse to escalate matters further. Instead, he ignored their ploys, brushed aside their attempts to turn him against his wife. He stood firm by her side. And though the rumors weighed heavily on the queen's heart… she endured it all, thanks to the unwavering love and support of her husband."
The tension eased, but only for a moment.
Oro's eyes darkened as he leaned forward, his voice lowering.
"And so, time continued to pass. One year after another. The unrest faded, and eight years of peace followed."
He paused.
"But little did they know… this peace—this calm—was nothing more than the silence before the storm."
A shiver ran through the room. The once-warm atmosphere now carried a foreboding chill.