Emperor Horik Thermes II.
The sun of the empire, the highest authority.

And yet, to the public, he was no more than a puppet of the Court Duke.

The fact that such rumors had spread unchecked throughout the entire capital was testament to the Emperor’s current predicament—a glaring example of how feeble the imperial authority had become.

Horik himself was painfully aware of this truth.

Since his ascension, the majority of the Emperor’s faction had been purged, exiled, or executed for various fabricated reasons. Their vacant positions were quietly filled with individuals loyal to the Court Duke. By the time Horik realized the scale of the Duke’s influence and sought to act, it was far too late.

At that time, Horik confided in his most trusted subject, Felix.