Arka did not return home that night. After the humiliating trial, he vanished into the palace's darkest corridors, ascending the oldest tower—a place typically reserved for weaving treachery. There, he lit a stick of bitter incense and stared into a mirror that no longer reflected his face, but rather the gnawing rage within.“He won today,” Arka muttered to the air. “But a single victory won't make me back down. Bintang must fall... and I will ensure this is no idle threat.”Behind a velvet curtain, a burly messenger waited. Arka looked at him and flashed a bitter smile.“You know the job, don't you? I need three people. One for the shadows, one for poison, and one to... ensure there are no witnesses.”The messenger nodded. “There is a group you can commission, Prince. They aren't amateurs; they are professionals who never ask why, only for the result. I will summon them tonight at the old warehouse by the north pier. They will come, but their terms and price will be steep.”Arka pat

“The Council has invited all the elders to discuss security arrangements for the wedding of two noble families. Arka is in control of the beverage service. These were his exact words: ‘Let them drink, let that small fire spread.’ He wants them to faint, become confused, and then accuse an external force of incitement. Once chaos breaks out, Arka says he will ‘bring the solution’ and gain sympathy—so he can quickly reclaim his seat as prince.”Bintang stared straight ahead, his gaze cold. “Are you sure the poison will cause rapid fainting? Not death?”Raksa nodded. “It’s a type of non-corrosive poison, slow-acting. Within minutes it causes lightheadedness, dry mouth, and labored breathing. It won’t kill immediately. Just enough to create confusion—enough for his accomplices to blame others.”Lily stepped out from behind the curtain. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with determination. “Don’t let them touch even a single elder. If Arka succeeds, our country will fall into ruin. Yo

“Are you going to leave now?”*Bintang stood at the grand gates of the Lily family, dressed in a simple dark formal outfit embroidered with gold. His gaze was firm, yet his heart was filled with uncertainty. After all the battles, rescues, and betrayals he had endured, he was now stepping into a different battlefield—the battlefield of emotions.The massive gates slowly opened, revealing a vast courtyard lined with white stone pillars. The Lily family guards looked at Bintang without greeting him, their eyes filled with disdain. Still, he walked forward, his steps steady.Inside the main hall, the Lily family elders sat in rows. The family head, Master Hua Liang—Lily’s uncle—looked down at Bintang from his silk-covered seat. His gaze was sharp, full of judgment. Lily herself was nowhere to be seen, and Bintang immediately understood—this was his final test.“Bintang, is it?” Master Hua Liang’s voice was heavy. “I heard you came with noble intentions. A proposal, so my niece Lily says

The news spread rapidly. Not only through small media outlets, but also across major bulletin boards owned by the local government. The headlines pierced straight into the heart:“Klinik Dewa Medist, A Sweet Facade Behind Political Ambition?”“Beware! Free Medicine Is Just Bait to Control the People!”“Who Is Bintang Really? A Hero or a Fraud?”The people who had once come with hope began to waver. Many who had intended to try their luck now changed their minds.Even those already standing in line in front of the clinic started to leave with doubtful expressions. A mother whose child had once been cured was even pulled away by her neighbor.“Are you crazy? Didn’t you read the news? Those remedies might have side effects! Don’t let your child become a test subject!”“But… my child was cured by them…” the mother replied softly. Yet fear proved stronger than belief, and she turned away, pulling her son with her.Inside the clinic, a gloomy atmosphere settled in. Dewi Medist looked at Bin

That night, in a secret room on the upper floor of the clinic, Bintang sat on a large wooden chair. In front of him, several men in black veils—envoys from the Sky Dragon Organization—knelt while presenting a thick folder sealed with a golden dragon emblem.“Dragon King,” one of them spoke in a low voice, “all the evidence has been gathered. Financial trails, shadow orders, even secret agreements. The mastermind… may no longer be a mystery to you.”“Oh?”Bintang opened the folder slowly. His eyes narrowed, his gaze growing sharper with every page he turned. There were records of gold transactions, covert contracts with media, even testimonies signed under coercion. And on the final page, a name was clearly written—his own handwriting undeniable.Arka, the prince who was now a fugitive.The atmosphere in the room froze instantly. His four wives exchanged glances, their faces filled with anger. Dewi Kecantikan clenched her teeth.“Arka… So he’s the one behind all this slander? He even d