2026-03-17 04:06:48
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220.
---The Lotus Council Hall was filled with the glow of lanterns, yet the air inside felt cold. The nobles sat in rows, their faces a mixture of anxiety, curiosity, and a thirst for drama. In the center of the room, Bintang stood calmly in the simple clothes he wore. On the other side, Arka appeared in a dark maroon robe, his steps filled with arrogance.“Very well,” the voice of the Council Chairman echoed. “Today we discuss serious accusations, Prince—manipulation, betrayal, and the use of the forbidden red mirror. Prince Arka, are you ready to defend yourself?”Arka smiled faintly. “Of course. First of all, I would like to remind the Council that all these accusations come from an outsider. Someone who has not even set foot in the Lotus Palace for very long.” He glanced at Bintang with a disdainful look. “Bintang is merely a man who does not know how high the sky truly is. Yet he wishes to destroy my family’s name so that he can rise quickly.”Some nobles nodded, while others remain
219.
Bintang saw the truth in Xu He’s eyes—not the mechanical fear of someone forced to obey, but the fear of a servant who knew far too much.“If you help us uncover this, I can guarantee your safety,” Bintang said gently.His words made Xu He sob softly before he nodded.With the red cloth, the list of donors, and Xu He’s confession, Bintang began crafting a subtle plan. He did not want to launch a public attack that would allow Arka to accuse him of fabrication; he wanted Arka to be caught in his own trap.First, Bintang quietly asked the Goddess of Gambling, Judi, to spread a message. That night, Judi slipped into Lotus Market and scattered whispers that a merchant had seen palace servants carrying a red mirror into a dark inn. The rumor had to sound cliché—believable enough to be trusted, vague enough not to bring immediate punishment. People began asking questions, and gossip spread like oil across water.Second, the Goddess of Medicine and the Goddess of Beauty secretly arranged sev
218.
The sky over the Lotus Kingdom that night was covered in a thin mist, while the sound of night insects mixed with the ringing of palace bells that signaled the changing of the guards. Inside a chamber carved with jade lotus patterns, Prince Arka sat in his chair, his face half hidden in the shadow of an oil lamp.His loyal servant, Xu He, knelt before him.“Your Highness… your wounds have not yet healed. You should not push yourself too hard.”Arka gave a crooked smile, though there was still a trace of dried blood at the corner of his lips. But he refused to let a mere fly disturb the dream of his life.“A wound on the body is a small matter. The wound in my heart is far deeper… I was humiliated before the entire people of Lotus. The girl who should have belonged to me instead descended to approach that foreign man with admiration in her eyes. Xu He… do you think I will allow that?”Xu He lowered his head. “Of course not, Your Highness.”Arka stood and gazed out the window toward the
217.
The cheers of the spectators were still roaring, but among the thousands of faces filled with admiration, there was one pair of eyes burning red with anger.“Wait?!”His voice cut through the cheers, and even Lily smiled cynically. At last, someone had stepped out of hiding.It was Prince Arka, the son of the highest noble of the Lotus Kingdom and the heir whom the people had long believed would one day be paired with Lily. The man stood on a side balcony of the palace, his face handsome but his gaze dark—filled with an excessive sense of possession as he looked at Lily’s elegance.“Lily…” he muttered bitterly. “You should belong only to me. But now… a wandering stranger dares to stain my dream.”His hand clenched until his knuckles turned white.*Meanwhile, Bintang bowed respectfully toward the golden tower where Lily stood. His expression did not change—still calm, still filled with confidence—but in his heart he whispered,“The first trial is finished. But I can feel it… something
216.
On the third dawn after the wedding celebration, Bintang left the palace without any escort. He wore simple gray-black clothing, hiding his identity as the Dragon King. At his waist hung a jade sword, a gift from the Grand King, but he covered it with a coarse cloth.He knew that the journey to the Lotus Nation was not a diplomatic visit, but a personal trial given by the Goddess of Wealth.*The Amerta Sea was calm, yet the small boat he rode swayed with the waves. Throughout the journey, he was accompanied only by the sound of the wind and the cries of seagulls.In his heart he whispered,“My four wives looked at me with such trust… I cannot disappoint them. But Goddess of Wealth, why test me in this way? What are you really hiding?”*Several days later, the Lotus Nation appeared in the distance. White-walled palaces stood in the middle of a vast lake, surrounded by countless lotus flowers in shades of purple and gold that never withered.However, the moment his feet stepped onto t
215.
That afternoon, the sky above Amerta seemed to glow in celebration. Thin clouds drifted slowly, while golden sunlight fell upon the Dragon Palace adorned with thousands of colorful lanterns. The flags of the Amerta nation once again fluttered proudly on every tower, while the streets were filled with cheering citizens.“Victory—and this celebration is for the Dragon King?!”“Long live the Dragon King!”In the main courtyard, a grand wedding platform made of gold and jade stood magnificently. Four smaller thrones were placed beside Bintang’s seat, each prepared for his four mentors: the Goddess of War, the Goddess of Gambling, the Goddess of Medicine, and the Goddess of Beauty.The sound of gamelan blended with the melody of dragon flutes, creating music that carried both sacred and joyful tones. The fragrance of incense mixed with the sweet scent of jasmine flowers filled the air.Two ancient families, noble houses, and even representatives from allied nations had come to witness the
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