The moonlight was like water, spilling into the courtyard of the Opera Epiclese.
King was sleeping soundly.
It had been a long time since he had been this relaxed.
The blood and gore of Inazuma, the War of Gods in Liyue, the corrupt nobles of Fontaine... after a series of slaughters, even a powerhouse like him felt a bit mentally exhausted.
So this time, he slept very peacefully.
In his dream, he was sitting on a meadow, with Furina and Raiden Ei in front of him, the two of them arguing for some reason over whose snacks tasted better.
Furina had his hands on his hips, his cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish;
Raiden Ei was expressionless, but her hand was already gripping the hilt of musou isshin.
Paimon, who had zero sense of danger, floated in the middle, grabbing a piece of cake in each hand, his face covered in cream.
Lumine smiled helplessly from the side.
Clorinde and Lynette knelt behind him, one fanning him and the other massaging his back.
It was a very beautiful scene.
Then—
"Bang!"
With a loud bang, the world in the dream shattered into pieces.
King slowly opened his eyes.
In his black eyes, there was no confusion from just waking up, only a chilling coldness that made one's spine tingle.
He sat up and looked out the window.
It wasn't dawn yet.
A sliver of white was just beginning to appear on the eastern horizon; it was the time when people slept most soundly.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three more sounds.
This time he heard clearly; it was the sound of knocking on the door.
No, it wasn't knocking.
It was pounding.
King's brow furrowed.
He got up, and the quilt slid off his shoulders.
King was only wearing underwear, his upper body bare, his muscular lines outlining a perfect silhouette in the morning light, every inch containing power enough to tear heaven and earth apart.
He raised his hand and casually ran it through his messy black hair.
Then he got out of bed, put on a bathrobe, and walked barefoot toward the door.
Standing outside the door was neither Lynette nor Clorinde, but Neuvillette.
A rare look of embarrassment appeared on the Iudex's face.
"Mr. King, I am very sorry to disturb your rest."
His voice was kept very low, as if he were somewhat ashamed.
"A small situation has arisen that I must inform you of."
King didn't speak, just looked at him.
That gaze was as calm as stagnant water in a deep pool.
Neuvillette, however, felt a chill down his spine.
As the Dragon King, his perception of danger was acute to the extreme.
Neuvillette could clearly perceive it.
The mood of the person in front of him was very bad right now.
Very, very, very bad.
If it had to be described, it was probably equivalent to... an apex predator that had been woken up.
Neuvillette quickly stepped aside, revealing the person behind him.
"It's like this: The Steambird suddenly printed a Special Edition early this morning."
He spoke twice as fast as usual.
"The content is somewhat special... it involves your private life."
"We have already apprehended the reporter who wrote the report, as well as all personnel involved in printing and distribution."
"Now, the reporter involved has been escorted to the Opera Epiclese, awaiting your disposal."
After he finished speaking, he stepped aside.
King's gaze went past him and landed at the end of the corridor.
There, the soldiers of the Equitable Judgment stood in two rows.
In the middle, a figure tied up securely was kneeling on the ground, trembling.
Pink short hair, a signature camera, a pair of beautiful large blue eyes—
This was Charlotte.
The former Ace Reporter of The Steambird.
At this moment, he had none of his usual liveliness.
His hair was messy, his clothes were wrinkled, a wad of cloth was stuffed in his mouth, his eyes were as red as a rabbit's, and tears smeared his face.
He was tied up tightly, curled into a ball, looking like a frightened little animal.
The moment he saw King appear—
"Mmph!! Mmph mmph mmph!!!"
Those eyes met King's gaze, and the pupils instantly contracted to pinpoints.
Charlotte began to struggle desperately, like a wriggling maggot.
King: "..."
He rubbed his brow; most of his Morning Grumpiness had vanished, replaced by an indescribable speechlessness.
"Take the cloth out of his mouth."
The soldier did as told.
"Lord King, have mercy!!!"
That was Charlotte's first sentence, his voice loud enough to blow the roof off.
King raised an eyebrow and began to pressure Charlotte.
"Do you know what you did wrong?"
"Waaaaah—!!!"
Charlotte was directly pressured into tears.
He wailed loudly.
Tears flowed down like a bursting dam, instantly wetting a large patch of his chest.
"I know, I know!!"
"I know I was wrong! I won't dare do it again!!"
"I shouldn't have made up those rumors!!!"
"I shouldn't have written that Paimon is your ** cup!!"
"I shouldn't have written that Lady Raiden was a princess of a fallen kingdom captured by you for a Political Marriage!!"
"I shouldn't have written that Lord Furina was your secret lover!!"
"I shouldn't have written that Clorinde and Lynette were your pet puppies!!"
"I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong!!!"
He cried until he was out of breath, snot and tears smearing his face, his whole body shaking like a sieve.
King: "..."
He looked down at this reporter who was crying like a dog.
He suddenly felt very tired.
Being woken up from a beautiful dream was tiring.
Having nowhere to vent his Morning Grumpiness was tiring.
Looking at this weeping, foolish reporter was even more tiring.
"Since you're so afraid," King spoke, his voice as calm as water, "why did you make up those rumors?"
Charlotte's crying paused for a moment.
He sobbed and replied, "Be-because... a newcomer was going to take away my ace position... I-I wasn't willing to accept it, and in a moment of confusion..."
King: "..."
That's it?
Just for that reason, you dared to fabricate stories about national leaders in the newspaper?
King took a deep breath, almost laughing out of anger.
"Neuvillette."
"I am here."
"Let him go."
Neuvillette was stunned for a moment. "Mr. King, he wrote false reports and maliciously slandered the reputation of Fontaine's leaders. According to Fontaine's laws, he should..."
"Let him go."
King interrupted him, his tone indifferent.
"As the victim, I forgive him."
You aren't the only victim.
Neuvillette was silently speechless for two seconds, but finally nodded.
"Mr. King is truly magnanimous and kind."
He waved his hand, and the soldiers of the Equitable Judgment immediately stepped forward and untied the ropes on Charlotte.
Charlotte slumped on the ground, gasping for air, his tears flowing even harder.
He looked up, his eyes tearful as he gazed at King, looking quite pitiable.
King gave him a helpless look.
"Stop crying. Go back and take a bath, and just don't write such things in the future."
After comforting him, he turned around, preparing to go back to his room to continue sleeping.
He hoped he could pick up that beautiful dream where it left off.
Charlotte's tearful voice came from behind: "I-I'm sorry... Lord King... I'm sorry... I'll never dare do it again..."
King didn't look back, just gave a cool wave of his hand.
"Mr. King."
Neuvillette's voice followed from behind.
King's footsteps paused slightly, and he turned back speechlessly.
Will you ever let me sleep?!
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