After a midday talk with Marcus, a flicker of relief finally ignited in the King's chest. The advice was simple: Live for today. Stop spiraling. For a fleeting second, the future didn't look so dark.
But "simple" wasn't going to save his son.
The King knew Marcus meant well, but he wasn't about to sit idle while the Heart Stone's existence literally threatened his baby boy's life! With a surge of royal energy, he bolted upright from his "Thinking Chair."
He was currently deep within the Sanctum of Solemn Thought—a room he had spent a fortune to build for one purpose: Thinking Hard. Packed with mind-bending artifacts and focus-enhancing relics, this room was designed to push his brain into overdrive! (But we'll get into those juicy details later.)
Right now? The King had a new mission. Marcus was right about one thing—his son deserved a life of love and happiness. And the King was going to fight heaven and earth to make sure he got it.
He hurried through the palace corridors, his mind fixed on reaching his wife. He wasn't about to carry this weight alone; they were a team, and this was their son's life on the line.
As he walked, his thoughts kept spiraling back to the impossible reality of the situation. "A Heart Stone," he whispered to himself, shaking his head. In all the long annals of the Empire's history, he had never read of such a thing. He'd seen plenty of rare spiritual physiques and strange birthmarks over the years, but a dormant mana-stone embedded right beside a newborn's heart? It was unheard of.
The strangest part was how... normal it seemed. It wasn't hurting the boy; if anything, it felt like a tiny, quiet engine waiting to be started. For now, the baby just seemed a bit stronger and sturdier than a typical infant—a "little giant" in a cradle. But the King knew better. If word leaked out that his son was born with a natural power-generator in his chest, the peace of their home would vanish overnight. The danger was quiet for now, but it was real, and he needed to talk to the Queen before the rest of the world started asking questions
The King finally reached the royal chambers. Pushing the heavy doors open, he found his wife immersed in a thick tome, her expression so focused she seemed miles away from the chaos in his head. Just the sight of her—grounded and calm—forced the tension from his shoulders. He took a long, jagged breath, trying to steady his trembling heart.
"My love," he called out softly from the doorway.
The Queen tore her eyes from the pages, her sharp gaze softening the moment they landed on him. "My dear, you're back," she said, setting the book aside. "I was just thinking of coming to find you."
She crossed the room, her eyes searching his. "But why is there such a shadow on your face? What has you this worried?" She stepped into his space, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight, as if she could sense the invisible storm he was carrying and was afraid to let him go.
After a few tender moments, they slowly broke their embrace. The King let out a heavy sigh, the weight of his royal robes feeling twice as heavy as usual.
"Let's sit," he said, gesturing toward the plush sofa near the window. "All this pacing through the castle halls has me more exhausted than a day on the battlefield."
The Queen nodded, her hand still lingering on his arm as they moved together. They sank into the soft cushions of the bedroom sofa, the quiet of the room a sharp contrast to the storm of thoughts in the King's mind. For a moment, he just sat there, gathering his strength before diving into the secret that could change their lives forever.
Once they were settled, the King took her hand, his thumb tracing her knuckles. "The doctors and my own senses confirm it—the Heart Stone is stable. For now, it's not causing him any pain; it's just… there. Pulsing within his heart acting a small mana generator built just for him." He let out a breath he felt he'd been holding since the birth. "I spoke with Marcus this afternoon. He told me to take things as they are. To stop spiraling and just be a father. And he's right—our boy deserves a childhood filled with nothing but love and laughter, not the shadow of a throne or a curse."
His gaze sharpened then, the steel returning to his eyes. "But we aren't ordinary parents, and he isn't an ordinary child. We will follow Marcus's advice and hope for the best, but we must also prepare for the absolute worst. If the world finds out what lies next to his heart, they will come for him. So, while he plays and grows, we build our defenses. We will give him the happiest life possible, but I will make sure he is the most well-protected 'normal' child in the history of this Empire."
The King stood and crossed the room to the ornate cradle, where his newborn son lay wrapped in silken swaddles, breathing softly in a deep, peaceful slumber. Reaching down with hands that had toppled kingdoms, he gently lifted the tiny boy, cradling him against his chest as if he were the most fragile treasure in the world. He pressed a soft kiss to the baby's forehead, feeling the faint, steady rhythm of the Heart Stone pulsing alongside a innocent heart. Closing his eyes, he pulled the child into a warm, protective embrace, whispering into the quiet of the room, "Let us leave the rest to destiny and hope for the best, my child."
In that moment, the crown didn't matter—only the sleeping boy in his arms did.