The “Bentham Fire” broke the news not only in Coelestis. But all of Pantaiyanilam. Its most deserted corners had the same sweating reaction. It did not take long for Harald’s statement to go viral. One even reached 200+ million views in a week.

The press conference had holographic microphones floating above the king. Even “Cupcake Darlings” and its erotic subsidiaries stood present.

Numerous cameras flashed 5/s. Outside the city, every billboard showed his stern face. More or less, no journalist disrespected the king’s patience. “Are we in danger, your majesty?” one said, keeping it short.

Another moved his station’s mic closer. “Your majesty. If I must, what of the prisoners? We’ve had reports of grieving families.” For all their questions, it took one raised hand for dead calm to follow.

Harald cleared his throat. “My beloved subjects. It pains me to reveal that many had indeed perished that night. The incompetence of the prison staff? Our state? Very much so, without further question. Neither my prayer nor yours can mend their hearts.

“But I’d be the world’s worst liar to say we learn nothing from it. For one, our Vetusian siblings mourned their tragedy of yesteryear. Yet one could say they had it worse. It’s not to say nothing mattered last night. In fact, the fire had set a grim reminder of our folly.

“I am humiliated as I breathe. For that, I hope you all feel similar in the upcoming days. Coelestis, ever so beautiful, covered her face in tears.” His fists and teeth clenched with a long seeth. Journalists got startled as he banged the podium.

“Incarceration had never removed one’s humanity! They were children of the Gods, abandoned! And we enabled it!” He panted and corrected his cape, regaining composure. “Shame on me for a mega annum. Shame on us all….”

Two-thirds of the journalists failed to hold tears. Anti-God Law activists would not throw a shoe at him. They had just clashed red with authorities minutes prior. However, charter leader Amy Baldwin ran in front. A guard tried chasing but got blocked by two others.

She dried her eyes, narrowing. “Mean it, Harald!” she shouted. “You’re my friend no longer. But show me your old dignity!” Her comrades shouted at the king as a coward—to do better.

He raised his hand again, which ended the yells. He pulled out a knife. His right palm bled profusely, and Amy did the same with waterworks. It was next to a miracle for royalty forming pacts with radicals.

That day, Harald signed the Heracles Act, Article 350. The law remained, but an overwhelming thumbs down did not mean execution. Defendants now had the right to prolonged trials. Even as the sun died, it would stand.

Brigade mages bowed before his presence. Those who opposed such change still longed to die for their majesty. Harald smiled faintly, knowing their hearts, and dismissed them all. Some stayed, if only for worrying faces.

“How can you please half the city?” one walked toward him. “Grausames formed a rally at the central park.”

By a window, he smiled again. “Entertain themselves in peace. Politicians, they’re not. Change only happens fast at gunpoint.” He turned. “Even for those who are, my rule trumps all. Sounds scary, huh?”

The mage’s eyes lit up, but he bowed quicker before exiting. Harald turned to the window again, eyes squinted. Another dilemma had bugged him since morning. On his Every Hub, he called a peculiar family.

Tokino appeared on his screen. “Hello,” she waved, smiling. However, the joy in her home went up 70db. Even her siblings yelled victory over their holo-consoles.

She went outside. “Sorry. They’re getting rowdier yearly. Even my Haruto joined. Please proceed, your majesty.”

Harald smiled back, eyes closed. “Perhaps today’s too much to ask, no? I’d curse myself for ruining your long-deserved break.”

She waved both hands next. “Oh, no, your majesty. We’ll follow you even to the world’s core.” She called the members to gather around. All waved, and Hokori joked about ‘royal condoms’ being mandatory.

The king laughed, knowing the corrupted genes of other Houses. All doubts erased, he told them a brief proposal. Yukino and Hayato jumped and yelled out of nowhere. They boasted to their parents over who could stomach gore the most.

“Come on, Papa!” exclaimed Yukino. “Who’s tougher?” She subtly pointed at herself. Then, her brother manipulated Haruto’s finger. Somehow, she did not suspect foul play and hugged both.

Harald did not expect such enthusiasm in a lifetime. After the call, he pondered, “Did I answer the right number?” He chuckled again, amazed at their growth.

Tomorrow had shined bright. The king led the family to the prison’s laboratory. Many employees bowed before Kenkō, recalling her unrivaled help. Others presented them with the corpse of the day. Or rather, a “pastry.”

Fieri Hemingway had officially died singing. At another time, his body would be the most detailed human bread. Even the skin had crusts browned to perfection. Tokino moved her son away from a bite. Yukino wiped her forehead. “Phew. No blood.”

Harald examined the corpse first. He found its smile more unsettling than any dwellbeast. As expected, the flesh became nonhuman. It even smelled hot from the oven. He shook his head and tsked. “Magic sure is an untamed creature.” He turned to a nurse. “Any luck how he managed to do it within anti-magic?”

She nodded, “A lot, your majesty,” and pulled out X-rays. “We found metal pieces from the heart and liver. It’s no secret some Earthly Mythos die with their powers surpassing any restraint. But it doesn’t explain the fire.”

She concluded they were crossbow bolts. Most had red tips and activated upon contact. Some still warmed with the slightest touch. The most damning evidence was a patented name: “Elon’s Turnabout Gizmos.” Kakunō sweated as she brought up a conspiracy. Pertinax’s #1 broker did blackmail for sure. It had pushed the investigation back to square one. The king sighed, agreeing with the case.

The Minagawa couple grunted with clenched teeth. The wife panted as her soul heated to its peak. Hayato comforted Yukino, tearing up. Kakunō thought his other sister would clear things up. Sadly, she hyperventilated. Past trauma had clouded recent memories. She even started believing the same. Lies felt amazing when hunting the worst enemies.

“Damn it!” He felt the world fooling itself instead. Alas, his brother stepped in front.

Hokori cracked his knuckles. “Aight, that’s it. The Muffin Man was a huge SoB. But that other cunt made our job way harder than—”

“Wait!!”

Everyone turned to Kakunō with raised brows. His breathing calmed, and he performed dogeza. “I’m sorry, your majesty. Very much.” He wasted no time telling the truth. At least the world got its eyes checked. He solidified that by presenting his crossbow.

“I shot him many times at one point. I didn’t think he was like a Logia. Neither did I know the bolts didn’t use magic.” He pleaded to leave Elon out of the question.

All eyes had widened. Tokino covered her mouth as her children gasped; Hokori stood baffled with his siblings. On the other hand, the king understood nothing of the reference. Yet he discerned everything else. He held his shoulder. “Needn’t say much, I always tell them. And I can’t defraud the Vulgus Chamber all day. You know what else.”

Kakunō nodded. “Of course, your majesty. You and our parliament have every right to demote me. If I may, I’d like to visit them once a—”

“Wait!!”

Everyone turned again to another in the family. Kenkō finally found the courage to speak. Even with watery eyes, she cared not. If anything, it was a call to objection. Her brother, however, subtly shook in defiance.

She panted, heart calming. “Please, Harald. Choose me instead.”

The king caressed his chin. “Fascinating. Here I thought only Hokori addressed me casually. Though, I mind none.”

She walked and looked up. “And I’ll do it again. Especially when you attack my family.” She told her side of the story quicker. The couple had stern eyes while their children gasped again. Hokori smirked, and she returned the endowment.

He sighed, holding her shoulder next. “I’ve not attacked a hair, miss. The law finds me a heretic, too. Yet leadership isn’t complacency. Our people—”

“To hell with them!” her eyes narrowed. “I’d rather go deaf than hear their voices. And in my eyes, you killed a member!” She aimed at his left cheek. Red came out.

The two children backed away, sweating bullets. Haruto immediately held them close, and Tokino walked with heavy steps. “Sis, that’s enough! Where’s all this coming from? It’s not like….” She stopped joining the vitriol.

For twenty-odd years, Kenkō despised anguish, tired even. Rage still abode, she dried her eyes fast. To think everyone had missed the point. “Please, Harald,” she kneeled in dogeza next. “I shot the enemy more than my Lil Bro. So I took full responsibility.

“I know demotion’s a cakewalk for him. But please. Let me be their eldest sister again. I haven’t in a lifetime, yet our eldest brother stayed true.” Even more so, she shed no tears. Fatigue loomed further over such emotion.

Surprisingly, Yukino recalled her age once more. Hayato showed it by bawling on his mother’s chest. She smiled and rubbed his back. Hokori had the same face, even lifting Kenkō to comfort. Haruto expected no less. Troubled waters were always temporary.

Kakunō could not believe that only the nurses cried. He knew some who faced death unyielding. As he walked to oppose any change, the king paced sooner.

Harald kneeled. “A billion apologies, miss. I wish to clear any ill guesses.” He stood. “Your brother, a foreigner, displayed more loyalty than my whole bloodline. I’d know better, joining the battlefield.

“Henceforth, he’s not a representative till next month. At the least, he’ll return to his brigade mage roots.” He revealed the frontlines had no good coach in years. Augustus returned home too early.

Hokori snickered at the mentioned former archmage. “Hahahahahaha! Oh, he was ‘impeccable,’ alright. Too bad I showed ‘young, wild, and free’ in spades.” He continued the belittlement. Stories of rebel-founding went through the roof.

Tokino gasped, never knowing such disrespect even from her brother. Yet Haruto expected no less again. “Come on, now.” He held her shoulder from behind. “Weren’t you with him longer than I?”

She ended her scolding before it had occurred. Her children jumped toward Kakunō in glee. Her sister could not express gratitude no matter the bows; in return, Harald could not persuade her otherwise.

Hokori wrapped an arm around the king’s shoulder. Then, more incest jokes commenced. Perhaps nothing changed through the years. She preferred it in a heartbeat, seeing both laugh.

Outside, Harald waved at the smiling family, who took transit. He went to his car and laughed more. “Man… does Hokori not change.” He turned to the back seat. “Tell me. Would you picket ‘fuck cars’ for the environment? I might approve a bill.”

Feuer crossed his arms and legs, eyes closed. “To be, or not to be. My fires make the world weep harder.”

The king laughed again and stopped before aerial traffic. Ideas of change remained valid on the table.

He opened his eyes. “Tell me for a change. You told them nothing of the empirical evidence. The surveillance guard. Why demote, then?”

Harald chuckled. “I do but keep the peace… one of my favorite lines. We needn’t any more chaos, old friend. To say Grausames rallied some naysayers would be a bold lie.

“The epidemic robbed more lives by 150%. Yet cultdom reigns supreme more than I do. So tell me. Why not stop your brother from becoming co-leader?”

The golden sunset shone bright, but Feuer declined to answer. Inside, he felt shame for not knowing another quote. His mouth remained shut as they arrived at the asylum.