Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 278: New turns

Chapter 278: New turns

Keval moved with through the grand halls of the imperial palace of Romelia, his polished boots clicking against the intricately tiled floor. The corridor stretched endlessly before him, lined with towering columns of alabaster veined with gold and lit by the soft glow of chandeliers dripping with crystal. Murals of Romelia's past glories adorned the walls, depicting victories in battle, the crowning of emperors, and the divine blessings bestowed upon the dynasty. Every detail spoke of grandeur, yet to Keval, it felt more like a theater of hypocrisy, he hated the place, but mostly he hated the work.

As the regent's son and the former empress mother's brother, his presence here was a necessity, given what his father regarded as a fantastic work done the one he did in his absence 

Truthfully he just wanted to retire back home, with his wife, instead of going to sleep dark in the night with his daughter and wife already asleep. With a sigh he kept walking forward

Guards in ceremonial armor stood at intervals, their gazes forward but their awareness acute. Keval met none of their eyes, though he noted their posture and positioning. 

His mind was clouded as he passed under a massive archway carved with depictions of the imperial eagle, its wings outstretched . The symbol, once something he had admired as a boy, now seemed hollow.