The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 109

CH109 Tsunco

I clenched my fists, the realization sending a fresh wave of anger through me.

Had he been behind that idiot's access to poison?

What other strings had he been pulling in the palace all this time?

I turned sharply, heading back toward my office, my mind racing ahead. If the funds were being funneled to Elia, that meant there was a trail. He would have left traces, contacts, payments, something that could lead me directly to where he was staying. I didn't want to have to wait for news about Ari to reach him, assuming that he cared about her at all.

This time, he wouldn't be so lucky as to just vanish into wilderness of the celestial realm.

I was going to exile him in the most painful way possible so he could live the rest of his life with his phoenix.

When I reached my office, I closed the door behind me. I opened the door between my and my father's office. Sota hadn't moved from his spot, but he was still working. Good.

He was probably working toward some sort of leniency.

Hours passed, and the tension between my eyebrows was building at a steady pace. A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Sota was still working quietly and Renji hadn't come to see me. "Enter," I said, my voice cold and steady.

The whole of my father's harem harem members entered my office. I wasn't surprised. They were

most likely here to co

about the seizure of their treasury keys.

Lady Maro glared at me. "You overstep your place."

"And yet you have come to speak to me," I said. "I assume my father told you that you are to deal

with me and not him."

She flushed.

"The King refuses to see us," one of them whined, her voice filled with a mixture of entitlement and petulance. "It is our right."

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CH109

does not grant you an audience," I said. "What do you

know anything about

"I know plenty. You are a concubine not

you have power now, but

than to entertain you. He is exhausted," I replied, my voice firm.

are his wives, one of them protested, her voice rising. "He

my head, my eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and determination.

barely a whisper. "He has a duty to the kingdom. There is no

hini and his health. He will see you when he feels

us. We have things to purchase

all are

the king hears about

and stood. "Fine, since you wish to

"I would rather be done with

chambers. As I grew nearer, I started to slow. There was something telling me

guards seemed unusually quiet, their eyes filled with a mixture of

"Is everything alright?"

his eyes darting nervously from side to side. "We haven't seen the King in days," he replied. "It is... unlike him to at least

night."

sank and started to race. Had

hasn't... come out in all

They shook their head.

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CH109

"Food?"

servants bring food bit by the time of the next meal

my father's chambers,

not here, Tsuneo, Tarofu said

Where is he?

lost in the

I commanded, my voice barely a

and one of them left. The other remained. I looked at the

back

"But-

you will be

they turned and followed

chest. I had to find my father, I had to know he was safe. I couldn't even hear Tarofu's voice at the back of my head. I joined the search,

having left the palace at all. I considered that he might be in the chamber where my mother was. I willed myself to go there, but I couldn't. I checked the gardens he usually went to,