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

anything about what a Husband and

know plenty. You are

think you have

has more important things to do than to entertain you. He is exhausted," I replied, my voice firm. "He needs

one of them protested, her voice rising. "He has

my eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and determination. "My

my voice barely a whisper. "He has a duty

his health. He will see you when he feels he is

our treasury keys to us. We have things to purchase

are

the king hears

"Fine, since you wish

"I would rather be

pushed past them and led them all to my father's chambers. As I grew nearer, I started to slow. There was something telling

seemed unusually quiet, their eyes filled with a

"Is everything alright?"

of the guards hesitated, 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."

started to race.

hasn't... come out in

They shook their head.

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CH109

"Food?"

bring food bit by the time of the next meal it

past them into my father's chambers,

here, Tsuneo, Tarofu

Where is he?

response was seemed lost in the panic. I turned back to the

I commanded, my voice barely a

other remained. I looked

them back to their

"But-

you will be escorted

but they turned

had to find my father, I had to know he was safe. I couldn't even hear Tarofu's voice at the

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,