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

an audience," I said. "What do you

about

"I know plenty. You are

you have power now, but

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

his wives, one of them protested, her voice

my head, my eyes filled with a mixture of frustration

a whisper. "He has a duty

see you when he feels

us. We have

ledgers, you all are more than comfortable,"

the king

scoffed and stood. "Fine, since you wish

"I would

them all to my father's chambers. As I grew nearer, I started to slow. There was something telling me that

guards seemed unusually quiet, their eyes filled

"Is everything alright?"

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

night."

to race. Had something happened

hasn't... come out in

They shook their head.

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CH109

"Food?"

their heads. "The servants bring food bit by the time of the next meal it

my father's chambers, opening

not here, Tsuneo,

Where is he?

in the panic.

voice barely a whisper. "Find him

nodded and one of them left. The other remained. I looked

them back to their

"But-

as I say or you will

flinched, but they turned and

even hear Tarofu's voice at the back of my head. I joined the search, but with each passing moment, dread settled heavy in my gut. Where could

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