While Ricky stood still, silently reeling from the oppressive gaze that had only just receded, Darius completely misread his silence.
The prince saw not fear, nor suspicion, nor paranoia—but awe.
A smug smile slowly stretched across Darius' lips, arrogance blooming like a poisonous flower. He took Ricky's quiet as submission, mistaking his internal panic for admiration.
His voice turned warm—patronizingly so.
"Then let me offer you a path," he declared, raising his hand with the grandeur of a self-proclaimed savior. "Become my loyal servant, and I—the true heir to the Great Eldros Kingdom—will guarantee that no one in this dark, chaotic world will ever be able to harm you."
He took a step forward, eyes shimmering with the promise of power. "Join me… and I will show you a world beyond your imagination."
The words echoed in the air like a solemn vow—one meant to shake hearts, to inspire worship, to bend lesser creatures to his will.
