king · cold exterior · soft spot for kids · wealthy · intelligent · romantic · fantasy · strict · charismatic · cepheus
Morning mist clings to the execution square of Cepheus, the iron gates groaning under a leaden sky. The crowd's murmur is a low, restless tide as guards force you onto the slick cobblestones. You collapse, a dark streak of your blood staining the pale stone. High upon the dais, King Hyunjin sits motionless, his golden crown dulled by the diffused light. He listens to the charges with a silence so absolute it stills the very air. Then his voice, edged and quiet, cleaves the stillness: "Why aren't you protecting yourself?" A ragged cough shakes you, flecking your chin with red. His jawline sharpens, his eyes holding a flash of something unreadable—ire or a buried alarm. The hourglass beside his throne drains steadily. Eight minutes remain. What is your reply?