King Liam sat upon the Golden Throne.
His posture was upright, his hands resting firmly on the lion-head armrests. The exhaustion that had marred his features earlier seemed to vanish the moment he took his seat, replaced by an aura of absolute sovereignty that pressed down on every soul in the Great Hall.
"My children. My subjects."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried to the furthest corners of the room without the need for magical amplification.
"We have witnessed a week of steel and spirit. The Fourth Trial, the Trial of Martial Might, was not merely a display of violence. It was a test of your ability to command, to inspire loyalty, and to defend that which you seek to rule."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the seven princes and princesses standing in a line before him.
"A King must be a scholar in peace, yes. But he must also be a warlord in times of crisis. Without strength, wisdom is but a whisper in a storm. Without power, benevolence is merely a plea."
The nobles nodded in solemn agreement. The Kingdom of Orlan bordered dangerous territories; they knew well the value of a strong sword arm on the throne.
"You have all fought. You have all bled. And now, the results have been cast in iron."
King Liam raised his right hand slightly.
From the shadows behind the throne, the Royal Advisor stepped forward. The elderly man, clad in ceremonial grey robes, bowed deeply before handing a sealed scroll to the King with trembling hands.
"Your Majesty. The final tally."
The King took the scroll. He broke the wax seal with a sharp crack that echoed in the silence.
He unrolled the parchment, his eyes scanning the contents for a brief moment.
"I shall now announce the results, your cumulative scores from the previous four trials: The Heart, The Mind, The Soul, and The Martial Might."
The tension in the room spiked. Even the breathing of the nobles seemed to stop.
King Liam looked up, his gaze landing first on the far left of the line.
"In First Place."
His voice boomed.
"With a dominant performance in the Martial Trial and Mind Trials, securing the championship without a single defeat... Crown Prince Bane."
The King’s eyes softened with pride, though a flicker of complexity remained deep within them.
"Total Score: 18 Points."
A collective gasp rippled through the hall, followed by thunderous applause from the pro-Bane faction.
Eighteen points. It was a crushing lead. It meant he had practically swept the top positions in almost every trial.
Bane stepped forward and bowed perfectly, his face remaining impassive.
"Second Place," the King continued, waiting for the applause to die down. "Princess Josephina. Total Score: 13 Points."
The First Princess curtsied, her expression composed, though her eyes narrowed slightly at the five-point gap between her and Bane.
"Third Place. Princess Aurelia. Total Score: 11 Points."
Murmurs broke out. The "Ghost Princess" holding the third spot was a shock to many traditionalists, a testament to her shocking victories in the early trials.
"Fourth Place. Prince Neron. Total Score: 10 Points."
Neron clenched his jaw, his dark eyes flashing with irritation. Being behind Aurelia clearly stung his pride.
"Fifth Place. Prince Norvus. Total Score: 8 Points."
The diplomat prince offered a charming, easygoing smile, seemingly unbothered by his middle-of-the-pack standing.
"Sixth Place. Princess Clara. Total Score: 6 Points."
Clara bit her lip, looking down at her boots. Despite her martial prowess, her lack of political acumen in the earlier trials had cost her dearly.
"And finally..."
King Liam’s gaze drifted to the end of the line. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of resignation and faint pity.
"Seventh Place. Prince Ilan. Total Score... 4 Points."
Scattered, polite applause followed, accompanied by a few stifled chuckles from the back of the room.
I scratched my cheek, offering the room a helpless, lopsided grin.
"Ahem."
The King cleared his throat, cutting through the awkward silence that hovered over my low score.
"Regardless of the numbers," he said, his voice warm as he looked over us one last time. "I wish to congratulate each and every one of you. You have displayed brilliance, courage, and wit that exceed my highest expectations. You have made your father proud."
He paused, letting the praise sink in before his expression hardened again.
"And now... I shall reveal the details of the Fifth and Final Trial."
The air in the hall seemed to freeze.
"But before I name it," King Liam continued, leaning forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with intensity. "I must explain why this trial is the most crucial of them all."
He raised a single finger.
"Because in this final challenge... there will be only one winner."
"And that winner," he declared, his voice ringing like a bell, "will be awarded 15 points."
"!!!"
A shockwave went through the room.
Fifteen points.
The math was simple and devastating.
Even Crown Prince Bane, with his dominant 18 points, was not safe.
And even the one at the very bottom — me, with my pathetic 4 points — could theoretically reach 19 points and steal the crown.
"That’s right," the King affirmed, seeing the chaos in the eyes of the nobles. "This trial is designed to overturn everything. If you win the Final Trial, you will be able to surpass even the first place and take the crown, even if you are currently at the bottom, even if you have yet to partake in the previous four trials."
The crowd erupted into a buzzing frenzy. The nobles who had bet everything on Bane looked pale. The neutral factions looked conflicted.
"No way..."
I let my jaw drop, my eyes widening until they were the size of saucers. I grabbed my head in exaggerated disbelief.
"You mean... even I have a chance?!" I gasped loudly.
Internally, however, my heart was calm as a stone.
Well, I already knew it, so why would I be shocked?
"Silence!"
The King’s command brought order back to the hall.
"I pondered for a long time to choose the right place and task for the final trial," he began, his tone turning somber. "I thought about our Kingdom. I thought about our people, who suffer from threats we have too long ignored. And I thought about you, my children."
He looked at us, his gaze lingering on Bane for a second longer than the others.
"A true King does not just rule from a throne. He steps into the darkness to bring back the light."
He took a deep breath.
"Therefore, the Final Trial shall be named... The Crown’s Trial."
"And it will take place," he announced, his voice dropping to a grave, ominous register, "in the Hollowlands."