The news about the fire became a hot topic, trending at the top searches.
The studio lights dimmer than usual. A silence lay beneath the polished surfaces and perfectly calibrated lighting. Behind the glass desk, the massive screen flickered with unsettling clarity.
The screen was glowing with a news of mysterious fire at Royal Servants' Quarters. The news showed images and videos of incidence where 17 people were dead and dozens were injured.
The male anchor adjusted his papers, face tight with restrained gravity. His voice was calm, but there was something innerving.
"Good evening. Tonight, we report on a incident that has left the Kingdom shocked and horrified. A fire, suddenly tore through the royal servants' quarters late last night. Though emergency and trauma units responded within minutes, the five-story structure, a heirloom of the early dynasty, collapsed in on itself before dawn."
He paused just enough to let the weight of it sink in. The images behind him shifted, bodies being lifted from rubble, healers cloaked in white murmuring spells, grief-stricken families held back by guards.
The woman beside him leaned forward, her eyes sharped and voice cold.
"But as flames die down, questions rise. Because this… doesn't feel like an accident. Survivors are whispering about fire that moved like it was alive. That danced. That chose."She turns slightly, addressing the viewers directly.
"Was this a natural disaster… or something else?"
"And the most chilling part? Not a single alarm was triggered. No magical wards, no enchantments. Nothing. This building existed within the palace's innermost circle—a zone fortified by the Crown's highest-tier defence systems. How does a fire start there… without anyone noticing?"
"And more importantly… why is the palace silent?" The question hung in the room.
"It's been nearly twenty-four hours. No official statement. No list of victims. No cause cited. Nothing but closed gates and sealed lips."
"The people deserve answers. Seventeen lives lost. Families torn apart. Magic suspected. Security compromised. And the Royal House gives us… what? Silence?" Female anchor spoke, narrowing her eyes. She tilted her head slightly, voice lowering.
"Witnesses described heat that felt unnatural, fire that twisted mid-air… Some are calling it dark magic. Others say the flames didn't burn like fire should." She continued.
"We contacted the Royal Ministry for Defence. They offered no comment. The King's Circle hasn't spoken. And Queen Kang Minah has yet to appear in public." Male anchor slightly raised his voice. The studio darkened a shade as that last word dropped. The tension thickened, unspoken.
"In a time where the nation turns to its rulers for clarity… we find ourselves left with silence, shadows, and speculation." A faint hum of orchestral music began to rise beneath their voices—low, mournful.
"This is no longer just about a fire. This is about what it exposed. And what it tried to erase."
The camera began to pull back—slowly zooming out—framing both anchors like two figures caught in a storm.
"We'll continue to report as this story unfolds. But tonight, we mourn the dead… and we question the living." Female anchor voice wavered.
The screen then faded to black and shifted to the smothering ruins of the fire.
___
The heavy oak doors of Royal Strategy room slammed open,and King Yuhan entered with the Head of Elite Guards and other guards.
Strategy Room had a long polished wooden table, designed with dragons and phoenixes, stood in the centre. Tall windows with dark red curtains let in soft light, and in one corner, old swords and armours shone inside glass cases, placed right beside locked cabinets.
"What the hell are you saying?!"
The head of Elite Guards flinched, his shoulders stiffening. The king's grip tightened on the sleek tablet. One glance at the footage had been enough.
Footage of his daughter leaving the Royal Servant Quarters prior ten minutes of the incident.
His jaw clenched, and in a single he hurled the table onto the marble floor. It was too much for him. He couldn't believe it was his daughter who was behind this arson.
Crack. The sound of shattering of glass resonated in the room. Small pieces of were scattered across the marble floor. Elite Officer was getting nervous and anxious by the minute passes in His Majesty's presence.
At officer's subtle hand gesture, two palace maids swept forward, gathering the shards with quick and silent movements. Their eyes downcast to avoid witnessing the fury in His Majesty's eyes.
The officer's throat bobbed as he swallowed. "Y-Your Majesty… we reviewed the security footage ten minutes before the incident at the Royal Servants' Quarters. The mana detectors confirmed—" He hesitated. "…Her mana was detected at the scene."
A thin film of sweat glistened at the officer's temple. The king's eyes narrowed and before the officer could finish. A crystal glass flew past his head and smashed against the wall. Shards and water scattering in the room.
"That's what I'm fucking saying!" Yuhan's voice raised, igniting with fury. "There's no way she would do something this disgusting and horrifying. You're framing her! All of you!"
The veins along his neck pulsed, his breathing was ragged, and faint red glow began to seep from his skin.
"M-My lord," another guard whispered nervously, "your mana… it's unstable. You might—"
"You… you dare accuse my daughter of something so vile?" Yuhan's voice cracked, his mana spilling from him. "She's like a little flower. She wouldn't harm a bug! And you accuse her of terrorism? Of attacking the very people who serve this palace?"
The red energy spreading in the air, fluttering like tentacles. The guards shared uneasy and nervous glances. King Kang Yuhan is one of the powerful mages of world and exercise one of the dangerous magic, crimson moon magic. If the king went berserk, there would no stopping the destruction.
From her seat at the far end of the table, Queen Mina rose. Her voice calm and velvety as she knew she's the only who could stop her husband going into rampage.
"Your Majesty," she said, folding her hands, "calm yourself. It's all right." Her gaze softened in a way that seemed almost… practiced. "She is young. And you know how the young can be, reckless, unaware of the weight of their actions. You made mistakes too, when you were her age… didn't you?"
Yuhan's breathing was uneven, his chest rose up and down.
"She made a mistake," Mina continued, her lips curving into a smile. "And though it's hard to accept the reality, we cannot deny the real evidence. She was there. She is our daughter, and it is our duty to… correct her mistakes before the world can use them against her."
The king's mana flickered. Slowly, he return to his initial condition. His shoulders dropped as his jaw unclenched.
"…How could my little flower do something like this…" His voice was barely audible now.
"You know the truth," Mina said gently, "but the truth need not be for everyone's ears. Right now, we must attend the funerals… and ensure that those who know of her involvement…" She tilted her head ever so slightly. "…remain silent."
Then Yuhan nodded slowly. The last remnants of red glow fading from his eyes.
"You're right."