Dragon King's Harem Chapter 401. Same Fate

Dragon King's Harem Chapter 401. Same Fate

I found myself staring up at the ceiling, tracing the faint lines and patterns of the wooden beams above me. My gaze wandered, but my mind stayed trapped in a loop, circling around all the promises I had yet to keep, the obligations piling up like stones in a wall.

‘The snow elf queen…’ I reminded myself, her face appearing in my mind’s eye. I had promised her help. I had seen the desperation in her eyes, heard the tremor in her voice when she told me about what happened to her. She had been so close to losing everything. But here I was, lying in an inn bed miles away, with barely a plan in mind.

The right time would be her wedding day. I’d heard it was fast approaching. If there was a day she’d need support, it would be that day, and yet I hadn’t managed to carve out the time. ‘Some king I am,’ I thought bitterly. Promises were easy to make, but following through, actually being there for people when it mattered—sometimes that felt impossible. Still, that was what I’d signed up for, wasn’t it? I’d committed myself to a path that left little room for rest.

And then there was Glasha. I hadn’t talked to her in what felt like forever. Despite the bitterness that still lingered between us, I understood her feelings, more than I cared to admit. In some strange way, our lives had mirrored each other’s. She had been forced into loyalty to me, into a bond she hadn’t truly chosen, to keep her people safe, to protect them from a fate they couldn’t escape. And I… I had known a similar desperation, a time in my life when my choices had been stripped away, when I was a gigolo and I’d been forced to do things I’d never imagined just to survive. Those memories felt like scars I could still feel.

Back then, I had been as desperate as she was now. I knew all too well what it felt like to be trapped, to look at the path before me and see no other way out. She had chosen to stand by me for the sake of her tribe, sacrificing her own freedom for their safety. I couldn’t blame her for that. It was the same kind of brutal choice that had once led me down a path I couldn’t escape, a path that had transformed me into the person I was today.

“Some things never change,” I muttered softly, my voice barely above a whisper in the quiet room. The irony of it all wasn’t lost on me. Even with all the power and influence I’d gained, there were still forces I couldn’t control, promises I struggled to keep. I’d thought that becoming king would mean freedom, that I’d finally be able to shape my destiny as I saw fit. But sometimes… it felt like I was just as trapped as before, only the chains were invisible, made of responsibility and obligation rather than iron.

I took a deep breath, pressing my hand over my eyes. ‘This is ironic… I’m doing what I hate,’ I thought, a bitter taste in my mouth. I’d promised myself I’d never force anyone into the same corner I’d once been shoved into, yet here I was, making decisions that affected lives in ways I couldn’t always predict. It made me feel… small, somehow, despite the title, despite the power.

After an hour of random thoughts that twisted and turned, a gentle knock finally sounded at the door. I blinked, pulled out of my musings, and called out, “Come in.”

Eir stepped inside, his posture relaxed yet respectful. “Dinner’s ready, Your Majesty,” he said, his tone low but clear. “Would you like to eat here or join everyone downstairs?”

I pushed myself up from the bed, stretching my arms before nodding. “I’ll join them,” I replied. I needed a break from my thoughts anyway, and eating with the others might help ground me.

With a quick motion, I slipped my feet back into my shoes, deciding to leave my blazer off since this was just a simple dinner. Eir and I stepped out of the room together, and I noticed his eyes flicking to my tired eyes. He didn’t comment, but his quiet observation said enough. Descending the wooden stairs, I felt the warmth of the dining hall growing closer—the clinking of cutlery, the low murmur of voices, laughter here and there. It was comforting, in a way.

Once we entered the room, the soldiers and others at the table turned to look, some making the instinctive move to stand, but I waved a hand to stop them without breaking my stride. I wasn’t looking for formalities.

I spotted Al at the far end of the table, waving a little too enthusiastically, his face lighting up. “Here, Your Majesty!” he called out, almost as if he were trying to save me a seat in a busy tavern rather than at a casual dinner with our own.

I fought back the urge to roll my eyes, stifling a grin instead. ‘Why does he act like a kid in a classroom?’ I thought with a hint of exasperated amusement. Taking the seat he’d eagerly pointed out, I settled in.

The food was already spread out on the table—simple dishes, hearty and warm, but smelling as good as any meal I’d had in a king’s hall. Some kind of bread, roasted vegetables, some form of stew with what looked like local game, and a few carafes of wine and water dotted along the length of the table.

“So, what did I miss?” I asked, breaking the comfortable silence, glancing around at Jyne, Evelina, and Al.

“Not much, Your Majesty,” Al said, looking pleased as he spooned himself some stew. “We were just talking about the townspeople and how they reacted when they saw us arrive earlier. Apparently, they’re all still excited.”

“Especially the innkeeper’s daughter,” Eir added with a grin. “Looked like she’d seen a ghost, the way she was staring at you.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “A ghost, huh?” I couldn’t help but think back to that girl’s expression.