The five people immediately dropped to their knees, their foreheads repeatedly hitting the ground. None of them dared to speak. My aura must have been too much for them—one of the women began coughing up blood, her face paling in an instant. I could sense it clearly: if I wanted to, I could use my Soul Reaver right now. They were nothing to me. But I wasn't here to kill. I was here for answers.
Retracting my aura, I watched as they all collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
"Talk. I don't want to waste any more time here," I commanded coldly.
Choi Ha-Eun, the first to recover, slowly pushed herself up from the dirt. She was trembling but determined. "We... we didn't know we were in the presence of a king. Please forgive us for speaking so casually," she stammered, her head still bowed.
Her behavior struck me. Unlike the others, her recovery was quick, almost practiced. This wasn't her first encounter with a king—she was already used to such overwhelming power.
