Chapter 91

He smoothed out the crumpled, footprint-marked newspaper with his own hands and held it out.

He could have fetched a fresh copy, but Karman didn't seem like he'd wait that long.

Karman took the footprint-marked newspaper. His golden eyes passed over it, again and again.

Reading it over, and over.

Kal himself had already read the article more than ten times, but Karman seemed intent on memorizing it outright.

Thump.

Karman folded the newspaper and set it on his desk. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"How is the reaction?"

Kal couldn't answer Karman's question right away. Telling him the truth would only wound him further.

"Kal, you can speak honestly."

He'd already let his fury out once.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. A vicious rumor is spreading about former Queen Violetta."

Karman's jaw tightened. His closed eyelashes trembled faintly.

Karman tried to guess what sort of rumor might be circulating.

They're…