“It was me!”

It was just three words, yet it resounded through the hall like crackling thunder and rang in the attendees’ ears, shaking all thoughts from their minds.

Even Trent, still on stage, was stunned.

He was a battle-hardened deputy commander of the Western Border. He had fought hundreds of battles alongside the Blithe King himself, yet James’s roar froze him completely, rendering him unable to react for an instant.

When he was finally able to move, he spotted a man walking into the