Forbidden Constellation's Blade-Chapter 160: The Queen’s Insanity

The throne chamber remained silent for some time.

Queen Miriam opened her mouth...and closed it.

For the first time since Ryn stepped foot into the court, she did not have an immediate response.

Footsteps echoed as the rest of Gremory’s Hero Party finally approached.

Ryn turned.

Fritz walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. Ryn could see it clearly, the faint red marks around his wrists but he didn’t comment on it.

Fritz looked the same as always, steady yet a part of him always remained unreadable somehow.

"...You took your time."

"Traffic," Ryn replied.

Jay stepped forward next, brushing dust from his sleeve as if being held captive was just a bit more than an inconvenience.

"We were starting to think you’d found a better party," he said dryly.

Taylor chimed in, arms folded.

"Well, not like there were many other options in Khaz Vordun," she said cheekily.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Ryn smiled softly.

Then Amelia stepped forward.

She didn’t say anything at first, but her gaze flicked over Ryn quickly, checking for injuries without asking.

Her eyes dropped briefly to Ryn’s coat, then to his hands, scanning quietly.

Ryn reached into his pocket.

He pulled out the folded handkerchief with her initials, just slightly stained along one corner before holding it out to her.

"Kept my promise."

Amelia stared at it for a moment before taking it.

She unfolded it halfway, eyeing the smudged edge.

"...You got it dirty."

"At least I gave it back," Ryn replied.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"That’s a first."

The rest of the party fell naturally into place at Ryn’s back, almost moving there naturally, like it was where they belonged.

Across the chamber, Queen Miriam watched the exchange with growing irritation.

Ryn noticed it all across her face. Whatever narrative she had hoped to craft—

It was slipping.

But she straightened slowly.

"You speak as though I’ve betrayed my people," she said evenly. "As though I’ve looted Khaz Vordun for personal gain."

Her gaze swept the chamber.

"This city has been confined to an island for generations. Dependent on supply chains governed by humans, elves, and kingdoms that smile on the outside but look down on us all the same."

She looked at Braum.

"You travel. You see the world. Tell me I’m wrong."

Braum didn’t answer.

"They look down on us," Miriam continued. "Confine us to their miners and craftsmen."

Her voice sharpened just a tinge. "They do not fear us or respect us in the slightest."

She gestured toward the ledger.

"But we hold the world’s leverage in manalite," she continued. "So was demanding respect such a hard ask?"

Murmurs stirred faintly among the advisors.

"And yes," she added, her eyes flicking briefly toward Gordon, "sacrifice was required. Consolidation always demands it."

Her chin lifted.

"Temporary hardship is a small price to pay for a permanent seat at the table."

Ryn listened quietly.

The word ’temporary hardship’ stood out to him.

It was a different way of justifying but held the same belief for both leaders.

Kharvos had chosen violence to force acknowledgement.

Miriam had chosen economics.

Both believed they were strengthening their people, yet were willing to starve them first.

Ryn looked deeper at the situation, coming up with a single conclusion.

The Evernight had been his main priority, an external threat that was clear and monstrous.

But the world did not need monsters to fracture.

It was already doing that on its own.

Braum let the silence linger for a moment after Miriam finished.

Then he exhaled once.

"You want respect?" he said evenly. "Then act like you deserve it."

The Queen’s eyes flashed.

"You speak of leverage," Braum continued, stepping forward. "Of control."

He nudged the ledger lightly with his boot.

"If you were consolidating power, you would have stockpiled the manalite."

He looked up at her.

"But you sold it."

His voice sharpened just slightly.

"You can speak with all these lofty words, but I know what you’re trying to do Miriam," Braum added. "You’re liquidating."

His gaze locked onto hers.

"You converted leverage into coin," Braum continued. "And there’s only one reason someone does that—"

Ryn’s thoughts aligned in an instant.

"She isn’t strengthening Khaz Vordun," he said quietly.

All eyes turned to him.

"She’s preparing to run away from it."

The King’s face drained of color.

"...Miriam?"

The Queen didn’t look at him.

"You don’t understand," she said sharply.

Her voice wasn’t the composed tone that she’d been using anymore, it was raw...even panicked.

"You think this is about coin? About pride?" she demanded. "You think I would risk everything for vanity?"

Braum didn’t move.

"They’re coming," she said.

The chamber went still.

"They’re too strong," Miriam continued, her breath quickening. "You don’t see what I see. "

Her gaze flicked wildly between them.

"This island will fall. One way or another. They will doom this place, just like they doom everything they touch."

The King rose slowly. "Who?"

She laughed out, loud enough for the whole court to hear. Soldiers shifted uncomfortably, listening to their Queen break down.

"It doesn’t matter who!" she snapped. "It matters that they can!"

She stepped down from the throne and crossed the distance to the King in uneven strides.

Then, in full view of the court—

She fell to her knees before him.

"Please, my King," she whispered hoarsely. "We still have time. We can leave before it’s too late."

Her fingers clutched at his robes.

"They won’t spare us when they arrive."

Ryn watched her carefully.

This wasn’t a performance at all...it was raw survival instinct.

The King stood frozen for a long moment before sighing slowly.

"Enough," he said quietly.

He bent down, prying Miriam’s fingers from his robes with surprising gentleness.

"Take the Queen to her chambers."

"And lock her in chains," he commanded. "So that she doesn’t hurt herself."

Miriam looked up at her King, eyes widened as if her very last flame of hope had been extinguished.

Guards hesitantly moved forward and took her by the shoulder. Yet she remained stunned, only softly whispering the same thing over and over again.

"They’re coming....they’re coming."