The mansion garden was perfectly still.
Lydia finished cleaning the wound on Loui's face. The mark left by the king's blow was still red.
The two of them sat without a word for a moment.
It was Lydia who broke the silence.
"You know... I've never agreed with the way the king rules."
Loui looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"He's a tyrant. The people are starving while the palace stays full of luxury. Taxes go up every year, but people's lives only get worse."
Loui said nothing.
"Do you agree with me, my lord?"
After a few seconds, he answered:
"Yes... I do."
Lydia took a slow breath.
"When I was a child, I used to hear my father say the king was a kind man. That he cared about the people."
She looked up at the sky.
"But at some point, he changed. Power blinded him."
Loui lowered his head.
He knew a side of Danuel that few people did — but he also knew that the king's decisions had brought the kingdom to its knees.
"Maybe there's still some goodness in him..." he murmured.
Lydia shook her head.
"Goodness isn't enough when an entire kingdom is suffering."
The wind stirred the leaves in the trees.
She took another breath before going on.
"My lord..."
"Yes?"
She met his eyes, steady and certain.
"Maybe it's time we removed that man from the throne."
Loui's eyes went wide.
"Lydia... do you know what you're saying?"
"I do."
"That's high treason."
"I know."
"If anyone hears this conversation, we'll be executed."
She gave a faint smile.
"Then we'll have to be careful."
Loui was quiet.
The idea seemed absurd.
Bringing down the king meant going up against the army, the Church, and every noble loyal to the Crown.
It was practically impossible.
And yet—
For the first time, that impossibility felt like hope.
Lydia extended her hand.
"What do you say, my lord?"
He looked at her hand.
Then he smiled — just barely.
"If we're going to change this kingdom... we'll have to do it together."
Lydia gripped his hand.
In that moment, without quite realizing it, the two of them took their first step toward the conspiracy that would change the fate of Cawpember.