The king's riddle-like exchange with the cloaked man made the ministers below change expression at the same time.
They seemed to realize something.
An elderly minister with graying hair dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider! Once the taboo power is unleashed, the consequences will be unimaginable! It has been used three times in history, and every time—"
"Every time, we won, didn't we?" the king interrupted. "Three times. We won all three. Many died, yes, but at least those who survived were preserved."
Tears streamed down the old minister's face. "Your Majesty, the dead in those three instances were all enemies, but this time... this time, it will be our own people!"
"That thing feeds on the souls and flesh of the dead, as well as the fear and despair of the living!"
"Once it is activated, everyone in the royal city will be affected! Our people will die at the hands of their own!"
The king said nothing.
Another minister knelt as well. "Your Majesty, we can retreat! We can withdraw to the northern border. The terrain there—"
"Retreat? Are you joking?" The king laughed, and his laughter was full of sorrow.
"Tell me, where can we retreat to? This world is only so large. Those monsters fell from the sky, and now they are everywhere."
"Retreat to the northern border, and then what? Wait for them to come after us?"
The two kneeling ministers were speechless.
The cloaked elder slowly spoke.
"Your Majesty, activating the taboo power will take time. At least six hours before that thing can take form."
"And after it takes form... it has no reason. It will only attack all living creatures. We will need someone to hold it back and lure it toward the enemy."
The king nodded.