For the rest of the day, and even through the night, nobody dared to come close to the room Max stayed in. Many had overheard the wild passion that lasted until morning, and by sunrise, whispers had already spread through the castle like fire. That night was later called the unofficial crowning of a king and his queen.

Early in the morning, both Max and Rosalia lay in bed, their naked frames barely covered by a thin blanket. They were curled up together as if letting go would separate them forever.

Rosalia rested close against his chest, while Max’s arm remained wrapped around her waist even in sleep, holding her as if his body refused to release her. The fights they had endured for almost two weeks had melted away after a night of intimacy, leaving behind only warmth, tired breaths, and the strange peace neither of them had felt in far too long.

Yet the kingdom could not wait for its king to wake up.

Several forces were already moving inside the kingdom, trying to secure an advantage over the others. The four dragon clans did not know how to divide the land, food, and power. The Ice Dragons believed they deserved the highest place because Max now shared their bloodline.

The Fire Dragons still saw the land as theirs, even if Agnia had surrendered.

The Thunder and Wind Dragons had arrived wounded, humiliated, and full of resentment, yet even among them, some had already started wondering if serving Max might give them a better future than returning to broken empires.

Each side wanted to become the power closest to their king.

And while they fought in whispers and hidden meetings, other forces moved even deeper in the shadows, already planning poison and revolt before his rule could fully take root.

Around the same time, when the first farmers woke up to plan how to sow the land and split it between farmland and villages, a fight broke out between the Fire Dragons and Wind Dragons. What began as arguments over soil, borders, and old claims quickly turned bloody.

The scale of the conflict drew Agnia from her slumber, and Gertrud, the strongest among the Wind Dragons, had no choice but to step in as well.

"This land has always belonged to us. What right do you think you have trying to sow your seeds into our ancestral soil?" Agnia stood before her people, her eyes dark, as if she had not slept properly in a very long time. Her fiery red hair spilled over her shoulders, dancing in the wind like living flame, while golden heat flickered around her palms.

"Why are you acting like a stubborn boar refusing to leave its old den? This land belongs to everyone now. Did you forget that the Fire Dragons are no longer the rulers of these lands?" Gertrud stood before Agnia, her green eyes sharp, her winds already twisting around her legs.

The two women stood in the middle of the storm, already transformed into their dragon hybrid forms, ready to cut each other’s throats the moment one side made a wrong move.

"The little princess of the Wind Empire is right. This land now belongs to King Maximus. What right do you have to order others around, Agnia?" Freya flew down from the sky, landing between the two groups with calm steps.

Her dress fluttered softly as she landed, but her expression remained composed, almost amused. She had been warned by the Thunder Dragons that the two young women were ready to fight to the death over territory.

"So we’re going to completely ignore the years my ancestors spent here? Does it mean nothing anymore? This land has never seen such disrespect." Agnia crossed her arms, her fiery red hair dancing harder as her anger rose.

"Let’s not talk about disrespect. You have no right to speak of it after you went against the ancient protocol and kept that thing around... Only the gods know when it will come back to bite us." Freya shot back, hinting at the Fire Dragon Progenitor.

Agnia’s expression darkened, and for a moment, the flames around her hands burned hotter. Her jaw tightened, but she did not answer immediately.

Suddenly, a terrifying pressure washed over them right before Agnia could make a move.

Two figures streaked through the sky. The larger and broader one crashed to the ground with a terrifying tremor, sending dust and loose stones trembling around his feet, while the second landed gracefully at his side.

Max looked around, his eyes scanning the angry mob. The moment everyone noticed his gaze, their anger died in their throats, and they dropped to the ground on their knees.

"Rise," Max barked as he walked closer to Agnia, pulling her up gently. "Explain the situation."

Her body stiffened slightly when he touched her, but the faint tremble in her fingers betrayed her. A strange electricity ran through her spine, and her earlier fury cracked for a breath, replaced by something awkward, shy, and almost impossible for her to hide.

She explained the situation in a quieter voice than anyone expected from her. Only Rosalia remained smirking to the side. She was the only one who understood what Agnia felt. It did not mean she accepted her, but watching a woman be abandoned after being claimed was worse than accepting a new sister by her side.

After hearing the whole situation, Max felt a headache building up. He had conquered clans, survived two emperors, and carved out a new kingdom with blood and force, yet somehow the hardest part was stopping everyone from tearing each other apart over fields, houses, and old pride.

"Return to your duties and do not touch anything valuable to other clans," Max said loudly. "All except you three."

Max pointed to the three women, Agnia, Freya, and Gertrud.

"Follow us to the castle. We need to discuss something." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The three of them exchanged suspicious glances. Freya and Gertrud did not feel confident or safe following Max, but Agnia did not resist, immediately taking to the skies after him. They had no other choice but to submit.

Soon, Max sat at the center of a large round wooden table. To his left sat Rosalia. To his right sat Agnia, followed by Gertrud and Freya, all in equal positions. The seating alone made the room feel tense, as if Max had already begun drawing lines none of them fully understood yet.

"I have been thinking about this for a few days, but this kingdom requires order. If you keep fighting among yourselves, we will move nowhere. Therefore, I would like to suggest forming four founding houses that will serve under my Royal House as part of this kingdom, and a future empire..."