"I will give you two more requests."
The Monarch's eyes stayed on Enzo, steady and unhurried.
"Victoria knows what would be best for you in the broader sense." He paused. "But don't forget yourself, child."
He leaned forward slightly on the throne, just enough that the distance between them felt smaller.
"Don't you have any desires? Riches?" His voice carried no mockery. He meant it plainly. "I can reach into the future and make you immortal. Power? I can dispatch a host of divine warriors and bring Gaia to your feet."
The words landed one by one.
"Do not let this daughter of mine control you."
He said it calmly, looking Enzo directly in the eyes. Not a warning with teeth. Just a fact being placed on the table by someone who had watched long enough to know how these things went.
The room held still after that.
