Chapter 2: A Bitter Verdict

The tankard of cheap ale slammed onto the worn wooden table with a loud thud, sending amber droplets scattering. Yet its bitter burn did nothing to wash away the acrid taste of defeat lingering in my throat. The judge's cold, lifeless voice still echoed in my head, hammering down the finality of my loss.

"…Due to the Stonehand family's lack of an heir to properly manage the estate, along with ongoing internal disputes, and in the interest of the public good in maintaining this vital land, the court hereby rules that the property shall be granted to—"

"Those damned jackals in the council!" I spat the words, my voice louder than intended, making a portly man at the next table flinch. He cast a wary glance my way, but I shot him a glare that sent his eyes straight back into his drink.

The Stonehand estate… That land was never just dirt and trees. It wasn't some overgrown wilderness, no matter how they tried to paint it. It was home. It was roots. It was everything my parents left behind after… After they were taken from me so suddenly—so suspiciously—just last year. Internal disputes? There was no one left but me! Who the hell was I supposed to be disputing with? No, it was just an excuse—a convenient lie so they could steal what was rightfully mine.

My fists clenched so tightly my knuckles went white, heat surging up to my temples. The ghost of a smug, knowing smirk from that government official—Prime Minister Valerius Thorn's right-hand lackey—still burned in my memory. That scheming old vulture had to be behind this. Ever since he rose to power, everything that was once straightforward had become twisted. The law had turned into a weapon wielded by the wealthy and well-connected. People like me, like my parents… We were nothing more than pawns—disposable, insignificant.

That land… It bordered the Whispering Woods. My father used to tell me about its importance, about the bond our family had shared with that forest for generations. It was no ordinary woodland. And I had a feeling that that was the real reason they wanted it. Not for any damn "public good."

I had fought. Hired the best lawyer I could afford with the last of my savings. Gathered every deed, every proof of ownership I had. But none of it mattered when I was up against a power I couldn't see. They had money, influence, and strings to pull in the courts. The outcome had been decided long before I ever set foot in that courtroom.

A tight, suffocating rage pressed against my chest. I could feel the sting of tears burning at the corners of my eyes, but I bit down on my tongue. No one would see me break.

I downed the last of my ale, the cheap brew stinging my throat—though not as much as the bitterness rotting in my heart. Tossing a few coins onto the table, I shoved open the tavern door, stepping out into the cold drizzle. The damp air hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the fire raging inside me.

Did they really think I would just roll over? That I would bow to injustice and let them trample the honor of the Stonehand name?

Never.

I lifted my gaze to the storm-laden sky. The rain fell in mocking whispers, but inside me, a blaze of fury burned hotter than ever. If the law only served the rich, if justice had turned a blind eye—then I had no reason to play by their rules anymore.

I may have lost in court, but this war was far from over. I would take back what was mine, no matter what it took. And those who had stolen everything from me…

They would pay.

I clenched my fists once more and stepped forward into the rain, directionless yet resolute. The road ahead was dark, treacherous.

But I would not stop.

Not until my land was returned to me—

Or until I watched Valerius Thorn's empire crumble before my very eyes.