Equality

A secret meeting occured just an hour before the 'Ritual'.

Neither the king nor archduke Micheal were aware of it. Because the attendees weren't some wannabe terrorists or crony businessmen.

They were the four most influential people of the entire kingdom.

Duchess Serenthia of 'Sonya' faction.

Dukes Kriad and Corinthian of 'Rudolph' faction.

Duchess Seraphina of 'Merov' faction.

Since the beginning of the crown prince candidacy, they were competing against each other in open and dark, using every dirty trick in the book to gain an edge.

Their grudges, as old as a millennia and as new as a decade were common knowledge to any Spirited Palarian.

The popular perception was that unless the king himself ordered, the four wouldn't gather in a single place.

By sheer coincidence, if they did, it would end in a dispute. It usually would not get physical but even a verbal conflict between pillars of the kingdom had far reaching affects.