Chapter 394: A Storm Beneath the Surface

**Dorothy’s POV** As I stood in the tense atmosphere of the Elven Palace, watching the scene unfold, a thought struck me like a cold wave: this was no show of filial devotion or loyalty. The Crown Prince and the president were playing a calculated game, one in which the Elf King—still and unfeeling in his deep slumber—was merely a pawn. If they truly cared for him, they would work together to face the mounting crisis, rather than exploiting it for their own gain. To these power-hungry elites, the Elf King was no longer a monarch or a father; he had become a symbol, a piece of political leverage. Whosoever held control over his incapacitated form would command the legitimacy of the throne, a prospect too tantalizing for them to resist. Their refusal to support the Council of Elders’ plan was twofold. First, there was the fear—couched in convenient "concern"—that the plan might harm the King. Second, and more importantly, was the fear of success. If the plan worked, the Council