In the golden age of Ayutthaya, King Anantasak ruled with power and wisdom. His name struck fear into his enemies and inspired devotion among his people. Yet, behind the grandeur of his throne, his heart belonged to only one Lady Ratchanok, the woman who brought warmth into his war hardened soul.

Their love was legendary, whispered in the halls of the palace and celebrated in the verses of poets. But love, as pure as it was, attracted envy. The noblewomen of the court, concubines desperate for the king's favor, saw Ratchanok as an obstacle. And in their jealousy, they conspired against her.

One fateful night, as the sound of the royal festival echoed through the palace, Ratchanok collapsed in Anantasak's arms her lips pale, her breath fading. Poison, slow and merciless, had seeped into her veins. The king's frantic cries for healers went unheard by the heavens, and as the torches flickered, she died in his arms, her final whisper a promise of undying love.

Grief turned into madness. The once-wise king became a monster blinded by rage. Those responsible and those merely suspected were dragged from their chambers, executed in the courtyard. The scent of burning flesh and spilled blood tainted the once prosperous kingdom. His people trembled at the ruler they once revered, and as his sword cut down the last of the conspirators, he turned his rage toward the heavens.

"You took her from me!" he bellowed into the night.

"If you are gods, then strike me down!"

But the gods did not answer with death.

Instead, they cursed him.

"You who defied the heavens shall never know peace. You shall never die, never age, and never find rest. You will walk this earth, bearing the weight of your sins, until the day you learn to love beyond your own pain until another offers their life for you, willingly."

And so, King Anantasak was doomed to roam the world for eternity, shackled to his guilt, drowning in loneliness, and watching time steal away everything he once knew.

"And that's the history of the King of Ayutthaya during the time of King Anantasak. But this hasn't been confirmed yet—it's just a theory, not proof that he actually died," our professor explained, his voice calm yet filled with intrigue.

Something about the way he said it sent a chill down my spine. It was as if he himself wasn't sure.

I was lost in thought when Zain suddenly leaned toward me, his voice barely above a whisper. "Bro, do you believe it? That the King of Ayutthaya never really died?"

I scoffed, shaking my head. "No way. It's just a theory. Probably a legend people made up to make history sound more mysterious."

But even as I said it, doubt lingered in my mind. What if

"Mr. Eldrin!"

I flinched as the professor's voice cut through my thoughts like a blade.

His eyes locked onto me, his expression unreadable. The air in the classroom grew heavier, the murmurs of students fading into silence.

"Care to share your discussion with the class?" he asked,I swallowed hard.

"You've been talking to Mr. Platino for a while now," our professor's sharp voice cut through the room,His stern gaze locked onto me, and I could feel the weight of every student's stare.

I swallowed hard and forced a small nod. "Sorry, professor." My voice came out quieter than I intended.

He held my gaze for a moment before returning to the lesson. I exhaled in relief, but the uneasy feeling in my chest lingered.

A few hours later, as the discussion grew dull, Zian leaned toward me and whispered something so ridiculous that I couldn't stop the loud laugh that escaped my lips. The classroom fell silent.

All eyes were on me.

The professor turned slowly, his face blank yet terrifying.

I panicked. "Professor, this is all because of—" I turned to point at Zian, but my so-called best friend was suddenly deep in his notes, scribbling like a model student.

"Mr. Eldrin, see me at the office. Class dismissed!"

My heart sank. I turned to Zian, but he just smirked and shrugged. "Bro, you got this," he said, way too casually for my liking.

I wanted to punch him. Instead, I just glared before dragging myself toward my impending doom.

When I arrived at the office, I braced myself for a long lecture. But Professor Lee didn't yell. He didn't even look angry. Instead, he gestured for me to sit, his expression unreadable.

For some reason, that was even worse.

He laced his fingers together and finally spoke. "I heard what you said to Zian earlier that you don't believe the story of the King of Ayutthaya, that it's just hearsay."

I stiffened. So he had heard that.

I opened my mouth to explain, but he didn't let me.

"And because you clearly don't respect history, I'm giving you a punishment."

A punishment? That was unexpected.

I scratched the back of my head. "What is it?"

He leaned forward slightly. "Since you're so skeptical, I want you to research the case of the King of Ayutthaya. Find out everything you can, and present your findings in front of the class. You have two months."

I blinked. My breath hitched.

"Huh? Professor, two months is too short! Even the internet doesn't have a clear answer on how the King of Ayutthaya died. This could take forever!" I protested, my voice rising.

His expression remained firm. "Fine. Three months. But that's all I'm giving you."

I sat there, speechless.

Three months to solve a mystery that historians hadn't even fully uncovered? This wasn't just a punishment it was a setup for failure.

My shoulders slumped in defeat.

"You may leave now," he said.

I hesitated, wanting to argue more, but the way he stared at me made it clear that the conversation was over.

With a frustrated sigh, I stood up and left the office.

I didn't believe in the stories about the King of Ayutthaya. But now, I had no choice but to find out the truth.

When I stepped out of the office, I barely had time to breathe before Zian suddenly jumped in front of me, blocking my way.

"F* you, man. What you're doing right now is more likely to kill me than my actual illness,"I grumbled, clutching my chest dramatically.

Zian just laughed, completely unfazed. He threw an arm around my shoulders, guiding me toward the exit like we were the best of friends when, in reality, I was debating whether I should punch him or not.

"What happened, bro? Did Professor Lee screw you over again?" he asked, his voice full of mock concern.

I shot him a glare. "Screw me over? He fuvking punished me."*

Zian raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto his lips. "Oh? And what did our beloved professor make you do?"

"Glad you asked, genius. Because of your stupidity, I now have to research the history of some ancient king. And for what? His whole history is so annoyingly vague it might as well not exist!" I said, my voice dripping with frustration.

Zian chuckled. "That's easy, bro. It's just research."

I stopped walking. And then SMACK! I hit him on the head.

"Idiot! What's easy about that?" I snapped. "There's literally nothing written about how he died or what actually happened to him! How am I supposed to write a report on that?"

Zian yelped, rubbing the spot where I hit him. "Damn, bro! Chill! We'll figure it out before the deadline, alright?"

I smacked his arm for good measure. He groaned, clutching it like I'd just broken a bone.

"You better figure it out," I warned. "I refuse to fail just because of some cryptic, half-missing history."

Zian sighed, stretching his arms before slinging them back behind his head. "Alright, alright. Let's solve this mystery then. We'll dig up that king's past, find out what really happened to him, and ace this report."

I eyed him suspiciously. "You sound way too excited for someone who got me into this mess."

Zian grinned. "Come on, bro. What if this turns out to be some deep, forgotten secret? Maybe a hidden conspiracy? An unsolved mystery? Sounds way more fun than our usual assignments."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smirk forming on my lips.

"Fine. But if we don't find anything useful, I'm blaming you for my academic downfall."

"Deal," Zian said with a grin. "Now, let's go dig up a dead king's secrets."

And just like that, what started digging up in the library.