No sooner had Matilda finished speaking than the entire council chamber erupted in a buzzing clamor of discussion.
Whether they were aristocratic councilors, representatives of the wealthy citizenry, or delegates from the various ranks of mages and the Scholar Association, all of them fell into the same astonishment at that moment, followed by uncontrollable doubt and heated debate.
For that moment, they even forgot the decorum and rules they normally observed so faithfully.
Amid the thunderous discussion, councilors finally began rising to demand a more detailed explanation. Some shouted that this was madness, emphasizing that it would plunge the Empire into unprecedented and terrifying chaos. Yet Matilda, at the center of this storm, merely watched it all quietly, wholly unsurprised by what was happening before her.
The council... this product of the new political order had existed and operated within the Typhon Empire for more than a decade, while its earlier prototype, the "Noble Assembly Court," had existed on this land for even longer. No one could deny its historical role in Typhon's Development or its practical value. Even now, Matilda understood perfectly how significant the council was, and she understood the councilors' shock and helplessness. Thus, for the first several minutes, she said nothing at all, merely allowing those in the hall time to confirm and process the news—and gradually calm down.
At last, one by one, the agitated councilors fell silent beneath Matilda's calm gaze, and the rumbling hall slowly quieted.
Count Duller did not participate in the discussion. He sat quietly in his seat, watching the familiar ladies and gentlemen around him turn red-faced over the past several minutes. His expression was thoughtful as he gathered together the recent changes in Alderan's situation and the reports coming through various channels. For half a minute, he even recalled