"Your Majesty, everyone."
The Royal Guard's commander-in-chief, Lord Fabio Adrian, entered through the main doors with an Eternal Lamp in hand, walking with measured dignity. Several well-trained Royal Guards followed behind him.
"Sorry to interrupt, but it's dinnertime."
Although they were familiar faces, seeing them fully armed and ready for battle still startled everyone.
"Fabio, you look well," Duke Cullen said, touching his belt. He shifted his backside discreetly, his eyes never leaving the sword at Captain Adrian's waist.
"Did you come all this way just to call us to dinner?"
"Thanks to Your Grace." Adrian gave him a friendly smile, then bowed deeply toward King Kessel.
"Please don't panic. We're only conducting a small drill. Now, please follow me and leave in an orderly fashion."
But an impatient voice interrupted him.
"Fabio, what happened?"
The Military Advisor frowned at the Royal Guards and the increasing number of guards outside, paying particular attention to the hands gripping their sword hilts.
"What's the meaning of this formation—and all these people?"
Lord Adrian smiled faintly. He first glanced at the king at the end of the long table, then answered politely.
"Nothing, Lord Military Advisor. We merely moved up this month's drill. That's all—"
But the Military Advisor was not buying it.
"That's enough, Fabio!"
The Military Advisor snorted.
"We served together in the Standing Army and lived through the Year of Blood together. You and I both know this isn't some damn routine exercise."
"You're facing the entire Imperial Council. Everyone here is an elite of the kingdom. What is it that you can't say outright?"
The words made many ministers without military experience nervous.
Meanwhile, the commotion outside the Ballad Room had not died down. It was growing louder, and shouts of command and hurried footsteps could be heard from