Aside from the faint sound of breathing, the Ballad Room was silent enough to hear a pin drop.
Yet as the chief commander of the Royal Guard, Lord Adrian felt that these were some of the most tormenting, agonizing, and painful moments of his life.
Firelight and flashing blades swayed dimly.
The setting sun cast a blood-red glow across the walls.
Across the table, the Supreme King and the Duke of Star Lake sat facing each other in silence, not saying a word.
Everyone else held their breath, waiting in fear and tension for this strange, fragile quiet to end.
Finally, after no one knew how long, King Kessel's deep, restrained voice slowly rang through the room:
"Why?"
Why.
The king's voice was calm and slow.
Yet it carried an unbearable weight.
The answer was the young duke's quiet laughter.
Tales rested his forehead against the hilt of Bear Sword, exhaled, and stopped laughing.
"Shouldn't you have anticipated this long ago?"
"After you summoned me to the palace and then raided Mindis Hall?"
Tales raised his head, his eyes flashing like lightning:
"Your Majesty?"
The prince's reply was light and indifferent, yet it inexplicably eased the tension weighing on many people who had been taut for far too long.
The king gazed at his son, the blue sea in his eyes returning to an unfathomable depth.
He did not take long to consider it. He gave a soft snort and turned his head away, as though the person across from him was not worth a second glance.
"Adrian. Mariko."
The commander of the Royal Guard and the second-ranking Vanguard Officer stiffened and bowed, pressing their fists to their chests:
"Your Majesty?"
"Your Majesty!"
King Kessel picked up the letter from the table and began to read.
"The Duke of Star