Beneath the night sky, Jann furrowed his brows deeply, Shilai was utterly astonished, and Seychelles and the others looked grim.
The vassals' discussions went back and forth without end. Farther away, the spectators had no idea what was happening, and the uproar grew louder and louder.
"Wonderful! I knew Your Highness would find a way." D.D. was exhilarated. He lowered the longsword in his hand. "We don't have to fight them to the death anymore."
Everyone in the Star Lake Guard let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Wait!"
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice rang out from the crowd.
"Your Highness, this is highly inappropriate!"
Count Lasia, a major local vassal of the South Bank from the Marshlands, stepped out of the crowd in fury. His eldest son failed to stop him:
"Noble arbitration is limited to public affairs!"
Tales' expression darkened.
"Family matters among vassals, including inheritance disputes between siblings and blood relatives, all fall under the principle of 'self-determination within the fortress.' They do not apply here!"
Lasia looked solemnly at the other vassals, great and small.
"We cannot set such a terrible precedent!"
"The Count speaks reasonably." Count Noah Havia, a guest of this Emerald Celebration from East Sea Saltwall Port, voiced his agreement. "We cannot repeat the mistakes that led from the 'Deep Blue' running aground to the Red King's tyranny, allowing a family's internal affairs to worsen and expand into civil unrest that engulfs the entire kingdom!"
The statements from the two ennobled Counts drew a wave of support.
Tales remained impassive, but Jann's brows relaxed, and he smiled.
"Bah!"
Pinned to the ground, Federico said resentfully:
"Wasn't it your Sun-Shooting Bow that incited the Amond Family's internal strife, helped Red King John launch his coup, and brought about tyranny?"
People began whispering among