Lampari the Thirteenth fell silent for a long while, then sighed softly. "Eric is my son. Why would I watch him go to his death?"
Viscount Leslie slowly shook his head. "I don't know. But Your Majesty, from what I can see, that is exactly what you intend to do. Eric is a friend I grew up with. As his friend, I have to come and ask you this."
Lampari the Thirteenth smiled, a trace of mockery in his expression.
"I know that after retiring from the Northern Garrison, you accepted Eric's invitation to stay with him for a while. But I doubt Eric sent you here to ask this question, did he?"
A bitter smile tugged at Viscount Leslie's lips, and he sighed softly. "No, he didn't send me. This was my own decision."
"Then did you tell Eric what you thought? Did you try to dissuade him from attacking the Sark Kingdom?" Lampari the Thirteenth asked.
Viscount Leslie fell silent. After a long while, he let out a deep sigh and shook his head again.
"No. Eric is full of confidence about attacking the Sark Kingdom right now. He won't listen to any objections, which is why I hoped you would personally order him to stop, Your Majesty."
Lampari the Thirteenth tapped the armrest of his chair and looked at Leslie, the mockery in his smile deepening.
"Then do you know that Eric's confidence actually comes from all those people in the kingdom who support him? Your father is among them."
Viscount Leslie grew even quieter. Of course he knew what role the Stark Family, represented by his father, had played in this.
He even knew very well that, to support the prince in leading the Northern Garrison's counterattack against the Sark Kingdom, the Stark Family had already