The concern the girl beside him showed him only sharpened the pain in Sovell's heart, and his voice trembled despite himself.
What remained of his conscience reproached him, demanding that he tell her the truth.
But his duties as a knight of the Round Table forced him to offer only a few vague words.
"Something on my mind? Yes... I suppose there is."
"Then could you tell me about it? As they say, two heads are better than one, right?"
Looking at the smile on the girl's face beside him, Sovell knew with certainty that, for one moment, he had truly wavered.
Sovell wanted to tell Guinevere, to tell this innocent girl, everything that concerned her.
But.
"Sorry, I can't."
As though all his earlier turmoil had vanished, Sovell controlled his expression and answered Guinevere as distantly as he could.
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Guinevere's face when Sovell finished speaking, but she quickly continued:
"Is it because this involves Caerleon's military or political secrets? If so, let me apologize in advance."
"No... no, it does. Heh, more likely, it's simply that I 'can't.'"
Without waiting for Guinevere to consider what he meant, Sovell picked up the nearest wine jug, filled his cup with wine, and drained it in one gulp.
The intoxication masked his anguish. Forcing himself to ignore the alcohol's sting, his face now flushed red, he told Artoria and King Rodgerens at the head of the table that he could not hold his liquor and asked to leave early.
Seeing that Sovell's cheeks were now as scarlet as a fire dragon's scales, Artoria agreed.
But Merlin, seated in the place of honor just below them, smiled at Sovell's display, and a petal in his hand drifted away on the wind.
After leaving the banquet that had