A heavy silence hung over the audience chamber, the ticking of the wall clock echoing like a hammer striking stone. The nobles exchanged glances, yet none dared to voice their thoughts first.
Queen Eldoria, who had been silently observing Nico from her throne, slowly exhaled a deep breath. Her eyes now bore a different light—not of doubt, but of conviction as steadfast as the roots of the world tree.
"In that case..." she finally spoke, her voice calm yet resolute, resonating through the chamber. "If we are too preoccupied with questioning whether Sir Nico is an enemy, then we have already failed our people."
Some nobles flinched, others bowed their heads in silence. The queen's words echoed in their minds like a whip striking their conscience—the people had already chosen their stance, and now it was the leaders' turn to listen.
