Debela did not directly meet the gaze of the Secretary of State. Instead, he stared at the dramatic scene unfolding on the other side of the hall and spoke in double entendre: "I wonder if you can keep your promise."
"Simple." Lionel remained composed, his reply cold: "We'll know within a matter of days."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the hall, Siegfried—the blonde military attendant of the Prince—had already grown weary of the "performance" before him.
Absolute power brings absolute status. Every glance, every smile, every movement of the Prince was infinitely magnified and scrutinized by the onlookers. Thus, public interactions between the Royal Family and nobles were governed by a complex set of protocols, designed to avoid conveying incorrect messages.
This labyrinth of rituals might have its purposes, but Siegfried, who had seen it play out countless times in the palace, had not anticipated encountering it again on the southern rebels' territory. He found it tiresome.
