A Brother's Woe, Letting Go
The private chamber was filled with tension as a stern female voice declared, "That filthy barbarian must be punished heavily!" Three figures sat at the dinner table, their expressions reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Alan narrowed his eyes, looking at the woman sitting opposite him. Her presence made the extravagant food across the table taste bland. He grabbed his goblet of wine and poured it down his gullet, hoping to remove the sour taste of this meal.
'Ryuji, it's worse than I thought. It wasn't your fault, but the church aimed at this ending from the start... That vile woman set you up.'
"Can you be quiet about such boorish topics at the dinner table!" The King's sharp tone caused the queen to look visibly shocked. It was the first time he had spoken back to her in months, and the surprise was clear on her face. Alan couldn't help but smirk at the obvious confusion she showed.