Royal Rejection

'... Eh…?'

My thought process became suspended as soon as I heard King Albion's proposal. The confidence I had built up, and the rational line of reasoning that followed from that confidence seemed to evaporate.

The question he posed had me stuck in one position—one confused stance.

'What the…?!'

I watched the entire Throne Room become very lively, as several Nobles looked at me in amazement. Some eyed me enviously, while others nodded in approval—those of the latter were more than the former, by the way.

However, whether or not they liked the deal was inconsequential. There were so many things to consider. For example—

'M-Maria…?'

Glancing to my side to see the facial expression of the girl beside me, I was surprised by her reaction. It was… utterly blank! She made no expression at all. It was simply a stoic, unmoved, and utterly bland look.

And the worst part? I couldn't even tell what she meant by her lack of-expression.