A twisted response

The viscount caught off guard by the sudden hostility, stuttered in response as he raised his hands defensively.

"I—I assure you, my lords, I have no knowledge of this! I am as shocked as you are!"

His eyes darted between the furious dukes and the visibly shaken viscountess who stood beside him. Her heart was racing as the gravity of the situation sank in.

Julian's laughter echoed in the back of her mind. It was a chilling reminder of the chaos he had just unleashed. The viscountess felt a wave of nausea and fear wash over her as she realized that her husband was now entangled in a mess that he had no knowledge of.

The room was charged with tension as the dukes prepared for a confrontation. Their loyalty to the crown was unwavering, but the possibility of the Viscount's involvement, whom they had trusted, was both surprising and infuriating.

Duke Hans's voice boomed in the tense atmosphere, filled with fury.