I have been merciful

At the duke's request, every pair of eyes inside the room looked at Duke Blackwell. Ulysses had a complicated look on his face while the duchess could only close her eyes and look away. Cygnus, who had been silent ever since they entered the room, only looked at him.

"So, Ulysses, will you tell me what's going on?" He insisted as he looked at his longtime friend.

Ulysses was a childhood friend as their fathers were partners in many things. The both of them almost grew up like siblings and if not for their own responsibilities they would have been exploring the lands. Both became the heads of their respective families and needed to focus on their duty but they haven't lost contact with each other and eventually became allies.

Many nobles wanted to have this kind of relationship with either of the two but they can't reach the level of trust these dukes have for each other. Ulysses looked at his friend and sighed before he went up to him.