In line for the throne (part 2)

Egon burst into laughter, a genuine, hearty outburst that left everyone in the room, including Adela, in stunned silence. No one from House de Lanark had ever heard Egon laugh like this before, but his recent demeanor made it sound even more unsettling to Adela's ears.

"My apologies!" He raised a forefinger to wipe away a tear from the corner of his eye, attempting to stifle the remainder of his laughter. "I really wasn't in the mood for laughter at all!"

Kaiser shot a questioning look at his daughter, wondering what was happening, but Adela simply shook her head. She was as clueless as everyone else.

"I fail to see the humor that could provoke such a reaction," Kaiser remarked with a dry tone.