"Has the Crown Prince lost his mind? Branding the Count a traitor will only force him to retaliate!"
"This is worse than that. Such a public declaration leaves no room for reconciliation. Now, one of them has to die for this to end."
"A civil war is inevitable… Let's just hope we don't get crushed in the middle like shrimps caught between whales."
Sylas wasted no time responding. Even before the Crown Prince's declaration had settled, he issued his own counter-proclamation:
"The Crown Prince claims to be His Majesty's rightful proxy and heir, but his recent actions are highly suspicious. Has he not imprisoned the Emperor and usurped the royal signet ring to wield power unlawfully? If so, Maximilian himself is the traitor!"
Maximilian's fury boiled over. Sylas's accusations struck at the Crown Prince's weakest point: the question of legitimacy. Worse still, Maximilian had no way to refute them.