Defiance and Declarations ( 266 )

Inside the meeting room of the Armand estate, Garius smiled as he received the message scroll delivered by the king's wyvern unit. The scroll, sealed with the royal insignia, was handed to him by a courier who bowed deeply before exiting the room.

Garius unfurled the scroll, his sharp eyes scanning the contents as a smirk played on his lips.

He chuckled. "As expected."

Alf and Erinette exchanged glances.

"My lord?" Alf inquired.

Garius set the scroll down on the table and leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose. "The King will not be sending the royal army. The court has ruled that this conflict is a dispute between nobles, meaning each house must rely on their own forces."

Hesbeirn tore another piece of meat from the bone, chewing thoughtfully. "Hah! So the bastards want to play war without the King getting involved."