The Duke strode into his private office, the heavy door closing behind him with a dull thud as the Grandmaster of the Angeras Knights followed closely. Without pausing, he gave his command. "Send word to Benjamin. Tell him I want him here at once."
Not long after, the old man appeared at the doorway, bowing respectfully. "You called for me, my lord?" His voice carried both dignity and weariness, as though years of service weighed on his shoulders.
Duke Gerin settled into his chair, resting his chin briefly on his hand. "Have you heard," he began, his tone sharp though he made an effort to mask the bitterness seeping through, "of the so-called triumphs my son has achieved?" His lips curled ever so slightly, betraying the contempt he tried to conceal. "Tell me, what are your thoughts on the matter?"
Benjamin, the palace's chief administrator and long-serving head butler, had been summoned deliberately.
