Duke Lancelot chuckled softly.
"No."
Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"No?"
"You are not neutral," Lancelot said while swirling the wine again.
"You are simply not involved yet."
He glanced toward Ethan and continued calmly.
"That is exactly why you are valuable."
Ethan remained silent.
Lancelot continued speaking in a calm tone.
"You came from Ruthiana. You have no strong ties with the old noble families. Your rise happened through battle and merit."
He took a small sip from his glass.
"And you already had some conflicts with certain people. Those tensions are slowly brewing."
He paused before adding quietly.
"And right now, most factions in the capital are still trying to figure out where you stand."
Ethan let out a quiet breath.
"Unfortunately for them, I don't even know where I stand myself."
That answer made Lancelot laugh.
"That is exactly the answer I expected."
