Esme's POV
The silence that followed told me it wasn't.
If he knew already that I was involved with the Princes, then he might realize that I was the one who saved Escanor.
Or maybe he only asked because of that day.
I always wondered why he never brought it up when we met. Why had his assistant gotten attacked by a Knight of the Prince when trying to 'protect' me?
Wasn't that a clear indicator that I had been involved with them? But perhaps he hadn't thought anything of it. I was merely a village girl anyway.
So why did he care now?
Uncle spoke after the daunting silence. "The Malcolm family has always been connected to them."
"Why?" The Beta said, as if finding his voice.
"We protect the Princes, even before the truce," Uncle said flatly. "There's no explanation, at least not one that you need to know."
The Duke froze, his blue eyes shifted from my Uncle to me. "Even before the truce?"
