In the heavy, quiet dimness of the Duke's private office, the only sound was the rustle of paper. Matthias stared at the document in his hands, his brow deeply furrowed as the candlelight caught the sharp lines of his face.
"It seems Cedric is highly suspicious of my sudden presence in the guard," Matthias muttered, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register. "He has been digging into my movements with unsettling precision. I used that pseudonym to throw him off, but he isn't a fool. He knows how to read between the lines."
Leon let out a soft, sharp snort from across the desk, leaning back in his chair in a deliberate attempt to puncture the rising tension. "Your pseudonym is absolutely ridiculous, just so you know. Ambus Seraph? Seriously, Matthias? You might as well have signed it 'The Royal Guard Who Is Secretly the Duke'."
