In the reception hall.
Terence's hand gripped the hilt of his sword. "Are you really going to take it this far? Are you willing to drag the entire territory into the abyss?"
The Former Lady Baron sat ramrod straight, the candlelight casting deep shadows across her wrinkled face. "It is you who have gone too far. Taking the Northern Trade Route was one thing, but to methodically dismantle our forces... you mean to cut off every last path of survival for the Duval Family."
"And didn't you bring this upon yourselves?" Terence's voice was tight with suppressed rage. "If you had just let Kelvin succeed the title, none of this would be happening..."
The Former Lady Baron cut him off coldly. "The title of the Duval Family can only be inherited by its legitimate bloodline. This is the rule laid down by our ancestors."
