Gideon tilted his head and asked with genuine curiosity, "And exactly how did you plan to punish Solomon?"
"By challenging him to a formal duel," Jeffery answered proudly. "I would have beaten him into the dirt this evening in front of the entire courtyard if you had not intervened and saved him."
"I did not intervene to save Solomon," Gideon corrected, his tone entirely serious. "I stepped in to save you."
The entire war room collectively held its breath.
Jeffery stiffened. He was a six-star knight, ranking among the absolute highest echelons of the Lumiere Vanguard. "Are you implying that I would have lost a duel against a teenager?"
"I said absolutely nothing about winning or losing," Gideon clarified, resting his hands on the table. "I am simply stating that you would have been the first one to sustain a severe injury in that exchange."
