"I see…"
The King slowly closed his eyes, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest of his chair as if he were weighing every word he had just heard. There was a brief pause. It was long enough to feel deliberate, but not awkward. "Well, now I understand the reasoning," he continued. "I think the Bethlan Kingdom could benefit from this approach. That much is clear. But tell me… what about the otherworlder heroes?"
My mother let out a quiet breath and smiled, though it wasn't the kind of smile meant to reassure. It was wry, edged with realism. "At this point in time, I don't think the heroes can really be classified as part of our military units," she said. "They're still growing stronger, and they're improving quickly, but they need time. They need proper training. They are strong, mind you, but right now, that strength isn't enough to crush either the Empire or the Republic."
The room fell silent for a moment.
