His words immediately led to a fresh wave of murmurs among the crowd, a mix of surprise, curiosity, and apprehension.
Rule changes in such an important event often signalled deeper political meanings.
Klaus, who had been feeling slightly bored earlier, now found his interest piqued.
He noticed an influx of young people, mostly males, who were earlier not present during the banquet.
They streamed in from a separate entrance, their attire more practical, less overtly ceremonial, hinting at their focus on combat rather than social pleasantries.
He turned to William. "Who are those people?" he asked, his voice low.
William, seeing Klaus's curiosity, offered a subtle gesture towards the new arrivals.
"Those are all heirs and promising talents from different families, Klaus. Some major, some minor, but all here to participate.
See him over there, in the green suit? He's from the chromewell family, the nastiest of the bunch.
