Chapter 218 --218
"Aldera will have to choose in real time whether to proceed publicly or retreat."
"Yes." The pen continued moving. "All of which serves current objectives."
Ken bowed, turned to leave.
"Ken," she said.
He stopped.
"Demorti mentioned you maintained position outside my chambers for the full three days," she said, not looking up from the document. "Including rotation breaks."
A pause. "Yes, Your Highness."
"That was operationally inefficient. You required sleep to maintain functional capacity. Your function is more valuable than your proximity."
A longer pause.
"Understood, Your Highness," Ken said. The words were correct. The tone carried something underneath them she didn’t have complete vocabulary for—not hurt, not acceptance, something compressed between the two that she registered without being able to precisely locate.
He left.
"You could have just said thank you," the System said quietly from the desk corner.