Chapter 118: Crumbling Foundation
Each time the Duke presented himself, it seemed he had aged another decade. However, this latest sighting was more alarming than ones before and it seemed it would continue in that way until there was nothing left of the shriveled old man.
While sitting at the head of a table meant that he was supposed to be a dignified leader, the man revealed to them as they entered the meeting room was a far cry from that. His skin had paled further and his hair looked a bit stringy. He leaned into the staff he normally carried to aid in his movements and on top of it were shriveled hands that looked more like that of a corpse.
However, the most alarming part was his face. It was not only white as a sheet, but his lips—even extending further than that—were greying. He truly did seem corpselike. The fact that he was still considered fit to lead a duchy according to the King seemed impossible.
Sir Gunnar and Sir Sven were already in the room and, based on their somber expressions, it seemed that they were experiencing the same train of thought as the others. Their highest ranked knight under the Commander was going to leave them all the while the man looked the way he did.
What felt like a body running without a head, the knighthood was starting to seem like a body missing not only a head but a heart as well. How long could they keep going in such a way?
"Your Grace," Sir Arthur was the first to greet considering it was he who was calling such a meeting. "My deepest gratitude for meeting with us so suddenly."
"Sir Arthur," the Duke weakly responded. "It’s wonderful to see you walking after such a horrible injury."
"Yes, Commander," he responded with a bow of his head. "Fortunately it wasn’t my legs that were injured. However, that is also the reason I came to you this morning."
The knight gestured for the others to sit. The table was so large that they didn’t fill up all the spaces but the apprentices still stayed on the far side—even Irene who didn’t dare overstep her bounds.