Chapter 177: Dinning
The King, the Princess, Zethan, Prince William, the younger prince, and Lilia sat around the grand dining table. The only sounds that filled the room were the soft clinking and clanking of cutlery against plates.
Lilia sat beside Zethan.
Today, everyone sat together—not in Prince William’s usual chamber dining hall, where Lilia was used to—but in the main hall.
They ate in silence, tension faintly hanging in the air.
The King had requested everyone to dine together, wanting to use the opportunity to get to know Zethan better—a decision that shocked the entire court, including the king himself.
Every now and then, Zethan would quietly place a piece of meat, chicken, or fish onto Lilia’s plate, his actions gentle and thoughtful.
William simply ate. The look on his face was enough to show the shock he still felt from his loss.
The King finally spoke, his voice calm and composed.
"I must say, Lord Zethan, you fought well earlier. That was a very impressive match. Do you have prior training? You seemed far more experienced than anyone expected."
The surprise was still evident on his face. Prince William was known as the best royal knight—even though, being the first son, he could never officially become one. As the future king, he was expected to focus on ruling the kingdom rather than taking on two roles. He had trained with the best and earned his reputation fairly.
William was an exceptional fighter. For Zethan to have won meant he was beyond exceptional—almost perfect. And what was even more startling was how effortlessly he had fought, barely taking the match seriously. He had even rarely used his swords.