The noise of nobles around him almost made Markus' ears bleed with their nonsense. It all started after the first day of the festival, more precisely after he gave the speech after the blessing. The priest thanked him sincerely and declared how moved he was by his words and Markus could not help but feel content with himself.
That was before a lord whose name he had forgotten as soon as he heard it shared his worries about the young duke's fragile situation. The man confessed that he pities him that he got on the prince's bad side. Everything sounded like bullshit.
Markus had met His Highness more than once and every time he was friendly and talkative with him, almost as a friend. So much so that the rumours of him being a monster or arrogant or whatnot were doomed to forgetness due to their idiocy.
