Alaric's brows furrowed, his frown deepening into a scowl. He took a deliberate step toward Margaretha, his imposing figure casting a shadow over her smaller frame.
"Are you suggesting," he began, his voice low and laced with menace, "that I don't know how to conduct a search?"
Margaretha froze, her lips parting but no sound coming out.
"Or," he continued, his tone sharpening like a blade, "are you accusing me of lying to this court?"
The air grew thick with tension as Margaretha's confidence visibly crumbled. She gulped, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "N-no, Your Highness. I would never…"
"Good," Alaric interrupted, his voice steady but with an edge that promised consequences. He turned his back on her dismissively. "Because I don't take kindly to baseless accusations."
