"Well, if you're willing to bear the consequences, then I have nothing more to say," Sylas continued with a wry smile.
The Marquis let out a frustrated groan, sighing heavily as his confident, calculating demeanor faded to reveal the burdened expression of an old man facing a dilemma.
"Alright, let's hear your proposal," he said finally.
"Are you rejecting the prospect of becoming the great ruler who divides the North?" Sylas teased.
"Don't mock me," the Marquis snapped back.
Sylas's smile only grew. The Marquis continued, "Even if my ambition comes to fruition, as you suggest, it would be nothing more than a castle built on sand. What good would that do?"
What the Marquis desired was a dynamic between a ruthless chief like Ragnar and himself, the respected hero. But if he allowed the Emperor to eliminate an entire noble family, that image would shatter.
