"What do I do when they ask about King Heinz summoning me?" Florian abruptly stopped in his tracks, the echo of his boots resounding in the quiet hallway.
The two trailing behind him—Cashew and Lucius—halted as well, exchanging a brief glance. Florian turned to face Lucius, though his gaze was carefully averted, not quite meeting Lucius' eyes.
"They're bound to ask," Florian continued, his voice laced with anxiety. "Judging by everything we've observed in the reports, the princesses are curious—and some are even outright angry—that His Majesty keeps summoning me."
Florian exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. The tension in his shoulders was evident. He understood why they were upset. The original Florian had never been summoned. Not once. In fact, he had been entirely ignored by Heinz until the day of his execution.
'And yet here I am, breaking that pattern,' Florian thought bitterly.
