The emperor's gaze shifted to the next person, someone he had clearly been waiting for.
"Lucien Merrick, what will you choose?" the emperor asked.
Lucien raised his head and met the emperor's eyes before opening his mouth. Even Theo found himself curious about what the man would say.
"I wish to add it to the Merrick Barony, Your Majesty, the Emperor," Lucien said, then lowered his gaze once more.
At that moment, Theo caught the same faint grin on the emperor's face before his gaze flicked back toward Theo, as if urging him to understand something.
Theo didn't grasp it immediately, but one thing became clear—he needed to protect the baron from becoming a viscount; if his father had wanted to become one and beyond, he could have done it long ago.
'I will have to speak with him later…'
"Merek Vaun, what will you choose?" the emperor asked.
He was the only one that looked like he needed to choose; the others didn't need to since they had already decided.
