Reynald narrowed his eyes slightly; his expression remained calm, but there was interest in his gaze. Meanwhile, Lucian tapped his fingers slowly on the back of his chair, as if he were digesting the information.
"Hm." Reynald spoke softly, his fingers tapping his chin. "Merchants from the southern region, right? That's not unusual considering trade with the imperial capital is quite active in several areas."
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze still fixed on Cedric as he continued, "What exactly is strange about those merchants?" he asked, his voice sounding casual but with clear interest in it.
Cedric averted his gaze for a moment before continuing; his expression remained calm even though a hint of doubt could be seen in his eyes. "I'm not sure. I haven't conducted any further investigation yet, but..." He let out a slow sigh before looking back at Reynald seriously.
"Your Grace, you know very well what the conditions are like in the southern region, don't you?"
