Maria and Aqua exchanged a quick glance from across the room, both of them thinking the same thing.
The mood had completely collapsed.
What was supposed to be a friendly reunion had turned into a tense standoff between a Saintess and a noble, with energy still hanging thick in the air like fog after a storm.
The cheerful tone they had hoped for had twisted into something cold and unsettling.
Both women shifted uneasily and they were both on the verge of stepping forward, ready to interrupt, to say something—anything—to break the tension before it grew worse.
But before either could move, Cassius suddenly chuckled.
The sound was soft, unexpected and almost disarmingly calm.
Everyone turned toward him.
He wasn't angry, nor flustered. Instead, a faint smile played on his lips as his eyes glimmered with sharp wit.
"You know." He said, his tone suddenly casual. "I have a lot of things I'd like to say to you."
