Max didn't hesitate. "When the time comes, I want you to help me, shield me, protect me with everything the Great Ruler Empire has," he said, his tone unwavering, but beneath the surface, it carried the heaviness of someone who knew exactly what kind of storm was coming.
"I don't care how you do it. I don't care if your force can do it. You have the influence. You have the resources. Use them." His words weren't a request—they were a demand forged from the uncertainty of his path, a plea wrapped in resolve.
The room fell into silence for a few seconds. Lyra studied him, her face still, but her eyes reflecting the shift in mood. Then she slowly nodded, her expression sharpening with a new edge. "Protection from whom?" she asked, her voice lower now, all pretense stripped away.
