@rosalaurel
Perhaps his conversation partner caught that the duke was paying less attention than usual. Almost like the day itself, his demeanor seemed a bit cloudier than usual, and he looked into his tea curiously.
With Edelgard gone for quite some time, his overall mood had dampened. He thought that without his ‘greatest rival’ in the city, he would shine brighter. But... perhaps he had grown more attached to her than he thought during the war. Which got his mind wandering to other things... And he simply couldn’t keep it to himself any longer.
“...May I ask you something, my friend? I admit that something has been plaguing my focus as of late, and that you may shed light upon the situation. Of course, if this is not the time or place, do feel free to decline the request.”









