Inside the study, as Hepburn discussed plans with Lyanna, she noticed Max's departure. It seemed that the man had no intentions of eavesdropping.
Max didn't linger to eavesdrop. Could I have misjudged him? Yet, if he is the traitor, he might still obtain Nathan's schedule through other means, perhaps from Lyanna later.
She shared several planned locations and tasks for Nathan with Lyanna, emphasizing the need for a detailed itinerary. Lyanna, without hesitation, agreed to take care of it immediately. "I'll handle this right away."
After Lyanna had left the room, Hepburn settled into her chair, thoughtfully spinning a pen in her hand. Max is at the forefront of this test. I hope he can withstand it.
Hepburn had been increasingly frustrated with Max's recent actions, even to the point of disgust. Yet, in this crucial moment, when trustworthy allies were essential, she found herself hoping Max, a man capable of being a pillar of support for Nathan, was not the traitor.
The testing process had begun, and it was time to see if Max could pass this crucial test.
Following that, her thoughts then turned to the others listed by Nathan. Like Max, each individual on the list would undergo discreet scrutiny to uncover the traitor.
Later that afternoon, at the State Guesthouse, the Four Emperors, who were temporarily staying there, found themselves locked in an intense, ongoing debate.
The crux of their discussion was how to retest and verify the extent of Nathan's injuries.
Mentzer, with a direct approach, suggested, "Why bother with complex plans? Let's invite him for a hunting trip in the suburbs tomorrow. We can spar with him under some pretext. That way, we'll directly see if he's truly injured."
Lola, unimpressed with Mentzer's suggestion, mocked, "You might be physically strong, but you lack strategic thinking."
"What do you mean by that?" Mentzer asked, his tone filled with anger.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Salute to the General