"No, my lord, please forgive me," the soldier pleaded with fear in his eyes as the Helionite men dragged him away.
"This should be a lesson to any of you who ever even thinks about embarrassing the Valtorian nation like that ever again," Desmond concluded, walking back to his table.
"That… was unexpected," Alethea said, squinting as Desmond sat down in front of her.
"What?" Desmond asked.
"You stood up for the Helionite girl, that's so unlike you," Alethea answered.
"No, no… I didn't stand up for that girl, I stopped that soldier from embarrassing himself and all of Valtoria," Desmond denied, stylishly avoiding eye contact with Alethea.
"Yes, deny it all you want," Alethea joked. She stared at Desmond with wonder in her eyes, her left cheek cradled in the warmth of her
