Arthur exhaled deeply, rolling his shoulders as if shedding an invisible burden.
He turned to face the group fully, his expression serious. "It's time."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, swirling his drink lazily. "Time for what, exactly? Because if this is about that yacht you've been eyeing, I'm vetoing the gold trim,tacky."
Arthur didn't smile. "Time for the Noctis Continent."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Gunnar crossed his arms, his scarred face unreadable. Vex's fingers stilled over his wrist comm. Even Ethan's smirk faded slightly.
Letting the weight of his words linger in the air, Arthur continued, "Varenya was just the first piece. Now we take the rest."
Ethan was quick to recover, leaning forward with elbows on the table and sharp eyes locked onto Arthur's. "You're not satisfied with just one country?"
Arthur's lips curled into a slight smirk. "No."
