"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.

He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."

Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.

The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression.

"I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning.

"It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.

He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects.

"Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re