Gawain sat at the head of the conference table, relaxing his body as he leaned against the high chairback, smiling as he observed the expressions changing on the faces of each southern aristocrat present.
Everyone's reactions were in full view, and none of them were beyond his expectation.
Confusion, astonishment, silence, resistance, a hint of contemplation, and a few with explicit anger.
These aristocrats themselves were actually of little use; their rule had already collapsed. After losing their land and armies, these nobles who stepped out of their castles became entirely useless. Keeping them in prison would only consume food, and sending them to work wouldn't create much wealth either. Moreover, Gawain didn't believe that simple labor and education reforms could bring any fundamental change to these stubborn and dull individuals. Therefore, he didn't care about their attitudes or their personal wishes.
