Silence fell in the hall, only broken by Kato's pained, frantic panting. The sight, smell, and sounds of his punishment were ingrained into their minds as they all took a moment to let it sink in. Expressions differed greatly, but it didn't look like there was much opposition to what happened.
Erik allowed his gaze to travel across the ground and first-floor balconies, carefully inspecting their reactions. Most of the submissive class on the second balcony looked sad, vindicated, or angry towards Kato, with some instead looking at Neema with compassion. But there was no fear. If anything, he could see some signs of comfort and safety on their faces. Knowing they had such powerful people standing up for their rights usually had that effect on people.
