A heavy, measured silence settled over the room after Tharionson finished speaking. It lingered, thick but controlled, as Tharion remained seated behind his desk, unmoving. His cold, unreadable eyes stayed fixed on his son, studying him in that same quiet, assessing way he always had.
"I hope you understand the weight behind the words you just spoke," Tharion said at last, his tone even and devoid of emotion. "Because as it stands, you have just declared your willingness to go against my judgment to protect a dark mage. In doing so… you are, in essence, committing treason."
Tharionson held his father's gaze for a moment before responding.
"That may be true in some sense," he said calmly. "But I have no desire to oppose you, Father. What I want… is for you—and for all those still bound to that old, corrupted doctrine regarding dark mages—to see what Serah saw… to understand what led her down the path she chose."
A faint frown touched Tharion's face as he looked at him.
