64: IN HONOUR OF THE GENERAL

I called for the small council. And as I stood at the head of the table, my gaze swept across the assembled faces. We have now included the protesters and nobles to join the elders who make decisions tough to make or execute.

"I've called you all here to discuss an important matter," I began, my voice steady. "General Masa was a hero who gave his life for our safety and freedom. We owe it to him and to ourselves to honor his memory with a befitting burial."

Immediately, the room erupted into chaos. The nobles voiced their agreement, their support for the General's honor clear. The protesters, however, were less than pleased. They shouted their dissent, their voices full of anger and frustration. The elders, the wise ones who had seen many seasons pass, remained silent, their eyes observing the scene with a calm, discerning gaze.

One of the protest leaders stood up and pointed a finger at me. "We don't need a grand ceremony for the likes of him! He was part of the problem, part of the