As Aecilia sat there, poised to take drastic action, the mayor understood that if she chose to kill him in this very moment, no one would lift a finger against her.
Her noble lineage would afford her impunity, cloaking her in a veil of protection that would remain unchallenged.
Justice was a distant illusion in this Empire.
The royal family had long shown a blatant bias toward nobility, favoring the powerful over the common folk.
This bias, so deeply woven into the fabric of the Empire's justice system, was cleverly masked, leaving the populace to believe that the royals were committed to punishing misdeeds committed by the aristocracy.
And so, here he was, the mayor, hands clasped tightly together, making a desperate attempt to compose himself.
After all, being part of the system, he was more aware of how this world worked, not unlike those keyboard warriors or people on social media who judge what they see or hear.