Chapter 269 A Matter of Honor

The Great Hall's cacophony of silverware and chatter faded abruptly. Tristan Salvatore's bold entrance had made a bigger impact than Victor Cromwell's. For a minute, nobody else spoke. When the tension dissipated, four of the major candidates—Sir Gideon Whitehall, Earl Philip O'Keefe, Charlie Griggs, and Robert Dunham—moved to surround him. Their expressions were a mix of skepticism and scorn. Victor remained apart, his alert eyes watching Tyler from a distance. Sir Gideon spoke first in an aristocratic tone. "The Salvatore heir, you say? That's a bold claim for a family reduced to ashes after Butch's demise. And his granddaughter was gone without a trace. Tell me, boy, what proof do you have that you're not some impostor?" Earl Philip joined in with giddy indignation. "Aye, the Salvatore empire's a rotting corpse, anyway. Do you think we'll just swallow your story whole? Who are you really?" Charlie Griggs chimed in with brash confidence and a smirk. "Dude, seriously? I have no idea w