"Excuse me?" Rinara's expression briefly adopted a serious tone, her features tightening in thought—but only for a moment. Then, a smile spread across her face, and she gently placed her hand over her lips, as if trying to suppress an oncoming laugh. A quiet chuckle escaped her, muffled and amused.
"What's so funny about what I said?" Robin bared his teeth in a grin, half annoyed, half amused. "Come on—share the joke with me."
"I apologize," she said with a soft shake of her head, her eyes still gleaming with amusement. "But a statement like that shouldn't be coming out of the mouth of a planetary emperor—even one from the Young Belt like you." She took a breath and continued, "You're talking about owning planets in the Mid Belt... and I have to ask, with what forces exactly? General Raiden and his troops? They're impressive, Robin Burton, no doubt about that. But they're not that impressive."
