[ Clef certainly couldn't say that he was at all surprised by Lantis's response. He considered it for a few moments. Far be it from him not to respect the Cail's wishes, but... Well. Not telling the Knights when Lantis was injured was one thing. Not telling, say, Presea that Eagle couldn't really be trusted bordered on neglect. It would be more than a little presumptuous of Lantis to ask, even if he weren't dating her.

On the other hand, Lantis probably thought he was doing everyone a favor by keeping them uninvolved. Even if he was only doing it to keep things simple on his end, it was certainly a person's right to keep one's disputes private. And Presea wasn't very good at pretending not to know things, so he couldn't tell her and not have it affect anything--

... Oh, what as he even thinking? This was ridiculous; he shook his head. ]

I respect your decision, Cail Lantis, as should anyone of sound mind and high opinion of you.

However. [ Glares up at him. ] I will not keep your secret beyond what discretion demands and, should a similar situation arise in the future, you had better not let me catch you sneaking around like some coward. If you do not want the others involved, I expect you to have the nerve to tell them to their faces.

[ Pauses, considering whether he had overstepped his bounds. He did not want to make the mistake of treating Lantis like a child, and he certainly felt that he was talking to him that way at the moment. On the other hand, he very firmly believed that this was not something he should have to say to an adult.

More quietly he added, ] I hope I have made my position sufficiently clear.