It puzzled them. Doesn't he want more merit? But they knew that couldn't be true—not when those merit points were directly tied to a future posting that would place someone above all Grand Admirals and just below the Imperial Family.
And yet, they also understood—Ezra was giving up the spotlight he already had… and handing it to them, just to earn their goodwill.
Goodwill and their favor—that's what they all thought Ezra was after. Yet, despite their suspicions, they couldn't help but feel grateful. Even the bitterness they'd once held toward Grand Admiral Ezra began to fade.
After all, he didn't have to do what he was doing—giving up control of a higher-level zone in favor of a lower one. Even if he wanted their goodwill, this was a sacrifice that went beyond what anyone expected. Still, the Wheel of Time—or fate, or circumstance—seemed to side with them, and for now, that's all that mattered.
