[Realm: Álfheimr]
[Location: Heart Kingdom]
[Pulchritudo]
[Banquet]
Gretel was beginning to regret agreeing to come to the banquet.
The regret had not arrived all at once. It seemed to accumulate gradually, built from one small irritation after another until she could no longer ignore the uncomfortable thought that she probably should have known better before ever agreeing to come here.
She had expected an opportunity to investigate the Duke's estate, perhaps learn something useful, maybe even discover where the supposed artifact was being kept. Instead, she had spent what felt like an eternity standing around wealthy nobles who smiled too much, praised everything they saw, and laughed whenever the Duke said something that barely qualified as a joke.
Now she found herself in an even more uncomfortable position.
The young girl suppressed a sigh as she glanced to the side.
