That same night, Backlund, Soderak Palace.
Audrey, dressed in a magnificent court gown, sat in the lounge waiting for the party to begin. A newspaper rested on her knees, its front page bearing the death toll from the Great Smog, freshly compiled that day.
"One hundred and twenty-three thousand..."
She murmured to herself, folded the newspaper, and placed it on the tea table beside her, unable to bear looking at it any longer.
Thanks to the timely generosity of the nobles and royal family, as well as the full-scale aid from the various churches, no further humanitarian disaster had occurred in the more than half month since the Great Smog. The victims had been given temporary shelter and barely enough food to fill their stomachs, sparing them from starving or freezing to death in the streets. Yet large numbers of young children and elderly people had still failed to survive the epidemics and infectious diseases that followed the smog.
And the royal family was still holding a New Year's Party...
She had no intention of criticizing the royal family's extravagance. After discussing matters with the churches, they had already temporarily canceled the fireworks display along the Tussock River and the float parade in Queens Borough. They had even added a charitable donation segment to this party. Compared to before, they had already cut back considerably.
But...
Audrey closed her eyes, exhaled, and adjusted her negative emotions.
She still had a more important task to carry out shortly.
A knock sounded at the door. Madam Catherine, also dressed in formal attire, entered, took Audrey's hand, and gave her a gentle hug.
"Darling, you'll definitely amaze everyone tonight."
Holding her daughter's hand, she led Audrey out of the lounge and onto the second floor of the ballroom.
Below stood nearly every noble