Her words came abruptly, yet seemed to strike right at the heart of the matter. Alice saw Councilman Macht freeze for a moment before an uncontrollable smile appeared on his face.
"Very good, an excellent proposal." He raised his wine glass and drained it in one gulp. "Let us celebrate Backlund's improving air. It is a symbol of our better lives. Cheers!"
At his call, the guests raised their glasses in cooperation and drained them. Alice also lifted hers with relief, but paused when it reached her lips.
"Do your banquets serve alcohol to minors too?" she asked, looking at Winfred, who had already put down her glass.
"Minors?" Winfred looked at Alice and repeated her choice of words.
Alice realized this was a question about her age, but she did not feel guilty in the slightest. She asked righteously:
"Don't I look like one?"
As she spoke, she set down her glass and followed the crowd toward the dance floor on the first floor.
As though she had heard something amusing, Winfred followed after her in a few strides. She looked Alice up and down in surprise, then nodded.
"Very much so."
Alice paused. It felt as though a breath had caught in her throat. After all, that assessment sounded like saying, "She looks like a person," carrying an inexplicable hint of sarcasm.
Alice decided to find an excuse to send Winfred away. She glanced at the crowd flowing onto the dance floor, then turned to Winfred.
"Aren't you going to dance?"
Yet Alice was destined to be disappointed. Winfred merely smiled at her, raised her left hand, and showed Alice her bare wrist.
"For a true noble, every dance partner at a banquet like this is decided in advance."
Alice was slightly stunned. Her gaze passed over Winfred's