When Sherlock entered the room, he instinctively raised an eyebrow.
At first glance, he could tell that there was far too little food on the table—and that far too much of it had already been eaten.
Avalon was different from Antimony. In this knight-founded nation, the virtue of frugality was not encouraged. Here, holding a banquet was a source of glory—and if nearly all the food and wine had been consumed while the banquet was still far from over, it would be considered rude.
It would mean that the host had prepared too little food, forcing the guests to leave early and end their stay. Therefore, when guests realized that the food was almost gone, they would deliberately eat less, leaving the host some dignity.
So this could not possibly be the first round of dishes. It had to be the second.
By the same logic, if finishing all the food was rude, then replacing it with a second round of dishes showed importance and an intention to retain the guests. The unspoken meaning was: "I've just replaced everything with another tableful of fresh, hot food. Wouldn't it be a little rude for you to leave now?"
"...Good evening, Mr. Sherlock."
Isabel was the first to speak. "It's a pleasure to see you."
What are you suddenly so happy about? Sherlock was somewhat bewildered, but his manners remained flawless.
"Silver Crowned Dragon above."
He did not dare raise his head to meet the Princess's eyes. He knelt on one knee with the utmost respect, placed one hand over his chest, and lowered his head in a knight's salute. "Your Highness, I wish you well."
"You may rise, Mr. Sherlock."
Isabel's voice was clear and bright.
Only then did Sherlock dare to stand. He greeted Agnes, who was still seated at