The speaker was Leisha's personal maid, whom Shade knew well. Having finally found something to do, Shade gave a slight nod. After the maid left, he remained standing there for another five minutes before casually setting his wineglass on the windowsill and quickly leaving.
Leisha had long been waiting for Shade in the resting room outside the banquet hall. As soon as he entered, she threw her arms around him and took a deep breath to ease her excitement:
"Do you know? You've become the focus of this banquet. I heard those foreign noblewomen saying that a handsome young man with a melancholy expression had been standing by the window at today's banquet. The moment I heard that, I knew it had to be you."
"I thought everyone at this banquet was focused on politics."
Shade held his beloved Princess in his arms.
"Don't be silly, Shade. Plenty of people came here to have fun too. You simply haven't paid attention to that sort of thing."
As she spoke, she reached to undo the buttons of Shade's coat. When he stopped her with a hand, she gave him a flirtatious glare, then crouched down.
Shade hurriedly pulled her back up.
"No, no, that's not what I meant. I mean, I want to see Angelina. I didn't see her here. Is she at Yodel Palace now?"
Leisha asked:
"What, am I not enough by myself? But time is limited, and too many people would be inconvenient. Shall I call Tifa over?"
That was naturally a joke. She knew Shade had serious business to attend to.
Angelina was not a Princess involved in state affairs, so she had remained at Yodel Palace tonight to do her own things. When Leisha took Shade's hand and appeared directly in her study, Angelina was truly