Charlotte watched until he grew drowsy.
This stretch of time was even more exhausting than personally dueling Ban Lamorak.
Emperor Alfred Guillaume, on the other hand, watched with great enthusiasm and even rewarded the dancers with several Gold Pounds on the spot. Unfortunately, a crowd of ministers tried to dissuade him; otherwise, he would have wanted the dancers to perform a few more rounds.
After enduring it with great difficulty, Charlotte was about to take his leave when Emperor Alfred Guillaume said, "Lord Mecklen, does Fars have troupes of dancers like this as well?"
Even if it does, how would I know?
"I've seen song-and-dance troupes that no one but royalty could possibly afford in Inglima, but how could I have had the opportunity to encounter one in Fars?"
Just as he was about to answer, he suddenly sensed countless gazes falling upon him.
The ministers of Inglima were all staring at Charlotte, putting him under immense pressure. He could only force an awkward smile and say, "In Fars, I'm merely a humble City Patrol Commander of a district. I'm not important enough to witness such extravagance."
This answer greatly satisfied Inglima's senior ministers, and Charlotte felt some of the pressure on him ease.
Emperor Alfred Guillaume said somewhat regretfully, "True enough. Your status is insufficient. Unfortunately, I can only grant you a post in Inglima; there's no way for me to elevate your position in Fars."
"Lord Mecklen, you must work harder."
Charlotte did not dare respond. Was this encouraging him to gather intelligence about Fars and report it to the Emperor of Inglima? Wasn't that high-level espionage? If he did this job well, he would be hanged. The charge would be no lighter than summoning an evil god.
If he botched it...
He would probably be split in