On Saturday night, on an island outside the port city of Laws on Feysac's eastern coast.
Abner, disguised as the "Professor," stood with Miss Greed on the island's private dock. They seemed to be waiting for something.
Behind them, dozens of shipping containers were stacked in neat rows, filled with ores and other supplies Morning Star City needed.
Greed, who was also Countess Laws, had spent more than a week gathering everything and bringing it to the island.
The containers themselves were thanks to Old Huang. He had proposed this method of transporting goods more than a century ago, though it had initially been used only on trains. It had been adopted for sea freight in recent years, after steam-powered ships became widespread.
Abner checked his watch. With more than ten minutes left before the agreed meeting time with the Queen of Stars, he struck up a conversation with Xenia.
"Gathering all this couldn't have been easy. How many gold horns did it cost? I'll reimburse you later," Abner said with a smile.
"It certainly wasn't easy. I had to get it onto the island without a lot of people noticing. If I weren't a Manipulator, I doubt I could have managed it." Miss Greed stressed the difficulty first, then glanced at Abner. "But forget the reimbursement. I'm hardly short of money..."
"Then what do you want?" Abner caught what she had left unsaid and asked directly.
"Her Majesty has invited all the empire's great nobles to a special ball at Aurmir Palace next Thursday evening. It seems she has something important to announce.
"And I need a male companion. I'd like you to fill that role." The corners of Xenia's mouth lifted slightly, and she blinked. "Plenty of nobles know I'm keeping a pretty boy from the Earth Mother