Annan didn't know whether Madeleine and Bailey's reconciliation would go down as a defining moment in the world of opera.
He only knew he'd done another good deed today.
As for neglecting his duties... Since when did building connections not count as official business?
Only a handful of people in Free City knew Madeleine had come. Annan had also told Katelina, remembering how much she liked Madeleine.
"Why didn't you call me?"
Katelina felt as though she'd missed out on tens of thousands of Gold Narls.
"You were busy asking Falu about acting..."
"I can find Teacher Falu anytime. Lady Madeleine is hard to meet!"
Katelina couldn't exactly travel all the way from the south to the Orr Empire just to see her idol.
"Eileen only stayed a little while. I'll tell you when she comes again," Bailey offered in consolation.
After seeing Madeleine, much of her distant air had faded too.
"All right... I should be heading back anyway."
She had been invited as a special guest. With the awards ceremony over, it was time to leave.
"Oh, right. My father asked me to ask you: if the Flower Capital held an opera competition too, what would you think?"
Katelina had waited until now to bring it up, rather than saying it when she first arrived, so Annan wouldn't mistake it for a threat.
"I'd watch it with a Magic Stone."
Annan nearly made Katelina laugh. She managed to keep a straight face. "I mean, you wouldn't object?"
"Why would I?"
"But you really hated the Singers' Competition..."
"That was because our neighbors weren't satisfied with copying us. They wanted to attack me too. Once I'd gotten even, I left them alone. I even helped them out."
Katelina considered this. "What if we wanted you as a consultant?"
Annan