Miss Aurora agreed with a smile, and did not forget to wink at Shade. For a young girl, this was a very playful expression, but for slightly more mature ladies like Miss Carina and Miss Aurora, this was obviously a flirting look.
"What are you talking about?"
The sound of high heels tapping on the ground came from behind.
Wearing a luxurious red dress and a shining silver crown, Miss Carina came over with a smile, accompanied by Miss Sylvia and Miss Benannis. Tifa and Sirius walked behind, while Resia and Ajelina were temporarily out of sight.
Miss Swift helped Grandma Cassandra to stand up, and the six witches gathered in this corner of the banquet hall. The maids blocked their view, and Shade stepped back to give them space. Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them gently under the dazzling light of the gas lamps. Champagne, wine, port sweet wine, and sherry were gently shaken in the glasses.
The elderly mother-in-law Cassandra looked particularly happy. She looked at the girls who were raising their glasses:
"It's been a long time since we've had such a lively gathering. The last time we had such a meeting was more than 30 years ago."
More than thirty years ago, except for the half-elves Megan and Audrey, whose ages were unknown, the other witches were not yet witches.
"Mother-in-law, you will be able to say this many times in the future. In the future, I'm afraid it will be even more lively than it is now."
The blonde Miss Benannis said, then glanced at Shade. Now all the witches laughed, they all understood what Miss Benannis meant.
Tifa gently pushed Shad from behind, so Shad stepped forward tactfully:
"Duke Carina, I'm glad to meet you in Green Lake City. Your beauty is even more stunning than the rumors say."
The red-haired witch smiled, but soon became serious again:
"Young sir, are you Ms. Green's male companion? I hope she is not mistaken. A man like you who looks too handsome must be surrounded by many beautiful girls."
Everyone tried to hold back their laughter as she teased Xia De. After Xia De also raised his glass, everyone took a sip of wine and then left. A banquet was not a good place to discuss issues. They had plenty of time to reminisce in the next few days.
Xia De originally planned to stay with Megan until the ball started, after all, he had no other purpose in attending the party. However, after resisting the urge to look at the man playing Rhodes cards in the corner, Megan actually took the initiative to take him to see Miss Carina again.
That was half an hour after the six witches gathered. Next, Miss Carina had to give a public speech as the host of the banquet, which was a speech calling for peace. I heard that the manuscript was written by Lecia.
When Shad and Megan saw her, she was talking to an old noble lady who looked like Carsenrick, while Carsenrick's princess Margaret was talking to Lecia beside her.
The other Cavendish princes and princesses who came with Miss Carina were also nearby. But because of Miss Carina's dominance, they were basically just background figures in this negotiation. The king probably sent them here just to gain some experience.
Seeing Shade coming, Ajelina went to meet them. The little princess was wearing a blue and white dress, and the diamond-studded pink hair accessories on her long red hair made her temperament very different from that of Miss Leicia and Miss Carina.
She smiled sweetly at Shade, and then led the two to meet Miss Carina. After the introduction, Shade also knew that the person who was chatting with Miss Carina was the wife of the Duke of Simil who was shot in the assassination a week ago.
When the Duke was unable to attend, she attended the banquet on his behalf. Although she had no position in the delegation, the Duchess, who had experienced many hardships, could not be underestimated.
Miss Carina introduced Megan to the Duchess, and Shad learned that the Simiel family was also involved in the business of medicinal materials and synthetic drugs in the United Kingdom of Carsenrick.
The Duchess was happy to talk to Paradise Island Pharmaceuticals, and during the conversation, Shade stood at a distance from the red-haired Duchess, who folded her hands in front of her chest, holding the stem of the goblet with her right hand, as if looking at the crowd.
But in fact, the voice appeared in Shade's ears:
"Isn't this party pretty good? Don't look at me, just answer in your mind."
"Of course."
Xia De said in his heart, and then he heard the witch's laughter:
"If Leicia wasn't doing that right now, you would probably be dragged into her messing around again, right? The reservedness of the Cavendish princess is not seen in Leicia at all."
Xia De glanced at Resia not far away, who was still talking to Margaret. The two princesses were graceful and beautiful, and were the focus of the banquet. However, Resia certainly didn't know what Miss Carina thought of her at this time.
"What a pity it's not in Tobesk. I could ask you to dance... or you could ask me."
The witch was still talking, and Shade also felt sorry:
"How about I dance with you again after the party is over?"
"Of course. Do you think I will let you go after the party is over?"
Her voice spoke in Shad's ear, and Shad tried to control his face and not make a strange expression. He pretended to be normal and observed the face of Jialina standing beside him, but found that she was looking at the lively crowd with a smile, as if she was really enjoying her party.
Shad admired the Cavendish family's training of the princesses.
"Fortunately, although I can't dance with you, Leicia can't either."
The witch continued, and Shade couldn't comment on this. It seemed that she hadn't realized that other witches didn't have to care about their identities. Shade thought that this might be Megan and Audrey's revenge for the last banquet, but he couldn't find any evidence.
He looked at the crowd attending the banquet, and was about to see what Luvia and Yin Luna were doing at the moment, when suddenly he saw someone walking towards him.
He was a man in his thirties, wearing formal clothes and white gloves. After a brief recollection, Shad knew that this was the eldest prince of Carsenrick, Samuel Anjou, 29 years old. He was the oldest of Margaret's brothers and sisters, and was already married. However, because their father, King Lionel, was in very good health, even the Anjou royal family member who was most likely to inherit the throne was still unable to hold an important position in the kingdom.
If nothing unexpected happens, it will take him many years to inherit the throne.
Margaret's brother walked towards Miss Carina and stopped at a very appropriate position to greet the Duchess. It seemed that he was quite aware of the various rumors about Carina Cavendish.
He could speak fluent Delarion. He came over and exchanged a few words with Miss Carina, then said with a smile:
"Duke, should we make a joint speech later?"
He pointed to himself:
"For the sake of peace and continued cooperation between the two countries, if we can jointly issue a statement, it may have a better effect."
He had a pretty perfect smile on his face, but the red-haired witch had become accustomed to similar smiles lately:
"You mean to say that your sister and I will give the speech together?"
She said casually, twirling the wine glass lightly with her fingers:
"Samuel Anjou, what can't be done at the negotiation table, can be done by just a few words at the banquet? You and I both know what the purpose of this banquet is. There is no need for you to tell me this."
"Duke, you are indeed as straightforward as the rumors say. I heard that you invited my sister to stay here tonight? I hope she won't cause you too much trouble."
He didn't bother to argue at all and immediately started a new topic. But even so, Miss Carina still didn't want to continue talking to him.
The witch glanced at Shade beside her, and Shade said in his heart:
"You're not going to suggest that I duel with him right here, are you?"
This idea sounded quite ridiculous, and even with his current status, Shade had no reason to talk to the prince. But according to Shade's understanding of Miss Carina, this was something she could do.
"Help me chase him away. I'll let Tifa change her clothes and dance with you later."
She responded to Shade with her inner voice, and Shade looked at the black-haired maid standing behind them with an expressionless face, and said in his heart:
"I have to remind you that I didn't drive him away to dance with Tifa, I was..."
"Oh, hurry up and do it. Don't I know what's going on between you and my maid?"
Xia De coughed, and Prince Samuel Anjou looked at him in surprise, then asked:
"This is..."
"Hello, Your Highness. I am the male companion of Miss Green from Paradise Island Pharmaceuticals."
He pointed to Megan, who was talking to the Duchess of Westmere, and then reached out to shake hands with Prince Samuel, confirming that the other person was an ordinary person and there were no traces of elements on his body.
He quietly said sorry in his heart, and at the same time as the contact, the effect of the magic "puppetry" was activated.
Although he didn't know Shad, Margaret's brother still spoke to Shad politely. When the servant holding the wine tray passed by, he took a glass of champagne from the tray. Then his hand shook and he accidentally spilled the wine on his leather shoes.
"I'm so sorry."
He shook his head with a gentle smile, then turned away to clean his shoes.
Miss Carina still stood there without moving, and Xia De still stood beside her without saying a word.
“Very good.”
She whispered in Xia De's ear, and together they watched everything under the lights, lively yet somewhat bizarre:
"How wonderful it would be if, in the future, we didn't have to face those challenges and difficulties, and every day could be the same as it is now..."
"It will happen someday, Carina. It will happen."