A Gut-Wrenching Performance (3)

“Now presenting Viscount Louis Capet, Lady Caroline Capet, and their son Sir Henri Capet!” one of the knights announced, acting as a herald for the guests already inside. That off-white, high quality suit and gown seemed to be the dress god here, at least for the upper castes. It matched the banquet’s aesthetic, letting them blend into the background.

Stepping forward with my entourage in tow, the white mage whispered something into the herald’s ear. I guess it’s my turn, I thought, waiting for the introduction, but…

“You can go in,” he bluntly stated with a jerk of his head.

“Hmm?”

“Ah, given your hurried nature, I figured you would prefer not to waste any time on such things,” he explained. I mean, that’s fine, but it’s drawing even more attention, and not in a good way.

“How inconsiderate of you.”

“I only saw fit to deal with a nuisance.”

…touché. With a roll of my eyes, I ignored the miffed spectators and took in the banquet hall.

“How many thrones can one palace have?” I unintentionally muttered. This place looked almost very similar to the throne room I visited just a few days prior. That singular red carpet down the center didn’t really make much sense, while the elevated chair seemed both oddly appropriate and inappropriate.

However, there were a few differences, ignoring the tables and buffet platters. First, the hall was much wider than the throne room, about the size of two ballrooms side by side. The ceiling was also much further away, five stories if I had to guess. It was so far up that there had to be multiple lights and stained glass panes to provide enough illumination. Though, the strangest thing was the lines of mana running underneath the floor. What for? I had absolutely no idea.

Well, I have a feeling I’ll find out soon enough.

“Now presenting…” the herald continued, introducing the next guest. With the line I saw outside, we still had somewhere around an hour or more before the festivities truly began. It seemed like this time was meant for socializing, given the cliques dotted around. Seeing them, my chaotic mix of purple, red and black really stood out. There were a few in brown or black, but judging by the money signs in their eyes, they were probably part of the upper middle caste, peddling their wares.

As for me, I was in a class of my own. While there were some shooting glares and scathing remarks bouncing around this echo chamber, none of them actually approached me. If anything, they scurried out of the way. Maybe they saw how that man was humiliated, or maybe it was due to my jailors.

No point standing around doing nothing. I’ll just grab something to eat and drink before I perform.

I made my way over to the buffet platter, taking a gander at the plentiful options. Each table was nicely arranged into each course. First there were the samplers and snacks, from charcuterie to fromage, whatever that meant. Then came the appetizers, not that I could tell the difference from the samplers. Following that were the entrees – a large collection of bone-in meat dishes. And finally were the deserts of off-white, matching the overall aesthetic. Bottles of drinks were placed next to each as a pairing.

I’m not seeing any plates though…

“Hey mage. Where do you happen to know where the plates are?”

“Plates?” he seemed a bit confused before noticing the situation. “Well, why not use your hands then?”

“Would you be willing to hold anything I am unable to?”

“...Liam, please call a maid over.”

“Yes, sir!” The mage with a somewhat familiar name left for a few moments before returning with one of the staff– Wait a minute.

“Hello, sir. I heard from this mage that you were looking for a plate for the buffet, correct?” A rather demure yet animated maid confirmed with a practiced bow. “Would you like me to serve you as well? I am rather confident in my ability to choose such fine cuisines for the midnight hour.”

“Ah, you do not have to–”

“Sure, I would be vexed,” I responded, cutting off the white mage. She returned my quip with a slight smile and curtsy.

Damn it. I thought it was her. How did she even get– No, I shouldn’t be surprised at this point. While I was exasperated, the maid selected the best dishes, by which I meant she piled every single one onto the plate. By the time she returned, the contents were nearly a foot tall and probably twenty pounds. It hurt my noodle arms just to hold it up.

“Um, I don’t believe I can eat all of this.”

“Oh, really? My apologies. You seemed rather hungry, so I thought this would provide the perfect escape.” She then turned towards the knights and mages behind me. “Would you be willing to help finish off this platter?”

“Ah, we really should not while–”

“Please.” Okay, that look is terrifying, though I guess most would think it’s cute. And lo and behold…

“Ahem. Of course madam, thank you for your hospitality,” the white mage caved. Although he had on a neck gaiter, I could clearly see his reddening cheeks. The food, meanwhile, was devoured before I even noticed.

“How snide of you,” I commented.

“I do my best. Please do call me if you need anything else.” With one more bow, she left, attending to another guest.

…welp, I don’t trust the food anymore. Might as well try the drinks then. Ooh, this one looks like a nice red–

“Hello there,” a voice interrupted my thoughts, causing me to quickly turn around. A young woman stood there in a flowing green dress, accenting her brunette braids. In fact, it was quite complimentary to my own menagerie, but even so, I couldn’t help but smirk. After all, I had met this woman many times before. You could say she was quite the frequent donator.

I got down on one knee, taking her hand in mine. “And who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”

“Ah, my apologies,” she answered with a brief curtsy, pulling me back to my feet. “I suppose I haven’t really introduced myself before.”

“I can count on one hand how many that have.”

“Then let me make it both hands,” she giggled. “I am Marchioness Eleanor Devereux. It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Sir Jester.”