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[indent][sup][color=ab274f][b]Attire:[/b][/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/sTIjTiA.jpg]Banquet fit[/url], a simple princely crown
[color=ab274f][b]Date and Time:[/b][/color] Sola 28th, 6pm
[color=ab274f][b]Location:[/b][/color] Beige drawing room → The banquet hall
[color=ab274f][b]Mention(s):[/b][/color] Fritz, Torvi, Edin, Gideon, Drake
[color=ab274f][b]Interaction(s):[/b][/color] [@Oso] Kilian, [@princess] Alibeth
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Upon concluding the conversation with his sister and Shahzade Farim, Wulfric departed to the banquet. He took another route, hoping to catch someone who could fill him in on what he’d missed. Instead, he happened to pass by Fritz, who requested a minute of his time. The two briefly retreated into a vacant room, where the count relayed to him certain important findings in a hushed voice. As promised, he had not used more than 60 seconds to do so, and the prince inclined his head in thanks.

Then, he proceeded to the banquet hall. There was no fanfare at his entrance, though being the crown prince, eyes naturally followed him. He stalked to his seat, but instead of sitting down, he stopped just behind it. His cooly assessing gaze scanned the area, flitting from guest to guest. The silver-haired witch hunter was casually conversing with Torvi, seated amongst others as if he actually belonged there. The chained woman stood behind him, still as a decoration. No one dared to look at her, afraid that by merely acknowledging her existence, they might fall into danger themselves. [i]Cowards.[/i] They were like mice cowering from a cat – only the cat was already mid-pounce.

[color=ab274f]“My, my, look what the mongrel brought in,”[/color] he drawled, loud enough to draw attention. [color=ab274f]“You must be one of Her Majesty the Queen’s witch hunters,”[/color] he smirked. Alibeth and Edin were both so very self-satisfied, the smugness radiating from them spilled over into the entire hall.

[color=ab274f]“So, this woman…”[/color] He tilted his head at her. She seemed familiar.

Oh? There was an exception to the general avoidance of the elephant in the room. Duke Edwards was staring right at the woman, face blanched. Then, there was Drake, similarly affected. [color=ab274f]“Ah, she must be the Edwards family servant.”[/color] He had not been there for Alibeth’s oh-so-gracious explanation, so he had to make the connection himself. [color=ab274f]“She is a witch, then,”[/color] he concluded. 

[color=ab274f]“You see, I despise dangerous prey escaping my grasp, so I hope you will enlighten me,”[/color] he addressed Kilian. [color=ab274f]“A week ago, numerous royals and nobles were incapacitated with what we assume is magic: some were bleeding, others catatonic, a few temporarily maddened. Five days ago, a man went berserk in the woods, bowling through two groups of guards, while the guests reportedly suffered from mass hallucinations. There have been one or two cases where someone was declared dead, only to turn up alive later on,”[/color] he smiled pleasantly, nonchalantly revealing what might be considered state secretes. [color=ab274f]“Instead of obtaining a lead on any of those cases, we have here a servant who…caused intoxication with magic?”[/color] A questioning lilt crept into his voice. He stared at Kilian as if he could make sense of his actions if he studied him long enough. 

[color=ab274f]“I suppose, if you were to tell me you seek to eliminate all magic users, I might comprehend.”[/color] Despite saying so, his voice carried doubt. He stroked a finger across his lips, as if pondering what might be amiss. [color=ab274f]“Ah!”[/color] His smile spread – exactly like a wound spread when one dragged a knife against someone’s skin. [color=ab274f]“Here is my issue with that concept.”[/color] He had remained standing, and now took a few steps to the left, passing Edin to end up behind his mother. Almost as if he were the parent proudly presenting a child to the court, he settled his hands on Alibeth’s shoulders. 

[color=ab274f]“You see, it was my very mother who showed me magic. [i]Yes,[/i] showed it to me, not only told me about it,”[/color] he repeated, chasing away any doubt listeners might have held. [color=ab274f]“She uttered a word, and changed a tablecloth from white to yellow. [i]That[/i] is how, a few days ago, I learned of the existence of magic.”[/color] He let the silence reign after that revelation, and patted Alibeth’s left shoulder as if to comfort her. [color=ab274f]“So, you see, I have to question: Are you knowingly and willingly working for a witch, [i]hunter?[/i]”[/color] His head swayed to the other side. [color=ab274f]“Or is it that you [i]cannot[/i] reliably determine who is a witch and who is not?”[/color][/color]