It took the little girl a moment to fully understand that you weren't going to let her near Flurry. But by then, you were already casting your spell. The initial glow of the gems on your arcane glove were enough to take her attention off reacting to being told no in the way that small children usually do. And when the spell was cast and the illusory feline appeared before her, the girl had likely already forgotten about the initial refusal. [b]"Kitty!"[/b] The girl exclaimed while bouncing up and down in excitement. When you bade the cat move off, the girl chased after it with a call of [b]"Pet the kitty!"[/b] as she went. The other children that had come to observe you moved off after the girl and the cat. Soon enough, you were alone agai-

[b]"And here I was thinking I was going to have to rescue you from a mob of curious children."[/b] A familiar voice spoke up.

The voice belonged to a half-elven woman around your age who carried herself with the effortless grace of someone raised among the nobility. Her complexion was smooth and fair, like porcelain warmed by a faint blush. Long, golden hair fell in gentle waves down her back. Her eyes were her most striking feature: bright orbs of soft violet, framed by dark lashes, that seemed to subtly shift in hue with her mood. A delicate nose and high cheekbones lent her an air of quiet elegance, while her lips curved easily into a warm, intelligent smile. She was slender but not frail, the lines of her figure perfectly poised, shaped as much by confidence as by nature. Her gown - embroidered silk tailored to perfection - flowed like water around her, the fabric whispering as she walked. Jewels glimmered at her throat and wrists, but even they seemed only pale reflections of the radiance she herself carried.

This was Lady Agnes Larimar, a daughter of the noble family allied with the Everhearts. Among all of the Larimars, she was the one that you interacted with the most often.

[b]"Hello Viktor."[/b] Lady Agnes greeted you happily. [b]"I do hope all this festive atmosphere hasn't been pressing down on you too much. I know such things have never really been your preference... Though I suppose that just makes it all the more heartwarming that you would brave it to be here for your mentor's big day."[/b]