Chapter 311
“His Highness the Crown Prince seems to be running late.”
The officials sipped their wine, noting Jin’s absence. Several hours had passed since they’d heard of his return from the parade, yet he still hadn’t made an appearance. Some swirled their glasses, dismissing the concerns as needless chatter.
“He must be exhausted from this morning’s events. Since this isn’t an official function, it’s perfectly fine for him to rest.”
“True enough, but with his seat empty, I worry about potential criticism regarding our treatment of distinguished guests…”
Their gazes drifted upward. Through the curtains, they caught glimpses of attendants moving about. The leaders of three nations were gathered without imperial interference.
Despite careful scheduling throughout the festival to avoid overlapping appointments, a gap had emerged at the very end.
“And there are hardly any mages present.”
“I heard two collapsed upon entering the palace. One was even bleeding, apparently. Ahem. In any case, don’t worry. They’ll handle things appropriately. We should focus on enjoying this momentous celebration.”
“Exactly. This is the Imperial Palace. There can be no secret conversations here.”