Chapter 764: Entrance (2)
The hall had not yet resumed its full rhythm.
Not completely.
Not after that.
The entrance of the Lorian envoy had left the air faintly charged—polished, smiling, cordial on the surface, yet beneath it, something simmered. A low thrum of unspoken satisfaction that hummed beneath every clipped toast and artful exchange.
Valeria stood near one of the central terrace alcoves, the faint glow of ambient mana catching the silver runes on her gown. She was flanked by two nobles from allied houses—Ser Damanth of House Terevas and Lady Irelenne of Vorthellas—both mid-tier families with enough prestige to matter, and enough tact to know whom to align with.
"And there it is," Damanth murmured into the rim of his glass, eyes flicking toward the Lorian table. "House Lorian, seated after the probationary initiates. I don’t think I’ve seen that level of subtle insult executed with such... refinement."
Lady Irelenne sipped her wine, eyes half-lidded. "Refinement is exactly what makes it burn longer. Let them smile through their teeth while they digest it."
Valeria’s gaze remained forward, calm as ever, but the faintest curve touched the edge of her mouth.
"They dressed it in ceremony," she said, voice low but unmistakably composed, "but it was a verdict."
Damanth let out a quiet breath, somewhere between a scoff and a laugh. "A lovely one at that. Rank is dictated by precedence. And today, they were placed beneath our commonborn initiates. On record. On stage."
"It’s not just placement," Irelenne added, tilting her head. "It’s optics. Perception. Those envoys will carry this moment back to Loria like a shadow stitched into their legacy. That stain will outlive their silk."