Her Graceful War Song

In banquets like these, no one truly ate with much enthusiasm. Most dishes were merely tasted before being set aside, barely touched before servants whisked

them away.

But the Nerathians were different. They treated every dish with genuine respect, cleaning their plates entirely, no matter what was served. Their wine glasses, once filled, were immediately emptied again. The palace servants attending to them must have been exhausted, constantly refilling their glasses and replacing empty plates.

Violet recalled their meal at Spring Pavilion. Just like tonight, not a single scrap had been left behind. She wanted to say something to Carissa, but the only sound in the hall was the clinking of cutlery and the quiet shifting of plates. Speaking now would be too conspicuous.

Still, one glance between them was enough.

Violet's thought was clear-the Nerathians' presence at this banquet must be tied to the negotiations. Carissa agreed.

However, their exact role remained uncertain. Were they here to mediate and broker peace? If so, the treaty could be finalized swiftly.

Or were they here to back Orivenia? If that was the case, then this would become a drawn-out battle. With Nerathia behind them, Orivenia would have little reason

to compromise, and Starhaven's position at the table would be far weaker.

The realization must have struck the Starhaven envoys as well. Davis and the Diplomatic Affairs Minister, Alden Grey, who had earlier been brimming with excitement, now wore more somber expressions. They barely touched their food, though with everyone else still eating, they had no choice but to follow suit.

It was, without a doubt, the strangest banquet they had ever attended. An eerie, foreboding silence hung over them like the calm before a storm.

There were 32 courses in the palace banquet, but each portion was very small. The servants came in one after another, placing dish after dish on the table, then quickly clearing them away. When someone tried to raise a glass for a toast, it was just like earlier with Lisandra. They took a quick glance around, drank their wine, and then set the glass down to continue eating.

Finally, the last dish was served, and just as quickly, the Nerathians finished. Only then did the rest of the hall dare to stop eating.

Faelan dabbed at the corner of his mouth with a napkin before smiling and speaking in fluent Westic. Carissa listened as the translator relayed his words. He was offering polite praise-commending the exquisite flavors of the meal, the fine quality of the wine, and expressing gratitude for Lisandra's warm hospitality.

Carissa recalled how fluent in Stellish the Nerathians had been back at Spring Pavilion, speaking as if they were native-born Starhaveners. Now, Faelan spoke Westic just as effortlessly.

A thought suddenly struck her: Adrian had once mentioned that the Halcyon Monarch and his princess consort traveled between many kingdoms, and their time in Nerathia was actually limited.

Lisandra spoke next, also in Westic, leaving the interpretation to the translator.

"Her Majesty, the queen of Orivenia, has invited Prince Faelan to bear witness to the negotiations between our two kingdoms, in the hope that both sides may reach an agreement that benefits all and spares our people from further war," the translator announced to the room.

A witness.

The word was carefully chosen, neutral enough to avoid revealing their true stance. But what did it mean? Were they here to mediate and broker peace, or to back Orivenia up? It was hard to say.

"Starhaven welcomes Prince Faelan

as a witness to our negotiations. We will strive for a peace agreement that is faband just, one that safeguards the interests of both kingdoms and spares our people from unnecessary suffering, Davis responded, his voice steady. noveldrama

After the translator relayed this to the hall, Faelan smiled and said, "Since both kingdoms share the same goal, the negotiations should not be difficult. I represent Nerathia in this matter and hope for a resolution that will be satisfying for atp."

That single statement weighed heavily on the Starhaven delegation.

He was not here in a personal capacity, but was representing Nerathia. That meant the kingdom had a vested interest in this conflict. If they truly sided with Orivenia, Starhaven would have to make further concessions to avoid offending Nerathia.

Before leaving Starhaven, Salvador had set clear expectations-seek peace where possible, but do not surrender to unreasonable terms. There was room for negotiation, but Starhaven could not simply yield to Orivenia's demands.

Now that Nerathia was involved, it seemed like that step alone might not be enough to settle things.

Orivenia had gone to great lengths to bring Faelan and Elysia here. Clearly, they anticipated that Starhaven might only offer a modest concession, and they wouldn't be satisfied with that.