"Now, everyone!"
A sharp clap rang out from the second floor, the sound cutting through the hum of chatter like a whip. All eyes turned towards the grand staircase, leading up to a high platform where Duke Merca stood, bathed in the glow of the chandelier lights above. He held himself with the rigid posture of a man who believed himself above everyone in the room, his chin raised just a bit too high, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I ask for your attention, just for a moment! And then we'll kick off the official beginning of this annual celebration that we've held for years!"
He swept his gaze across the gathered guests, a satisfied gleam in his eye. The crowd below him was filled with noblemen and women, all decked out in their finest, each one a piece in the elaborate game he hosted every year. Duke Merca's voice, smooth yet commanding, resonated off the walls as if daring anyone to ignore him.
