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The carriage rolled to a gentle stop outside the second castle's banquet hall, its façade adorned with frost-kissed ivy and warm golden lanterns.
Two months ago, this very hall had been the venue for the grand Banquet of Honor, but tonight, it stood as a quieter yet no less imposing reminder of the castle's grandeur.
Especially now that the Thanksgiving Celebration held quite a large number of important guests.
Inside the carriage, Ayessa rubbed her temples, her fatigue evident. "I'll excuse myself with the summoned ones," she murmured, glancing at Cheska and Amaranthe.
Her pale complexion and the dark circles under her eyes spoke louder than her words.
As the group stepped down from the carriage, they were greeted by the brisk night air, the snowflakes swirling lazily under the glow of the castle's enchanted lamps.
