The silence that followed was absolute. Not a single fan moved. Not a single spoon clinked.
The high-born beastmen daughters of the capital, the ones who had spent all morning sharpening their tongues on my reputation, were now struggling to even draw a breath.
I let my gaze travel slowly around the room, taking in their terror, their envy, and their utter defeat. I saw a few girls in the back clutching their pearls, their eyes darting toward the door, desperate for an exit.
"It seems they've lost their voices," I noted, a bored, toxic smile curving my lips. I looked back at Maegel, my fingers trailing down to his chest. "How disappointing. And here I thought the Diamond Quarter was full of such... spirited conversationalists."
