Kanieta stiffened as the arms of the surprisingly strong woman wrapped around her. During her entire time in Olimpia, she had never encountered anyone who was so… enthusiastically friendly. Her hand slowly rose up to return the embrace, as it would be more awkward to stand there like a pole than actually accept it.

  Except by the time her hands were about to wrap around Floralin Meridies, she was already pulling back and stepping out of arm's reach, stalking around Kanieta like she was on the hunt. "Ohh," gushed the other woman as she started clapping her hands together. "I just love your dress, it's so… stately and mature. The recent trend of flowing, lightweight sundresses has become a little too bold for my taste. Perhaps it is time we try something more conservative."

  "What a fantastic idea!" A woman wearing a light blue high-collared dress immediately agreed. "Over the last few years, everyone has become increasingly brazen. And as my fiancé has always said, 'Why would a man want that which everyone else has already seen?'" While her clothes were similar to those around her, she was markedly showing off less skin than the other noble ladies.

  In response, some of the noble females stuck their noses up and huffed about the comment. Others seemed to agree with it, and a few suddenly looked embarrassed about their clothing, adjusting their shawls to better conceal their upper bodies. However, Floralin paid little attention to the battle lines being drawn behind her as she continued to study Kanieta's outfit. "What do you call this style of dress?"

  "It is a kimono," Kanieta answered, feeling pleased that someone from Olimpia was taking a liking to her people's traditional clothes. "This style is specific to the fox tribes, but many of the other factions within my people have similar styles of clothing."

  "Ohh!" The woman squealed in excitement, perking up, then suddenly deflated a moment later. "So many new styles to try, and yet I am unable. Perhaps it would have been better to never have known they existed at all."

  With the woman deflating into herself like all the life was being sucked out of her, Kanieta felt the urge to do something about it. And when the perfect thought popped into her head, what might have been her brightest smile of the last few days appeared on her face. "I will send a messenger the moment I return to Senator Ponpti's estate to my people to gather examples of our clothing as a cultural exchange to present to you personally. However, that will take months. In the meantime, my attendant was trained as a seamstress by her paternal grandmother when she was a child. While her skills are rusty, she is still proficient enough in the craft to adjust clothes. She won't be able to make an entirely new kimono, but she should be able to alter one of my spares for you."

  "Ahh!" Screeched the smaller woman, leaping forward to wrap her arms around Kanieta again. This time, the foxkin was able to press her arms around the woman before she pulled back again. "You would really do such a thing for me? Oh, we are just going to be the best of friends, I just know it."

  Dancing to the side, the woman grabbed hold of Kanieta's arm, linking them together, then stepped forward, pulling Kanieta along for the ride. "Come, come, let me introduce you to everyone."

  "Ahh, I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but my companions—

  "Oh, don't worry about them." Sniffed the smaller woman while throwing a glance over her shoulder. "Your watchdog is, of course, welcome to follow along, though I doubt he will enjoy our discussion much. However, let the others roam free. I know White would enjoy showing her old friend around, and I'm sure they will come across many interesting novelties at my little soirée." Though there was no inflection in her voice, the noble's arm ever so slightly tightened when she mentioned White and Green exploring.

  Kanieta expected it. They all had agreed it was likely to happen when they discussed the topic of what to anticipate during the evening with Senator Ponpti. While Kanieta probably wouldn't be the guest of honor, she would be very prominent, and it would be nearly impossible for her to slip away when under everyone's scrutiny.

  Especially when all they had to do was look at her ass to figure out she wasn't exactly human or an elf. The same was true for Franklin and Redgenald, though the inquisitor would fall under the categories of wary and infamous rather than the curiosity the nobles showed toward the Kin. Green, well, he was a novelty, but not one people would pay attention to for long. His slipping away with a friend he had been growing closer to of late wouldn't make anyone curious, either.

  Something Kanieta hated. The foxkin felt her hackles rise at the very idea of letting that snake closer to Green. She was trouble, and set everyone of Kanieta's nerves on edge every time she appeared. But all she could do was plaster on a smile and say, "If that is the case, I thank you for your hospitality."

  The woman wearing the bright pink dress waved off the comment with a flick of her hair, then pressed forward with Kanieta, as if they were charging into a battle line. A flurry of names, greetings, and invitations to tea parties and balls that one noble house or another was holding flew into Kanieta's ears and out the other.

  It was all pleasant-sounding words, but Kanieta suspected that no one meant to actually follow through on the invitations. She, at least, didn't mean to. All of the events' dates were in a week or more, conveniently after the senate's hearing in a couple of days. By then, Kanieta expected to either be fleeing back to the north, dodging assassins, or heading southwest for the Great Forest.

  Whatever the outcome, these fleeting connections wouldn't have the time to mature into something solid. Although Kanieta still did her best to make a pleasant impression on everyone, as whoever was sent here after her would have to deal with the framework she had created.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  After more than an hour or two of making idle chatter, Kanieta found herself seated at one of the tables scattered around the edges of the room, a small plate of food in front of her. Floralin had darted off somewhere, and Kanieta had finally gotten the time to make her way over to the buffet table.

  Which was annoyingly slim with its pickings. Kanieta meant that in a literal sense. Between the miniature plates and finger sized grabbing utensils, getting any real amount of food took a serious investment of time and effort. An amount that makes it obvious what you are doing.

  There was no way it wasn't purposeful. Though Kanieta had no idea if it was the norm for all Olimpian parties, or if this was a quirk of Floralin's soirée. Though if one thing was for sure, it was that Franklin held no qualms about packing the biggest container on offer — which was a glass cup meant to hold some fruity drink — and repeatedly going back for seconds and thirds of everything.

  Picking up a fort that an infant could have easily handled, Kanieta sliced off the tip of the chocolate cake with the flat end and scooped it into her mouth. The noise of a chair sliding over the tiled ground sounded next to her, glancing over to see Redgenald taking a seat, a small plate of his own in one hand. "Yes." The reaper flatly said, upon seeing her look at the ceramic dish, which was smaller than his hand.

  "What?" Kanieta asked back in response.

  "The question that you are thinking about. It's a yes. At noble parties, all plates and silverware are small, as are most of the dishes they serve. No noble gathering, outside of the closest friends and family, is really about the food, but the connections that could be formed. The small portions are meant to be eaten in small bites and quickly swallowed so you can continue to socialize at all times, and a reminder not to overeat."

  "That seems… unnecessary." As she took another bite, a slight shiver ran through her body as the rich velvety flavor of chocolate filled her mouth. "And a waste of good food."

  "I doubt it goes to waste. Though even if it does, to the nobles, it performed its purpose as a show of their wealth and how they don't have to concern themselves about such petty matters."

  "I can understand the logic, though I disapprove of the practice. It also points to how your nobles have forgotten their duties, but what really irritates me is that I can't get a good meal while I'm supposed to be at an event serving food. That is simply ridiculous." Redgenald shrugged at the comment, either indifferent or unable to refute it.

  "You are too harsh on us, Lady Kanieta." Said a slick voice from her side. "I admit that some of our traditions may seem a little extreme or absurd to an outsider, but they are rooted in people who spent their whole lives fighting to live. Is it not expected for those who have never known luxury to find themselves indulging in some whims when it becomes available? So long as we can maintain our Republic, a little fun and competition is not a matter of concern."

  Turning to the rude man who was interrupting her meal, the Kin found a middle-aged human wearing the robes of a senator. He was… average-looking. Every aspect of his appearance, from his height to his skin tone and voice, was rather neutral and forgettable. "I do not believe we have made an acquaintance, domine," Kanieta said, her voice chilly.

  "Ahh, you are quite right, my dear. I am Senator Lannios, and I am part of the neutral faction within the senate." His face crinkled in a smile, laugh lines appearing around his eyes as he dipped into a bow at the waist, right hand at his chest, and the other behind his back. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Ambassador."

  "And you as well," Kanieta said, attempting to make her voice as pleasant as possible, though she didn't succeed overly well.

  "Hmm, I feel I have made a poor first impression… Ahh, I know, now that we are acquaintances, and I know you are new to Olimpian high society, feel free to ask me anything. I will do my best to answer it."

  "Oh? Really? Then tell me, why is that group of ladies shunned while everyone else is busy chatting and dancing? And why do those ladies keep shooting hostile looks at Senator Fridgia?"

  The man fidgeted slightly, his eyes darting over to the side of the room, next to a table filled with various kinds of drinks. "Ahh, them." He said, his voice holding a note of pity. "Well, I did promise…" Squaring his shoulders and looking around, the man lowered his voice slightly as he explained, "They are the undesirable women of high society."

  Seeing her uncomprehending look, the man sighed and continued, "Let me give you a bit of back story about noble culture. It is the fate of every high-born mother to wish for strong male children and weak female children in terms of psy, but it so rarely happens. A woman with large reserves of psy, assuming they have an optimal companion, will always produce children weaker than a woman with average psy reserves to a considerable degree. The quirk leaves the strongly gifted ladies in a… delicate position where it is rare that one of equal station wants to marry them. They will usually have to choose between marrying down and living with the shame, or never marry, and attempt to become someone of note based on their own merits, such as a senator."

  He paused for a moment, his head turning to look at Senator Fridgia, who had made an appearance during Kanieta's whirling tour of the party. "The good Senator Fridgia not only managed to find a high noble willing to marry her, but also became a senator. Truly, she is a rarity among women. I know of a few other noble ladies who have made a name for themselves with trade or by serving in the legions, but they are still undesirables and are shunned by their families and other nobles. It is a mark in Lady Meridies' favor that she invited them to her events, but no high noble wishing to become the heir of their house will approach them with genuine intentions of courtship."

  "I see," Kanieta muttered, suddenly looking at the women with pity. And seeing the lady senator's commitment to her husband in a new light.

  "However," The average man said, cutting into her thoughts, "is that really the most pressing question you wanted to ask me? Or is something closer to home… on your mind?"

  "If there was, I hardly think now is the time to bring it up. And I do not believe we know each other well enough for it to matter in the first place."

  "Of course, of course. I was simpl—

  "Kelabert Lannios!" Snapped an irritated voice from behind the man, "Did I just hear you say that some of my guests are undesirables? I thought better of you, now leave me and my friend alone, we have much to talk about in private." Floralin pushed the man to the side, then stepped forward toward the foxkin, as shocked whispers spread around the group.

  The hostess grabbed Kanieta and pulled her up by the arm, forcing her to leave her cake behind. Sighing, Kanieta resigned herself to more idle chatter, but was surprised as she was led into a hallway leading to a small library off to the side of a ballroom.

  As the door clicked shut behind them, the friendly woman turned to face Kanieta, her expression shifting from vapid to serious as she asked, "Now, we don't have much time, so would you like to talk about why you came here?"