"I am fine," I said. "Truly."
Maribel studied me another second, as if weighing whether to argue, then finally sighed and sat back down.
The tension didn't vanish completely, but it loosened.
Which meant the conversation could move to safer territory.
I sat down too.
"If that is settled," I said slowly, "I would like to host a tea party. It has been some time since I associated with the other noble ladies."
Nero perked up immediately.
[Social event arc detected. Probability of drama: extremely high. I approve.]
Maribel's expression did something complicated.
"Well," she said carefully, "that is not possible."
I blinked. "Why."
She exchanged a look with Liora, the kind that suggested shared responsibility for delivering inconvenient information.
"We did not send invitations in advance," Maribel said. "And several of the ladies… have been suspended from attending royal social gatherings."
There was a pause.
Realization arrived.
Slow. Inevitable.
