When Celine left the Rosalind estate, the last sliver of dark red twilight still lingered on the horizon.
The shops in the northern district were closing one after another, and lanterns had already been hung outside the shabby inns, where a few porters sat by the doors drinking cheap ale.
The closer she got to the city center, the more crowded the streets became.
By the time Celine asked around for directions and arrived at the Broken Wing Tavern, the sky had turned completely dark.
The Broken Wing Tavern was much more refined than Celine had expected.
Although the wooden sign at the entrance depicting a gray bird with broken wings showed its age, the interior showed no signs of neglect.
Warm yellow light spilled from stained-glass chandeliers, illuminating the polished dark wood floors.
Tables and chairs were arranged against the walls, with narrow-necked vases holding fresh flowers on top. The air was a mixture of fruit wine, roasted meat, and spices.
Instead of being packed with tables and chairs, the center of the tavern was deliberately left open as a spacious dance floor.
Young men and women spun to the music, their skirts and coats interweaving under the lights.
The second-floor balcony was also packed with guests. Some raised their glasses in cheers, while others simply leaned over the railing, blowing loud whistles at the dance floor below.
It didn't feel like an ordinary tavern; it was more like an entertainment venue specifically designed for spending money, listening to music, and relaxing.
Word had it that the establishment's backer also hailed from one of Red Kite's old families.
Before the song even ended, the hall had grown so lively that conversation was nearly impossible.
Standing near the entrance, Celine cast her gaze across the dance floor and quickly found the person she was looking for.
Only, her target's current position was slightly different from what she had anticipated.
Nolani was standing right in the middle of the band.
Her long red hair draped loosely over her shoulders, and her cloak had been tossed onto a nearby chair.
Holding a reddish-brown lute in her arms, her fingers plucked the strings rapidly as her body swayed gently to the rhythm.
Judging by her outfit, which clashed completely with those of the surrounding musicians, she had clearly joined in of her own accord.
As the music reached its crescendo, Nolani suddenly stepped onto a wooden crate in front of her, sweeping her fingers forcefully across the strings.
The melody surged, and a cheer instantly erupted from the dance floor.
Without a hint of stage fright, she raised her chin in response to the surrounding applause and played even more vigorously.
The guests on the dance floor were swept up by her energy, quickening their steps to the beat. Skirts, cups, and raised arms swayed continuously under the lights, as she single-handedly drove the entire tavern into a frenzy.
Celine lingered by the door, hesitant to enter.
The lively scene before her made her feel a bit dazed, as if she had accidentally wandered into some themed rave.
Just then, the excited Nolani looked up and spotted Celine standing at the entrance, debating whether to step inside.
The elf's eyes immediately lit up.
The melody in her hands didn't stop; instead, she sped up the tempo by a few beats. She then shoved the lute into the arms of a nearby musician and leaped down from the crate, moving to the beat of the drums.
Upon catching the instrument, the musician seamlessly picked up the tune without missing a beat.
Nolani wove through the crowd and came straight to Celine.
“You're late!” she practically shouted over the deafening music.
“What did you say?!”
Before Celine could catch her words, Nolani grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her straight onto the dance floor.
It all happened so fast that a completely unprepared Celine nearly collided with a spinning couple nearby.
She stabilized herself and instinctively tried to pull her hand back.
“Wait.”
But Nolani gripped her tighter, using the momentum to spin her through a half-turn.
“What are you doing?!” Celine yelled.
“Dancing!”
The elf said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Celine knew it was dancing.
The problem was, she didn't know how!
Let alone in front of so many people.
“I'm not dancing.” She tried to back off, but Nolani blocked her path with another spin.
“You're already out here.”
“Only because you dragged me!”
“Oh, don't be so stiff. You've had a sour face since you walked in. If you keep this up, people will think you're here to arrest a fugitive.”
Celine wanted to retort, but realized the elf wasn't entirely wrong.
Since entering the Red Kite City-States, her mind hadn't had a single moment of peace.
Now that she thought about it, she really hadn't done anything purely for the sake of it in a very long time.
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Nolani tightened her grip and guided her into the next beat.
“It's just one song,” Nolani said, stepping backward while holding her hand. “The sky won't fall.”
Celine was forced to follow, her foot slipping as she nearly stepped on Nolani's boots.
Nolani pulled her foot back just in time, but showed no intention of giving up.
Looking at Celine's clumsy and cautious movements, she suddenly felt that this person wasn't as unapproachable as she seemed.
Nolani reached out to lift Celine's chin, smiling brightly.
“Stop staring at the floor. Dancing is about following your heart.”
Celine expressionlessly allowed herself to be pulled back into the rhythm, while seriously debating whether turning around and walking away right now would be more embarrassing than continuing to dance.
The surrounding crowd had already noticed them.
Some cheered loudly, while others raised their cups, watching with anticipation this impromptu performance introduced by the elf.
Given the circumstances, Celine was afraid it was too late to leave anyway.
“Follow my lead.”
Nolani held her hand, her eyes shining with excitement.
The song entered its final segment, the drumbeats growing faster and faster.
She suddenly stepped back, pulling Celine toward her with a sudden tug.
Forced to step forward, Celine's body adjusted instinctively, completely guided by Nolani's momentum.
A spin, a side-step, a cross.
This time, she actually didn't miss a beat.
A flicker of pleasant surprise flashed in Nolani's eyes. Instantly seizing the opportunity, she spun Celine through two consecutive turns.
The skirts of the surrounding dancers blurred past.
Before Celine could figure out the next move, Nolani took her hand and pressed it against her own waist.
Nolani hooked one arm around Celine's neck and leaned back, relying on her for support as her red hair cascaded past her shoulder.
Celine instinctively supported her waist. At that exact moment, the music stopped abruptly, freezing the two in the center of the dance floor in a pose that looked perfectly rehearsed.
After a brief silence, the entire tavern erupted into wild cheers.
Someone on the second floor blew a loud whistle, guests near the dance floor slammed their tables, and even the mercenaries who had been sitting and drinking raised their mugs, shouting their approval.
Nolani thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. Releasing Celine, she lifted an imaginary skirt and performed a perfect bow to the crowd.
The applause grew even louder.
She was about to turn and bow in another direction when Celine grabbed her wrist and dragged her straight out of the cheering crowd.
“Hey, I haven't—”
“You've bowed enough.”
Without looking back, Celine pulled her through the crowd and headed straight for a newly vacated table in the corner.
With people still raising their glasses to them, Celine could only force a fake smile to prove she hadn't been "dragged" into this.
Celine pushed the elf into a seat and sat down opposite her.
Only when the crowd's attention shifted back to the band and the dance floor did she finally breathe a sigh of relief, reaching up to straighten her disheveled collar.
Still wanting more, Nolani ordered two glasses of fruit wine and smiled at the slightly disgruntled woman across from her.
“I didn't expect you to be such a good dancer.”
Celine, still feeling a bit dizzy, grumbled, “I only came here to talk business.”
“We can still talk after dancing.”
Nolani took the freshly served fruit wine and took a satisfyingly large gulp.
Celine stared at the suspiciously green liquid in front of her, leaving it untouched for the moment as she asked irritably:
“Following this logic, do I need to prepare a performance in advance for our next meeting?”
Nolani actually gave it serious thought, looking at her.
“What kind of performance would you do?”
Celine fell silent for two seconds before replying solemnly:
“A live demonstration of instant amnesia, forgetting I ever met you.”
Nolani blanked for a second, then burst into laughter, nearly choking on her drink.
Celine pushed her fruit wine aside with a deadpan expression.
“Now that we've danced and drank...”
“Can we get down to business?”
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