Essentially, this is a court ball; rather than simply indulging in food and drink, making friends here is the real highlight. The true rulers of Old Dunling taste fine wines behind the curtains, while their offspring, the future masters of Old Dunling, mingle in the dance floor, meeting those who will rule alongside them in the future.
That is the real world of nobility, a threshold ordinary people cannot reach in a lifetime; even to hear of it is considered an honor.
Lorenzo breathed steadily, making an effort to keep his movements small. The evening suit was a size too small, and wearing it felt like being stuffed into a sack. Perhaps if Lorenzo exerted himself, he might tear it apart like a beast.
With the servants' dressing, he appeared years younger, his skin as white as mutton fat, his unruly hair neatly combed. For a moment while looking in the mirror, Lorenzo even thought he could pass as someone's lover.
