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[b][Location][/b] Landow, Estren
[b][Time][/b] Sunday, 6:30 AM
[b][Interactions][/b] N/A
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Liza was wandering.

It was an opportunity she rarely had, busy as she usually was. Some envied her position, blissfully unaware of the workload it brought. She flowed between the waves of people gathering around the known Regalia, watching their interactions with a calm smile. The Festival of Lights was a grand event, filled with bustling crowds of people who came to meet them with all sorts of intentions. Her eyes drifted to the scene of a couple begging the Regalia of Ultima for healing.... some were more desperate than others, it seemed. They were rejected, of course, as per the festival’s rules, though the Regalia sent them off rather warmly if one ignored the revulsion he displayed for the husband’s touch. It was doubtful, however, that anyone else was paying such close attention to the young man’s behaviour. It was nothing surprising.

Again, Liza wandered.

More and more Regalia were arriving, and thus the crowd grew ever more compact as most everyone clamoured for their attention, or at least to witness them in the flesh. She nimbly sidestepped any “attempts” to push her aside and put a bit of distance between herself and the rest, keeping away from the notice of the main crowd. The attention that the Regalia received proved once again her choice to remain separate from the others was the correct one to make. It was more of a detriment than anything else, even if she didn’t have a job that required some measure of secrecy. Such was the way of the–

Liza paused in her thoughts, raising a delicate hand to brush across her earring. She stepped further away from the rest of the crowd, moving closer to the outskirts of the festival.

[colour=SlateGray]“[i]Hai?[/i]”[/colour]

A voice came over from the earpiece, high-pitched and almost jittery with worry, [i][colour=lavender]“Usui-sama, where are you? Why aren’t you on your way back?”[/colour][/i]

Liza tilted her head to the side, her eyes scanning the crowd half-heartedly as she answered her junior, [colour=SlateGray]“Just taking a [i]small[/i] stroll in [i]Landow[/i]. Is [i]something[/i] the matter, Shizu-[i]chan[/i]?”[/colour]

[i][colour=lavender]“No, I just–”[/colour][/i] Shizu cut herself off with a sigh, and Liza could just imagine the younger woman running a hand through her dishevelled red hair, as usual. It was a poor habit to foster if one that was rather tame, all things considered. Even still, the importance of decorum could not be understated, so it was a habit she would need to rid herself of nonetheless.

[colour=SlateGray]“You were [i]worried[/i].”[/colour]

It wasn’t a question but merely a simple statement of fact. The sound of something crashing to the floor came over the earpiece and a muffled curse followed it. For a handful of seconds, only a soft shuffling could be heard, but even that stopped in short order.

[colour=SlateGray]“.... Shizu-[i]chan[/i]?”[/colour]

Liza’s smile dimmed slightly when nothing but silence answered her. How odd. Perhaps the line had gotten disconnected? No, the device was still on. The young woman on the other end just wasn’t saying anything anymore.

[i][colour=lavender]“.... did you say you were in Landow? I heard the Festival Lights is happening this time of year. I’ve never actually been to one though. How is it there?”[/colour][/i]

[i]Changing the subject, I see. Very well.[/i]

The deflection was obvious, but Liza chose to simply go along with it. Embarrassing the poor girl any further wouldn’t lead to anything good now. That could wait until later when she was actually present and they were not separated by an entire continent.

[colour=SlateGray]“[i]Hm[/i], it is [i]quite[/i] the [i]spectacle[/i], to be [i]sure[/i]. [i]Regalia[/i] from all over have [i]gathered[/i] in [i]celebration[/i] of a shared [i]vanity[/i].”[/colour] Though her words were somewhat disdainful, her expression was anything but. Liza watched the people bustling about the Regalia and their Dominants’ shrines, some more so than others, with a faint smile. Ultima’s shrine in particular had two Regalia gathered around it, and another individual that wasn’t quite as standout, despite being the centre of their attentions. Over near the harbour, another three conversed amongst themselves. Interesting.

Shizu was a bit thrown off by the description and found herself cringing at her own inquiry. In all honesty, she truly should have expected such a response. Her next question was much in the same vein, though more directed, [i][colour=lavender]“Oh. Um, are you having fun, at least?”[/colour][/i]

Liza was quiet for a moment before giving a reply, [colour=SlateGray]“In a [i]manner[/i] of speaking. [i]I[/i]–”[/colour]

[i]Oh? What is this?[/i]

A sudden shift caught her attention and she tilted her head to the left as if listening for something. Whatever it was eventually led her gaze to the source of the disturbance. A woman with a painted face and a large sword slung across her back. She hadn’t been there when Liza was looking before. Another noteworthy Cetrite, though one not quite as tainted as the first.

[colour=SlateGray]“A [i]stranger[/i] in a [i]strange[/i] place. How.... [i]interesting[/i].”[/colour]

[i][colour=lavender]“What was that?”[/colour] [/i]

Liza’s smile widened ever so slightly, though Shizu couldn’t see it, [colour=SlateGray]“Just an [i]observation[/i].”[/colour]

[i]And then there was one.[/i][/colour]