Zaf, not paying any attention to her frightened look, ate and drank like the last time, not forgetting to squeeze the unfortunate woman along the way, he pinched her now by the thick side, now by the chubby cheek, and whinnied. The rest of the unclean ones also behaved quite noisy and uninhibited, since their table was located almost at the exit.

Karina approached Vitor Kors, who was sitting between Nik and Arel, she smiled. By the middle of the evening, Karina took off her veil, leaving a precious tiara on her head, and even the mask on her face could not hide what kind of elated and joyful mood she was in:

“Father, dance with me,” Karina asked, “I am so grateful to you for everything! You are the best father in the world! Give me one dance.”

Kors smiled at her.

“Better dance with your husband.”

“He's being distracted all the time! Everyone approaches him, congratulates him, starts to say something, to ask. Some endless questions,” answered Karina displeased.

“There’s nothing to be done,” Kors said didactically. “Every victory has a downside, and that’s the price of power. Endless flatterers and sycophants looking for their own benefit. And the opportunity to cling to the strong and…”

“To be honest,” Karina interrupted him, “he also doesn’t dance very well.”

“Okay,” said Kors, smiling a little as he got up from his seat. They went to the middle of the hall, where several couples were already dancing.

Nikto and Arel watched as luxurious Vitor Kors and Karina started dancing, how beautiful they were dancing.

“And now I want to dance with Nik,” Karina said when they finally returned.

“Karina, I can't, I'm sorry,” Nikto answered, “I dance very badly and I will stumble.”

“But you move beautifully when you fight,” she said.

“Yes… but dancing… is a little different. And I learned to fight for a long time, but I didn’t learn to dance. I can dance some very simple peasant dance: I stomped, circled, circled the girl, clapped my hands,” Nik smiled, “but you dance very complex dances.”

“It was a waltz,” said Kors.

“Yes, here, you need to quickly move around the room in a circle, I will stumble, and a couple next to us will fly into us, it will be very embarrassing. Sorry, I don't refuse you on purpose.”

“Why would he dance?” Kors intervened again, “it's all nonsense.”

“But you just danced with me!”

“Just because I cannot refuse you anything! I love you very much, Karina, and you know that very well.”

“I love you too!” she looked up at Arel:

“Well, then Prince Arel, you will not slip away, I remember very well how well you dance.”

“Yes, I was not going to refuse you, Karina,” Arel said.

And they went off to dance.

The servant carefully placed a mint green envelope on the table in front of Kors:

“This is for you, sir,” he bowed politely.

“What is it?” Kors was surprised.

“I don’t know, sir, they just asked me to tell you.”

“Who?”

“This letter was given to me by a lady’s slave, sir.”

“Father! It seems that some red lady wants to meet you,” Karina laughed.

“What?” Kors waved his hand towards the servant. “Good. You are free, you can go.”

He opened the envelope, inside there was a note.

“I am writing to you first, and that already says it all. What else can I add, knowing that now you have the right to punish me with contempt, but…” and then everything in the same spirit.

Kors smiled, amused by this situation, but at the same time flattered that only he was sent a love note:

“So they are not as hammered as they might seem? She won't be executed for this?” He turned to Karina.

“But you won't tell anyone and you won't compromise her?”