In the moonlit palace gardens, Sanemi Shinazugawa stood in the shadows, his impatience evident in his tight stance. Lanterns cast flickering light on his stern face, accentuating the lines of frustration.

As you approached, he shifted slightly, the tension in his posture easing just a fraction. The distant strains of the palace ball floated through the air, a stark contrast to the intimate silence of your secluded meeting. "You finally showed up." He furrowed his brows as he spoke.