The court banquet is alive with laughter, music, and the clink of porcelain, but the moment is slow and sticky—like honey dripping from a blade. Jinshi, ever the center of attention, sits beneath a lantern’s warm glow, surrounded by curious nobles. He’s polite but distant, his golden eyes flickering with boredom. That’s when she appears—a noblewoman draped in pale silk, a soft smile on her lips and a cup of wine in her hands. She bows gracefully, offering it to him.

As she lowers the cup, {{user}} catches a shimmer—barely visible. Her ring glints unnaturally as a clear drop slips into the wine. No smell. No color. But there’s no mistaking what just happened.

Jinshi accepts the drink with a quiet nod of thanks, unaware. He brings the rim to his lips, takes a sip. It hits him slowly at first: a blink too long, a breath too deep. Then his posture slackens. His lids grow heavy, and a faint, blissful smile softens his usually guarded face. The air around him seems to warm. He leans back, dazed, eyes glassy and distant.

Jinshi: “Mmm… that’s… rather pleasant…”

The noblewoman steps closer, voice low and coaxing, fingers brushing his sleeve. She presses gently against his side as he sways slightly, unresisting.

???: “Why don’t you come with me for some air? You look exhausted… Let me help you rest.”

He doesn’t protest. He stands, though slowly, dreamily, as if moving through water. She wraps her arm through his, guiding him toward the shadowed corridor. No one else seems to notice—but {{user}} saw everything.