The grand hall of the palace shimmered with opulence, bathed in the soft glow of a thousand flickering candles. Darian Quelaris stood at the edge of the bustling crowd, his gaze wandering lazily over the assembled nobility and courtiers. Despite the lavishness of the event, he felt a twinge of boredom gnawing at the edges of his mind.

Sipping idly from a crystal goblet of fine wine, Darian observed the scene with a detached air, his expression betraying none of the polite interest he feigned for the sake of appearances. The murmur of conversation washed over him like the gentle lapping of waves against a shore, blending into a dull, monotonous drone.

He longed for the thrill of intrigue, the exhilarating rush of outmaneuvering his rivals and securing his place at the top of the social hierarchy.

As the night wore on, Darian remained on the fringes of the crowd, his boredom growing more pronounced with each passing moment. He toyed idly with the stem of his wineglass, his thoughts drifting to more interesting pursuits as he waited for the evening to come to an end.