"Smooth," Elowen whispered, almost as if she were hesitant to break the hush that had fallen over the group. The breathy quality of her voice revealed her genuine surprise. She lifted her wrist to her nose and inhaled, eyes fluttering shut in a mont of pure delight. "And it slls like herbs and citrus. You could weaponize charm with this," she added, her tone half-amused, half-impressed.
Estella responded with an understated smile. Her entire deanor exuded a poised confidence that ca from having anticipated exactly this reaction. Perhaps she'd rehearsed it in the privacy of her chamber, or perhaps she simply understood her queen better than most gave her credit for. She reached into the slim leather folder she held with her other hand, carefully unrolling it on a nearby marble bench.
From within, a neatly arranged set of sleek glass containers and ornate boxes caught the light: Dewkiss Blush, Arcane Liner, and Starshade Lip Tint—each labeled in a precise calligraphy that hinted at both luxury and ticulous craftsmanship.
"We have more," Estella explained. Her voice was asured, but there was an underlying excitent that betrayed her pride. She touched each item in turn as she spoke. "Dewkiss Blush here, of course, alongside the Arcane Liner and Starshade Lip Tint. I only used a fraction of the ingredient samples we had set aside, primarily for testing in magically charged conditions. The results were excellent, beyond even my initial projections."
Elowen straightened, setting the mirror down montarily so she could give the products her full attention. A flicker of admiration sparked in her gaze, layered with a calculating awareness. Mikhailis recognized that look—she was assessing both the potential and the significance of what lay before her. She drew in a slight breath as she read the labels again.
"And your plan?" she inquired. The queen's tone carried the crisp authority of royalty but lacked any harshness.
Estella inclined her head respectfully. "We want to enter the Festival Market Showcase, demonstrate these prototypes to the public, and gather preliminary feedback before we commit to larger-scale production. We need to see how they hold up under the unpredictability of the crowd's magical energies—and also asure raw market appeal."
Elowen's eyes glimred. "Do you already have a booth registered?" she asked, evidently intrigued that Estella and Mikhailis had thought so far ahead.
Estella's lips curved ever so slightly. "Under the Silvarion Pavilion license," she replied, her gaze flicking montarily to Mikhailis with a hint of conspiratorial amusent.
Mikhailis, who had been transfixed by the interplay of light across those glass containers, suddenly blinked. The ntion of licensing snapped him back into the conversation. "Wait," he murmured, brow furrowing. "Since when did we approve that?"
Before Estella could respond, Rodion's voice cut in with a tone of exasperated efficiency that Mikhailis had co to both rely on and resent.
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