Truthfully, I feel as though those dances have somewhat fallen out of fashion. And yet tradition would have it that the elite will stubbornly attempt to preserve such customs anyway.

[ Perhaps Alphinaud had once believed so staunchly in such things; he'd been raised to believe it, after all, and the pressure of upholding the Leveilleur reputation had aided in his beliefs. He'd wanted to do his family proud, and impressing his father in particular has always been something of a feat.

But now ... after seeing more than one world and experiencing the life and struggles of the peoples within them, witnessing the decay and corruption within Eulmore, those elitist values seem so trivial. Most people are trying to get by from day to day, and such simple joys are more than enough for them. To think that the right or wrong dance steps could topple diplomatic relations between members of the Forum seems downright ridiculous.

He very nearly reaches out for one of the bubbly glasses, still deep in thought, when the Exarch interrupts both the automation of his action and the bartender's completion of his directive.

It all happens so fast. ]

A — what?