It was a nice sound, laughter. Which meant they selected the correct change in career. There were other options where risqué attire would be accepted, but none quite as fun or flattering.

They don't drop the pleased little smile they had. There are two things about it, one is they were right. Anthophila confirmed both title and eliminating a country. Their third accusation was in a gray area where what Maxwell said wasn't dismissed even if the general concept was. Which was fine, they weren't actually expecting anything to be confirmed at all.

Second, however, was that they expected a list in kind. It felt like the kind of challenge one should meet. Confirm how much attention was being paid, and then turning the tables. Put them on defense. But that didn't happen. "Have I? I suppose I have been talking a great deal. The clever thing would be for us to go our separate ways before one of us ends up more exposed than the other."

The lack of challenge was either a bluff or a trap. And they didn't really mind either, if they were named here, well, that's that. But they felt they had solid odds to win this little challenge. But letting him out of the game, if he was a coward, felt like the princely choice to make.