Carl's planning notes lay out the elf castle's confusing structure and the Masquerade ballroom's unusual rules: the queen's quarters are difficult to reach, some objects exist across multiple linked rooms, and Donut can only use limited magic onstage unless broader magic access is restored. After Imogen's warning about Apito's peace seal, Carl tells the group the original attack plan is dead. They will attend the party, avoid making the first violent move, and stay ready to react if fighting starts anyway.

At the castle's freight entrance, Carl studies the white wooden "Sugar Cube" and reflects on its hidden levels, basement caves, and the hope that Signet has already slipped inside to wait in the dungeon. When a guard bars Pearson the changeling from entering by order of the queen, Carl quietly redirects Pearson to the caves and tells Pearson to stick to the plan. Donut then clashes with the staff over caging her animals, but Carl helps turn the argument into an advantage when Kibben the stablemancer agrees to move Donut's dinosaurs to the other holding area, away from Tserendolgor's dangerous pet.

Once Carl's group enters Ballroom A, the system immediately mutes spellcasting, blocks inventory access, and warns that any violence will break the seal and banish the offender to the Nothing. Carl also learns that once the host arrives, the party chambers will be sealed from outside influence, meaning the queen herself will be trapped inside until the party ends or the seal breaks. Because that undermines the distraction plan, Carl switches the team to escape plan C: Donut will use Hole to drop everyone to the third floor, and they will fight their way out if necessary. After light security checks, Carl uses the changing area to leave dinosaur-repellent and half-splat potions for allies, preparing them for a fast, chaotic escape.

Inside the ballroom, Carl takes in the grand stage, the linked buffet setup, and the surreal ceiling mosaic of dreaming Scolopendra wrapped around a white tree. He spots Chaco behind the prize counter, then Donut excitedly reunites with her sponsor, who reveals that she is now Empress D'Nadia and is serving as a judge for the talent show and pet contest. As more crawlers arrive, Donut and Prepotente head backstage, while D'Nadia needles Carl about his legal maneuvering and failed buy-in. Meanwhile, Katia reports from the security line that Eva and Lucia Mar are present and that Eva has stolen the staged potions from the dressing room, forcing Carl to tell the team to redistribute supplies later if inventory access returns.

The situation sharpens when Vrah enters the ballroom from the hunters' side, followed by other hunters, and the warning light flashes to show both linked rooms are now active. D'Nadia openly anticipates the coming conflict. Recognizing that the opposing side is finally in place, Carl sends orders to Bomo, Sledge, and Britney to start the next phase and to get the changelings moving, advancing the plan outside the ballroom even as everyone inside remains bound by the seal.