Construction crews worked in disciplined rows, raising new timber frames and laying fresh stone where homes had once been reduced to rubble. The rhythmic sounds of hammering and sawing filled the air, a stark contrast to the chaos that had come before.
A few blocks away, inside the Adventurer Guild's office, Vel and Shin were carrying on with their usual routine.
Vel glanced through the window. "Lord Halric certainly doesn't waste any time."
Shin stood nearby, his expression as calm and composed as ever. "He's handling this swiftly to avoid unrest. If the citizens see a prolonged delay, it could cause more problems than just the damage from the monsters."
Vel shrugged nonchalantly. "Still, it's impressive. Even with the resources of the nobles, not many could mobilize this quickly after something like this."
Shin nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Lord Halric is moving fast to prevent certain nobles from exploiting the situation."
Vel leaned back against the table. "Good. Let them deal with their games. We've got enough on our plate as it is."
Vel reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small pastry, taking a satisfied bite.
Just then, Shin cleared his throat sharply. He set down his quill, pulled a notepad from his sleeve, and flipped it open.
"Vel-sama," Shin began, his voice as crisp as ever, "about today's schedule…"
Vel raised an eyebrow, slumping further into his chair with a tired sigh. "Do we really have to go through this again? Can't we skip a few of these things?"
Shin's sharp gaze didn't flicker. "I'm afraid not. First, you'll need to meet with Darius. He's been requesting a discussion about the finances for this quarter."
Vel rubbed his temples. "Finances… how exciting."
Shin continued without pause. "After that, you have a meeting with the cafeteria manager. He's looking to discuss some issues regarding food rationing."
Vel perked up a little. "The cafeteria, huh?"
Shin checked his notepad. "After the cafeteria, we need to finalize the report on the recent incident. The report for Lord Halric has to be ready."
"Paperwork…" Vel muttered under his breath. "Anything else?"
Shin didn't flinch. He simply turned to the next page of his notepad. "Lastly, there's the follow-up investigation. You'll need to meet with Garret, Darius, and the three clan masters. We need to act fast before the cause of these disturbances spreads."
Vel scratched his head. "That's quite a bit for one day. Alright, the cafeteria sounds like a decent first stop."
Shin gave a small nod. "Understood." starts noting things down in his notepad.
Before moving, Vel hesitated for a moment, Then he glanced at Shin. "Anything new from Marina Port City?"
Shin shook his head slightly. "Nothing beyond the last letter you replied to. No new developments."
Vel let out a small sigh, brushing crumbs from his coat.
Clearly not thrilled about the busy day ahead.
Vel rose reluctantly while Shin tucked away his notepad and headed for the door.
Together, they departed the Guild office.
Scene shift: Prison Cell.
The Prison beneath Lord Halric's mansion reeked of blood, sweat, and the slow decay of broken bodies. The low groan of pain echoed faintly between the stone walls, drowned out now and then by the sharp crack of wood meeting flesh.
In each of the three iron-barred cells, two soldiers stood, soaked in sweat and the blood of the prisoners they'd been working for days. They held thick wooden rods, swinging with grim precision at the chained captives, two men and one woman.
The prisoners hung limply from their bindings, clothed in little more than thin, ragged strips of cloth that barely covered their modesty. Their bodies were painted with bruises, dried blood, and fresh welts from hours of beatings. Flies buzzed nearby, attracted to the open wounds.
In the far cell, one of the soldiers leaned on his rod and exhaled sharply. "How the hell are they still alive?"
The other scoffed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Barely. We've been at this for four days. No food, no sleep. I'm surprised their hearts haven't given out yet."
The first nodded grimly. "Doesn't matter. They're stubborn, I'll give them that."
Footsteps echoed from the stairwell, slow and deliberate.
The two soldiers straightened immediately.
General Vahn Dros emerged from the shadows, his black military cloak billowing slightly with his descent. The torches flickered across his cold, angular features, casting hard lines across his face as he stepped into view.
He came to a halt before the cells.
"Report," he said curtly.
One of the guards outside the first cell stepped forward and saluted. "General. We've continued interrogation around the clock. Four days now. Not a word from any of them. They've gone three days without food or rest. If we push any further… they might die."
Vahn's lips curled downward in annoyance. "Then perhaps it's time we take something from them they won't get back."
He turned toward the first cell, his eyes locking onto the female prisoner who barely stirred at his presence.
"Start Cutting off her limbs," he ordered flatly.
The soldiers inside the cell moved swiftly. Chains clinked as they lowered the woman to the floor. She groaned, barely able to struggle. Her face was swollen, one eye shut completely, her lip split. The two soldiers pinned her down as one fetched a short, heavy axe.
She managed to croak a broken, hoarse plea. "No…"
The axe came down with a sickening crunch.
Blood sprayed violently across the stone floor, coating the walls and the soldiers' boots. Her scream—raw and shrill—rattled down the hallway like a dying animal's cry.
In the second cell, the male prisoner flinched violently, eyes wide with horror. He thrashed around shouting, his whole body trembling.
"W-Wait! I'll talk! Please, I'll tell you everything!"
General Vahn turned his head, slowly.
"Oh?" He stepped closer, a smirk playing on his lips. "Then speak."
He tilted his head, voice turning sharp.
"Quickly." He leaned closer to the bars, his voice low but menacing. "Because if you don't, more limbs will be flying."
The terrified man stammered, his voice cracking under fear as he began to talk.
Vahn folded his arms, watching him with cold satisfaction.