Lenor walked down the corridor. Everything felt wrong. The king's death, the sudden fainting of an unfamiliar girl... It couldn't be just a coincidence.
The door to the office slammed shut as he entered. A few influential figures of the guild were already waiting. Naira stood by the wall, her arms crossed over her chest, watching everything. Her gaze was cold and focused, and she gave Lenor a brief nod, signaling him to begin.
— "This is not just a change of power," Lenor immediately spoke, leaning his hands on the table. "This is a killing blow to the very heart of political stability. We must act quickly."
— "The king was old," grumbled one of the guild veterans. "Maybe it really was a natural death?"
Lenor slowly turned his head toward him. His gaze was icy.
— "If you believe that, then I've wasted my time bringing you here."
A silence fell over the room. He shifted his gaze to the map in front of him, thoughtfully tracing his fingers along the edge of the kingdom, which now had a new ruler.
His thoughts were interrupted by an unpleasant feeling. The girl. Her reaction to the news had been too sharp. Too emotional for a simple townsfolk. Who was she? Why did this news make her faint? He couldn't afford to let such a detail slip unnoticed.
If she truly had a connection to the royal court... This complicated the situation.
But for now, he said nothing about it.
— "We move immediately," he continued. "Lurk is heading to the kingdom's capital. We need every possible detail. Did the king have an enemy? Are there those who doubt the legitimacy of the new ruler? I want to know who supports him, who is against him, and who is uncertain."
Naira nodded but did not speak aloud. She already understood everything. Lenor didn't like repeating himself.
— "Furthermore," he again focused on the map, "we cannot rule out the possibility that the death was planned. Poison? An assassination attempt? We need information."
— "Fine," grumbled one of the veterans. "But if this was really murder, who could have done it? The new king? He was his brother's right hand..."
— "That's exactly why he's the perfect suspect," Lenor cut him off coldly. "Who else could have been close enough to pull it off without making a sound?"
Naira slowly exhaled, her eyes gleaming in the dim light of the office.
— "If he really eliminated his brother, then he has allies," she said quietly. "And that means more bloodshed is coming soon."
Lenor tapped his fingers on the map, as if solidifying his thoughts.
— "Exactly. And if we don't figure out who is behind this now, we might be the next target."
The room was engulfed in a heavy silence. Everyone understood what Lenor had just said. They were now on the edge of an abyss. But there was no retreat.
— "Understood," Naira nodded briefly. "I'll take care of it."
Lenor turned his head toward the window, watching the darkness outside. His intuition screamed that they had missed a detail. Something else was there... But what?
"That girl... I need to talk to her."
He didn't know who she was, but he felt that she could be the key to this game. And he had to uncover her secret before anyone else.
Meanwhile, Kano's team, the following day, arrived at a small village nestled among forested hills. Stone houses with wooden roofs huddled together, and the air was thick with the scent of freshly baked bread and damp earth. A small group of villagers threw curious glances at the armed travelers, but no one spoke first.
Terron, self-appointed leader, approached one of the locals and, wasting no time, asked,
— "We're looking for a place to stay. Who's in charge here?"
The villager, a thin man with sharp features, nodded toward a massive building in the central square.
— "The village head. You'll want to go there."
The group made their way toward the indicated direction, stepping onto the creaky wooden boards of the porch. The village head, a man in his fifties with a mustache sticking out in all directions, greeted them in a spacious room with a large oak table.
— "Travelers, huh?" He scrutinized each of them. "Got money?"
Gelbrik silently pulled out a few silver coins and tossed them on the table. The village head quickly counted them, then nodded.
— "There are two small houses. They may be small, but they'll be enough for you."
Kano glanced at his group. Two houses? There were six of them. This was bad.
Stepping outside, they made their way to the sleeping quarters. The two tiny wooden houses stood side by side, weathered but still sturdy enough.
— "I'll sleep here," Terron immediately declared, throwing his backpack into the first house. — "Gelbrik's with me."
Kano sighed. Of course.
— "Shayla and I will take the other one," Lianel remarked, already opening the door to the second house.
Before Kano could even say a word, the door slammed shut in his face.
Rungard, who had been silent up to that point, suddenly coughed and addressed the warriors.
— "What about me?"
Terron just shrugged.
— "You're small. You'll fit somewhere."
— "Well, good," the dwarf quickly darted into the warriors' house, slamming the door behind him.
Kano was left alone.
He stared at the closed door, then shifted his gaze to the night sky, took a deep breath, and...
— "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
From the girls' house, muffled giggles echoed. Moments later, the door cracked open slightly, and Lianel peeked out with a sly smile.
— "Maybe you'd like to join us?" Her voice was overly sweet. — "You've already seen me without clothes, so why not continue the acquaintance?"
Shayla, standing behind her with her arms crossed, also smiled.
— "Yes, Kano, I'm curious if you warm up well."
Kano turned bright red.
— "N-no! Thanks, I... I'd rather..."
The door slammed shut again, and muffled laughter came from inside.
Kano stood there for a moment, staring at the neglected clearing. He scanned it, looking for anything that could pass as a decent place to sleep.
— "Great. Just great," he muttered, beginning to craft a makeshift tent with branches and a cloak he had found among the few things they had packed.
His new life in this world was full of pleasant "surprises"...
Night settled over the village with a heavy, cool blanket. Cold starlight spilled from the sky, and a soft breeze stirred the trees, making them whisper their secrets. Kano sat by the fire he had built, watching the logs slowly burn down. His improvised "tent" was made of a few branches leaning against the girls' house and his cloak stretched over the top.
— "This isn't even a tent... it's a joke," he muttered again, glancing over at the houses where his comrades were undoubtedly enjoying warmth and comfort.
Suddenly, the door to the girls' house creaked open again, and Lianel peeked out, her eyes shining in the firelight.
— "Oh, you're still awake?" she whispered, tilting her head.
— "Seriously? You think I can sleep after all that?" Kano shot her an angry glance, though there was no real indignation in his voice.
Lianel smiled again, and without saying another word, she threw something at him. Kano reflexively caught it. It was a small flask.
— "Hot tea. Don't thank me," she said with a barely noticeable smile.
Kano stared at her, then at the flask, then sighed as he twisted the cap off. The scent of herbs instantly filled the air, warming him from the inside before he even took his first sip.
— "At least someone here has a conscience," he muttered.
— "Oh, don't exaggerate. I just don't want you to die of a cold tomorrow," Lianel winked and closed the door.
Kano stood for a few more seconds staring at the door, then looked up at the stars again.
— "Well... we'll survive the night..."
He took another sip of the warm drink, feeling the heat spread through his body. Maybe this world wasn't so bad after all. Even if right now he was sleeping on the ground...