Secret Mission

Craig stepped briskly out of his private quarters, leaving Arya standing in the quiet room with her flushed, deceitful face.

Master Ea fell into step beside him, his white cloak rustling softly against the cold stone floor as they navigated the grand, vaulted hallways of Heaven's Net Castle toward the Audience Chamber.

Along the corridors, uniformed maids carrying silver basins and heavily armored guards holding halberds immediately halted their duties, pressing themselves against the walls and bowing their heads in crisp, military precision.

"Good morning, Lord Viscount!" they greeted in quiet reverence.

Craig responded with effortless nobility, offering brief nods and warm, sovereign smiles as he passed.

To the staff of Heaven's Net Castle, he was no longer just the young, exiled master who had arrived with a modest retinue.