Time passed.
The first external branch of Lootwell proved itself worthy of the name.
Cecil had done well. Very well.
Lucien reviewed the reports more than once and found himself increasingly satisfied with what the young man had built there through discipline rather than talent alone.
He worked with purpose, listened before deciding, and never treated responsibility like a decorative privilege.
The staff chosen to work in shifts fit the structure well too. They understood that the branch was not a lesser version of Lootwell. It was an extension of it. That meant they carried the same standards outward even if the local rules were lighter than those of the main territory.
Most of the communication devices sold there were civilian-grade.
The branch existed not only to move profit, but to widen reach. It served the people who could not travel to Lootwell itself.
Higher-tier devices existed too, of course, but in controlled numbers.
Those remained limited.
