◼ Scene — Royal War Chamber of Lancelot
A long stone table stretched across the center, covered in layered maps—old borders, new markings, scratched lines indicating troop movements, supply routes, and territories that were no longer fully under Lancelot's control.
Candles burned low.
Not for atmosphere.
But because no one had the patience to replace them.
King Austerius Reinhart stood at the center, one hand resting lightly on the table, but the pressure beneath it was enough to crack stone if released. His eyes weren't scanning the map like a ruler searching for answers.
They were fixed.
On one location.
Seuroda.
Otto stood beside him, straight-backed and unmoving, like a man who had already calculated every possible outcome and found none of them acceptable. Across the table stood Richard Leonhart, armor still worn not out of necessity but habit, the kind of man who did not remove his readiness even in rooms meant for discussion.
Princess Lily stood slightly behind the King, not hidden, not secondary, but observing with a quiet intensity that made it clear she was not here to simply listen but to understand
And then there was Will.
Will stood at the far edge of the room, leaning casually against one of the stone pillars, his sleeves pushed up unevenly as always-one higher than the other, like even his clothes had given up trying to maintain discipline around him. His posture lacked any sense of urgency, his expression somewhere between boredom and mild curiosity, as if he were watching a play he hadn't decided whether he liked yet.
…Three years," Otto began, his voice steady, but not cold-measured in a way that suggested each word had already been weighed before being allowed to exist.
"For three years, we have been witnessing irregularities that, at the time, appeared insignificant on their own-delayed grain shipments that could be blamed on weather, missing caravans that could be dismissed as bandit activity, and supply lines that arrived late enough to create tension, but never late enough to raise immediate suspicion."
Will didn't look up, but one of his eyebrows lifted slightly as he scratched the back of his head lazily.
"So basically," he said in a tone far too casual for the room, "someone's been starving us… but doing it in a way that doesn't make us angry, just uncomfortable enough to slowly lose our minds."
No one laughed.
Not because it wasn't accurate.
But because it was.
Otto turned his gaze toward Will, annyoningly but also acknowledging.
"Yes."
The simplicity of that answer lingered longer than any complex explanation could have.
Will finally pushed himself off the pillar, straightening just enough to show he was paying attention now, though his hands slipped into his sleeves again, fingers hidden as if he preferred not to fully commit to anything, even standing properly.
"…That's actually terrifying," he muttered, this time quieter, less playful, though the edge of humor never completely left him. "Not the starving part—that's bad, obviously, but kingdoms survive bad things… what they don't survive is someone controlling when those bad things start to matter."
Richard stepped forward then, his voice carrying a grounded heaviness, the kind that came from a man who understood war not as theory, but as reality.
"The Transport Minister."
The words didn't echo.
They sank into the room.
"The man responsible for overseeing every logistical movement within Lancelot—food, water, military supplies, civilian trade routes—has been altering them."
Will tilted his head slightly, his expression shifting into something more focused, though still wrapped in that careless demeanor.
"…Altering how?" he asked, curiously
Otto stepped closer to the table, unrolling a large parchment that revealed overlapping routes, lines drawn so precisely that at first glance they looked identical, but upon closer inspection…
They weren't.
"Not by destroying them," Otto said, his finger tracing the slight deviations, "not by blocking them, and certainly not by stealing from them."
He paused.
"…By adjusting them."
The difference between the original and altered routes was minimal.
A delay of a few days.
A slight detour.
A redistribution that looked logical on paper.
But when viewed together…
It formed a pattern.
A pattern that slowly choked the kingdom.
A village receiving food three days later than expected would not revolt.
A region experiencing repeated delays over months…
Would.
Will let out a low whistle, shaking his head slowly.
"…That's not sabotage," he said, his tone almost impressed despite himself, "that's… psychological warfare disguised as logistics."
Otto didn't deny it.
Because that was exactly what it was.
Lily stepped forward then, her voice calm but firm, cutting through the weight of the room with clarity rather than force.
"This isn't internal ambition," she said, her eyes moving across the map, analyzing rather than reacting. "No minister risks this level of long-term manipulation without backing, without a system that ensures he won't be exposed before the damage is complete."
Otto nodded once, already expecting that conclusion.
A second document was placed on the table—this one fragmented, partially decoded, its contents broken into incomplete phrases and symbols.
"We intercepted this two nights ago," Otto said. "Most of it is unusable, but one name appeared repeatedly."
Richard spoke it.
"…Eugor Tully."
The name didn't feel like a person.
It felt like something that had already decided the outcome of a war no one had officially started yet.
Will frowned slightly, rolling the name in his head before speaking.
"…That sounds like someone who doesn't fight battles," he said slowly, "but somehow wins them anyway."
Otto's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Correct."
He stepped closer.
"Kaelthrone is not ruled by a single king. Instead, it is governed by twelve individuals known as the Twelve Minds—strategists who do not lead armies, but design wars before they begin."
Will let out a small, almost amused breath.
"…Of course they do," he muttered, shaking his head. "Why have one problem when you can have twelve extremely intelligent ones working together."
But even he didn't joke beyond that.
Because something about it—
Was wrong.
"And Daniel Ovenheim…" Otto continued, his voice lowering slightly, "…is connected to him."
That name changed the room atmosphere
Lily's posture shifted ever so slightly, her focus sharpening.
"You found him?"
"In Seuroda."
Will blinked once, then twice, before slowly straightening.
"…Wait," he said, rubbing his temple as if pulling something from memory, "don't tell me this is the same guy from three years ago—the one who walked out of a fully secured perimeter like he had somewhere better to be?"
Richard answered.
"Yes."
And suddenly—
Will wasn't leaning anymore.
"…That's not good," he said quietly, the humor gone just enough to matter. "That's really not good."
Otto moved back to the map, pressing his hand firmly over Seurota.
"This city is the western artery of Lancelot. Every major supply line passes through or near it before reaching our border defenses."
Lily spoke without hesitation.
"If we lose Seuroda…"
Richard finished.
"…we lose the west without a fight."
Will exhaled slowly, his hands slipping deeper into his sleeves.
…So instead of attacking us directly," he said, his voice returning to that strange mix of casual and sharp, "they're just cutting off our ability to stand first, and letting us collapse on our own."
Otto nodded.
"Yes."
Then the final truth.
"Daniel Ovenheim is the bridge between our internal betrayal and Kaelthrone's external control."
Silence.
King finally spoke.
"Then he should be captured alive.
Will immediately shook his head, stepping forward now, his usual laziness replaced with something more grounded.
"No."
The room stilled.
"This man disappears for three years, reappears exactly when our internal traitor is exposed, positions himself in the most strategically critical city in the west, and you're telling me we're going to walk in there and just… take him?"
Otto didn't argue.
"…Yes."
Will let out a short laugh, running a hand through his hair.
"…That's not a mission," he said, his voice low now, "that's us walking into something that's already been prepared for us."
Lily stepped forward.
"Then I will go."
Otto turned instantly.
replied No my lady you ...
Lily didn't step back.
"I am the Seventh Princess of Lancelot," she said, her voice steady but carrying a quiet fire that didn't need volume to be felt. "My brothers and sisters are not present. If the west falls now, we lose more than territory—we lose time, control, and trust."
Otto's tone hardened.
"You are not going."
She turned.
Looked at Will.
get closer and asked can i come will you willy
in a very soft manner
will wanted to say no its dangerous and i want to keep you safe but the way she gets closer to him and asks like a child please hey ....
she unconciousely hits will's weakness as he just blushes and she nodded please please
Will froze for just a second, his usual words failing him in a way that nothing else in that room had managed to do.
He looked away almost immediately, scratching the back of his neck, sleeves slipping again as he tried to regain his usual composure.
"…You really know how to ask in the worst possible way," he muttered under his breath, avoiding her eyes completely.
Otto stepped forward.
"No. This is not—"
"I'll go," Will said suddenly, still not looking at her.
Silence.
Otto's voice sharpened.
"Will—"
"I said I'll go," he repeated, this time quieter, but firmer, finally glancing up for just a moment before immediately looking away again. "…If she's going, I'm not letting her walk into that place alone."
Lily smiled slightly.
Not victorious.
But relieved.
At that moment, another voice entered.
Christian Cole.
One of the army chiefs.
Calm, composed, and far too experienced to ignore what was unfolding.
"The boy is right," he said, stepping forward. "If this is a trap, then sending someone who understands unpredictability may be our only advantage."
Richard looked at his son for a long moment.
Then nodded once.
"…Then it's decided."
Will sighed deeply, rolling his shoulders as if he had just accepted something incredibly inconvenient.
"…This is how bad decisions start," he muttered, slipping his hands back into his sleeves, already returning to his usual demeanor. "First it's 'we'll just go check,' then it's 'oh look, we're surrounded,' and then suddenly I'm the only one with a plan."
He glanced at Lily.
Then away again.
"…Let's just hope I'm wrong."
Far away—
Beyond the mountains.
Beyond Seuroda.
Beyond even Kaelthrone—
A man sat in silence just watching without reacting
Because he didn't need to.
The moment this decision was made—
The outcome had already begun moving toward him.
THE WINGS THAT CARRY SECRETS
The corridors of the royal palace were quieter at night because the walls themselves seemed to listen more carefully when the sun was gone, as if secrets preferred darkness not out of fear, but out of habit.
There Princess Lily walked alone
Her steps were steady, but not slow, her mind clearly moving faster than her body, replaying the events of the war chamber again and again, not questioning the decision—but understanding the weight of it in ways that no one had spoken out loud. thinking about the man behind all of this
Daniel ovenheim and thinking about the link between that man and the western neighbour country and ingoing activity inside the seuroda city.
And then—
A voice.
"You walk like someone who has already accepted the outcome."
Lily stopped.
She didn't turn immediately.
Because she already knew who it was.
Otto stepped out from the shadows of the corridor, his presence as controlled as ever, his hands folded behind him, his expression was unreadable but looked simply… precise.
"You shouldn't be walking alone tonight," he added.
Lily turned slightly, her gaze calm but sharp.
"And yet, here you are, doing the same."
For a brief moment—
Silence stood between them.
Then Otto spoke.
"When you leave for Seurota tomorrow," he said slowly, choosing his words as if each one had consequences, "you will take someone with you."
Lily frowned slightly.
"…We already are."
Otto shook his head once.
"No am aasking you to go and take your servant along with you
The words felt… misplaced.
Lily's expression shifted—not confused, but questioning in a deeper way.
"…Why?" confused.
Otto didn't respond immediately.
He looked at her.
"Lily, seriously—take your servant with you. I know you don't want to bother with anyone else, but Ruby will keep you fed and safe. You won't even have to think about it."
will immidetiattely emerge from the shadows and responds
crossinghis arms, eyebrow cocked, half-smirking): "You want me to bring *him* because he cooks? And you think someone actually likes keeping a 'personal chef' that looks like he just escaped a morgue?"
otto (sighs, rubbing the back of his neck): "Look, this mission isn't a picnic... Daniel Ohenheim is slippery, dangerous, and if you two bicker too much, it won't end well. Ruby's there to cover your back—especially when you're busy being, well, you."
lily (with a lazy stretch, eyes half-closed): "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Otto. But honestly, why not send a real soldier? Someone trained in combat, not sarcasm and eye rolls?"
{otto wanted to say something but couldntAs someone he was about to trust with something he couldn't explain directly.}
"He will take care of you," Otto said quietly.
Lily's brows drew together slightly.
"That is not an answer."
Otto continued anyway.
"He will ensure you eat even when you forget. He will remain close enough that you will never be alone, but distant enough that you will not feel burdened by his presence."
Lily's gaze sharpened.
"…You're not describing a servant."
Otto's eyes didn't move.
"I am asking you," he said, and for the first time, there was something almost imperceptible beneath his tone—not emotion, not weakness, but something closer to… urgency, "to take him."
Silence.
Lily studied him carefully.
"…why do You trust him so much i know he is a good servant but why only him
Otto didn't deny it.
i trust him more than most."
That was enough.
Lily exhaled slowly.
"…Very well."
But as she turned to leave—
She added one more thing.
"If he causes trouble…"
Otto interrupted, almost instantly.
"He won't."
And for some reason—
that answer felt heavier than it should have.
Morning came too quickly.
The courtyard was alive with quiet preparation—knights adjusting armor, attendants moving supplies, stable hands calming creatures that were far too intelligent to be called animals.
And at the center of it all—
Will stood with his sleeves already rolled up unevenly, looking like someone who had been dragged into responsibility against his will and had decided to protest by refusing to look serious about it.
"…No," he said flatly.
Lily blinked.
"…No?"
Will pointed, not even trying to hide his irritation.
"I'm sorry, I must have misheard something extremely important, because what I just understood is that we are about to go on a highly dangerous mission into a city that is probably already a trap, and instead of sending more trained soldiers…"
He paused and said we are bringing that walking number
Silence.otto muttured;
Will turned slowly toward Otto.
Do you want us to die efficiently or creatively?"
Otto ignored him.
Will: why that idiot
Ruby responds while lifting their bags"Because apparently, I'm the best hope you have at keeping you guys alive. And if I'm going down, you're coming with me, Mr Assyemtry.
Lily spoke calmly.
"It was otto's suggestion."
Will froze
"…Of course it was."
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing slightly now, his frustration growing not out of fear—but something else.
"…This is exactly the kind of decision that sounds reasonable until you think about it for more than three seconds," he muttered, half to himself, half to the universe. "We're going into enemy territory, surrounded by unknown threats, dealing with a man who already escaped us once, and now we're adding…"
He stopped.
Looked at Ruby.
"…him."
Ruby stood quietly a short distance away, expression unchanged, posture relaxed but not careless, as if the entire situation had no impact on him whatsoever.
Will narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…I don't like this."
Lily tilted her head.
"Why?"
Will opened his mouth—
Then paused.
"…I don't know," he admitted, though clearly that wasn't the full truth. "He looks like the kind of person who would stand behind me while I'm fighting and not help."
Ruby spoke.
"I would."
Will blinked.
"…Oh, since when did u started talking that much you son of.. And then starts muttering himself
oh God looking at the sky why the hell I'm stuck with a walking freeze-dried roast that talks like an ancient textbook. My dream team."
Ruby looked at him but didn't respond.
Will exhaled sharply.
"…I already regret this."
But underneath all of it—
Something else bothered him.
it was not the mission
But the idea of someone else…
Being close to her.
"…And another thing," Will added suddenly, crossing his arms, trying to sound casual but failing just slightly, "if he does anything strange, anything weird, anything even slightly suspicious—"
Lily raised an eyebrow.
"…You mean like you?"
Will paused.
"…That's different."
"How?"
"Because I'm predictable," he said confidently.
Ruby spoke again.
"You're not."
Will turned slowly.
"…I don't like you."
Ruby nodded.
"I know."
◼ Scene shifts — Wings of Alvyrn
(They head outside to the giant Alvyrn, whose feathers shimmer in the sunlight like liquid sapphire. The city skyline of Beuroda sprawls beyond—a mix of towering spires, glass domes, and ancient stone buildings entwined with vibrant greenery.)
As they approached they see, more closely that
Massive winged beings with sleek, feathered bodies that shimmered faintly under sunlight, their wings long and powerful, shaped like a fusion between a hawk and a dragon, their eyes sharp with intelligence that made it clear they were dragons but not
They are mixed species which is very friendly and easy to tame.
As Lily approached, one of them lowered its head slightly, recognizing her presence without needing introduction.
Will stared up at them, hands in his sleeves again.
"…Yeah, no," he said after a long pause, "this is where I draw the line."
Lily looked at him.
"…You're afraid?"
Will immediately shook his head.
"I am not afraid. I simply do not trust anything that can look down on me both literally and emotionally at the same time."
Ruby stepped forward without hesitation.
Mounted.
Smoothly
Will stared.
"…Of course he knows how to ride it."
lily(patting the Alvyrn's glossy head): "Alright, Archer McGloom, let's stop playing statue and get this bird airborne. I don't like flying, but I like the alternative less."
Will sighed deeply.
"…If I die, I want it clearly stated that this was not my idea."
◼ Scene shifts: The Sky Between Them
(They launch into the air, the Alvyrn's mighty wings beating rhythmically, tossing clouds aside as they soar. Below, the city gleams with a thousand rooftops dotted by bustling marketplaces, spiraling towers crowned with golden filigree, and streets crisscrossing like veins alive with commotion.)
the Alvyrn soared
The kingdom of Lancelot stretched beneath them like a living painting—fields of gold and green blending into rivers that reflected the sky like broken mirrors, mountains rising in the distance like silent guardians, and beyond them—
The west.
The air was colder above.
Cleaner.
But the tension didn't fade.
Will sat behind Lily, holding on just enough to stay balanced, his expression caught somewhere between awe and discomfort.
"…Okay," he said loudly over the wind, "I will admit this once and only once—this is actually amazing."
Lily laughed softly.
"I thought you didn't trust it."
"I don't," he replied immediately, "but I also don't trust myself to walk all the way to Seurota, so here we are."
A pause.
Then—
Ruby's voice.
"You complain a lot."
Will turned his head.
"…You speak a lot for someone who claims he doesn't."
Ruby didn't look at him.
"You're loud."
Will blinked.
"…That's your insult?"
"It's an observation."
Will stared at him for a long moment.
"…I'm going to push you off this thing."
Ruby responded instantly.
"You won't."
"Why not?"
"Because you're scared of heights."
Silence.
Will turned slowly.
"…Lily."
"Yes?"
"…Did you tell him that?"
She smiled.
"No."
Will looked back at Ruby.
"…I really don't like you."
Ruby nodded again.
"I know."
The wind carried their voices away, but something about that moment—
Despite everything—
Felt… light.
For just a little while—
The war didn't exist.
The mission didn't exist.
It was just three people—
Flying.
But far ahead—
Beyond the horizon—
Seurota waited.
Silent.
Watching.
The first thing that felt wrong about Seuroda…
Was how right it looked.
From above, as the Alvyrn descended in wide circles, the city did not resemble the abandoned silence they had been warned about, nor did it carry the suffocating stillness of a place already overtaken—it was alive, almost too alive, with movement threading through every street, colors spilling from market stalls, and voices rising in overlapping waves that felt natural at first glance, but when listened to carefully…
Were just slightly too consistent.
As their feet touched the ground near the outer district, the scent of roasted grains, spiced vegetables, and warm bread filled the air immediately, wrapping around them like a welcoming hand that had no reason to exist in a place that was supposed to be collapsing under hidden control.
Will looked around slowly, hands already slipping into his sleeves again, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and suspicion.
"…No," he said after a long pause, turning in a slow circle as if expecting the illusion to break if he stared hard enough, "I refuse to believe this. Either we came to the wrong city… or someone here is putting in way too much effort to pretend everything is fine."
Lily stepped forward slightly, her eyes moving carefully—not across the obvious, but across the patterns.
Children were playing.
Merchants were shouting.
People were arguing over prices.
Everything was normal.
And that—
Was the problem.
"It's too stable," she said quietly, her voice calm but thoughtful. "A city under pressure shows cracks—short tempers, rushed movement, tension in small interactions… but here…"
She paused, watching a group of traders laughing loudly over something that didn't seem particularly funny.
"…it feels rehearsed."
Will blinked.
"…You're telling me this entire city is acting?"
Ruby answered.
"Yes."
Will looked at him immediately.
"…You didn't even hesitate."
Ruby didn't react.
"You didn't either," he said.
Will paused.
"…That's different," he muttered, though even he didn't sound convinced. "I don't trust happiness that I didn't earn."
They walked deeper into the streets.
Vendors called out to them, offering food, drinks, trinkets, their voices energetic but just slightly… aligned, as if each call came at the exact moment it was supposed to, no overlap too chaotic, no silence too long.
Will stopped suddenly in front of a food stall.
"…Okay," he said firmly, pointing at a plate of freshly cooked spiced vegetables and flatbread, "before we continue this investigation into whatever extremely suspicious happiness is happening here, I would like to state that I am hungry, and solving mysteries on an empty stomach is a terrible idea."
Lily sighed softly.
"We just arrived."
"Exactly," Will replied instantly. "Which means I've been traveling for hours, which means I deserve food, which means this is not a request—it's a necessity."
Ruby spoke.
"You're always hungry."
Will turned.
"…That's because I'm always alive. It's called maintenance."
Despite everything—
They ate.
And for a brief moment—
It felt normal.
Will leaned back slightly after finishing, stretching lazily.
"…Alright," he said with a satisfied breath, "if this is a trap, I would like to compliment whoever designed it, because this is the first time I've been comfortable while being suspicious."
Lily shook her head slightly, though there was the faintest hint of a smile.
"We didn't come here to relax."
Will sighed dramatically.
"Yes, yes, serious mission, hidden enemy, possible death, I remember."
He straightened slightly.
"…We're supposed to meet someone."
Ruby spoke before Lily could.
"The spy."
Will snapped his fingers.
"Yes. Otto's very… specific description."
He began walking again, speaking as he recalled it, his tone shifting into exaggerated imitation.
"'You will recognize him immediately,' he says, as if that narrows it down in a city full of people, and then he adds—'large nose, thin body, teeth slightly outside, looks like he lost an argument with genetics.'"
Lily frowned slightly.
"…He didn't say that last part."
Will waved a hand.
"He implied it."
Ruby added quietly—
"You remember details well."
Will smirked slightly.
"I remember important things."
"…You forgot the mission briefing twice."
"…Those were unnecessary details."
They turned a corner—
And then—
They heard it.
Shouting.
Loud.
Chaotic.
Real.
For the first time since entering Seuroda—
Something felt unscripted.
Will immediately pointed.
"There. That's real. That's actual human behavior. Let's go."
◼ The Man Who Fights Over Vegetables
The small crowd had gathered around a stall that looked like it had been set up in a hurry—wooden crates stacked unevenly, vegetables scattered, some already crushed underfoot as the argument escalated far beyond what the situation deserved.
At the center of it—
A man.
Thin.
Almost unnaturally so.
His body looked like it had forgotten how to gain weight, his limbs long and slightly awkward, but what truly stood out—
What made it impossible to look away—
Was his nose.
Large.
Not just large—
Dominant.
It curved slightly downward, thick enough that it nearly overshadowed his mouth entirely, and when he spoke, his teeth pushed outward just enough to make his already strange appearance feel even more exaggerated.
"…I told you already!" the man shouted, his voice sharp and nasal, his hands moving wildly as he pointed at the merchant in front of him. "You said three coins, and now suddenly it's five? What is this, inflation or your imagination?"
The merchant snapped back.
"You took more than you paid for!"
"I took exactly what was worth three coins!"
"You took this—" the merchant grabbed a bundle of vegetables, "—and this is worth five!"
The thin man leaned forward aggressively.
"Then your vegetables are overpriced and your morals are weak!"
The crowd murmured.
Will stared.
"…That's him," he said slowly, not even questioning it.
Lily blinked.
"…You're sure?"
Will gestured dramatically.
"Look at him. That man was described, not introduced."
Ruby added quietly—
"The nose matches."
Will nodded.
"The nose confirms everything."
Meanwhile—
The argument escalated.
"You're a thief!" the merchant shouted.
"I am not a thief!" the man snapped back instantly. "I am a strategic buyer who refuses to be exploited by poor pricing decisions!"
Will stepped forward suddenly, inserting himself between them with a casual ease that immediately disrupted the flow of the argument.
"…Alright," he said, raising both hands as if calming a battlefield, "before this turns into a full-scale war over vegetables—which, by the way, would be the most disappointing conflict I've ever witnessed—let's all take a moment and breathe."
Both men turned to him.
"…Who are you?" the merchant asked.
Will smiled slightly.
"Someone who is very interested in ending this quickly so I can have a conversation with… him."
He pointed directly at the thin man.
The man narrowed his eyes.
"…You know me?"
Will tilted his head.
"Let's just say I was told to look for someone who stands out."
The man paused.
Then slowly—
A grin spread across his face.
"…Ah."
He straightened slightly, brushing off his clothes as if the argument had never happened.
"Well then," he said, his tone shifting instantly from chaotic to calculated, "you must be the ones from Lancelot."
Lily stepped forward.
"You're our contact?"
The man bowed slightly—not respectfully, but theatrically.
"Doffy," he said. "And yes, I've been waiting."
Will crossed his arms.
"…You were waiting while arguing over vegetables?"
Doffy didn't hesitate.
"Information gathering."
Ruby spoke.
"That was about money."
Doffy smiled.
"Money reveals character."
Will stared at him for a long moment.
"…I think I'm going to like you," he admitted.
Doffy leaned closer slightly, lowering his voice just enough to shift the tone completely.
"…You won't."
Silence.
And just like that—
The humor cracked.
Because beneath the chaos…
Doffy's eyes weren't careless.
They were watching everything.
"…You're late," he added quietly.
Will frowned.
"…Late for what?"
Doffy's smile didn't fade.
"…For realizing that this city isn't what it looks like."
And in that moment—
The noise of Seurota returned.
But now—
It didn't feel normal anymore.
It felt…
Controlled.