The capital was loud.
Not the pleasant kind of loud either.
Too many footsteps. Too many voices. Too many races trying to sell too many things at once.
Phthisis stood near the outer district gates staring blankly at a lizardman aggressively advertising fried river eel beside a woman selling anti-Winter medicine.
"Guaranteed to stop internal melting!"
An old man nearby coughed blood into a cloth.
"Liar."
"Results vary!"
Phthisis blinked slowly.
Interesting place.
The city itself felt massive compared to home. Stone roads stretched endlessly beneath towering buildings decorated with banners bearing the royal crest of Varelion.
Beastfolk moved through the streets confidently. Wolfkin. Horned stonebloods. Ashborn with glowing markings beneath their skin.
Hybrids.
Almost everyone here was one.
Pure humans had become uncommon enough that people occasionally glanced twice at him before realizing they were staring.
Phthisis didn't particularly mind.
Mostly because it sounded exhausting.
— The recruitment line stretched across half the palace courtyard.
Mercenaries stood shoulder-to-shoulder with hunters and soldiers, most carrying weapons significantly larger than necessary.
One stoneblood woman casually lifted a crate with one arm while drinking from a metal flask.
Phthisis looked down at the flyer in his hand.
Then back at the line.
"…Might've underestimated the competition slightly."
A wolfkin mercenary overheard him and laughed.
"You?"
The man looked him up and down.
"You here to polish the prince's boots?"
"Pays well?"
Several people nearby snorted.
The wolfkin narrowed his eyes.
"…Smartass."
"Only occasionally."
— Three hours later, the line had moved approximately nowhere.
Phthisis stood silently with his hands in his pockets staring at the registration desk far ahead.
Amazing.
It was almost artistic.
A nearby guard noticed him staring.
"What?"
"Nothin'."
"Then stop looking at me."
"Was admirin' the efficiency."
The guard frowned.
"You mocking me?"
Phthisis smiled politely.
The guard somehow looked even more irritated afterward.
— "NEXT!"
Finally.
Phthisis stepped toward the registration table where an exhausted-looking official shuffled paperwork without looking up.
"Name."
"Phthisis."
The official paused.
"…Excuse me?"
"Aye, usually goes like that."
A long sigh escaped the man.
"Race?"
"Human."
That made him finally look up properly.
His eyes swept across Phthisis quickly.
No Z-mark. No hybrid traits. No visible enhancements.
Weak.
The official visibly lost interest.
"Combat experience?"
"A little."
"What does 'a little' mean?"
Phthisis thought about it carefully.
"Depends how committed the other person is ter survivin'."
The official stared at him for several seconds.
"…Right."
Then—
CRASH.
The entire courtyard turned toward the palace.
A second-story window burst open.
And a young beastman prince nearly fell out of it.
"I CAN EXPLAIN THIS!"
Several royal guards immediately rushed forward with the exhausted panic of people who had experienced this exact situation before.
"Your Highness!"
"It was a tactical retreat!"
"You attempted to escape through a laundry chute!"
"I panicked!"
The prince dropped from the window.
Landed badly.
Recovered instantly like nothing happened.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Brown hair tied loosely behind his head.
Young.
Probably around Phthisis's age.
The prince looked around wildly before spotting the recruitment line.
His eyes lit up immediately.
"Oh thank the gods."
Before anyone could react, he shoved through the crowd directly toward the registration area.
A royal guard groaned softly.
"Not again…"
The prince stopped directly in front of Phthisis.
Looked him up and down once.
Then pointed dramatically.
"You."
Phthisis blinked.
"…Me?"
"Yes."
The prince nodded firmly.
"You work for me now."
"Bit sudden."
"Trust me, this is mutually beneficial."
The older guards finally caught up.
One of them raised a hand sharply toward the prince.
"Your Highness, stop causing problems for five minu—"
Korath flinched.
Tiny.
Barely noticeable.
Gone instantly afterward.
But Phthisis saw it.
Interesting.
The prince immediately straightened again, grinning far too brightly.
"Aha! There you are."
The older guard looked spiritually exhausted.
"Your Highness…"
"Good news," Korath announced proudly.
"I found my escort."
The entire courtyard looked toward Phthisis.
Phthisis looked back calmly.
"…Think ye may wanna reconsider."
"Nope."
Korath crossed his arms confidently.
"You look emotionally stable."
"Dangerous assumption."
"I like him already."
The registration official pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Your Highness, you cannot hire random civilians because you find them interesting."
"Why not?"
"…Because that is not how royal security works."
Korath looked genuinely confused.
"That sounds made up."
The guard muttered something religious under his breath.
Meanwhile Korath leaned slightly closer toward Phthisis.
Quietly this time.
"What was your name again?"
"Phthisis."
The prince stared at him.
"…That is genuinely awful."
"Aye."
Korath grinned suddenly.
"Perfect. You'll fit in wonderfully."