The air outside the guest wing was even colder. Leonardo moved through the palace gardens, his 'Mana Perception' guiding him away from the patrol guards. Every heartbeat felt like a drum in the silent night.
He reached the Northern Gate, a massive structure of white stone and iron. Hidden behind a weeping willow tree, he found a small, leather-bound satchel.
[Item Found: Aurora's Gift] [Contents: Map of the Hidden Forest, 5 Health Potions, and a Mysterious Key.]
Leonardo looked back at the palace, the towers of Aethelgard silhouetted against the three moons. He was no longer a servant or a prisoner. He was a fugitive on a path to greatness.
"The vetting has begun," he whispered to himself, almost as if he knew the gods (or the editors) were watching. "And I'm just getting started."