The Next Morning.
Everyone had gathered at the castle gates.
News of Lucien's departure to the capital had already spread.
It's thanks to Aldren and Roneth who had let it slip the night before. The two were still sound asleep in their cozy inn, blissfully unaware of the unease their words had sparked.
Despite the bright morning light, a heavy silence hung in the air.
An uneasy thought stirred within many of them.
Will the Young Lord return?
Is he abandoning us?
Did we disappoint him...?
The weight of those doubts bore down on their hearts.
Those thoughts were, in some ways, unavoidable.
Aldren and Roneth hadn't exactly helped.
They had let slip that Lucien was leaving for the capital but they hadn't shared the full context.
They didn't mention the upcoming Grand Celebration.
One of the subjects finally broke the silence.
"Maybe… the Young Lord is disappointed with us. We're not talented after all. I've only reached Tier 4 even after everything he's done for us…"
