The days after the campaign had settled into an uneasy calm, as though the world itself had paused to breathe after prolonged strain.
Rein and his companions had been granted proper housing within the newly established settlement. The dwellings were not crude shelters or temporary tents, but structured wooden houses reinforced with stone foundations, built with care by the combined efforts of the surviving craftsmen and summoned laborers. Each house had been assigned with intent, taking into account rank, contribution, and role within the growing force. Those who had fought at the frontlines were given homes closer to the central district, while support units, scouts, and mages were placed in surrounding rows that formed a protective circle around the inner core.
