「Four days ago.」
In the courtyard of the Black Wood Forest Outpost, a bonfire crackled in the night.
Lawson raised his wine cup to the surrounding soldiers and said, "The news may have taken a few days to reach us, but to celebrate Kelvin being blessed with a daughter, there's more than enough wine to go around tonight!"
The soldiers erupted in cheers, the clinking of their cups echoing in the night sky.
The belated celebration continued until the moon was high in the sky.
Only after the last few drunken soldiers had staggered off, helping each other away, did Lawson return to his room.
He had just closed the wooden door when Roger's figure emerged from the shadows in the corner like a phantom.
"It seems the Duval Clan has been quite lively lately." Roger leaned casually against the simple wooden table, his black robes shimmering faintly in the dim, yellow light of the oil lamp.
