Hajin crossed the guild rotunda toward Allen's transit desk while the final appraisal gong faded behind him.
"Does holding Rank Twenty include complimentary lunch at the royal banquet pavilion?" Loccy asked, brushing pastry crumbs from her fingers.
"Rank Twenty measures sovereign threat, not soup privileges," High Guildmaster Allen replied with a dry chuckle.
"Then Rank Ninety-Six was definitely cheaper, and they should have warned us!" she sighed, shaking her head.
Corin crossed the courtyard to arrange fresh mounts at the northern teleport relay for their local return journey.
"The royal court will spend the next three days drafting terrified diplomatic inquiries," Corin said with a smirk.
"Let them draft their parchment while we attend to our northern borders."
"Do you think Duke Raven will challenge your sovereign charter over the Deep Hollows?"
"Raven lacks the stomach to send his own men into subterranean monster nests," he smiled.
