Part 1: The City of Veilguard
The gates of Veilguard didn't creak.
They hissed open—oiled, reinforced, carved with warding runes that shimmered faintly as the guards passed. The guards wore blue tabards over silver armor, visors down, and expressions hidden. They looked like knights, but their eyes moved like collectors.
Yuji stood just beyond the threshold, scanning the wide avenue beyond.
The city gleamed.
Paved roads. Gilded lanterns. Market banners that didn't smell like piss. No visible slaves, no open wounds, no random bloodstains.
It was beautiful in the way only lies can be.
"Too clean," Sylvia muttered. "I don't trust cities that don't bleed."
Sacha's fingers twitched near her axe. "Smells like nobles."
Amelia stepped beside Yuji, her parasol snapping open with a whisper. "And yet… not a single rat. Which means all the filth walks upright."
Siora kept close, hood drawn. "We're being watched already."
Yuji nodded. He could feel it too—eyes from windows, interest from corners. Not fear. Not respect.
Assessment.
The guildhall here was pristine marble, three floors high with enchanted lanterns floating at the entrance. Unlike Ironhorn, this one was guarded by clerks instead of mercs.
A young woman in rose-trimmed robes met them at the door.
"Name?" she asked without looking up.
"Kael."
The stylus froze.
"You're—"
"Yes," he said. "I'd like to speak with someone about bounty forgeries and false Church postings."
The clerk looked up, now pale. "I… I'll summon someone. Please wait in the inner court."
The inner court was all polished benches, soft fountains, and too many flowers.
They didn't sit.
Minutes later, a man arrived.
Tall. Late thirties. Neatly trimmed beard. Robes that hinted at noble blood and mercantile wealth stitched into every thread.
"Lord Kessel," he introduced himself with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I've been expecting you."
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "Expecting me?"
"The world whispers," Kessel said smoothly. "And lately, it's been whispering your name."
He gestured to a side door.
"Come. We have much to discuss."
Yuji hesitated.
Amelia's voice slid into his mind like smoke. "He's lying. But not with his words."
Yuji gave a single nod.
And followed.
Part 2: A Man with Two Tongues
The room Lord Kessel led them into was not an office.
It was a stage.
Crimson curtains. Gold-veined marble floors. One long velvet chaise that looked barely used and a liquor cabinet older than the city.
Kessel poured wine with the ease of a man who'd already poisoned someone that day.
Yuji remained standing.
Kessel didn't mind. "You've drawn attention," he said smoothly. "The Church. The guild. Even my rivals in the Silverhorn House."
Yuji said nothing.
Kessel sipped his wine. "I admire it. Most men with your power try to blend in. You kicked in the walls and lit the paperwork on fire."
Sacha leaned against a column. "Get to the part where you offer us money."
Kessel smiled. "Not money. Favor."
Sylvia's ears twitched. "That smells worse."
Kessel ignored her. "A noble house here—House Vellorn—is engaged in unsanctioned mana trade. Blood rituals. They've been seen hosting masked envoys from beyond the southern ridge."
Yuji's eyes narrowed. "Envoys?"
"Cloaked in white. Antlered masks."
Siora stiffened.
He noticed.
"I want their operations shut down quietly," Kessel continued. "And in return, I'll give you Church intel—names, movements, bounty origin scrolls. Maybe even who authorized the order on your healer."
He smiled. It was razor-thin.
"Of course… I'd expect you to attend a small gathering at my estate. Social lubricant. It'll be good for your reputation."
Amelia laughed.
It was soft. And not friendly.
"You want him at your table so your rivals see him bow."
Kessel didn't even glance at her. "I want him visible. A player. Not just a ghost in armor."
Yuji studied him. "And what do you want from the Church?"
Kessel paused—only a second.
Then: "I want room to grow."
Sylvia muttered, "He's planting corpses in the soil."
Sacha stepped forward. "You're playing too many games for someone without steel in his blood."
Kessel's smile didn't falter.
"I offer information," he said, voice calm. "Whether you take it… is up to your confidence."
He reached into a drawer and handed Yuji a parchment with an embossed seal.
Invitation: Veilguard Winter Masquerade.
Yuji took it.
Said nothing.
But his silence was already a step toward yes.