Everything returned to normal.
The city moved again. Training resumed. Defenses were reinforced. Order replaced chaos as if nothing had happened.
Mi approached the Vice Captain.
"Vice-Captain," he said, "that was a very useless trip."
The Vice Captain glanced at him.
"What do you mean?"
Mi exhaled, frustration clear.
"We traveled for weeks. And when we arrived, the captain said we didn't need them. He just killed them."
A pause.
"What a waste of time."
The Vice Captain remained silent for a moment.
Then...
"Hm."
His gaze shifted slightly.
"What did he tell you?"
Mi straightened.
"He told me to continue with the preparations," he said. "That he will arrive soon."
A brief pause.
"And that we need to stabilize the city before he gets here."
They continued walking.
The Vice Captain's gaze drifted across the streets before settling briefly on a young elf girl.
"She's still here?" he said. "I thought she left."
Blondie responded,
"Yeah. We all thought she would, but she stayed. She's been asking questions."
A slight pause.
"She's been annoying us for quite some time."
"Forget about her," the Vice Captain said. "We'll deal with her later."
He shifted his attention forward again.
"What else happened while I was gone?"
Blondie answered,
"That merchant showed up. Just like you said, no strong escorts. He came alone. in the sewers"
A faint scoff.
"Like the thief he is."
"We seized him. He's in prison now."
The Vice Captain glanced at him, slightly surprised.
"Since when?"
Blondie shrugged.
"About a week ago. Maybe less."
"The discovery of the goblins and that merchant will greatly aid our effort to conquer the small continent.
A gift has been placed before us.
If we fail to use it… then we deserve to lose."
He paused briefly.
"That merchant may prove valuable in the war."
A slight shift in tone.
"But he stole from me."
His gaze hardened.
"And that requires punishment."
He turned slightly.
"Bring the goblin father to me. Immediately."
A breath.
"And bring the merchant."
His voice settled into calm finality.
"We will speak."
"And we will see what comes of it."
The Vice Captain returned to his quarters.
There, he received reports from multiple knights regarding their duties across the city. He reviewed them one by one, issuing adjustments, redistributing knights to their proper positions, and checking on their overall condition.
For now...
There were no urgent threats.
Everything was stable.
As he continued working, a knock came from the door.
A voice followed.
"Vice-Captain, both of them are here."
He did not look up.
"Let them in."
The door opened.
Two figures entered.
The goblin father...
And an old man, somewhere in his seventies or eighties, with long hair and a dark cloak draped over his shoulders.
The Vice Captain glanced at him… then shook his head slightly.
"Old man," he said coldly, "one foot already in the grave, yet you wander the sewers, stealing from others."
A pause.
"Shameless."
"Have you nothing to say for yourself?"
The Vice Captain's voice was calm.
"Stealing from my territory… for over fifty years?"
The old man trembled.
His body shook uncontrollably. His head remained lowered, unable to meet the Vice Captain's gaze.
The Vice Captain continued.
"Tell me."
"If you were to calculate it… all the spirit stones you took from me over the years…"
A slight pause.
"How much would it be?"
The old man's lips quivered.
"I… I'm sorry," he stammered. "I am very sorry…"
His voice cracked.
"If this place had been under your rule earlier… I would never have done such a thing. I swear it. I won't do it again. I will leave. I will never return."
His breathing became uneven.
"Please… just spare my life."
Silence.
The Vice Captain's expression did not change.
"You are not answering my question."
The old man flinched.
His body shook harder.
"Nearly…" he forced out, barely able to speak, "between one hundred… to two hundred million spirit stones…"
The room fell silent.
The Vice Captain looked at him steadily.
"Do you believe your life… and your family's lives…"
A pause.
"…are worth that amount?"
No answer came.
The old man could not speak.
He could only stand there...
Frozen. Afraid.