The scent of aged parchment and ink had begun to seep into Heiko’s clothes. After Diego’s departure, the Lord’s study had become both his fortress and his battlefield. A grand chamber with arched windows overlooking the hills of Almira, the office had once belonged to noble men who wielded power like swords. But the only weapon Heiko needed now was truth—and truth was hidden somewhere in the mountain of scrolls, ledgers, and sealed reports that filled the room.
River had taken to exploring the estate in his absence, accompanied by Carmina, while Heiko buried himself deeper in the rotting heart of the domain's administration.
He stared down at the documents now spread across his desk—invoices, census scrolls, land registry entries, mining reports, and supply chains—his sharp eyes scanning
