Klaus returned to the solitude of the Eastern Tower. The brief interlude in the city was over. The urgent demands of the Ice Palace and the Empire were now his only concern. The transition from relaxed noble to operational asset was instant and efficient.
He moved through his chambers without hesitation. His packing was minimal: a leather-bound folio containing necessary imperial mandates, three potent mana restoratives, and the Ice Sword brooch, locked in a simple, heavy cherry wood box. He carried nothing frivolous; every item was a tool.
His street clothes were shed. He reached for his working gear, a set of high-grade artifacts designed for long-range, high-stress conditions.
