I cleared my throat with an awkward cough, trying to cut through the back-and-forth between the two old men before it dragged on any longer.
"So," I said, leaning forward a bit, "we've finished cleaning up the realm. When do we start the next phase?"
The teasing died instantly. Both of them straightened, their expressions turning serious.
Arkas was the first to speak.
"Based on Dante's analysis, there are three active locations the teleportation circle was linked to. One in each continent. We've already marked the grandmasters connected to each site, and we know the contractors are hiding somewhere in the western continent."
He paused for a breath, then added,
"We're just waiting on the Emperor's final order to move."
Cilian swirled his drink lazily before taking another sip, then set the glass down gently.
"He's taking his time, but I get it. Once we strike, it'll be loud. The kind of loud that makes the world listen."
