After securing agreements on their respective tasks, Etien, exhausted from the countless responsibilities weighing on him, longed for nothing more than to return to Winterbraun, to savor peaceful days following the blood-soaked battles and the grotesque sight of corpses littering the fields. But with his departure from the West set for tomorrow, he decided to indulge in a brief moment of respite.
With a glass of wine in hand, Etien sat alone beneath a tree in the expansive backyard of the Harrington family's lavish mansion. Sipping wine as the evening settled in, despite not having slept since the previous night, felt excessive, even for him. Yet, dwelling on the illegal activities of the hunters left an unsettling feeling in his gut. Though the Western region was not under his jurisdiction, Glen had a habit of dragging him into matters beyond his concern, which only fueled his growing frustration.
A drink, then, was the best way to shake off the weight of it all.
