Lucian skimmed through the stack of documents spread across his desk, the soft rustling of paper mixing with the faint hum of the air purifier at the corner of his office.
The scent of cedarwood polish lingered in the room, grounding his mind despite the chaos his decisions were brewing.
Behind him, Hector shifted uncomfortably. Lucian didn't need to look up to sense the tension vibrating off his assistant.
"Are you… truly planning to buy Bloodspire Mountain?" Hector's voice trembled despite his attempts to keep it steady.
Lucian did not respond immediately. He continued reading as though reviewing the budget allocations was far more important than Hector's growing panic.
Hector swallowed hard.
"That mountain has been explored by countless experts. Every mineral found so far is worthless. Except that strange stone... LotusAether, or whatever name they decided to give it, and even that stone has absolutely no use. No wealthy family has ever bothered bidding for it."
