Location: Oldstrand - Merchants' Guild Hall → Private Tea Room
Time: Day 523 | Telia: Day 13 (same afternoon)
Realm: Telia (Mission World)
The silence in the hall was absolute. Even the Treasurer, on his knee,s seemed to hold his breath.
A small, sweating man pushed through the crowd—High Merchant Creseul, his round face pale, his expensive robes disheveled. He bowed deeply to the elderly man.
"President Andillevé! I... there's been an incident—"
"I can see that, Creseul." President Andillevé's voice was deceptively calm, but everyone in the hall could hear the steel beneath. "What I asked is what happened. Explain. Now."
High Merchant Creseul swallowed hard, clearly terrified. His eyes darted between Jayde, the ash piles, and the smoking crater.
