That evening, the ironhand’s study was dimly lit by the orange glow of oil lamps. Heavy curtains muffled the sound of the sea outside, and the scent of parchment and ink filled the air.

Lucius Hakuen sat behind a desk, posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. Across from him stood Varik, every inch the soldier — spear grounded at his side, expression composed, voice measured.

The exchange began softly, almost polite. But underneath the civility, the air felt tight — like two blades testing each other’s edge without ever crossing.

“You’ve been watching the bridge every morning this month, Commander. I assume this isn’t just about admiration.”

“Observation, my lord. Admiration implies trust. I prefer evidence.”

Lucius smiled faintly, though his eyes didn’t match the expression. “Then let’s say you’ve gathered enough of it to ask for something.”

Varik inclined his head. “You could say that. The attacks have stopped. The sahuagins are either gone or retreating to the archipelago. The pattern’s too neat to be random.”

Lucius folded his hands. “And you think it’s worth investigating.”

“Confirming,” Varik corrected smoothly. “The Ironhand Syndicate has stopped sending ships. The Lionsguard continues building without knowing what they’re building toward. If there’s a threat waiting on the other side, better we see it before it sees us.”

Lucius regarded him silently for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. “And you want to send them.”

“The geomancers,” Varik said. “They’ve proven capable, efficient, and more importantly—they can reach the archipelago faster than any army. A single path of stone will suffice for a scouting route. One week, at most.”

Lucius leaned back, tapping a finger against his chin. “Efficient indeed. And convenient that they answer to you in the field.”

Varik’s jaw shifted slightly. “I don’t command the Lionsguard.”

“No,” Lucius said quietly, “but you’d like to.”

For a moment, neither spoke. Only the sound of the fire crackling filled the silence.

Then Varik exhaled through his nose, calm as ever. “This isn’t politics, my lord. It’s preparation. You’ve seen the reports. If we finish the bridge and discover that the other side is compromised, the Empire will call it negligence. Your negligence.”

Lucius’ eyes narrowed just slightly. “So this is your way of protecting me.”

“My way of protecting the project,” Varik replied evenly. “And the Empire’s interests. Yours included.”

The words hung heavy between them — layered, polite, and barbed.

Finally, Lucius leaned forward. “Fine. I’ll authorize it. A reconnaissance mission only.”

Varik nodded once. “Understood.”

“But,” Lucius added, “it would be better if not many people go. If something happens—if there’s a battle or a trap—the fewer that vanish, the fewer questions we’ll have to answer later.”

“Agreed,” Varik said, voice steady. “We’re not conquering the archipelago. We’re just going to take a peek.”

Lucius studied him a little longer, the faintest glint of suspicion behind his calm expression. “Good. Then you’ll handle the arrangements. And, Commander—”

Varik paused at the door.

Lucius’ tone cooled. “Make sure the peek doesn’t turn into a campaign. The Empire has enough of those already.”

Varik gave a shallow bow. “You have my word.”

Lucius smiled again, but it was thin and sharp. “I’m sure I do.”

The door shut quietly, leaving Lucius alone with the flicker of the lamps. For a while, he said nothing, simply staring at the map of the southern coast spread across his desk.

Then he murmured to himself, voice low. “A peek, hmm… Let’s hope that’s all it stays.”

The evening mist rolled in quietly over the beach, dimming the last rays of sunlight into a dull amber haze. The swing of steel and the rhythmic swish of a blade slicing through air filled the shore— Viola, her braid damp with sweat, finishing another round of her drills.

Lucius stood a short distance away his coat unbuttoned, posture relaxed but his expression heavy with thought. When Viola finally sheathed her sword and looked up, he spoke softly.

“Lady Viola.”

She turned, surprised that he was still there. “You should be resting, Lord Hakuen. You’ve been in meetings all day.”

Lucius smiled faintly. “And you’ve been fighting phantoms for an hour. I think we’re both bad at resting.”

Viola chuckled lightly, but her tone sobered when she saw the look in his eyes. “Something happened, didn’t it?”

He nodded slowly. “Commander Varik came to see me. He proposed an early scouting trip to the archipelago — with your geomancers leading the path.”

Viola frowned. “Ludger and Gaius?”

“Yes. He believes they can create a direct route before the bridge’s completion.”

Her expression sharpened. “And you agreed.”

Lucius sighed. “I did. But only under strict terms — limited numbers, short duration, no direct engagement. A peek and nothing more.”

“Still,” she said, wiping her brow with the back of her glove, “you don’t trust him.”

Lucius didn’t answer immediately. His gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the sea glimmered faintly under the encroaching twilight. “Varik follows orders,” he said finally. “But he also writes his own when the Empire isn’t watching. The Senate likes men like him — loyal to power, not to people.”

He turned back to Viola, his tone lower now. “Pass the message to the Lionsguard. Tell them what’s happening, but keep it discreet. I want Ludger and Gaius aware before Varik approaches them. They’ll need to be careful.”

Viola nodded, already understanding. “I’ll tell them as soon as I return.”

“Good,” Lucius said quietly. “And be careful yourself. This project’s starting to attract too many eyes.”

She gave him a firm look — half reassurance, half challenge. “We can handle eyes. It’s knives we worry about.”

Lucius almost smiled at that. “Then keep your sword sharp, Lady Viola.”

Viola nodded once, then turned and jogged across the courtyard, vanishing into the deepening shadows on her way back to the beach base that Ludger had carved from the earth himself.

Lucius watched her go — the confident gait, the quiet determination. When she disappeared into the distance, he exhaled softly, running a hand through his hair.

“Neither of us can abandon our positions,” he murmured to himself. “And yet… it seems impossible for the north and south to ever stand as close as I want them to.”

His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was heavy — the tiredness of a young man trying to build bridges beyond the physical one.

From the deeper shadows of the night, a pair of quiet eyes observed him. Luna hadn’t made a sound since the conversation began, and Lucius hadn’t so much as noticed her presence, apparently..

She tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable.

Foolish, she thought. Or deliberate.

Had he really not noticed her there… or had he spoken that final line knowing she was listening?

Luna slipped back into the darkness without a sound, her silhouette fading like a whisper. Whatever the truth was, she’d make sure Ludger heard about it — whether Lucius intended her to or not.

Night had already settled over the coastline when Luna returned. The lamps in the Lionsguard base flickered faintly, their golden glow dancing against the stone walls Ludger had shaped himself. Most of the others were asleep or pretending to be, but Ludger was still awake—leaning over a rough map of the archipelago, eyes half-lidded in thought.

He didn’t look up when the door opened. “You’re early.”

Luna stepped in, her boots silent on the floor. “Always.”

She moved to the table, placing a folded note beside the map. “Lucius and Varik met tonight. It wasn’t loud, but it was tense. Varik proposed a scouting trip to the archipelago before the bridge is done. Lucius agreed—limited numbers only.”

Ludger’s hand stopped mid-motion over the map. “So it’s confirmed.”

“Yes,” Luna said. “And he told Viola to warn us before Varik made it official.”

Ludger nodded once, his expression unreadable. “Then we prepare.”

She tilted her head slightly. “You’re not surprised.”

“I would’ve been if they didn’t do this,” he said dryly. “Varik’s the kind of man who gets itchy if he’s not leading a march.”

Luna’s lips quirked faintly. “And Lucius?”

“He’s smart enough to want proof before giving trust. But not smart enough to see how dangerous the timing is.”

Before Luna could respond, the sound of footsteps approached—the rhythmic, confident gait unmistakable. Viola entered, her braid still damp with sweat from the evening air.

“Good,” she said, spotting Luna already there. “You saved me a speech.”

Arslan, sitting near the back of the room with his sword resting across his knees, glanced up. “So, it’s true?”

Viola nodded, folding her arms. “Varik’s proposal went through. Lucius wants a scouting team to go across the sea and take a peek, as they call it. No fighting, no claims—just a look.”

Ludger frowned slightly. “And who’s going?”

“That’s what I came to talk about,” she said. “I’d like to, but I won’t. The guards here—Dad, Harold, Selene, Aleia, and Cor—are meant to protect me. If I go, it splits our defense. I’m not risking the twins and Elaine for curiosity.”

Arslan gave a small nod of approval, though there was a trace of pride in his eyes.

“Still,” Viola continued, “you and Gaius might need backup—someone who can handle himself if things get ugly.”

Her gaze slid toward the far side of the room where a deep laugh suddenly echoed.

Kharnek had been sitting on a crate, sharpening a massive hatchet. He looked up, his teeth flashing in a grin. “Finally,” he said, his voice booming through the chamber. “I was starting to think this whole job was just about watching rocks grow.”

Viola smirked. “Consider it a favor, not a punishment. We need someone with muscle, and you fit the role.”

Kharnek barked out another laugh, slapping his chest. “Muscle, I’ve got plenty. Sea demons, storms, cursed labyrinths—doesn’t matter. I’ll go. The bridge can wait for the rest of you softskins.”

Even Gaius cracked a faint grin at that. “Just don’t break the bridge while you’re walking on it.”

“Then make it strong enough, old man,” Kharnek shot back.

Ludger listened quietly, his gaze drifting back to the map. Three dots marked the edges of the archipelago—each one uncertain, each one potentially crawling with whatever was controlling the sahuagins.

He exhaled slowly. “So that’s settled.”

Viola nodded. “You, Gaius, and Kharnek. That’s the team Lucius will hear about from Varik tomorrow.”

Luna crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. “And me?”

Viola shook her head. “You’ll stay. Keep an eye on the others—and on Lucius.”

Luna’s expression didn’t change, but there was the faintest flicker of acknowledgment in her gaze. “Understood.”

The room went quiet for a moment. The waves crashed in the distance, muffled by the thick stone walls, and the faint sound of the wind whistled through the ventilation slits Ludger had carved.

Arslan broke the silence, his tone dry. “You three be careful. I don’t like missions that start with the word ‘peek.’”

Ludger smirked faintly. “Neither do I. But we’ll manage.”

Gaius chuckled. “That’s what worries me.”

Kharnek stood, stretching his shoulders until the joints cracked. “Then it’s settled. When the sea calms, we sail—or walk, if the kid’s magic makes that possible.”

Ludger nodded. “One line of pillars. Five days.”

Everyone exchanged a look, and despite the unease hanging in the air, a sense of resolve settled over the room.

Another job. Another unknown.

And the sea waited, quiet and endless, for them to cross it.

Morning came clear and warm, the smell of sea salt drifting through the air. The Lionsguard camp stirred as the group prepared for departure—gear being checked, ropes coiled, and rations divided. Viola had already gone down to the shoreline to train before sunrise, her sword flashes occasionally visible between the dunes.

Ludger adjusted the straps of his armguards when a faint whisper brushed his ear. “Lucius said something else last night.”

He turned slightly. Luna stood beside him, silent as a shadow, eyes half-lidded but sharp.

“What?”

She leaned closer, voice low. “He said neither the north nor south can abandon their positions… and that it seemed impossible for them to stand as close as he wanted.”

Ludger froze for a second, frowning. Abandoning positions? North and south? His mind clicked through the obvious meanings—territory, alliances—but the tone didn’t fit. It sounded more personal.

He exhaled through his nose. “You’re thinking the same thing I am, right?”

“I don’t assume anything,” Luna said flatly. “I just report information.”

Ludger pinched the bridge of his nose. “Right. Of course you do.”

He turned toward the ocean, jaw tight. “Still, keep an eye on him. He’s at that age.”

Luna blinked. “That age?”

“You know,” Ludger muttered, eyes narrowing. “That age where young nobles start thinking alliances are made through charm and pretty words.”

Luna’s mouth curved faintly—almost a smile.

“Viola’s got a temper,” Ludger went on. “If he tries anything funny, she’s more likely to rearrange the bones in his face than give him a chance to flirt.”

He paused, scratching his neck. “But… just in case, better make sure nothing happens.”

He hesitated for a long, awkward moment. “Unless she… doesn’t seem too against it,” he added reluctantly.

Luna raised an eyebrow.

Ludger sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “Why the hell do I have to worry about this kind of thing? This is Dad’s job…”

He looked up at the bright blue sky like it might give him an answer.

Luna, ever the professional, only said, “Because you’re the one who notices things first.”

“Lucky me,” Ludger grumbled. “Next time I’m pretending I didn’t.”

Luna’s eyes flicked toward the sea again. “Noted. I’ll watch Hakuen. And Viola. In plain sight from now on”

“Yeah, do that.” Ludger adjusted his green scarf, trying not to look as tired as he felt. “Let’s just hope the only thing Lucius is building bridges to… is the damn island.”

With that, he started toward the shore, the faint sound of waves covering the soft chuckle that escaped Luna’s lips.

Thank you for reading!

Don’t forget to follow, favorite, and rate. If you want to read 150 chapters ahead, you can check my patreon: /Comedian0

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep