Outside Steel Castle, near the military camp in Chuge Village, a massive convoy was preparing to depart.
Dawn had long broken, yet the sky remained shrouded in a dull gray. At quarter past eight, the night watchman of the church struck the morning bell on time.
Upon hearing the bell, everyone halted their tasks, bowing their heads silently in prayer.
Moments later, the bell ceased, and the statue-like figures resumed their activities: greasing axle shafts, feeding draft horses, inspecting goods and luggage.
Every beginning has its end, and Winters was about to leave Steel Castle. However, before departing, he still had unfinished tasks to settle and friends to bid farewell.
Such as Kovyrian, the overseer of the Lakeside Inn.
"He is Koch, your contact." Winters raised his chin slightly, gesturing for Kovyrian to look at the burly man who had just entered the tent. "He's the one you'll be dealing with moving forward. Official introductions are in order."
