The carriage lurched, and Sean gripped the window frame, glancing forward. "Windsor, what's happening?""Nothing, My Lord." Windsor coughed, sheepish. "Got too caught up in your story—nearly hit a pedestrian."Sean: "…"Sensing his lord's irritation, Windsor changed the subject, "Brody thinks you practice 'capital witchcraft'—ironic, since your… persuasive skills do border on the magical. When we first met, I thought you might be a Pandaren reincarnate."Lodin's head snapped up, "Pandaren? Which one? Chen Stormstout, Zhou Zhu, or Zhu Talan?""Let's not revisit past lives." Sean deflected, eyes narrowing. "Brody's a pawn in Jessica's game. But we can turn the tide.""How, My Lord?" Windsor pressed."Still working on that."Windsor: "…"
Gabe's carriage stopped not at Golden Wolf Fort, but at a alley beside Yorn's Holy Light Cathedral, long before Sean's group departed. Tossing the driver a gold coin with a silent shush, he stepped into the fetid alley where a gaunt young man waited."Lord Gabe," the man bowed, handing over a purse. "Twenty gold, as usual."Gabe weighed the coins—familiar weight, identical to his stagnant annual salary as Rivers Family steward for five years. "Tell your master the Count still debates Jessica's husband. Sean's a baron, but he's the Grand Duke's blood—tempting for pureblood obsessed nobles. Jessica's 'mood' is just knightly romance drivel from those cursed novels. As for Brody and Sean… Rivers Fort stays neutral."The man nodded, turning to leave, but Gabe grabbed him, "Wait—free information. Sean's at Golden Leiden, York Street 104. He'll linger there. Don't waste time at his lodge.""Understood!" The man hurried off.Gabe smirked, tossing the coins. "Twenty gold? Cheapskate."
York Street, in west Yorn's noble district, bordered the Mage Guild, its history etched in cobblestones:Past: Mercenary trading hub, until mages drove them east, turning it into a market for spell materials at shops like Blue Oak Emporium (103 York), now across from Golden Leiden.Present: Mage wealth—disdaining Light's indulgences, they spent freely, spawning luxury shops, taverns, and less savory back-alley dealings. Nobles, drawn by convenience, made it Yorn's premier district, its roads maintained by earth mages, smooth as polished stone.
Windsor's voice cut through Sean's thoughts, "Yorn's main roads all lead to York Street, My Lord. Even a first-timer can find it." He gestured to the fourth shop: Golden Leiden, its gilded sign gleaming.Sean stepped out, eyeing the bustling street—mages haggling over crystal vials, nobles in silk discussing the latest fashion, and in the shadows, Brody's earlier threat lingered. But here, in the heart of wealth and influence, his luxury shop would either thrive or become a target."Lodin, Henry will send craftsmen tomorrow," Sean murmured, "Turn this into a temple of elegance. Nobles don't just buy perfume—they buy status."Lodin nodded, already envisioning displays: perfumes in etched glass, Jamie's heels on velvet cushions, Lodin's illustrated novels bound in leather.