Morning light crept through the narrow gap of the curtains, spilling into the room. Nathan groaned softly, his face half-buried in the pillow. After so many nights on the hard floors of the Tower, the comfort of a mattress almost felt… wrong.
"Oi, wake up." Sophia's voice cut sharp, far too energetic for this hour.
Nathan blinked groggily, his eyes only half-open. "…Why the hell are you so loud this early?"
Sophia stood at his bedside, arms folded, her posture stiff with resolve. "We're going to Bluefang Guild today. I'm not letting some other guild snatch you first. You need to meet Ulrich—make your position clear."
Nathan exhaled, shutting his eyes again. "Bluefang, huh… Ulrich…" His lips curved faintly. "Not a bad idea. I've been curious about him anyway."
"Don't act like this is optional." Sophia clicked her tongue, grabbed his jacket, and tossed it onto his face.
