That night, Eldridge was shrouded in thick, damp darkness, as if the entire city was holding its breath. The oil lamps and torches along the main street began to dim one by one, leaving the stone roads in a quieter and more vigilant atmosphere. Only the occasional footsteps of patrolling guards or the distant barking of stray dogs could be heard at the edge of the city. The mountain wind blew gently, carrying a bone-piercing cold and the scent of damp soil mixed with nearly extinguished wood smoke.
In the small room of the "Black Stone Restaurant" inn, the faint light of a beeswax candle glowed on the old wooden table, illuminating the faces of the three girls sitting around it. The air inside the room felt heavy, mixed with the sweet scent of the candle, damp old wood, and a faint lingering aroma of spices and grilled meat rising from the dining hall downstairs.
