"That's the spirit," Sage replied warmly.
The words hung between them, unceremonious yet profound, neither triumphant nor patronizing, just acknowledged.
Mina nodded once, her grip tightening on the Copper Badge before she slid it into the small pouch at her waist, as if sealing away not just a symbol of her rank but also the weight of that moment.
The hall around them continued its gradual descent into quiet; the echoes of celebration faded into distant murmurs and the occasional scrape of furniture as the Adventurers roamed about in the Guild Hall.
The sunlight flickered lazily against the stone walls, its glow steady now, no longer competing with the earlier excitement that had filled the space.
For the first time since their conversation began, Sage allowed himself to breathe normally.
He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms in an exaggerated motion as if dismissing the emotional exchange as merely an inconvenience.
