Behind him, the Duke was still standing in the middle of the wrecked room, silently examining the fox stone.
Sykelion didn't bother saying anything else. For the sake of both his dignity and survival rate, it was better to retreat while the Duke was calm.
So he limped toward the door.
Each step produced a quiet tap… drag… tap… drag…
Halfway there, he stepped on a piece of broken wood.
"—Ow."
He kicked it aside.
Finally, he reached the door, pulled it open, and stepped out into the hallway.
The moment he crossed the threshold, he quietly shut the door behind him.
Sykelion stood there for a moment, leaning against the wall like a man who had just survived a natural disaster.
Which, technically speaking, he had.
He exhaled slowly.
"…I deserve a medal."
Or at least a medical team.
After gathering what little composure he had left, he raised his cracked OmniSync device near his face.
The sleek, palm-sized device flickered to life with a soft hum.
