Neudämmerung Iron Mines — Main Entrance. Morning.
The mines were a forty-minute ride northeast of the fortress.
Kaito arrived while the sun was still low.
Behind him: Elara with her medical bag, a notebook, and the expression of someone who has already breakfasted and reviewed her notes twice. Four miners on shift that Ferrus had personally selected. Two of Drake's guards.
And Aurelia.
Aurelia arrived five minutes late on a horse that looked regretful to have carried her.
She carried three empty notebooks, a handbag that clinked with glass things, and a small device hanging from her neck that no one had seen before.
"MINES!" she announced, with the enthusiasm of someone discovering Christmas.
"I've never been in mines! Only in experiment tunnels! Which are technically similar but with less mineral and more accidental explosions!"
Elara looked at her.
"Accidental... explosions?"
"Most of the time!"
Elara looked at Kaito.
Kaito said nothing.
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