Lucien entered the room with the hooded man and the captain, only after Shion and Eren entered the room.
"I won't take much of your time" He said, closing the door behind him with measured calm "I understand you carried out a job that jeopardizes mortal lives on a considerable scale, and yet you refuse to provide names or locations"
"Correct" Shion replied without hesitation, her posture straight, hands resting lightly at her sides "It's called reputation. And reputation means business"
"Sound sensible" Lucien answered calmly, folding his hands behind his back as he paced once across the room "Even for a blade for hire, reputation means something"
He understood the nature of such work, that reputation brought better contracts, quieter contracts, sometimes even the kind that were never written down or publicly offered.
"I won't press you for details here any longer" Lucien continued, his gaze shifting briefly to Eren before returning to Shion "However, I find myself in need of mercenaries for a guard assignment in three days' time. The governor will be visiting a nearby town, and I'm afraid the guards here are already stretched thin with the current security situation at the gates. You understand"
The captain shifted beside him, jaw tightening as though he meant to object, but whatever words rose to his tongue died there.
"For this reason" Lucien went on evenly "And in light of the recent events that lead me to believe you are capable of discretion, I will be appointing you both to that task. The captain here and two of his closest men will guard the cart alongside you"
Neither Shion nor Eren were given the opportunity to accept, refuse, or even protest. The decision had already settled into place, solid and immovable, as though it had been made long before they entered the room.
It was clear the intention here was not the job itself, but none of them could say clearly what it was.
"If you were to… I don't know" hare certain details along the way — unofficially, of course — there would be a considerable delay between your departure and any formal investigation. And your pockets would be… less empty "Share certain details along the way — unofficially, of course — there would be a considerable delay between your departure and any formal investigation. And your pockets would be… less empty"
He did not entertain the possibility of refusal. In his mind, every angle had been accounted for, every path narrowed until only one remained.
The silver incentive was a bonus for them to cooperate. Encouragement.
If they were to seize this book, they clearly could make gold any time they wanted. The time gap would work in favor of Shion and Eren. The guards could claim the association gave them the info.
On paper, everything lined up perfectly.
Silence lingered in the room after Lucien's final words, not tense, but deliberate — the kind of quiet that follows an agreement never formally spoken.
Lucien adjusted the cuffs of his gloves, smoothing invisible creases from the leather before turning slightly toward the captain.
"It is settled, then" He said, as though the matter had already passed through every necessary channel. "You will report here at first light three days from now. Equipment prepared. No delays."
His eyes returned to Shion, steady and unreadable.
"You will be compensated appropriately upon completion. The governor's route will be disclosed the morning of departure. Until then, I trust you will keep yourselves… available."
It was not a request.
The captain stepped forward at last, reclaiming a fragment of authority in the narrowing space. "You're dismissed," he said, though the words lacked the sharpness they might have carried earlier. "Be here before sunrise. If you're late, the cart leaves without you."
Eren's jaw tightened slightly, but he said nothing. Shion inclined her head — not submissive, not defiant — merely acknowledging that the exchange had reached its natural end.
Lucien moved toward the door and opened it himself, the hinges whispering softly against the stone. The corridor beyond was dimmer than the chamber, torchlight flickering along the walls and casting long, uneven shadows.
"I look forward to your cooperation" He added, almost pleasantly.
No handshake was offered. No formal contract exchanged. Only expectation.
The air outside the room felt cooler when they stepped into the corridor, though the weight of the conversation followed them like a second shadow.
Behind them, the door closed with quiet finality.
They were free to leave.
Required to return.
The night air outside the post carried a sharper edge than before, cool against their faces as they stepped into the thinning streets of Reka. Torchlight burned low in iron brackets along the walls, casting long, wavering shadows across shuttered windows and nearly empty crossings. Shion adjusted the strap of her sword across her back, the leather shifting softly beneath her fingers as her boots struck the stone in an even, unhurried rhythm.
They walked in silence at first.
Only when they turned into the narrower street leading toward the inn did Eren release a slow breath, a quiet sound edged with restrained frustration.
"That wasn't a request" She said, resting her hands loosely near her belt as she walked "That was a leash"
Shion kept her gaze forward "Yes"
"He didn't even consider refusal"
"No, he didn't"
A cart rattled faintly somewhere beyond the houses, and a stray dog slipped across the road ahead of them before disappearing between stacked crates. The town did not appear openly alarmed, yet its rhythm felt altered. More guards at the gates. Fewer lingering voices. Eyes that watched a little longer than necessary.
Eren glanced at her "You think it's about the governor?"
"No" Shion gave a slight shake of her head "The governor is convenient"
Her pace slowed almost imperceptibly, not from hesitation but from thought.
"He wanted proximity" She continued "To observe us. To measure us. Or simply to keep us close"
"And the silver?"
"A lure. An incentive. Insurance"
They reached the inn, its wooden sign swaying faintly above the doorway as warm light spilled into the street. The low murmur of conversation drifted outward, carrying with it the scent of roasted meat and bread.
Eren paused just before entering, her jaw tightening slightly "Three days. Long enough to hold us in place. Not long enough to disappear without consequence"
"We could leave tonight" She added after a moment, though the words lacked real intention.
"We could" Shion agreed "And confirm whatever suspicion he already entertains"
Inside, the innkeeper looked up in brief recognition before returning to polishing a cup. The room felt ordinary, almost detached from the weight of the guard post and its calculated conversation.
Eren drew out a chair and sat, leaning forward with her forearms resting on the table "So we wait"
"I would like to know how far this goes" Shion said as she took the seat opposite her.
They considered the alternatives in silence. Refusal would escalate matters. Leaving would brand them guilty of something not yet spoken. Compliance, at least on the surface, offered time.
"If we take it" Eren said slowly, her fingers tracing the grain of the wood beneath her hand "We stay within reach but not under control. We watch as much as we are watched."
"And we gather coin" Shion added evenly.
Eren's lips curved faintly "That too."
"In the meantime" Shion continued "We take smaller contracts. Errands. Nothing that draws attention. We remain visible. Consistent"
"Predictable"
"Exactly"
The decision settled between them, not born of trust but of calculation. If they were being maneuvered, then they would move carefully within the space allowed.
Shion leaned back slightly, letting the tension ease from her shoulders.
"Dinner first" She said "Then sleep"
Eren gave a quiet nod. "For once, something of our choosing."
A serving girl approached their table, and the politics of Reka, the governor's visit, and Lucien's careful positioning receded for the night behind the simple comfort of a warm meal and a door they could close themselves.