The doors of the royal council room remained firmly shut, but the atmosphere inside was entirely different than the tense silence of the previous night.
The Beast King's core had been moved to a secure vault for study, and in its place on the massive table sat a stack of official documents detailing the rewards to be distributed for the successful clear of the Mutated Gate.
"The standard compensation for a Gate of this severity has already been authorized for the surviving vanguard members and the Captain's squad," the older councilman, Duke Vahn, said, adjusting his robes as he looked over the papers. "Gold, advanced healing potions, and a month of paid leave. Standard protocol."
"Standard protocol," the councilwoman across from him repeated, tapping a manicured finger against the table. "Yes, but standard protocol does not cover what to do when a rookie solo clears a catastrophe-level anomaly."
