Inside the study of the Lord's Mansion in Black Tortoise City, the faint scent of ink and parchment filled the air. Luciel sat behind his desk, sleeves rolled up, a brush poised in his hand as he studied the map spread before him.
He was planning his next move—how to stir up a sensation large enough to lure the people of Amestris City into the new commercial street for trade.
But so far, no one had come.
"Still nothing?" Mino's soft voice broke the silence. The young woman entered the study, her long ears twitching slightly as she carried in a tray of steaming tea. Her blue eyes shimmered with worry. "Do you think they're afraid of us?"
Luciel set the brush down and leaned back, exhaling. "Afraid? Yes, they're scared," he said mildly. "That's exactly the problem."
He glanced out the window toward the distant city beyond the massive shell of the Black Tortoise. "If we want them to come to us, we'll have to go to them first—to Amestris City. Promote it ourselves."
