The side hall beside the main palace served as the private quarters of Luciel, the City Lord of Black Tortoise.
The air carried the faint fragrance of Tea and freshly dried linen. A single lantern beetle pulsed softly in a crystal jar, its glow casting golden ripples across the walls.
Luciel sat shirt-sleeved at his desk, still damp from his shower, hair clinging to his temples. In front of him lay a small carving board, half-finished, covered with delicate knife marks.
"It's almost done," he murmured to himself.
Each night he worked on the same portrait — a careful engraving of Mino's missing sister. His carving skills were clumsy, but he persisted, chipping away little by little. He wanted to have perfect likenesses ready for printing and distribution throughout the major cities.
The blade scraped against the wood with a soft click click, sawdust drifting like dust motes through the warm air.
Suddenly, a faint buzz filled the room.
