The masked man paused right at the entrance, one foot still outside, as if the threshold itself demanded a second thought before crossing, and in that brief moment, his eyes shifted slightly to the right, catching a strange sight that most would have ignored.
Four figures.
Hooded.
Still.
Wrapped in blankets like beggars trying to survive the cold.
Yet something about them felt… off.
Too still.
Too quiet.
Too aware.
A faint unease brushed past his mind, but he did not linger on it, because hesitation, especially here, could be more dangerous than ignorance. So he stepped fully inside, the wooden floor letting out a soft creak under his weight as the door closed behind him with a dull thud.
His voice came out louder than necessary, as if it was meant to be heard not just by Kiara, but by anyone who might be listening from the shadows.
"Miss Kiara, I am from the Sky Clan. My master sent me to collect the weapons, and this is the list he provided."
