Reiji walked through the streets, taking in the state of the buildings and people while trying to find where Lord Fujioka's building was.
Far away, in between the giant ice spikes laid a figure dressed in a white cloak with a spyglass, looking directly at Reiji.
The figure spoke in a quiet, feminine voice.
"So he defeated the manhunter and the quiet screamer?"
"Yes, I saw it myself."
Said another figure standing on an ice spike down and to the left of the first figure.
They had a manly voice and were leaning against the ice spike the first figure was laying on, dressed in the same white cloak.
"Do we have any other orders than to observe?"
Asked the female.
"No, it's a waiting game from here."
After walking through the streets for what felt like hours, he finally stumbled upon a building that looked identical to Lord Fujioka's.
It wasn't damaged at all, just massive ice chunks everywhere.
Reiji didn't know if it was actually the right building but he was 90% sure.
He walked in through the door at the front of the long building and when he entered he saw that it was in fact Lord Fujioka's building.
They never planned where they'd meet so he decided to go into his office.
Walking up the multiple flights of stairs, he got to the door that led to the Lord's office.
He opened it and walked through, seeing him sitting behind the desk, deep in thought.
Lord Fujioka quickly shot up from his chair and walked over to Reiji.
"Thank goodness you're alright. You are alright, aren't you? What happened?"
He asked.
"You owe me two gold coins."
Reiji said in a flat and slightly annoyed tone.
"Two? Why?"
"First, when I entered the village everyone was dead and there was this thing that could possess the corpses. Second, when I was coming back I was attacked by some human-horse hybrid thing."
Lord Fujioka was silent for a moment.
"That's fair but why did it all happen?"
"What do you mean?"
Reiji asked.
"I mean, the two creatures you fought, half of the capital being covered in ice and…that thing that killed my horse today."
"I also saw a forest with blood vessels, like it was all some one big organism."
Lord Fujioka sighed and sat down, taking a moment to think.
"The people that were here during the attack said it was a dragon that caused this."
"What are we, in some fairytale?"
Reiji asked, as if the whole thing was stupid.
"I can't say."
Reiji looked out the window after Lord Fujioka's response.
He thought for a moment before looking back at him.
"I have questions of my own for you. I found it weird that you would hire a swordsman to train one person for I don't know how many days. Not to mention that the swordsman was already there. You said you needed people like me, what does that mean?"
Lord Fujioka took a moment to answer.
"I am building a private, special force that the kingdom should ideally not know about. And it'll be made out of unique people, such as yourself."
"Unique…in what way exactly? Because you'll need far more than unique to protect the people of this kingdom and much more to protect the world."
Said Reiji in a frustrated tone.
"I understand, Mister Kurozuma."
Reiji looked out the window again.
"I'd lay low for now, and someone will find the dead villagers sooner or later. Also, I almost forgot. Why did your face turn pale when the intelligence guy told us when the building collapsed?"
Asked Reiji, looking back at Lord Fujioka.
After he didn't answer, Reiji walked closer to the table.
"Tell me."
Reiji demanded and after a moment the pressure got to Lord Fujioka.
"Fine! There is a pretty big possibility that the king is dead."
Reiji sighed.
"...And my best guess is that this is not the optimal time for a change in leadership?"
"Most certainly not. We have nothing to do here now. We are leaving as soon as possible."
Lord Fujioka got up and made his way to the door in a hasty manner.
"Wait, it's been bugging ever since I remembered. That village I was protecting from the frost people, do you know what state it is in now?"
He stopped just before the door, hand already on the handle.
"We can go there when we get back to my mansion."
Answered Lord Fujioka before he left Reiji in the office alone.
Reiji stood there for a moment, silently cursing himself for forgetting so easily.
"Damn it…I also forgot to tell him about my broken sword."
Reiji muttered in a tired tone before leaving the office as well.
Reiji quickly caught up to him, now walking closely behind him.
"I also forgot to tell you, I snapped my sword."
Lord Fujioka kept walking, as if unbothered.
"How could that have happened?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because it was a rusty piece of junk?"
Reiji answered in an annoyed tone.
"You and your attitude."
They got back into the carriage and rode off, carefully maneuvering through the broken, ice covered streets.
"He's on the move with someone."
Said the lady that was spying on Reiji from the ice spikes.
"It looks like the other guy is some old man in his 60s or 70s. They're riding off in a carriage."
She said to her partner.
The man that was with her pushed himself up off of the ice spike he was sitting on.
"Well, we best follow them."