Their steps cut through the towering wheat field, parting rows of golden stalks swaying under the bite of the rising night breeze. The grain, still unharvested in full, reached up to their waists, limiting Glen and Reiner's line of sight. But in the distance, a silhouette began to emerge, a grand colonial-style mansion, its weathered stone walls and tall windows gazing blankly at the sky like hollow eyes.
Glen said nothing. His breathing was steady, but his eyes were alight with a fierce determination and a worry he could no longer hide. Behind him, Reiner stumbled after the emperor, his pace urgent and unsteady.
