Bradley stopped in front of the door, raised his hand to gently push it open, then stepped back, gesturing a brief and restrained "please".
Varius walked in, the door closing behind him, cutting off the footsteps outside.
The air carried the scent of ink, mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed hot coffee.
There was none of the damp wood smell typical of old nobility's studies, nor any deliberately cultivated incense.
This place did not resemble a space meant to flaunt one's status, but rather a workstation ready to operate at any moment.
Varius instinctively took two steps forward.
Three walls were completely covered by enormous parchment maps.
The contour lines on the maps marked ridges and valleys layer by layer, meticulously outlining the direction of the mineral veins, and even indicating seasonal changes in water flow beside the rivers.
In the corners of some areas, there were tiny annotations detailing population density, food production, and labor structure.
