Siemen—Zirron's secretary—stood with a stack of documents clutched too tightly in his hands, the edges already bent.
"Mavis left everything," he said hoarsely, voice stripped of its usual precision. "His wealth… to Sylene. To Hilda. And to Zephyr—to manage. He said Zephyr is good at business."
The words felt too practical for a room that still carried the weight of a fresh grave.
"The exoskeleton project needs funding," Siemen continued after a pause, forcing himself to stay upright. "A lot of it. And since… since they're not here…" His voice faltered for a second before he steadied it again. "I will follow Zephyr and Alden. We'll redirect the business. It will support the resistance."
He lowered his gaze.
"To fight the scientists. And the Q series… Rosencraft will use them against us."
No one disagreed.
—
In Alden's lab in Velmourne, the air felt different.
Quieter. Heavier.
Alden worked, but his attention betrayed him.
Again.
And again.
