Night wrapped itself around the Southern capital like black silk.
The city glowed beneath countless lanterns, their warm amber lights reflecting against marble streets still carrying traces of daytime heat. Noble carriages rolled endlessly through the upper districts while music drifted from distant estates where aristocrats drowned ambition beneath wine and false smiles.
But tonight—
House Veil had become the center of attention.
And everyone in the South could feel it.
Inside Landon's private office, silence lingered heavily after Kel finished speaking.
The lantern flames danced softly across the room, illuminating territorial maps, financial ledgers, and unopened noble invitations scattered across the desk.
Outside the windows, the crescent moon hung pale above the city.
Watching.
Quiet.
Like a witness to conspiracy.
Landon stood near the map wall, arms crossed while absorbing the full structure of Kel's latest proposal.
The deeper he listened—
The more terrifyingly elegant it became.
Kel remained seated near the window, one leg crossed over the other while moonlight stretched across his dark clothing. His expression remained calm as always, yet his eyes carried that familiar stillness Landon had learned to fear slightly.
Because every time Kel looked this calm—
Something enormous usually followed.
"The three Duke Houses are guaranteed spots already."
Kel spoke quietly.
"Everyone understands that naturally."
Landon nodded once.
Of course they did.
No noble in the South would dare openly compete against a Duke for business priority.
Especially not regarding something as valuable as House Veil's potion distribution.
Kel continued.
"So the remaining nobles…"
A faint pause.
"…will fight over the last available positions."
The office grew quieter.
The implications sharpened instantly.
Landon slowly narrowed his eyes.
"…You want scarcity."
Kel's faint smile appeared briefly.
"I want desperation."
Sairen's voice echoed softly through the soul-link.
This time openly amused.
"…You really enjoy watching nobles devour each other."
Far away—
At Scarder Lake—
Sairen rested upon the endless silver mist, observing the office through Kel's senses while ancient waters stretched endlessly beneath her feet.
Kel answered internally.
"People reveal their true value when competing for limited access."
Sairen tilted her head slightly.
"…And if they fail?"
Kel's eyes reflected the lantern flames calmly.
"Then they were never useful."
Back inside the office—
Landon slowly walked toward the desk.
"…The nobles will ask for more spots eventually."
Kel nodded immediately.
"Exactly."
He leaned slightly forward now.
And the atmosphere shifted subtly.
Sharper.
More dangerous.
"If someone wishes to expand the number of licensed positions…"
His voice lowered calmly.
"…they must offer something valuable first."
Landon's gaze sharpened.
Understanding slowly forming.
"Not money."
Kel spoke before Landon could ask.
"Money is temporary."
Then—
His eyes darkened slightly.
"They must offer access."
Silence.
Heavy.
Calculated.
Kel continued.
"Influence."
A pause.
"Political support."
Another.
"Introductions."
Landon fully understood now.
The potion licenses themselves were not merely trade agreements.
They were bait.
Carefully crafted bait.
Any noble desperate enough to secure additional spots would begin offering favors voluntarily.
Information.
Connections.
Territorial advantages.
Military cooperation.
And most importantly—
Paths deeper into Duke circles.
Kel stood slowly from his chair.
The lantern light stretched shadows across the room as he walked calmly toward the large map of the Southern territories.
"Working beside Dukes is not a small thing."
His voice remained calm.
"Not everyone deserves that privilege."
Landon almost smiled slightly.
Because he already understood where this was going.
Kel placed one hand lightly against the map.
"You will present it as respect."
A faint pause.
"As protection of Duke honor."
Sairen immediately laughed softly through the soul-link.
"…That's shameless."
Kel ignored her completely.
"The narrative matters."
He continued calmly.
"You are not limiting access because of greed."
A slight pause.
"…you are ensuring incompetent nobles do not sit beside Dukes in official matters."
Landon finally let out a low breath.
Because now—
The structure became complete.
The Dukes would feel respected.
The lesser nobles would feel pressured.
And House Veil—
Would quietly stand at the center controlling access itself.
Kel turned toward him fully now.
Moonlight and lantern glow split his figure into shadow and gold.
"This way…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…we can easily expand the spots from five…"
A pause.
"…to ten."
Then—
"…or twenty."
Landon's heartbeat tightened faintly.
Not from fear.
But realization.
Because the real profit would not come from potion sales anymore.
It would come from entry itself.
Nobles would compete endlessly just to stand near Duke-level influence.
And while doing so—
They would feed House Veil more resources voluntarily.
Sairen's voice echoed again.
This time quieter.
Thoughtful.
"…You're monetizing ambition itself."
Kel answered simply.
"Ambition is the most reliable currency in noble society."
The office fell silent for several moments afterward.
Outside—
The wind moved softly through the mansion gardens while distant lanterns flickered across the city below.
Everything felt strangely calm.
Despite the fact they were quietly designing a system capable of reshaping Southern political balance.
Finally—
Landon spoke.
"…How many invitations?"
Kel answered immediately.
"Everyone important."
Landon frowned slightly.
"That includes rivals."
Kel nodded once.
"Good."
A faint pause followed.
"Invite all Three Dukes."
The atmosphere sharpened again.
Even speaking about gathering all Three Southern Dukes within a single mansion carried enormous weight.
Those men rarely attended the same event willingly unless politics demanded it.
"And…"
Kel continued calmly.
"…invite at least ten to twenty influential nobles."
Landon's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Merchant nobles too?"
"Yes."
Kel replied without hesitation.
"The South's real power is divided between land…"
A pause.
"…and flow."
Meaning—
Territory and trade.
Landon slowly nodded.
Understood.
The room quieted once more.
Then—
He moved.
Landon returned to the desk and began organizing documents immediately.
His posture changed subtly now.
Less discussion.
More execution.
He rang the silver bell resting near the desk corner.
Within moments—
The Head Maid entered once more.
This time, however—
The atmosphere inside the room had completely changed.
Even she sensed it instantly.
"My lord?"
Landon's expression remained composed.
But authority naturally flowed through his voice now.
"Prepare invitation letters."
The Head Maid blinked slightly.
"…For whom?"
Landon looked toward the Southern territorial map briefly.
Then answered calmly.
"Everyone."
The room fell silent.
Even the Head Maid's composure cracked faintly.
"…Everyone?"
"The Three Southern Dukes."
Landon spoke first.
Then continued without pause.
"Major merchant houses."
"Noble factions."
"Influential military families."
"And all nobles of sufficient standing within the capital."
The Head Maid stared briefly.
Because this was no small gathering anymore.
This was approaching political summit scale.
"…What should the invitations state?"
She asked carefully.
Landon's gaze shifted subtly toward Kel.
Only briefly.
But enough.
Then—
He answered.
"House Veil will host a noble feast."
His voice remained calm.
"Following the banquet…"
A faint pause.
"…important business discussions regarding future Southern trade partnerships will occur."
No details.
No explanations.
Only enough information to ignite curiosity.
Exactly as intended.
The Head Maid lowered her head immediately.
"…Understood."
She departed quickly afterward.
Already aware tonight would become extremely busy for the entire mansion staff.
As the office door closed once more—
Silence returned.
Landon exhaled slowly.
"…Once those invitations spread…"
He looked toward Kel.
"…the entire capital will react."
Kel walked back toward the window calmly.
The moonlight illuminated the side of his face faintly while the Southern capital stretched endlessly beneath the night beyond.
Then—
He answered quietly.
"Good."
A simple word.
But beneath it—
Lay ambition vast enough to drown kingdoms.
Outside—
Messengers soon departed House Veil carrying sealed invitations into the Southern night.
Toward Duke estates.
Toward merchant guilds.
Toward noble mansions glowing beneath lantern light and hidden greed.
And as those invitations spread through the capital—
So did whispers.
Questions.
Curiosity.
Suspicion.
Why was a newly risen Viscount gathering nearly the entire Southern nobility?
Why now?
And most importantly—
What exactly had House Veil gained…
That even Dukes were being invited personally?
The South had begun paying attention fully now.
Exactly as Kel intended.
Because predators were easiest to trap…
When they approached willingly.