Henry led Jacob down the short corridor to the hall where the guests had been received, the distance hardly worth remarking on since it was only a few steps from the entrance, yet Jacob could tell from the measured pace of his brother that he intended to stretch the moment out, as though he enjoyed the role of guide more than was necessary.

When Jacob entered, his eyes immediately settled on the two figures seated opposite each other with a tray of refreshments laid neatly between them. One was a man of considerable bulk whose sheer size seemed too much for the chair he occupied, and who, with a contented expression, was happily working his way through the snacks as though he had not a care in the world.

Beside him sat a woman dressed in plain but respectable clothing, her sharp features accentuated by the frequent glances of disapproval she cast at her companion, as though his appetite were some embarrassment to her.

Jacob leaned slightly toward Henry and asked in a low tone, "And what house do they come from?"

Henry clicked his tongue in irritation, his gaze fixed on the oversized man, before answering. "Do you really expect me to know the name of every minor family?" He then raised a finger and wagged it lightly in front of Jacob, his smirk suggesting he had enjoyed drawing out the answer. "If so, you'd be right. They're from the Trace family. Their heir has reached rank ten, same as you, though his aspect is only grade three."

Jacob gave a short nod and stepped forward, making his movements deliberate so that his footsteps struck the polished floor with enough weight to draw immediate attention. Both envoys noticed at once and rose quickly to their feet, bowing in unison. "Envoys of the honourable Trace family greet Sir Jacob Skydrid."

Jacob inclined his head in acknowledgment, returning the formality with a calm tone. "Jacob Skydrid greets the honourable envoys." Even as he bowed, he quietly measured their strength. 'The woman is about rank seven,' he judged. 'But the man… I can't gauge him at all.'

Frowning slightly, he lifted his head and gestured toward the seats. "Let us sit and speak of business." He crossed to the chair opposite them and settled in without hurry, his composure making the silence stretch until the envoys followed his lead and sat back down.

The woman gave a discreet cough, a signal that prompted the man beside her to straighten in his chair and finally address him. Jacob felt the smallest twinge of disappointment at the display, envoys sent on business yet too overawed by his family name to act with the confidence their role demanded, bowing to a rank ten mage as though the gap between them were far greater than it was.

"Well then, Sir Jacob," the man began, meeting his gaze more firmly now, "we have come to hire you for a brief period. During this time, every need of yours will be provided for, and since we are aware of your struggle to ascend, we are prepared to offer our aid in that matter as payment."

"Why me?" Jacob asked at once, cutting directly to the point, because that was the question pressing most on his mind, why would they seek him out for something like this?

"Oh, you were recommended by Sir Brimm," the envoy replied without hesitation.

At the mention of the name, Jacob barely managed to stifle a groan, resisting the urge to bury his face in his hands. Sir Brimm, rank zero knight, renowned warrior, hailed as a young talent, and the very man Lazarus had arranged to teach both him and Arthur the sword.

No one could deny his skill or his reputation as an instructor, yet to Jacob he remained a persistent source of irritation, a man whose eccentricities often seemed tailored to trouble him in particular. And clearly, this was another instance of it.

"Sir Brimm recommended me?" Jacob asked, his tone sharpening with suspicion. "In what way, exactly?"

"Well," the envoy explained, shifting slightly in his seat, "regarding the matter we wished to hire assistance for, we first brought it before Sir Brimm. It was then that he advised us to engage you specifically, to support our young master."

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Jacob lowered his gaze and let out a long, quiet breath. 'If it's him who put my name forward, then refusing isn't really an option.' He sighed again, heavier this time, before asking, "What's the job?"

"To aid our young master during a two-week expedi tion" the woman interjected, her voice crisp and precise.

"Why not do it yourselves?" Jacob countered at once. To him, it made far more sense to rely on members already sworn to the family rather than reaching outside for someone else.

The man fell silent for a brief moment, his expression caught between hesitation and calculation, before finally replying, "Because there is a rank limit imposed in that territory."

Hearing this, Jacob sat up with a touch of renewed interest, his expression sharpening as he asked, "A site?"

"A site," the man confirmed with a simple nod.

Jacob fell silent, turning the words over in his mind while letting his thoughts unfold in careful order. Now he could see the reason Sir Brimm had pushed his name forward for this, an opportunity to enter a site was rare enough on its own, but a site restricted to rank ten meant it was perfectly aligned with his current strength, not too far beyond him.

"Have you sent anyone in before?" Jacob asked at last.

"Yes," the man admitted, his tone shifting ever so slightly, "a group was dispatched at first, but only two managed to return. Still, from what they reported, there is no doubt that you should be able to endure it."

Jacob exhaled slowly, his sigh carrying more thought than frustration. It was, after all, the price of the title he, Arthur, and Abel had been saddled with, unbeatable within rank ten.

A title born from their track record in spars, where none of their peers had managed to best them, but one that had grown into a reputation larger than it deserved, leading some to overestimate his abilities and to expect him to walk unscathed where others had failed.

Even so, he could not dismiss the matter out of hand. Sites were peculiar and dangerous places, each with their own rules, their own restrictions, and their own uncertain rewards. They barred entry beyond certain thresholds of strength, yet within those limits they held either opportunities that could change a life or dangers that could end one.

If fortune was kind, even a weak site could yield great benefits, but the risks remained, and now he had to weigh those risks not just for himself but for the safety of another, the Trace heir who would be entrusted to him.

After a long pause, Jacob finally asked, "What time is he entering?"

The man's face brightened with relief as he answered quickly, "In four days he will enter the site, and he will remain there for two weeks, in outside time, that is, which should bring him back just in time for the sparring with the northerners."

"Outside time?" Jacob pressed, narrowing his gaze. "What's the dilation?"

"A day outside amounts to four days within the site," the envoy explained at once. "So altogether, you will be inside for fifty-six days."

Jacob gave a small nod and sank back into thought, his gaze lowering slightly as he turned the matter over in his mind.

'What do you think?' he asked Yggdrasil inwardly, weighing the balance of risk and reward.

'Entering a site is an opportunity that rarely comes by, even for me,' Yggdrasil answered after a moment, his tone calm but carrying the weight of experience. 'Their appearance depends almost entirely on chance, and while you should not expect to claim the greatest treasures within, there will always be things worth taking if you are observant enough, and if fortune favors you, you may even stumble upon something that can change your path entirely.'

'So I should do it?' Jacob pressed.

'That depends. If luck does not favor you, what you will find is not treasure but pain, desperation, and perhaps death. There are sites so perilous that even I, at divine rank, would not dare to step into them. You must understand that every site carries danger, some far more than others, and if you choose to enter, you are accepting a gamble you cannot control. That is why no one else should make this choice for you, not even your teacher and definitely not me.

Jacob fell silent once more, letting the words settle. Risk and reward, there was no escaping the truth that the greatest rewards demanded the greatest risks, and no path to strength would ever be free of danger. To turn away from such an opportunity simply because it carried the possibility of failure would be nothing short of cowardice.

At last he raised his head and said, "Very well. I'll do it. Inform your head, and send me the location."

The moment the words left him, the two envoys stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you for accepting," the woman said quickly, her tone filled with relief.

"There's no need to thank me," Jacob replied evenly, "this will benefit me as much as it will your young master."

"Of course, sir Jacob," the woman continued, her voice shifting into a brisk tone of business, "but we will still need to have a proper discussion about the distribution of rewards, and I must insist that your first duty remains the protection of the young master."

Jacob inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Naturally. Let us settle the terms now."

And with that they began to work through the details, the rest of the day slipping away as agreements were drawn and conditions laid out for the expedition to come.

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