The lounge felt oddly removed from the lingering chaos of the Guild Hall.

Beyond the expansive archway, the voices of Adventurers surged and receded like restless tides. There were bursts of laughter, sharp arguments, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor, and the constant rustling of pages as Guide Books were repeatedly turned.

Excitement pulsed in the air; the Guild had never been more vibrant.

Yet, within the building's more secluded corners, the atmosphere changed. The lounge was dimly lit by soft mana lamps set into the walls, casting a warm glow that stretched long shadows across the polished floor.

Plush couches formed a loose semicircle around a low obsidian table, and tall shelves hugging the far wall added to the cozy ambiance.

Sage lounged on the central couch, one arm draped languidly over its back, the other awkwardly pinned under a small, stubborn weight.

Mina had wrapped herself around him like an octopus. Her short legs clung to his waist, one arm looped around his neck while her cheek rested against his head. She swayed slightly, gazing over him toward the distant Guild Hall with unmasked fascination.

Every time Sage shifted, she tightened her grip, as if fearful he might disappear the moment she let go.

Pax sat a short distance away, sunk into a corner chair with his legs crossed. One arm rested casually along the armrest, while the other cradled a chipped cup that gave off a faint scent of alcohol. His half-lidded eyes scanned the room without truly focusing, but nothing escaped his notice.

Sage sighed, attempting to ignore the weight of Mina's presence.

"Are you planning to fuse with me permanently," he asked dryly, "or is this just your method of slow assassination for today?"

Mina giggled, pressing her cheek harder against his head. "You're warm. And comfy. From here, I can see everything."

"You're also strangling me."

"That's part of the fun."

Sage clicked his tongue, reaching up to pry her loose. Mina protested immediately, clinging tighter, but he took his time, methodically unwrapping her limbs before finally lifting her under the arms and setting her down in front of him. She wobbled slightly before finding her footing, glaring up at him in exaggerated indignation.

He picked up one of the Dungeon Guide Books from the side table and pressed it lightly against her chest.

"Here," he said. "If you're going to wander around a building full of people who risk their lives in dungeons, the least you can do is learn what a dungeon actually is."

Mina looked down at the book, then back up at him. "I already know what a dungeon is."

"You know what a dungeon looks like," Sage corrected calmly. "That's not the same thing."

She puffed out her cheeks. "You just want me gone."

"Yes," he replied without a moment's hesitation. "Because unlike everyone else here, you actually matter. That means ignorance isn't an option for you."

She opened her mouth to argue but hesitated, eyeing him suspiciously. "…That didn't sound nice."

"It wasn't meant to be," Sage said firmly. "Go read. If you don't understand the environment people are stepping into, you'll eventually stumble into something that won't care how smart you think you are."

Mina stuck her tongue out at him but hugged the book tightly to her chest anyway. "You talk like an old man."

"And you act like one," he shot back. "Now go."

She huffed, turned dramatically, and stomped away two steps before glancing back over her shoulder. "If I die, it's your fault!"

"Then read faster."

Grumbling under her breath, she scurried off toward the long tables where groups of Adventurers were already engrossed in their books, her golden pigtails bouncing behind her.

As soon as she disappeared into the light of the hall, the lounge seemed to grow quieter. Sage leaned back in his seat, finally feeling free, rubbing his neck once before letting his arm fall to his side.

His gaze briefly followed Mina's retreating figure before shifting slowly to the man sitting across from him.

Pax hadn't moved an inch. He still held his cup loosely in hand and maintained a relaxed posture, but there was a subtle shift in the air around him, his eyes now sharper and more focused.

Sage exhaled through his nose and said calmly, "Alright, now we can talk."

Pax tilted his head slightly. "Finished playing benevolent Guildmaster?"

"For now."

"And what about the child?"

"She's safer surrounded by information than by illusions."

A faint twitch crossed Pax's lips. "That almost sounded kind."

Sage remained silent but straightened up slightly, resting his forearms on his thighs as he hardened his gaze.

"I need you to move," Sage said quietly.

Pax took a slow sip from his cup. "I've never stopped moving."

"Not like this," Sage replied firmly. "What we've been doing is just scratching the surface, shallow coverage and passive awareness. It worked when the Guild was invisible; it won't cut it anymore."

Pax lowered his cup and regarded him intently. "Because you just lit a torch in the middle of the city?"

"Because I just revealed that an unnamed institution controls our most valuable resource structure in modern civilization."

Pax exhaled softly; it almost sounded like a chuckle. "When you put it that way, it does sound suicidal."

"Only if I remain blind." Sage leaned back against the couch with one arm folded across his chest. "I want more beggars on our streets."

Pax's gaze sharpened. "In what sense?"

Sage looked at him, eyes narrowed. "In every sense, food access, shelter access, route control. I want those who already move unseen to multiply until no one notices when more appear."

"That won't go unnoticed," Pax replied softly.

"Everything goes unnoticed," Sage countered evenly, "when it happens slowly and benefits the wrong people."

Pax paused, considering his words. "You're asking me to flood the lower districts."

"I'm asking you to thicken them," Sage corrected. "I don't need riots; I need presence."

"And what about the Central District?" Pax inquired.

Sage's eyes flickered with an intense glow. "I want people there too."

Pax tapped his fingers lightly against the rim of his cup. "That district doesn't tolerate beggars."

"I don't want beggars," Sage clarified. "I want ears."

Pax leaned back slightly. "That's different."

"It always is," Sage said calmly.

The Central District was unlike any other part of the city, cleaner, heavily regulated, and quiet. Information there was guarded by architecture, schedules, and bloodlines. You didn't wander unnoticed; you were filtered, measured, evaluated, either absorbed or removed.

Establishing a presence there meant more than just scattering desperate bodies across streets; it meant infiltration.

Pax stared into his cup for a long moment before lifting his gaze again. "I can't send the same people."

"I don't want you to," Sage replied firmly. "I need different masks: street performers, errand runners, crippled veterans, religious mendicants, kitchen assistants, stable hands, sewer workers, I don't care what they pretend to be; I care what they hear."

Pax nodded slowly. "You want noise."

"I want whispers," Sage corrected.

A heavy silence followed.

Finally breaking it, Pax spoke quietly. "That kind of network draws attention."

"Yes," Sage agreed simply. "Eventually."

"And when it does?" Pax pressed.

"Then I'll already know who noticed."

Pax studied him closely. "You're not building a warning system."

"No," Sage replied with conviction. "I'm building an early narrative."

A slight twitch appeared on Pax's lips as he processed this idea. "You want to know what they think before they decide how to act."

"I want to understand which direction their fear travels before it turns into action." He shifted slightly in his seat. "There are only two ways power moves when it senses competition: it either investigates quietly or crushes publicly. I need to know which mask they're wearing before they choose one."

Pax tilted his head thoughtfully. "And if they choose both?"

"Then I'll survive one long enough to deal with the other," Sage replied with narrowed eyes.

Pax exhaled softly through his nose. "You're assuming they'll bother thinking."

Sage's expression turned serious. "Those who control dungeons always think strategically because they know the value of what they possess."

Pax remained silent for a moment, then nodded once. "I'll expand the lower district network," he said. "But infiltrating Central will take time."

"You have it."

"And money," Pax added.

"You'll get it."

Pax raised an eyebrow. "Already spending gold you haven't finished collecting?"

Sage offered a faint smile. "The books are just the beginning. The real income starts when people step inside."

Pax leaned in slightly. "You also mentioned wanting news to spread."

"Yes."

"To where?"

"Everywhere," Sage replied.

Pax glanced toward the archway. "It's already spreading."

"Not accurately." Sage's tone was calm yet firm. "I don't want rumors about 'dungeons.' I want stories of opportunity. I want the unemployed to hear that strength now has a door open to them. I want mercenaries to know that contracts aren't their only path to growth. I want minor families to learn that the Guild is where talent gathers. I want wandering warriors to understand that the Guild doesn't devour its own."

Pax studied him closely. "So you're not advertising dungeons?"

"No," Sage clarified. "I'm advertising escape."

A silence settled between them.

Finally, Pax spoke again, "You plan to draw every unaligned element in the region toward one building?"

"Yes."

"And then?"

"And then," Sage replied quietly, "this building becomes too full to burn without consequences."

Pax briefly closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. "You're creating a shield."

"I'm creating gravity," Sage corrected.

Pax opened his eyes again. "Gravity attracts predators."

Sage's smile returned, thin and unamused. "And it reveals orbits."

Another pause followed.

"You really believe words alone can stall the Nobles?" Pax asked.

"No," Sage admitted honestly, "but I think words can buy me time and right now, time is my only currency."

Pax nodded slowly, considering his next question carefully. "What exactly do you want spread?"

Sage leaned forward earnestly. "That the Adventurer Guild now controls dungeon access; that prices are stable; that loot remains untouched; that survival has structure; and that growth no longer requires permission."

"And what about the risks?" Pax inquired.

"Don't hide them," Sage insisted firmly. "Emphasize them."

Pax frowned slightly at this approach. "That won't help recruitment."

"It helps credibility," Sage countered calmly.

He continued with conviction: "Tell people they will die if they're careless; say dungeons are dangerous; stress that strength is essential and ignorance can be fatal but also convey that preparation is now available."

Pax paused to consider this. "So, you're framing the Guild as a filter."

"I'm framing it as the only honest gate," Sage replied.

A silence settled between them for a moment.

Finally, Pax nodded. "I'll get started tonight."

"Good." Sage leaned back, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "And Pax."

"Yes?"

"Be cautious about who you recruit."

Pax's tone was low. "I always am."

"No," Sage corrected him gently. "You're careful with whom you trust. But be mindful of who you place near the center of things."

Pax met his gaze steadily. "You think someone's already watching?"

"I believe," Sage said slowly, "that someone began watching the moment I took my seat at that desk."

Pax nodded once in understanding. "Then I'll ensure that if eyes start appearing… they won't be alone."

Sage exhaled softly, resting his head back against the couch.

The Guild continued to buzz beyond the archway, coins clinking, books being read.

Hope was still brewing beneath it all; amidst the celebration and gratitude he had so carefully cultivated, something else was quietly taking root.

Attention.

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