The scent of parchment and ink filled the air, the steady flicker of candlelight casting elongated shadows against the towering stacks of documents.
Duke Thaddeus sat at his desk, golden eyes scanning the latest trade reports with measured precision. His fingers tapped idly against the polished wood as he absorbed the numbers, the steady flow of profits, the shifting balance of power in the region.
Months had passed since the Kraken.
Months of political maneuvering, trade disruptions, and countless hours spent repairing the damage—both physical and diplomatic.
At first, it had been chaos.
The sea routes had become treacherous, not because of the Kraken itself—it was gone, after all—but because of fear. Merchants hesitated, investors pulled out, and the economy wavered under the weight of uncertainty.
