Sage didn't respond to Gregor right away. He remained perched on the edge of the desk, his pale fingers resting lightly against the Dungeon Guide Book, while the expansive Guild Hall hung in a silence so thick it felt almost tangible.
Hundreds of Adventurers stood frozen, weapons at their sides. Though Gregor's question hadn't been loud, it reverberated through every mind present.
Without protection and control, ownership meant nothing. If the dungeons truly existed, anyone could walk into them and claim them. Those who seized them could wage war over them. Anyone strong enough could obliterate everything Sage had built in a single night.
Slowly lifting his gaze, Sage scanned the hall, allowing the tension to build and unease to transform into anticipation.
