The corridor outside Mina's room was quieter than the rest of the Inn, as if the building itself recognized that whatever happened beyond that door required silence rather than noise.
The distant murmur of conversation from the common hall faded to a faint hum, while the sounds of reconstruction in the Adventurer District were muted by thick stone walls and heavy wooden beams.
When Sage pushed the door open and stepped inside, he moved slowly, but there was a weight in his actions that transcended mere exhaustion. It was the weight of decision, a resolve settled deep within him rather than spoken aloud.
The room was dimly lit, primarily by pale morning light filtering through half-drawn curtains and the steady glow of several mana-lamps placed strategically around the bed. The air carried a faint scent of medicinal herbs, sharp and bitter, mingled with a metallic trace from healing tonics recently administered.
