The noise of the Guild Hall buzzed around Boren, but at his desk, he found a small pocket of focus as he carefully broke the wax seal on the first envelope.
The red crest stamped into the hardened wax was unmistakable, Lyana's personal mark, pressed firmly as always.
He paused for a moment to take it in before unfolding the parchment inside. The thick paper bore steady and familiar handwriting, and even before he finished reading the opening lines, his eyes widened slightly.
This was no ordinary update about supplies or minor registrations; it was a comprehensive report confirming that what had begun in Greyvale and now spread to Riverdale, had evolved far beyond a mere branch experiment.
Lyana's opening words were calm and precise. She informed him that all nine additional branches across the Evergreen Region had been completed on schedule, that the buildings were operational, and that early results were promising.
