While Arkan discussed the kingdom's affairs with calculated precision, Rainer and a specialized unit from the Lawrence forces—Erik's team—had already crossed into Northern Empire territory. They traveled under the guise of a merchant caravan, complete with two seemingly ordinary wagons, though secretly outfitted with military preparations.
The biting cold greeted them the moment they crossed the border. The Northern Empire was infamous for its unrelenting chill—though the year offered up to four warm months, the rest was dominated by a biting winter.
Frozen ground and a thin mist veiled the cobblestone road as they passed, the sound of wagon wheels echoing softly between the stone walls of the small border town. Rainer adjusted the collar of his coat, his eyes scanning every intersection and shop window that appeared just a bit too quiet.
