Dory had infact had bad premonition about this mission but he was hesitant to back down. Strangely, he wanted to meet Arlo and see just how good he was. Dayla Organization was still a mysterious company to Dory and he also wanted to know more about them and why Arlo was now an ex-member.

’Maybe I can even join.’

He looked at Liam and smiled lightly. ’Yeah... scratch that, I think I know someone that enjoys this type of stuff.’

The moment the carriage rolled fully into Valerius, the noise hit them all at once. It was not like the village where every sound carried clearly. Here, everything blended together—voices, footsteps, merchants shouting, metal clanking somewhere in the distance, and the constant movement of people going about their day. The streets were wide and paved with stone, lined with shops that displayed goods far beyond anything they were used to seeing.

Liam leaned out slightly, trying to take everything in at once. "There are too many people," he said.

Maya crossed her arms but her eyes were moving just as much. "This is normal for a city."

"It’s not normal for me," Liam replied.

Dory stayed quiet, his gaze steady as he watched everything around them. He wasn’t just looking at the size or the crowd. He was watching how things moved. The way merchants called out to customers, how guards stood at certain corners, how some stalls were crowded while others were ignored.

’...Positioning matters here...’

He adjusted his glasses slightly and shifted his attention to the buildings. Some were simple, like what they had back in the village, but others were larger, built with stone and reinforced wood. There were banners hanging from certain places, marking businesses or families.

’...More competition... more opportunity...’

The carriage continued forward, moving deeper into the city. Sirene remained hidden beneath the sacks, silent as before, while Elian guided the horses with confidence. It was clear he had been here many times before.

"We’re close," Elian said without turning back.

Horg gave a small grunt. "Good."

Lola leaned slightly to the side to get a better view. "So this is where you work?"

"Yes," Elian replied. "My workshop is near the inner district."

"That sounds expensive," Dano muttered.

"It is," Elian said simply.

Liam blinked. "Then how much do you even make?"

Elian didn’t answer that. Instead, he pulled the reins slightly, guiding the carriage into a narrower street that was quieter than the main road. The buildings here were taller and more structured, and there were fewer stalls outside.

Dory noticed the difference immediately.

’...Less noise... more focus...’

They passed by a few other workshops, some with open doors where workers could be seen hammering metal or shaping materials. The smell of heated iron lingered in the air, mixed with oil and smoke.

Horg finally spoke again. "Now this feels right."

Maya smirked. "Of course it does."

Elian slowed the carriage as they approached a larger building compared to the others nearby. It wasn’t flashy, but it was solid. The structure was reinforced, with wide double doors at the front and a small sign hanging above.

"This is it," Elian said.

The carriage came to a stop.

Liam hopped down first, stretching his legs. "Finally."

Dory stepped down next, looking up at the building. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes moved across every detail.

’...Stable... good location...’

Horg climbed down more slowly, his gaze already fixed on the structure like he was judging it.

"Not bad," he muttered.

Maya followed, then the others, each taking in the new environment in their own way.

Sirene finally shifted from under the sacks once the area was clear. She moved quietly, stepping down from the carriage without drawing attention. She adjusted her posture slightly, her expression returning to its usual calm state.

"Stay close," she said quietly.

Dory nodded once.

Elian moved toward the front of the workshop, pushing the doors open without hesitation.

"Come in," he said.

The group followed him inside.

The moment they stepped in, the temperature changed. It was warmer, the air heavier with the scent of metal and heat. The space inside was large, much bigger than Horg’s forge back in the village. There were multiple workstations, racks of tools, and sections clearly divided for different tasks.

Liam let out a low whistle. "This is... big."

Horg didn’t respond immediately. He walked forward slowly, his eyes scanning everything.

"...Organized," he said after a moment.

Dory stepped in beside him, observing just as carefully.

’...Multiple stations... better output potential...’

Maya looked around with interest. "So this is where all the iron goes."

Elian nodded. "Yes."

Lola walked a bit further in. "What do you make here exactly?"

"Armor," Elian replied. "Weapons sometimes, but mostly armor."

Dano tilted her head. "For the soldiers?"

"Yes."

That answered a lot without needing more explanation.

Dory adjusted his glasses again.

’...So the contract... came from the city... passed to him... then to us...’

It made sense.

Elian turned slightly, looking at them. "Valerius gave me the contract. I couldn’t handle the raw production alone, so I outsourced the ingots."

Horg crossed his arms. "And we delivered."

"Yes," Elian said.

There was a brief pause.

Then Liam spoke again. "So what happens now?"

Elian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked deeper into the workshop.

"Now," he said slowly, "we move to the next stage."

Dory followed his gaze.

That was when he noticed them.

Five people.

They were already inside the workshop, standing near one of the larger workstations. They weren’t doing anything at the moment, just watching.

Liam blinked. "Oh... we’re not alone."

Maya narrowed her eyes slightly. "Who are they?"

Horg’s expression didn’t change, but his posture shifted just a little.

Dory didn’t speak.

He just looked at them.

’...So this is where it gets complicated...’

The five figures stood quietly, their presence filling the space in a way that wasn’t hostile, but wasn’t friendly either.

Elian stepped forward.

"Everyone," he said calmly, "we’re here."

The group behind him stayed still.