CHAPTER 47: NEW CHIEF

Morning came fast. Edward woke long before the hour of his choosing. For reasons he could never quite name, this world always left him heavier in sleep, drawn to the bed as if gravity itself tugged harder here.

He pushed himself upright with a half-asleep groan. His head dipped forward, hair falling into his eyes, until a faint sound from downstairs pulled him sharply awake. It wasn’t laughter or chatter—it was sharper, sounding far too serious and urgent for a light conversation.

Curiosity flickered across his face as he rose to his feet.

He moved toward the door, wanting to see what all the noise was about, but the moment he swung open the door, someone was already standing in its threshold.

Seraphine stood with her hand raised as if about to knock—or sneak in like she usually does.

She froze when he suddenly opened the door.

Then a guilty grin curved her lips.

"Morning," she said, her voice light and eyes bright with mischief.

Edward’s gaze drifted past her, toward the stairs, just as a door slammed shut below.

"What’s with the commotion?" he asked.

Seraphine shrugged and breezed past him into his room.

She hopped onto his bed, flopped sideways, and stretched until she found a comfortable sprawl. A long yawn escaped her.

"Come," she murmured, "Let’s sleep some more."

Edward stared at her for a long second, torn between amusement and confusion. Then he shut the door behind him, leaving her there, and stepped into the hall.

The noise below seemed to stop.

The moment he descended the staircase, he found Aeris standing by the entrance door, her posture rigid, as if braced against some unwelcome news. She was dressed in her usual attire—tight, fitted leathers and steel at her hip. Nothing like the image that lingered in Edward’s mind from last night.

Their eyes met.

A long moment of silence passed between them, then Aeris suddenly spoke out.

"We’ve been summoned to the Chief’s office."

Edward blinked.

"Chief’s office? But the chief is dead."

Her expression did not change.

"Apparently, they’ve elected a new one. He wishes to see us."

Edward’s brows rose in surprise.

"A new chief? Already?"

"It appears so."

He shook his head, disbelief pushing through his thoughts.

"It’s been a single day since he passed. Barely enough time to bury his body, let alone mourn." His gaze drifted aside. "I guess the town couldn’t wait..."

Still... it felt wrong.

He exhaled, then forced a steadier tone. "Let’s eat, then the three of us—"

"They said it’s urgent."

"Urgent?"

"That’s what the soldiers told me."

Edward lingered for a moment, confusion dawning on him.

"How urgent can it be?" he wondered but then shook the thought away. There was only one way to find out.

"Very well," he said, nodding once, "Give me a moment to dress and we will leave immediately."

He turned and hurried upstairs.

In his room, Seraphine lay dead asleep across his bed, her hair spilling over the pillow, breathing soft and even. He paused, confusion flickering, but he let it pass. More pressing matters awaited than a girl sleeping on his bed.

He quickly changed into more appropriate attire and descended the stairs once more. Aeris waited silently by the door. The moment she saw him, she swung the entrance door open, and together they stepped out into the morning light.

The city seemed to be back in its usual state.

The streets buzzed with the morning rush—vendors already screaming their wares, children darting between stalls, all while the smell of baked bread mixed with smoke from freshly lit hearths.

Caravans rumbled along the main road, wheels crunching over uneven stone. Sunlight painted the rooftops gold, chasing away the cold of last night.

Everything looked as it should... until they reached the Chief’s building.

The guards posted outside immediately caught Edward’s attention.

Their armour was the same polished steel as before, but now over it, they wore black surcoats, marked only with a pale crest stitched near the chest. A small change—yet striking enough to spark unease through him.

"Stop!" one of the soldiers barked, his hand poised over the hilt of his sword.

"We’re here to see the chief," Aeris replied evenly. "He’s expecting us."

The soldiers exchanged a glance.

Then, without a word, they stepped aside.

Edward’s brow furrowed. He leaned closer to Aeris as they passed. "They seem unusually on edge."

Aeris didn’t answer, but when Edward stole a glance at her, he caught the faintest trace of unease shadowing her calm expression.

"Glad I’m not the only one sensing something weird going on," he thought to himself as they navigated the insides of the familiar building.

The atmosphere inside, however, seemed different too. The same torches burned along the walls, the same banners hung from the rafters, yet something felt wrong. Guards loitered where none had been before, their hands never straying far from their weapons. Every step echoed louder than it should have.

The previously cheerful building had turned into a hall of almost complete silence.

At the end of the corridor, two soldiers stood, flanking the door to the chief’s office.

"Aeris and Edward, here to see the new chief," Aeris announced.

One of the soldiers knocked twice on the door, then swung it open.

Edward entered—and froze almost immediately.

A tall man stood at the desk, his black hair tied back neatly, his frame draped in fine robes edged with gold. His eyes lifted, sharp and dark, and a smile stretched across his face.

"Ahh, Edward. It is good to see you again," the man said.

Edward’s breath caught. Recognition crashed through him.

"Auren?" he muttered under his breath.

Aeris’ head snapped toward him, confusion flashing in her eyes before they turned back to the man.

"Yes," the man said, then pointed to the chairs by his desk. "Chief Auren, now. Please... sit."

Edward moved as if on instinct, lowering himself onto a chair across from the desk, though his mind spun faster than his body could keep up.

Auren. The man he had spoken with at the banquet. The man who had called himself the late chief’s friend—and the only one who had not seemed to mourn him at all.

Now he sat before them, cloaked in authority, wearing the title of the town’s chief.

Edward felt Aeris’ eyes on him, demanding an explanation he couldn’t give. Not here, not now.

Because the man he had quietly marked as his prime suspect for the chief’s murder... now sat before them as the new chief.