Back in the villa nestled far from the heart of Silver Blade City, the tall, black-wood gates of Nolan's mansion creaked as a cool wind passed through the garden hedges.
Crickets chirped under the moonlight, and the smell of wet earth lingered in the air after the earlier drizzle.
Yet, Nolan could not feel at ease. He stood at the threshold of his estate's main doors, arms crossed and shoulders stiff beneath his dark cloak, eyes scanning the cobblestone path that ran down from the hills.
His mana flared every few seconds, instinctively brushing against the boundaries of the detection formations he had embedded into the mansion's grounds.
He had fortified everything.
Runes inlaid across the fence, traps carved into the floor tiles, illusion seals wrapped over the walls—he even had a memory distortion enchantment loop spiraling around the outer gardens, one strong enough to confuse most Tier 4 intruders. But none of that settled the knot curling in his chest.
