The Boundless Prophecy

Chapter 1 (1.10(a) Venretin? Not Venretin)

"Shall we return to the meeting room?" Hoshiko suggested.

Wallace scanned the room once more. The patients appeared unchanged physically since their arrival, yet an intangible shift hung in the air. He sensed fragments of their essence dissipating slowly, as if slipping away with each passing moment. He concurred with Hoshiko; discussions were imperative before they commenced their tasks.

Leaving the patients under the care of the nurses, Wallace braced himself for potentially distressing news within the next thirty minutes.

They made their way back to the meeting room adjacent to the Nightstone Unit.

As the door creaked open, eyes widened in awe. Wallace couldn't conceal his amazement upon stepping into the room again. The hearth glowed with ember, casting a warm and inviting ambiance that could lull anyone into immediate slumber. Not only that, but the aroma of freshly baked bread and tea drifted toward them. Wallace's gaze settled on the small round table near the fireplace, adorned with just-out-of-the-oven loaves of bread and steaming mugs of tea.

Gron remained conspicuously absent upon their arrival, but shortly after they entered the room, he descended the staircase, offering a humble bow with a rag in hand. "Dear healers, I have prepared some bread and nettle leaf tea," Gron announced.

The rag clutched in Gron's grasp bore thick layers of dust, suggesting he had likely been engrossed in cleaning the staircase leading to their chambers before responding to their arrival. Surprisingly, Wallace found his aversion to Gron gradually diminishing as the imp demonstrated efficiency and diligence, a departure from the typical sly and malevolent nature associated with imps. Yet, Wallace understood the importance of reserving judgment when it came to such beings.

Nettle leaf tea, renowned for its ability to invigorate the mind and alleviate fatigue, was precisely what Wallace required after the extensive morning meeting and handover.

"Thank you, Gron." Trento promptly settled onto the bench at the table, taking a substantial gulp of the nettle leaf tea.

Acknowledging Trento's appreciation with another bow, Gron added, "If my services are no longer needed here, I shall return to tending to the staircase and chambers."

"Indeed, you're free to go," Wallace responded before taking a seat next to Trento at the table. He made a mental note to inquire about Gron's connection to the dean if an opportunity arose. Gron stood out among the imps Wallace had encountered, and despite his numerous friends among native creatures, none of them were imps. Though he attempted to avoid distinctions among his patients, he exercised choice in his friendships.

Gron vanished once more from their sight, returning to his tasks.

Caren, Hoshiko, and Voss soon joined them at the table. While the others indulged in the refreshments Gron had prepared, Voss remained seated with a rigid posture, his bread and tea untouched.

"You're not even going to have some tea?" Trento asked between mouthfuls of bread, scattering crumbs around in a newfound ease since the dean's departure.

Voss shook his head, his expression devoid of emotion as usual. "I avoid eating and drinking just before work; it might impair my judgment and efficiency."

Wallace wasn't surprised by Voss's remark; he seemed the type to meticulously measure the intake of food and drink, optimizing his physical condition before any significant task. Wallace admired Voss's patience as he waited, abstaining while the others ate.

"I propose a brief round of self-introductions before we commence our work. It might take us weeks, perhaps even months, to tackle this case," Hoshiko suggested, setting his empty mug aside.