After the call ended, she didn't waste a moment and dashed out of the nest, heading straight toward the living quarters. Meanwhile, in place , everything still looked calm and peaceful. As curfew approached, many wizards wrapped up their evening activities and began heading back to their residences.
Nathan, the captain of the place's second maintenance team, stepped out of the bar feeling a bit tipsy. As he walked, he chatted with a few acquaintances nearby. "Did you hear? Mr. Claremont mentioned at the last captain's meeting that our maintenance team will soon be getting protective gear," one of the other team captains said, his face flushed, whether from excitement or the drinks, it was hard to tell.
"It's all thanks to you, Nathan. If you hadn't stood up for us and personally spoken to Lord Claremont, who knows how long we'd have had to wait for something like this," Jimmy added proudly.
Jimmy, also part of the second team, had fully recovered from his fire dragon injury and had since become a loyal fan of Nathan, often boasting about his captain to anyone who'd listen.
Another wizard nearby looked at Nathan with admiration and said, "Is that true, Nathan? You're really brave. Honestly, I wouldn't dare approach you like this otherwise.
You know how easygoing Lord Claremont can be, but if you cross him, it's a whole different story, he could just fire me on the spot. My whole family depends on my salary."
"Don't pay any mind to Jimmy's nonsense," Nathan said, slightly tipsy but sincere. "I just wanted to make a suggestion.
The reason things turned out so well is because of His Excellency Claremont's kindness. You wouldn't believe it, he even gave me a bottle of some really fine wine, Woolen cloth."
Despite his drunkenness, Nathan avoided bragging, instead earnestly praising Claremont. Just then, Jimmy jumped up loudly. "I know, I know! The next day, Captain Nathan shared that bottle of colorful brandy with us. It really was a fantastic drink, absolutely delicious."
Unfortunately, Jimmy's loud voice caught the attention of some uninvited guests. Two patrol members who had just finished their shift approached, eying Jimmy sternly. "Hey, don't you know it's curfew? Why aren't you heading back to the dorms instead of chatting out here?" they demanded.
Jimmy, annoyed by the interruption, shot back, "What are you yelling about? Didn't you see we're on our way back? What's the rush anyway?"
The tension between the maintenance crew and the patrol team had been simmering for a while, so Jimmy took their remarks as just another attempt to pick a fight and wasn't about to be polite.
One of the patrol wizards sneered, "It's clearly stated in place rules, no one is allowed outside their dorm after nine o'clock. You're breaking that rule, and now you're being insolent? Do you think everyone on the patrol team is so soft that we won't enforce the law?" He placed a hand on his wand, ready to act if needed.
Jimmy, now more riled up and obviously drunk, shot back, "If you've got the guts, go ahead and cast a spell on me! You patrol idiots do nothing all day but show off your magic wands instead of protecting us. You're an embarrassment to the whole place!"
His loud outburst drew the attention of wizards in nearby dormitory buildings, escalating the tension in the chilly night air. They opened the windows and looked down at the scene unfolding on the street.
"You little bastard, how dare you talk to us like that?" The two patrolling wizards, clearly offended by his words, immediately drew their wands, aiming them at Jimmy and preparing to cast spells.
Sensing the tension escalating, Nathan quickly stepped forward to intervene. With a serious expression, he addressed the patrol members, "Jimmy's just drunk and babbling nonsense. Don't push things too far. If this gets reported to Lord Claremont, no one will come out of it well."
The patrol wizards shot Jimmy a fierce glare, but Nathan's warning seemed to shake them. They knew Lord Claremont valued the place's stability highly, and any reckless use of magic against their own people could lead to severe consequences.
Nathan remained calm and composed, noticing their hesitation. He added, "We're already on our way back to the dormitory. If you want to follow the place's rules, then don't block our path here. Otherwise, your supervisor will have something to complain about again."
With that, Nathan gently pulled Jimmy and the others away from the scene. Jimmy, still dazed, tried to curse a few more words, but Nathan quickly covered his mouth. The two patrol members, intimidated by Nathan's presence, dared not act rashly and gave Jimmy a hostile glare, clearly remembering this disrespectful troublemaker.
Meanwhile, the onlookers watching from the dormitory nearby felt disappointed. Living and working in the closed place was already stressful enough without such conflicts.
As Nathan led them away, Jimmy continued to grumble bitterly. "Why didn't you let me finish scolding them? The patrol team's a bunch of idiots."
Nathan looked at him earnestly and replied, "No matter how unfair they seem to us, we can't just say whatever we want. You have to understand that Lord Claremont holds the patrol team in high regard. It's not smart for us to mess with them."
"Hey, don't think I didn't catch on," Jimmy slurred, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol. "That guy Matthew told me those people outside are all part of the 'West Reich Initiative.' I heard they're connected to the black market in Berlin. They must have gotten in through their contacts." Jimmy's tone was annoyed as he kept complaining.
"Shh, cut it out," Nathan warned quietly, worried that Jimmy might say something he shouldn't if anyone overheard. He didn't want Matthew, who lived in the same dorm as Jimmy, to catch wind of this.
After a moment's thought, Nathan decided to take Jimmy back to his own room for the night. Letting him crash there temporarily would keep him from causing any more trouble.
Once Jimmy was settled, Nathan felt drained. The daily grind was tough, no doubt about it. But since his bed was now occupied by Jimmy, and he wasn't keen on sharing it with another guy, Nathan figured he'd just sleep on the sofa downstairs. That way, neither of them would get a proper rest.
Sitting on the living room couch with his arms crossed, Nathan couldn't shake the conversation he'd had with Jimmy earlier. They'd both been unhappy with the patrol team for a while, but Jimmy was one of the few brave enough to speak up.