The sky was gloomy, and unsettling winds blew in from the plains, carrying the lingering chill into the city. Under the dim daylight, Count Pompeii stood on the terrace of the family's castle, feeling even gloomier than the weather.
Increasing rumors were spreading between the city and the countryside. The contents of these rumors made people especially uneasy. Some said a terrible plague had broken out in the Gigantic Tree Path area, others claimed the Anzu Kingdom's military had already suffered a catastrophic defeat, and that key cities and strongholds had fallen one after another. Various messages were chaotic, and even nobles like the count could not obtain accurate intelligence from the north—this was the most unsettling part.
