The reconstruction of the castle began in full swing the very next day.
Under Morr's direction, the workers first began clearing the mountain of rubble and rotting debris piled up inside the main keep.
Halfway through the cleanup, Karl suddenly remembered Master Andrei's instructions back in Fran City.
The former Lord Marcus's command center had been located in a hidden basement. He had most likely made his final stand there, and his remains might still be inside.
Karl had once promised to find him and give him a proper burial.
He immediately found Morr, who was directing the work on-site. "Mr. Morr, are you sure there's no basement beneath the castle? Back in Fran City, I heard an old veteran who once served here mention that there was a hidden command center beneath the castle."
Upon hearing this, Morr furrowed his brow and thought carefully. In the end, he still shook his head. "My lord, the main castle's design and construction were handled by Lord Marcus's private team of advisers. I was mainly responsible for the outer defenses and the walls. As for the internal structure—especially designs involving secrecy—they might not have told me. I truly didn't know there was a basement."
Karl nodded. He did not blame Morr, but immediately ordered, "Organize the men and search carefully! Focus on the first-floor ground, especially areas that look structurally abnormal or show signs of renovation!"
Once the order was given, the workers began striking the floor with their tools and listening closely to the echoes.
Before long, several workers discovered a stone slab in a corner of what should have been the kitchen. Its sound was strangely hollow.
After the debris and dust above it were cleared away, a square entrance was revealed. It was covered by a thick stone slab,