"Is this the best place you could find?"
Ashida slowly turned around and paced a few steps, surveying the entire study.
"Of course. Welcome to Star Lake Fortress."
Tales walked to the window and gazed at Star Lake beneath the moonlight. He spread his arms grandly, looking every inch the overlord:
"My very own fortress—secret, tranquil, remote, safe—"
Before Tales could finish, a strange racket came from the ceiling: rustling, creaking, tinkling, clattering, traveling from one end to the other.
Ashida glanced at the ceiling, expressionless.
The Star Lake Duke's face fell somewhat.
"—perfectly suited to the requirements in your last letter, making it an ideal meeting place for us," Tales continued, regaining his composure and poise. His voice rose above the ceiling's strange noises. "Not only is it far from Revival Palace, it also comes with natural scenery..."
Before he could finish, there was a sudden crash overhead.
Whoosh—
A cloud of dust sifted down through a crack in the ceiling, covering Tales from head to toe as he stood there trying to look confident.
Ashida remained perfectly at ease, standing with his hands behind his back, untouched by even a speck of dust—the dust and grit were blocked by a transparent barrier before they could reach him.
"All right, a minor imperfection," Tales said, his composure evaporating. Coughing as he awkwardly brushed off the dust, he added, "But don't worry. We've already sent people to the nearby villages and towns to buy cats and rat poison. Plan B is to go to Everstar City and hire professional rat catchers, without having to tear off the roof..."
The Air Elementalist ignored him and turned to survey the surroundings:
The study's furniture and furnishings were old and faded. Half-cleared cobwebs and moths occasionally lingered in the corners. An outward-opening wooden