"Brr... It's cold."
Cold rain blew into the Lounge. Standing by the window, Annan rubbed his hands, having just taken off his Mage Robe.
"The cold air from the North is getting stronger..."
In past years, flowers would already be blooming by late March. This year brought an unseasonable stretch of rain, and the weather had turned damp and chilly.
Luoxi stood in the Lounge doorway, puzzled. "The Demons turned the Snow Mountains into Volcanoes. Shouldn't it be warmer?"
"You wouldn't understand even if I explained."
Annan might have had the patience to explain convection currents to Griffin, but Luoxi was hopeless when it came to science. He knew about as much as Martin, maybe less.
March was nearly over, and there was no good news from the front lines, the Empire, Annan's own affairs, or Silver City.
One small comfort was the new energy in the City Lord's Mansion since Tower Spirit Lilith had been brought in. The officials seemed more confident. They no longer constantly sported dark circles and hair like birds' nests, nor did they seem ready to explode at the slightest spark.
Watching the City Lord's Mansion thrive, Annan kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner.
Not that it would have helped. The Mage Tower had only two or three floors, and Lilith could handle only so much. Even now, when too many people asked her questions at once, she needed time to respond.
Few factions would be extravagant enough to have a Tower Spirit handle Government Affairs.
Had they skipped the industrial and information ages and entered the age of Wisdom ahead of schedule?
At last, on the final day of March, an official hurried up to the third floor.
"Lord Annan, someone from Silver City is here!"
"Silver City...!"
Swent jolted awake.