The Lord's Manor, Council Chamber.
Four alchemical lamps lit the room as brightly as day, their light casting a warm sheen over the long oak table.
Veylin sat upright at the head of the table, tapping a finger lightly against his armrest.
Tristan, Valerius, and Elwin, who had just hurried over from the Ether Tower, sat on either side. Everyone's gaze rested on the soldier at the other end of the room.
Or rather, on the brand-new winter uniform he wore.
It was a kind of standard-issue uniform never before seen in Sea Land.
The whole uniform was a sober light gray. Its cut abandoned the bulky robes and cumbersome separate pieces currently in fashion in favor of a fitted, sharply tailored long coat.
Broad lapels folded out to either side, revealing the shirt collar beneath. They could be turned up against the wind while also making the shoulders look considerably broader. Two rows of brass buttons ran from the chest down to the waist. A belt cinched the waist tightly, outlining a trim, inverted-triangle silhouette. The hem fell below the knees, and as the soldier turned, the arcane woolen cloth moved with his body without a trace of disarray.
The soldier wore a soft-crowned military cap in the same color, its brim pulled low. Its shadow concealed half his face, leaving only a firm jaw exposed.
He simply stood there like a silent iron tower, his presence almost suffocating.
In truth, everyone present knew this guard fairly well. Ordinarily, he was just an honest-looking young fellow like any other. Yet now their eyes were full of astonishment. None of them had imagined that a mere change of clothing could transform a person's bearing so completely.
"My lord, is this the style you wanted?"
Tristan rose, walked around the soldier,