After several hours of careful searching, the two had found nothing. The stone fortress was small inside, and they had searched almost every corner.
Not even a scrap of gold or silver remained, let alone the artifact called the Mind Ripper.
Renato suggested resting there for half a day to recover their strength before heading back. But Balin was determined to leave and insisted they set out immediately, as planned.
After a quick meal of the dry rations they had brought, the two left the lost fortress.
"Nothing good comes of lingering in a place like this." Balin moved briskly. "Rest makes you careless, and carelessness can get you killed."
They retraced their steps through now-familiar terrain. Renato asked casually:
"Balin, did you serve in an Imperial legion?"
The dwarf's conduct earlier had suggested formal military training.
"I'm starting to wonder whether you're really from the Empire, Renato." Balin shot him a sidelong glance. "The legions have always recruited only pure-blooded humans. They won't even accept half-elves, never mind the folk of the rock."
"Uh, the Empire is short on recruits these days," Renato explained, somewhat embarrassed. "The recruitment rules changed over a decade ago. They don't just take other races-they even recruit foreigners without Imperial citizenship. Anyone who serves the Empire for thirty-five years can become a citizen..."
Before he finished, the dwarf stopped and turned to stare at Renato in disbelief.
"What? Have they lost their minds? That's centuries of legion tradition! Those damned nobles just love fucking things up..."
"What about the Tenth Legion? Them too?" Balin's beard trembled with agitation. He added, "I'm not cursing you, lad. You're good with a sword. You're one of the good nobles."
"It applies to every legion. It's an edict from the emperor." Renato did not understand why the dwarf