The Nightwind Family was based on the western side of Samoriel City. Because it stood near the towering city walls, the Drow called this area the "West Wall."
Following behind the Nightwind Family's guards, Renato made a circuit along the city's broad main roads, gaining a rough understanding of its layout.
Drow cities were laid out in the exact opposite way to human cities-the noble families' compounds were scattered around the outskirts, while the city center consisted of commoner neighborhoods.
The commoners' homes were packed tightly together, their low stone houses far from the main roads, in stark contrast to the magnificent spires and estates near the city walls.
Moreover, the class divide among the elves ran even deeper than Renato had imagined. Along the way, a Half-Drow received a lash from a Nightwind Family guard merely for failing to move aside quickly enough.
The metal whip easily tore through the thin leather clothing. Amid a scream, blood stained the Half-Drow's entire back.
As Renato observed them, he found that these commoners did not even dare meet his eyes. Instead, they lowered their heads in fear, avoiding his gaze.
They must have mistaken him for a noble of the Nightwind Family as well. Generally speaking, there were two possible explanations-either the Nightwind Family had a fearsome reputation in Samoriel City, or the gulf in status between nobles and commoners was enormous.
Of course, both could be true.
When they reached the Nightwind Family's compound, Renato's first thought was that he had come to the wrong place.
A star-shaped fortress stood near Sammoril's city walls. Countless trenches and iron caltrops surrounded it. The trenches were several meters deep, and many contained magical traps. Some Flame Runes familiar to Renato were inscribed at the bottoms of these pits, flickering faintly.
Firing ports