Cassius peeked through the curtain from his seat in the rocking carriage. The road was flanked on both sides by carpets of green fields dotted with colorful flowers that smelled faintly of spring. A gently sloping terrain with pale white buildings and the occasional silhouettes of people could be seen up ahead. They were in a small and simple town. He could see a tall building with a spire that reflected faintly in the sun a little further ahead; it was probably the manor.0

As the convoy entered the town, a young man in a blue uniform approached. There were many others like him, all in identical uniforms, in front of the manor and guiding people; he was clearly a staff member for the exchange tournament....0