The shed was littered with moldy food and discarded clothing, a dump masquerading as shelter. The top layer of the clothing pile was visibly bloodstained.

He immediately recalled the awe-inspiring colosseum from the night before and couldn't help but put the two together. The contrast was jarring.

Meanwhile, the prisoners quickly dug into the rotting food, shoving handfuls of spoiled scraps into their mouths. Hunger had dulled their senses. For the two days they had traveled together, Sir Anthony and his knights hadn't fed them once.

Lovell found it disgusting, but on some level, justifiable.

He and Derek had at least been fed during their time in custody, and seeing the rest of the prisoners reduced to this made them both nauseous.

---

After forcing his food back down, Lovell turned to the heap of clothes and began digging through it. The night had already claimed three lives; he wasn't about to let hunger or cold make him the next.

He eventually found what seemed to be a woman's coat beneath several stained layers. It was torn from the shoulder to the torso, and a bit too small for him, but it was cleaner than most of the other garments. With some luck, he might find something better.

Derek had also found something for himself, though neither looked thrilled with their scavenged outfits.

Lovell scanned the shed in search of a place to sleep. The walls were blotched with moss, and the muddy floor offered little comfort. Truly, it lived up to the quality one would expect from something that came free.

But there were no alternatives.

Lovell, Derek, and the rest of the prisoners gathered what hay they could find in one corner of the shed and laid down for the night. As Lovell rested his aching body on the cold ground, plans and strategies began to swirl in his head.

He'd seen part of the cave and spoken to Mathius. He had a general idea of how the small underground city operated and what he'd need to do to survive—and thrive.

*We can't keep reacting. We need to build something. A base. A system. Something.*

Eventually, fatigue took hold, and sleep embraced him.

---

Lovell rose early the next morning, shaking the stiffness from his limbs. He gathered the prisoners into a loose circle outside the shed.

"We've been left to survive on our own until the fifteenth," he began. "We were lucky enough to find a place to sleep, but I'm not satisfied. If we want warmer clothes, better food, and a safer place to live, we need to start earning money."

A few blank stares met him at first, but the group eventually nodded. Though they were still recovering from hunger, clarity was beginning to return to their eyes.

They needed stability. A foundation. Something to fight for.

And more importantly, they needed something to fear less than the unknown "lessons" set to begin the following week.

"Alright," Lovell continued. "We'll split into two groups. One will go look for odd jobs—things others might not want to do but that guarantee payment. The other will look for something we can do long-term. Derek and I will be in the second group."

Some of them were visibly annoyed that Lovell and Derek wouldn't be doing the grunt work, but they had no real standing to complain. Lovell had already proven himself to be more capable than most of them.

Once the groups separated, Lovell and Derek made their way to the center of the cave-city, standing beneath a large notice board covered in papers.

"What exactly are we doing, Lovell?" Derek asked. "I don't think we can start a group like Sleight of Hand here. These people aren't trustworthy, and we barely know the place."

Lovell responded with a smile.

"We may be out of place here, but fortunately, I know someone who isn't."

Derek tilted his head, confused—until he heard a slightly familiar voice from behind.

"Well, well. Aren't you punctual? Eager to earn a few bars in this hellhole?"

White-haired, smug-faced, and annoyingly self-assured, Mathius strolled toward them. The arrangement had been made the previous night—Lovell had decided that if anyone could help them gain footing in this new place, it was Mathius.

"Sometimes I look at you," Lovell said with a straight face, "and think you're some mysterious noble in hiding. Then you open your mouth, and all I can imagine is how good my fist would feel against your face."

Mathius blinked in mock hurt and answered solemnly, "I didn't think you were that kind of person, Lovell. I'm a little disappointed. That said, I don't recommend it. Violence tends to end with someone hurt—and I promise, it won't be me."

Derek's eyes widened at the casual threat. Mathius had always seemed annoying, but now his smile carried something sharper—something unsettling.

*There's something off about him,* Lovell thought. *Too well-mannered to be born here. Too sharp to be underestimated.*

Lovell, unfazed, turned to the notice board.

"I came across this board while looking for you yesterday. Some of the requests have rewards up to 2,000 bar."

Mathius gave a bored look. "...And?"

"And if we want to survive here, we need skills," Lovell said. "Derek and I are good thieves, but when it comes to fighting, we're severely lacking."

Mathius already knew where this was going. His eye twitched.

"I want you to train us."

Derek looked stunned. Mathius looked displeased.

After a pause, Mathius sighed and crossed his arms.

"Look. I don't know what kind of place you think this is, but I promise, you'll be learning how to fight real soon—whether you like it or not. And I don't have time to babysit two clueless outlaws pretending to play house."

Lovell normally would've bristled at the insult, but instead he held his expression steady.

"That's exactly why you should train us," he said. "You don't need to do it full-time. Just until we start whatever 'classes' they've got planned. We'll owe you a favor. Anything you ask—whenever you ask."

Mathius hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

"Fine," he said. "You'll owe me one thing. No backing out."

Derek looked uncertain, but ultimately trusted Lovell's judgment.

Mathius gave a short wave and left them, disappearing into the crowd.

Lovell and Derek turned back to the board.

"Let's see," Lovell murmured, scanning the notices. "What shall we do for the rest of the day?"