The morning wind carried a chill as Evan stepped into the intelligence room. The apprentices had already organized the reports from yesterday neatly across the tables. Each sheet was categorized labeled and positioned with almost military precision. It made Evan smile. Yesterday they were market observers. Today they were ready to become something new.

Evan drew a circle on the table. Inside it he wrote one word Listening.
Today we build the first listening system of this world he said. Not magic not spying. Just structured observation.

One apprentice tilted her head. Is this the same as watching competitors

Not exactly Evan said. Watching competitors tells you what they do. Listening tells you what the market feels. Rumors patterns fear confidence. These shape the future.

He gestured toward the window where distant market noise drifted in like a messy orchestra. Listen to that. People talk. People complain. People brag. All of that is data.

Lenar rubbed his chin. But people talk everywhere. How do we collect it all

We do not collect everything Evan said. We collect in the right spots.

He led them out into the streets. The market was already alive. Merchants shouted deals. Adventurers argued about dungeon runs. Caravans unloaded crates. But Evan pointed to a small tea stall on the corner. This is a social hub he said. People talk while waiting for drinks. Many complain before their day begins. That is valuable.

He pointed to a blacksmiths row. Blacksmiths hear rumors from adventurers. That is early information.

He pointed to a river dock. Dock workers gossip about caravans. That is supply chain intelligence.

He pointed to a plaza where merchants sat and negotiated. That is price pulse.

The apprentices wrote so fast their hands shook.

Evan guided them to a quiet corner near the tea stall. Today we will test the first listening grid. One person stands here. One at the docks. One at the smiths. One at the plaza. You listen for patterns not random talk. Patterns matter.

He assigned each apprentice a station. They scattered into position like rookies entering the field for the first time. Evan followed the sharp eyed apprentice to the tea stall. People lined up for their morning drink holding cups that smelled like roasted leaves and smoke. Conversations swirled around them.

An adventurer grumbled that ore prices were rising. A merchant whispered that another guild bought too many herbs recently. A courier said the roads in the east were crowded with caravans from unusual regions. Evan listened quietly and nodded.

That one he said pointing slightly. Roads crowded means new suppliers or new connections. That is a supply shift. Write it.

The apprentice scribbled furiously.

A few minutes later Evan tapped her shoulder gently. That one too. The merchant complaining about herb demand dropping. That is a price signal.

She wrote again.

Evan stayed longer watching her pick up signals on her own. When she could identify patterns without his prompting he stepped back with a nod. She was learning.

He then checked the other stations. The dock apprentice reported that shipments from the south were delayed. The smith apprentice heard rumors of Iron Crest testing new enchantments. The plaza apprentice discovered two merchants arguing over a sudden drop in metal quality from a specific supplier.

By midday they returned to the intelligence room stacking reports on the main table. Evan organized them into four columns supply demand risk anomalies.

Lenar leaned over the table eyes wide. This is more than we learned in entire seasons.

That is because you never listened Evan said. Not systematically. Not intentionally.

He took the reports and arranged them like puzzle pieces. One pattern stood out. Iron Crest Guild was preparing something larger than a simple expansion. Their supply chains were shifting too fast. Their guard patterns changed too suddenly. Their safehouse activity increased too frequently.

They are preparing a strike Evan said quietly. A big one. And soon.

Lenar felt the air freeze around him. How soon

Evan tapped the supply reports. This week. Maybe even in days.

One apprentice whispered What do we do

Evan lifted his eyes and looked around the room. Today we build the listening grid. Tomorrow we make it permanent. Then we expose the cracks in Iron Crest before they move.

He stood by the window staring at the city again.

This world has never had ears he said softly.
Now it does.
And those ears belong to us.