After the council session Erian returned to the Authority building with Mira and the team. Though victory had been achieved in exposing corruption, the aftermath brought its own challenges. The capital buzzed with rumors. Merchants whispered behind stalls. Breeders speculated nervously. Patrol officers asked endless questions. Everyone sensed change coming.

Mira led the team into the strategy hall. Long tables held stacks of maps, charts, lineage logs, and species preservation lists. The room still carried the faint smell of parchment and enchanted ink. This was the heart of the kingdom’s beast governance system. And it needed rebuilding.

Erian scanned the documents. “Wynthorne’s influence reached almost every layer. We need new regulations that cannot be altered by personal power.”

Selin added, “And stronger ecological protection. The frontier nearly collapsed. We must repair it.”

Rolan pulled a map closer. “Vorrek mentioned something before we arrested him. He said the black market won’t fall with him. So who’s next?”

Jana crossed her arms. “Even if Wynthorne is gone, smaller factions will fight for his place. We need a structural response, not just arrests.”

Mira nodded. “Exactly. That is why the crown wants a full proposal on long term reform.”

Erian gathered a blank sheet and began writing. He spoke as he wrote.

“First. A kingdom wide Arcane-ID system for all legally traded beasts. Every creature receives a mana imprint number. Tampering becomes impossible without alerting the registry.”

Daris smiled softly. “That alone will remove fifty percent of forgery routes.”

“Second,” Erian continued. “Legal breeding centers must upgrade their facilities with transparent reporting. And an audit team rotates every week. No predictable visits.”

Selin said, “And ecological caps on captures must be tied to real frontier surveys, not political numbers.”

“Third,” Erian added, “transport guilds must install tracking seals on their wagons. If a route deviates the system alerts enforcement teams.”

Rolan tapped the table. “We also need manpower. The frontier outposts need reinforcements. And training. Rangers alone cannot stop organized criminal networks.”

Mira nodded. “I’ll request a recruitment expansion.”

Jana leaned closer. “What about the beasts already affected by suppression? They need long term care.”

Selin already prepared a list. “Rescue centers must expand. Rehabilitation programs must include mana therapy and habitat restoration.”

Erian added those to the report. His handwriting flowed steadily. Reform was not abstract to him. It was necessary. It was survival for a system that had rotted quietly for years.

As he wrote he remembered the Ridgehowl Wolf’s trembling. The Frostmane Elk fighting for breath. The Crownmane Beast chained for spectacle. All victims of a broken network that pretended to serve the kingdom while pulling it apart.

The proposal grew longer. Clearer. Stronger.

When he finished the first draft Mira read it carefully. She looked at him with quiet respect. “This is not just reform. This is transformation. The first real foundation the beast trade has had in decades.”

Erian exhaled. “It must be done. But reforms alone won’t heal the frontier. We must return and repair the wells. The mana fractures won’t seal themselves.”

Daris agreed. “The Crownmane was a stabilizer. With it free the wells may heal but only if we manage the region properly.”

Rolan asked, “So what’s our next step?”

Erian looked up. “We return to the frontier once the council ratifies the reforms. There are still beasts scattered. Still remnants of Vorrek’s network. Still damage left behind.”

Jana raised an eyebrow. “And Vorrek’s warning? That the black market has other leaders?”

Erian’s voice softened. “We’ll face them when they appear. A system without corruption will weaken their power.”

A sudden knock sounded on the door. A courier entered, breathless. “Inspector Vale. Mira. A new message from Brackenwatch. Urgent.”

He handed Erian the parchment. Erian opened it. His expression changed slightly.

Selin stepped closer. “What is it?”

Erian read aloud. “Rangers report unusual mana surges near the northern ridge. Signs suggest an apex creature returned to its territory.”

“The Crownmane,” Selin whispered.

Erian nodded slowly. “It made it home.”

Relief washed over the team. A small victory. But meaningful.

Then Jana pointed to the second part of the message. “There’s more.”

Erian read further.

“Residual camps found in the deeper forest. Some abandoned. Others active. Black market remnants still operating.”

Rolan tightened his grip on his spear. “Then we’re not done.”

Erian folded the letter carefully. “No. But we’re stronger now. We have evidence. We have reforms. We have momentum.”

Mira placed a supportive hand on the table. “And the kingdom is watching. For the first time they see how fragile the system has been.”

Erian looked out the window toward the distant ridge hidden beyond the city skyline.

“The frontier needs guardians,” he said softly. “We’ll go back soon.”

The work ahead would be long.

But the path was finally clear.