[h2]New Torrea[/h2][h3]Tsubasa[/h3]

This place was too good to be true. The bustling streets, the crowd of people; the pristine quarters of the nobility, the merchants loudly hawking wares and doing swift business in the trade districts, the knights in their shining armor marching here and yon on their showy patrols. New Torrea was a beacon upon a hill, thriving with business and life, happy and clean. Tsubasa wrinkled his nose beneath the white fur trim of his black hood.

It was due for a crash any day now.

The king had made this place prosperous, but now he was on his deathbed. The Prime Minister's new policies were expanding the kingdom, laying down foundations for enterprises that, in theory, would bring even more wealth and power to the land. But like herds of wild beasts, countries and peoples had a glass ceiling. At some point, the boundary would be crossed. Resources would dry up, a vacuum of power would bring bloodshed, the common people would suffer and the nobility would hide and pray while their magnificent mansions were stripped and looted and burned down around their ears.

Perfect for business.

The fluttering red paper caught Tsubasa's attention. He stopped to look it over. Hunting some sort of dangerous creature? Why would the knights be asking commoners to do that? And why with such a flashy flier? As he raised an eyebrow and leaned closer in curiosity, however, he caught the hidden text. He'd learned a little bit about codes and espionage in his line of work. After a few moments of thought, ignoring the occasional jostle of some city-goer against his shoulder, he thought he had it figured out.

Donat. That was the name of the Prime Minister, wasn't it? He smirked. Looks like the diving spiral is starting already.

Wordlessly touching the hilt of the sword hidden beneath his coat, the hooded man in black headed for the gates...