[If you are interested in joining a setting like this, check out: https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/196759-isekai-fantasy/ooc]

[@DoubleChecker] - Asset Goal: Grand Duchy Nobility F
[@Book] - Asset Goal: ?
[@pkken] - Asset Goal: Harvester Asset Mine F
[@Red Hood] - Asset Goal: ?
[@Nakushita] - Asset Goal: ?


The simmering tension in the room is a complex symphony of clashing personalities. Severin’s polite, yet deeply unsettling, inquiries weave a thread of dark amusement. Vetreus’s aristocratic jabs and Esther’s witty retorts create a sharp, staccato rhythm. Fei Liu’s quiet observations and movements add a layer of stoic grace, while Griselda’s sudden awakening brings a touch of draconic innocence to the proceedings.

Proctor Valeriana watches the exchanges with the detached patience of a researcher observing volatile chemicals reacting in a beaker. She notes Vetreus’s goading, Esther’s sharp-witted deflection, and Severin’s unnerving familiarity with the necromancer Iberis Odhir. All of it is data.

She is about to answer Esther’s final, pertinent question when a loud, distinct THUD echoes from the other side of the heavy door, followed by a moment of silence.

The door hisses open.

A young woman stands there, a flattened, tragic-looking bagel clutched in her hand and a prominent red mark blooming on her face. She enters with a determined, if slightly dazed, expression, taking a seat without a word and beginning her silent assessment of the room.
The Archmagus raises a single, unimpressed eyebrow. The carefully controlled atmosphere of the briefing has been irrevocably punctured.
Fei Liu, poised by the door, breaks the awkward silence, his resonant voice turning to the newcomer with a question.

Before Penny can answer, Proctor Valeriana seizes control of the room once more. Her voice cuts through the air, sharp and final.
[b]"No, she is not lost,"[/b] Valeriana states, her gaze fixed on Penny. [b]"This is your final team member. Late, but present. I trust you can handle your own introductions from here."[/b]

She then turns her attention back to Esther, addressing her question with brisk efficiency. [b]"To answer your query, Esther: yes. The possibility of encountering agents from the West Empire or zealous members of the Church is non-zero. You are to avoid engagement unless absolutely necessary. Your mission is retrieval and analysis, not international diplomacy or theological debate. Any deviation from this directive will be on your own heads."[/b]

Valeriana gives a curt nod, her business clearly concluded. [b]"I have provided you with the necessary tools and parameters. The rest is up to your collective expertise."[/b]

She strides towards the door, pausing as she passes Fei Liu. [b]"The transport is a standard enchanted carriage, waiting at the Luminary's West Gate. Do not keep it waiting."[/b]

With that, the Proctor exits, the heavy door sliding shut behind her with a definitive hiss, leaving the five of you alone in the sound-proofed room. The air is thick with the lingering scent of ozone, tension, and the faint, sad smell of crushed bagel. The four active Scrying Orbs hum quietly, floating patiently beside their chosen contractors, their silent, black surfaces recording everything.

The floor is yours.