Sera followed Kiran until they arrived at a massive, iron-bound door. The dark wood was scarred and weathered, marked by years of use. Heavy iron bands crossed the door with rusted edges.

"This is Vito's study," Kiran said quietly. "Only he knew where the keys were kept. I've never seen anyone else open it."

Sera's eyes narrowed as she studied the door. "Step aside."

As Kiran stepped back, Sera extended her hand to touch the handle. A faint, icy mist emanated from her fingertips, the metal quickly frosting over as her magic took hold. The frost spread, creeping over the handle and the surrounding wood.

Then, Sera clenched her hand, and the frozen handle shattered into countless glittering shards, scattering across the stone floor. She pushed the door open with a steady hand, the heavy wood creaking as it swung inward.

As Sera stepped into the study, her gaze immediately fell upon the shelves lining the walls. They were crammed with an eclectic collection of books and scrolls, their spines cracked and faded with age. The shelves themselves were old, the wood darkened by years of use and the weight of their precious burdens.

In the center of the room stood a large, cluttered desk,. The surface was an overwhelming array of notes, documents, and charts, each one bearing Vito's spidery handwriting. The ink varied in hue, from fresh black to faded brown, indicating years of relentless work. Diagrams and illustrations filled the pages, detailing complex alchemical processes and arcane theories. That fool was dedicated, if nothing else.

Sera’s eyes roved over the shelves and the cluttered desk. She turned to Kiran, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "So, what do you think?"

Kiran shook his head. "Not sure what to think, ma'am. Vito always kept this place locked up tight. Only he knew where the keys were kept."

Sera raised an eyebrow, her fingers trailing over a particularly old tome with a cracked leather cover. "Really? And you never tried to sneak in? No curiosity about what your boss was up to?"

Kiran chuckled nervously. "I think everyone was curious, but none of us were brave or foolish enough to cross Vito. He had a way of discouraging that kind of thing."

"Fair enough," Sera mused, flipping open the tome to reveal pages filled with complex alchemical symbols and handwritten notes. She sifted through the documents on the desk, her keen eyes scanning the spidery handwriting and intricate diagrams.

One set of notes caught her attention, detailing the anatomical structure of beastkin shifters. "Did you know that Vito was experimenting on beastkin shifters?"

Kiran's eyes widened in surprise. "Experimenting? I thought he was just interested in them because they could be sold for a lot of money. I never imagined he was doing... this."

"Well, now you know." Sera said, setting the parchment back on the desk. She looked around the room once more, her mind already cataloging the information she had found and planning her next steps. "I'll return to this office later to go through everything more thoroughly."

Sera turned to Kiran, her eyes sharp and focused. "For now, can you take me to where the Black Eagles make their potions? I'd like to see what resources we have at our disposal."

Kiran nodded, snapping out of his thoughts. "Of course, ma'am. Follow me."

They left the study, the heavy door creaking shut behind them. As they walked through the labyrinthine corridors of the underground complex, Sera couldn't help but ponder the implications of Vittorio's experiments. Though I abhor his research, it wouldn't surprise me if there's at least some useful information buried in the study.

Soon, the air grew warmer as they approached a section of the complex that was well-lit and bustling with activity. The sound of bubbling liquids and the faint smell of herbs and chemicals filled the air as the two approached another door.

Kiran knocked firmly, and after a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a human woman clad in a stained, worn alchemist's coat. Her hair was a tousled mess, strands escaping from a loose bun, as well dark circles under her eyes that spoke of many sleepless nights. She greeted Kiran with an impassive look, her gaze drifting over Sera with mild curiosity.

"Desmonda," Kiran sighed. "This is Sera, our new boss."

The alchemist's eyes flicked back to Kiran, then to Sera. Her eyes were a deep, piercing blue, though dulled by fatigue. "Welcome," she said flatly, her tone devoid of enthusiasm.

Without waiting for a response, she turned back to her work, her hands deftly mixing ingredients in a bubbling cauldron. Kiran panicked, sweat beading down his forehead as he expected a more respectful greeting. "Desmonda, I think you should show some more respect, for your sake."

Sera chuckled softly. "It's fine, I'll make an exception for the alchemist." She turned to Desmonda with a steady gaze. "Do you mind if I have a look around?"

The weary alchemist glanced up from her work, her expression still impassive. "Feel free to look, as long as you don't disturb my work."

Sera nodded and stepped into the room, which had almost a dozen other alchemists bustling about, tending to their concoctions. Shelves lined the walls, crammed with jars of herbs, vials of brightly colored liquids, and strange, unidentifiable artifacts.

Sera's eyes were drawn to a large table in the center of the room, covered in an array of alchemical tools. Mortars and pestles, alembics, and retorts lay scattered about, some still in use, others abandoned mid-process. She moved closer, fingers trailing over the smooth, cool surfaces of the glassware.

"Impressive setup," Sera said, her eyes scanning the room.

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Though Desmonda continued her work, her lips twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile. "I've been doing this for a good while. The Black Eagles gave me what I asked for as long as I kept making potions."

Sera watched Desmonda deftly measure a glowing green liquid into a vial. "What kinds of potions do you produce here?"

Desmonda didn’t pause in her work. "Mostly healing potions, strength enhancers, and various elixirs for stamina and speed. We also dabble in some more... specialized brews when the demand calls for it."

"And how often do you work with rare herbs like Vipershade and Aetherwisp?"

Desmonda glanced up, her expression turning thoughtful as she began to grind a cluster of dried leaves in a mortar. "Vipershade and Aetherwisp are among the rarer ingredients we use. They’re essential for some of our most powerful potions, but they’re hard to come by. We usually reserve them for high-paying clients or critical situations."

"How much of these rare herbs do you use?"

"Not as much as we'd like," she admitted. "The demand for potions has been so high that we've had to dilute our supplies just to keep up. We used to make pure brews, but now we often blend them with more common ingredients to stretch our stock."

Sera noted the subtle frustration in Desmonda's tone, understanding the challenges of balancing quality and quantity. "Do you find that diluting the potions affects their effectiveness significantly?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Diluting the ingredients means the potions aren’t as potent as they should be. We have to compensate by increasing the dosage, which isn’t always practical. It's a compromise, but it's the only way to meet the demand without running out of resources entirely."

"It seems like a delicate balance to maintain. Do you have any issues with supply chains?"

Desmonda shook her head as she stirred the contents of the cauldron. "Supply chains are steady, but the herbs are still rare and expensive. We have to be cautious about how we use them, and sometimes we have to make tough decisions about which potions get priority."

Sera watched as Desmonda carefully decanted the potion into a row of waiting vials, each one glowing faintly with magical energy. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

Desmonda nodded, a hint of pride in her weary eyes. "Just doing my job, ma'am."

Satisfied with the information, Sera turned back to Kiran, who had been observing quietly. "I have plans for Desmonda and the rest of the alchemists, but I think I've seen enough for now."

As they exited the alchemy lab, Kiran glanced at Sera, curiosity in his eyes. "Where would you like to go next, ma'am?"

Sera considered for a moment, her thoughts returning to the empty prison area they had passed earlier. "This might be sudden, but I'm curious as to why the prison area from before was empty?"

"We transferred a lot of prisoners a week ago. They were sold off, and we're also renovating the area."

"So, where are the other prisoners located now?"

"We have another prison not too far from here, I can take you there."

***

Eventually, they reached a large iron door, its surface marred with age and reinforced with heavy bolts. Kiran produced a heavy iron key from his belt, then used it to unlock the door before pushing it open, the hinges groaning slightly in protest.

As they stepped inside, the sound of murmurs and shuffling feet greeted them. The new prison complex was a world unto itself. Rows of cells lined the walls, each one occupied by a variety of prisoners. The scent of damp stone and unwashed bodies permeated the air, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Sera's sharp eyes quickly assessed the prisoners. Beastkin of various forms huddled in their cells. Interspersed among them were adventurers, their armor and gear marking them as such.

She walked slowly down the central aisle, noting the conditions and the demeanor of the prisoners. The beastkin looked up at her approach, their expressions a mix of fear and hopelessness, as if they had long given up on escape. In contrast, the adventurers met her gaze with hard stares, their spirits unbroken despite their captivity. I'll stave off the beastkin for now, the adventurers should do just fine.

"Interesting," Sera said out loud, pausing in front of a cell that held a particularly grizzled adventurer. His beard was matted, his eyes sharp with intelligence and defiance. She could see the weariness in his posture, but also a spark of determination that had not been extinguished.

She turned to Kiran. "I see you've been busy."

Kiran nodded. "Yes, ma'am. We capture adventurers who poke their noses where they shouldn't be or if they owe us too much money. As for the beastkin, they are often caught during raids. We keep them locked up until we decide what to do with them."

Sera nodded thoughtfully, her mind already working through the possibilities. "Kiran, I want to select a few prisoners, including the adventurers, and have them delivered to my dungeon. Zoha can assist you with the directions later."

Kiran inclined his head respectfully. "Of course, ma'am. Which ones do you wish to choose?"

Sera walked slowly down the row of cells, scrutinizing each prisoner in turn. She stopped in front of a cell holding a young man with a scar slashing across his cheek and a hardened expression. It's likely that the Black Eagles won't be able to transport every single prisoner here into the dungeon, so, I'll pick the best out of the bunch by assigning them scores out of ten.

Sera's mind quickly assessed him: lean build, quick reflexes, possibly a skilled scout. He doesn't appear to be too impressive, but not terribly mediocre either, I'll assign him a score of five out of ten for now. "This one, what's his rank?"

Kiran consulted a small, well-worn ledger he carried. "D-rank, ma'am."

Sera nodded, then moved on to the next cell, her eyes never missing a detail. She evaluated each adventurer with a critical eye, noting their physical attributes, demeanor, and potential utility. I'll refrain from choosing beastkin for now, out of concern for Aermo and Alpa's loyalty.

"This one here doesn't look half bad," Sera said, indicating a tall, muscular woman with a fierce gaze and a confident stance. The elder dryad noted her strength and the aura of leadership about her. Not bad, seven out of ten.

Kiran checked his ledger again. "C-rank, ma'am. She led a small group of adventurers deep into the dungeon before we captured her."

Sera nodded approvingly. "She will be useful. Add her to the list."

As they continued through the cells, Sera made swift but thorough evaluations. A wiry man with quick reflexes: score of 7. Another, a young woman with a slight frame but intelligent eyes: score of 5.

She paused in front of a final cell, where a particularly defiant adventurer glared at her with intense hatred. His spirit intrigued her. She noted his defiant stance, the fire in his eyes, and the potential for both leadership and trouble. There's potential in him, eight out of ten.

"This one," she said, intrigued by his fierce spirit. "What's his story?"

Kiran's expression darkened slightly. "He's a C-rank. We caught him attempting to free other prisoners. He's been nothing but trouble since we brought him in."

Sera smiled faintly, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "A rebel with spirit. I'll take him."

With her selections made, Sera turned back to Kiran. "Put these prisoners on whatever transports you have immediately. And if you have or are able to acquire an additional carriage, prepare it immediately as well."

Kiran bowed slightly. "Understood, ma'am. I will see to it personally."