Early the next morning, Lando embarked on his customary training routine. He began with an hour of meditation, honing not only his mana-gathering skills but also his mastery of the elements.

Sensing the flow of time and space mana throughout his body, he focused on channeling it efficiently and swiftly into his elemental core.

Although it appeared deceptively serene, this practice was anything but easy. Lando paid meticulous attention to each minute adjustment, striving for perfection with every ounce of mana he possessed.

As he concluded his meditation, Lando was perspiring profusely, akin to the aftermath of a grueling ten-kilometer run. Yet, this was merely his warm-up. He proceeded to engage in sets of sit-ups, push-ups, and simulated combat scenarios, all performed at a high intensity.

However, due to his extraordinary strength, these exercises proved time-consuming. To truly feel the exertion, Lando had to challenge himself further by executing one-handed handstand push-ups and the like.

As he caught his breath in his room after completing his workout, Lando mused aloud, "This will become quite bothersome in the future when my body grows even stronger." He resolved to acquire additional training equipment, such as weighted bracelets, for a more comprehensive workout regimen that extended beyond cardio training.

Following a revitalizing cold shower, Lando rapped lightly on Ina's door, extending an invitation for breakfast and a discussion of their future plans.

However, he immediately regretted his decision, as within a mere 30 minutes, he found himself lamenting the situation.

"...and that is precisely why I require more individuals working under me," Ina proclaimed, taking a bite of bread before continuing her seemingly endless monologue.

Lando pondered how Ina managed to intersperse breaths amidst her ceaseless dialogue, as she had scarcely allowed him the opportunity to offer brief acknowledgments throughout her soliloquy.

Happy about her enthusiasm but only partially listening to his employee, Lando attempted to enjoy his cereal while responding absentmindedly with a half-filled mouth, "Yeah, got it." Clearing his throat, he continued, "I already know the ideal candidates for the positions, but we must wait for the chaos to subside before approaching them."

Ina, displeased with her present lack of productivity, sulked at Lando until her attention shifted upon the arrival of two familiar faces in the breakfast area.

"Ah, good morning!" Nathan cheerfully greeted Lando and Ina from a distance, with Lola by his side. They grabbed their own food and joined Lando at his table.

"I wanted to personally thank you for healing me yesterday!" the black-haired woman exclaimed, looking directly at Ina.

"It was nothing major, really. You're welcome," Ina replied, reaching out and shaking the other woman's hand with a warm smile.

They engaged in small talk until Lando inquired about their future plans.

"Perhaps taking a break from the mercenary business and the ever-present unrest," Lola responded to Lando, her gaze fixed on Nathan with a tender smile.

"That doesn't sound too bad, I suppose," Nathan replied, returning the smile and covertly holding Lola's hand beneath the table.

Lando and Ina exchanged a quick glance, acknowledging the secret display of affection, before continuing their questioning. "Does that mean the entire group is taking a break or just the two of you?"

"I can't speak for the entire group, but I believe we all agree to take a step back for a while. We recently lost three team members, and we nearly lost another one," Nathan explained, briefly glancing at Lola. "I think it's best if we all take some time off, enjoy the fruits of our labor, and gradually ease back into safer missions."

Ina's mind buzzed with delight, as her own plans for them mainly involved working as bodyguards and acting as a deterrent to rival enterprises.

While general mercenary work often involved the same tasks like playing bodyguard for someone, the second half of their job—exterminating monsters, hunting down bandits and outlaws—carried significantly greater risks.

A seemingly harmless storm-wolf could suddenly transform into a dreaded shadow-storm-wolf with one deceptive report from a civilian. Mercenary groups frequently paid the price, losing one or two members, or in the worst-case scenario, their entire team.

Conversely, dealing with rowdy hooligans or known business rivals as bodyguards proved far safer. It wasn't that their opponents were weaker; on the contrary, they were often stronger. The safety stemmed from the predictability of combatants. They could choose their battles wisely and had a clear understanding of their opponents' strengths.

If their employee made no stupid mistakes and picked their rivals carefully, they would most certainly not have a problem with it.

Those thoughts were running through Ina's mind, but she decided to say nothing for the time being.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

It was Lando's job to recruit them, and he said that he needed more information on them beforehand to assess them as a whole and, most importantly, their loyalty.

"Good for you. I, for my part, will not break into any prisons as well, at least for the time being," Lando commented with a smile on his face.

They both chuckled, and Nathan answered sarcastically, "Let's see what the future has in store for you. A man like you will attract trouble like a lantern attracts moths."

Lando's smile stiffened a bit, as this was obviously a joke but unintentionally not too far from the truth either.

Not too long after they all finished their breakfast, the young Weber decided to take a look at the current situation outside.

The city had become quiet, as the rebellion against the duke seemed to be over already.

There were still distant screams and battles from time to time, but these were most probably caused by someone taking their chance before the law could be fully enforced again.

Wearing just a simple white shirt instead of his black coat with his hood on, he went for a stroll through the city as a normal civilian.

Most streets were still empty, as the civilians still feared thieves and plunderers.

Large parts of the city lay in ruins, and the reconstruction work had not yet begun. Therefore, Lando could take in the full scope of the destruction after he climbed onto a roof of one of the taller houses still standing.

He nearly saw the whole city and was a bit shocked at what he saw. He knew there would be widespread destruction, but seeing it with his own eyes still left him breathless.

The only things left in the center district were a few brick and stone walls here and there, but most of the rest had been reduced to the ground. Only a few buildings survived, but to say that one out of a hundred remained would not be an understatement.

The noble district was not much better off, as the beautiful mansions were mostly burned, with only their foundations surviving. Some nobles had obviously guarded their property better than others, as many still looked unharmed, like lonely survivors in a desert.

The least harm fell on the rest of the city, not necessarily because there were fewer fights, but mostly because the magicians did not possess the same level of power.

Most of the buildings survived with little to no damage, but there were a few exceptions here and there where whole blocks had been blasted apart. Lando could only attribute this to some high-level mages passing by in their battle.

‘How many people will cry for their loved ones? I can only imagine how high the death toll would be,’ he thought to himself, feeling empathy for the people's losses, especially considering his recent loss of his father.

Taking in the destruction and the occasional sight of dead bodies under rubble or on the streets, his thoughts wandered.

He felt lonely. It was the first time he realized he was truly alone. Yes, he had Ina, but he saw their relationship as nothing more than a forced contract at least for the time being. They were far from being friends.

As for Anthony's mercenaries, he barely knew them. He hoped they would become his future employees, but to consider them friends?

In this moment, he stood alone. Like many others after yesterday's events, he imagined.

He didn't know why, but he found solace in the thought that he wasn't the only one grieving for a loved one, left behind with no one to help, no one to console them and say, "everything will be alright."

Suddenly, he realized he was already crying. Tears streamed down his face and fell to the ground.

He opened his hand and caught the tears, staring at the small pool forming in his palm.

After a few seconds, he clenched his fist, the tears slipping through his fingers.

"Why the fuck am I crying like a helpless child?" he growled through gritted teeth.

"I am not helpless, damn it! I will train as hard as I must, I will gather every bit of resources that I can get my hands on, and then I am going to kick some ass! I will steamroll the whole fucking council if I have to! And if anyone is left after I am finished with them, they will all know that laying hands on a Weber will be the last mistake they make!" he whispered at his still wet fist with determination and wrath.

Walking through the streets again, no thief or outlaw dared to test their luck with him. Everyone could see the resolution and anger on the young man's face from afar.

Lando was only waiting for someone to try. He would tear them apart like a piece of paper to release some of his pent-up rage.

Unfortunately for the young mage, nobody seemed dumb enough to approach him.

Realizing that this would go nowhere, he sat down on a pile of rubble from a destroyed house, leaning against a wooden beam and trying to calm his mind.

Determination was good, but hot-headedness was not.

He observed the few stray people hurrying through the streets from time to time until some soldiers appeared along the street.

Each of them wore uniforms with an emblem Lando had never seen before. It was a large gold coin with a hammer and a sickle forming a cross above it.

The group of three men approached Lando, as he was the only person visible on the whole street, sitting there on the rubble, relaxing.

"Sorry for your loss, kid. Times will get better from now on," the oldest-looking man in the front said to Lando with a conflicted but reassuring expression.

Lando raised an eyebrow and soon realized that the men in front of him must have thought that the ruins he was sitting on were his home.

"And why exactly would times get better?" he asked.

The three man looked at each other before one of them began his speech "You're already old enough, so you've surely heard about the constant suppression and escapades of some nobles. That is no more! We have eliminated the nobility once and for all, and this land shall rise again with equality and opportunities for all!" the young but rough-looking man on the left said with near fanaticism.

"Are you sure? What stops the next powerhouse from abusing us, just like the nobles did before?" Lando asked, playing his assigned role to gather more information.

The group of three wore proud smiles until the oldest-looking man in the middle answered him delightfully, "New laws will be enforced, of course. No one, even a high-ranking official, will go unpunished if they don't obey the law. And the law says equal rights for all."

Lando fought the urge to curse them out loud as foolish idiots but restrained himself in the end.

If they wanted to believe in such lies, he would just let them. They would soon enough realize that things were not that simple.

"I must see these laws for myself. I can't just take your word for it and risk punishment from the next person who thinks they are above me, right?" he asked, showing obvious excitement.

"Sure, see it for yourself," he said with a laugh before adding, "The new legal code will be distributed for a cheap price on the central plaza in the afternoon. If you have a few silvers to spare." He glanced at the ruins behind the young man, feeling a bit stupid for his suggestion.

That was exactly the information Lando had been hoping for. He waved goodbye to the soldiers and made his way to the central plaza.

"Let's see what has really changed, at least on paper. My new employee also needs some time to work. Finding exploits for my business is just the task she has been waiting for," he thought to himself as he walked to his destination.