Bai Shi sat on the throne, reading a report, a slight headache coming on.
Stormveil had been severely damaged in the battle.
From the very first day he took control, Bai Shi had been arranging for people to carry out repairs everywhere.
However, the progress was incredibly slow.
Although a great number of buildings in the city had been destroyed, they were paradoxically the easiest to fix.
Most of the damage had occurred during the chaos caused by Sir Gideon Ofnir's men, with a smaller portion affected by the crossfire during the battle.
No important structures had suffered severe damage; it was mostly residential buildings and the like.
It wouldn't be a major issue if these buildings weren't repaired; they could just build new ones.
In fact, Bai Shi was planning to construct buildings similar to inns that could accommodate more people.
It was a foregone conclusion that Stormveil would see a massive influx of people in the future, and residential houses simply wouldn't be enough.The most severe damage was in the area affected after Godrick grafted himself onto Godwyn's body.
Godwyn's colossal body had long since merged with the rock and Erdtree roots beneath Stormveil.
When that body rose from the ground, the foundations of that section of Stormveil were destroyed, and parts of the city district even collapsed into the abyss.
Repairing this section was extremely difficult. The work had to be done from the bottom up, requiring an immense amount of labor and a huge workforce.
Given Stormveil's current manpower, completing such a task was likely unrealistic.
Fortunately, this area didn't involve any critical sectors; it was already a forbidden place that few people ever visited.
For now, he would leave it be, have someone cordon it off, and they could slowly repair it in the future.
Once a large number of Tarnished settled in Stormveil, wouldn't the labor force arrive with them?
Bai Shi's only relief right now was that Stormveil had its own architects, so he didn't have to figure out how to repair the city himself.
When it came to architecture, Bai Shi was completely clueless.
Suddenly, a cry echoed as a Stormhawk landed on the armrest of the throne.
Bai Shi reached out, took the letter from the Stormhawk's leg, and unfolded it to read carefully.
It was a message from Hakan. They had found Boc.
Things certainly went faster with help. If he had searched on his own, who knows how long it would have taken.
Bai Shi stood up and stretched his body, his bones cracking and popping.
"Just as I thought. I'm not suited for this kind of administrative work. I should leave it to the professionals."
Bai Shi prepared to set out and meet up with Boc, to fulfill their earlier agreement.
—
Hakan galloped across the lands of Limgrave on his warhorse, his white wolf running beside him.
After leaving Stormveil, he had returned to the place where he was captured and retrieved them.
Considering Hakan's strength, it was highly unlikely that he would have been caught by a random patrol on the road.
Besides, the patrol's targets were Tarnished, which had nothing to do with him.
The whole incident was actually because of Roderika and her companions.
Hakan had previously encountered Roderika and her guards on the road.
At the time, they were being attacked by Godrick's patrol and were on the verge of being captured.
Hakan had originally planned to just create a diversion, let the group of Tarnished escape, and then slip away.
But unexpectedly, one of the Tarnished pulled out a powder with a soporific effect, which drifted on the wind right into Hakan's face.
And so, Hakan was arrested along with them.
But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Because of it, he was reunited with Bai Shi in Stormveil and was even entrusted with the position of leader of the Kaidan Sellswords.
At this moment, many more Kaidan Sellswords rode on horseback behind Hakan, nearly a hundred of them.
This wasn't all of them; more Kaidan Sellswords had already been sent out on missions.
The task Bai Shi had given Hakan earlier was to gather the various groups of Kaidan Sellswords scattered throughout Limgrave.
The Kaidan Sellswords were one of the few groups in the Lands Between skilled in mounted combat. Their high mobility would make many things more convenient with their help.
The Kaidan Sellswords operated in groups, fighting as a team, and the various bands had connections with one another.
As a Kaidan Sellsword himself, Hakan naturally found the different groups with ease.
As for whether the Kaidan Sellswords would obediently listen? Worried that they might have objections to Hakan coming alone to recruit them, Bai Shi had specially sent Erlisa along with him.
Thankfully, the Kaidan Sellswords knew which way the wind was blowing.
Although mounted combat was the trademark of the Kaidan Sellswords, there weren't enough horses for everyone to ride.
Those Kaidan Sellswords without mounts had already headed to Stormveil, where they would be perfect for future guard duties.
As for those with horses, they followed Hakan, spreading the news throughout Limgrave that Stormveil was accepting Tarnished.
If they happened upon any lost Tarnished who couldn't find their way, they would also dispatch some men to escort them.
Of course, their mission didn't end there.
While recruiting and spreading the word across Limgrave, they were also effectively patrolling the territory and helping Bai Shi search for Boc.
"Chief, I think we've found the target. Could you come and talk to him?"
A Kaidan Sellsword rode back from the front.
Hakan nodded and followed the sellsword to the location where they had found the demi-human suspected to be Boc.
Several mounted Kaidan Sellswords had formed a circle, surrounding a small, frail demi-human.
"What are you doing? Can't you be a little more polite? You've scared him!"
Hakan made the other Kaidan Sellswords back away and stepped forward himself to confirm.
He wore a small leather cap with a feather stuck in it and proper clothes, unlike other demi-humans who wore random scraps of cloth. It had to be him.
"Don't be afraid, we mean you no harm. Are you Boc?"
Boc trembled but still managed a nod.
He had no idea what these Kaidan Sellswords wanted with him.
Ever since Bai Shi had saved him, he had been trying to find his way back to his cave alone.
But he had been turned into a tree by the other demi-humans and abandoned nearby; he didn't know the way back himself.
For days, he had been walking in what he thought was the right direction, but he always ended up inexplicably wandering somewhere else.
He usually foraged for mushrooms near trees, which were his staple food.
The other demi-humans would sometimes dig up insects to eat, but Boc just couldn't stomach that.
And then today, while searching for the way home, this group of Kaidan Sellswords had suddenly appeared and surrounded him.
Boc had already prepared himself for death.
But then an unexpected name came from Hakan's mouth.
"Then everything's fine. Bai Shi is looking for you. He said you had an agreement, that he would help you get back something important."
"M-Mr. Bai Shi? He... he actually remembers me?"
Boc hadn't expected his kind savior to actually remember him, let alone send so many people to search for him.
Hakan summoned a Stormhawk circling overhead, wrote down Boc's location on a letter, and sent it off.
"It's getting late. How about you join us for something to eat?"
Hakan looked at the dimming sky and invited Boc.
"Oh, thank you so much, but there's no need. I'm fine with mushrooms."
Boc was a little embarrassed.
"Haha, what's one meal? I was the one who treated Bai Shi to his first meal in the Lands Between."
Hakan took Boc's hand and pulled him right up onto his horse.
"That really happened? How amazing!"
"Then, thank you."
Hakan, with Boc in tow, prepared to head for their camp, just in time to wait for Bai Shi to come and pick him up.
But suddenly, a scream tore through the tranquil night from a distance.