A Quiet Corner

The atmosphere inside the small shop near the northern coast of Grimoir was lifeless. This store had changed names several times over the years, but no matter what it was called, foot traffic rarely improved. Now known as Julius Reparation and Print Shops, it remained a shadow of its neighbors, particularly the bustling tavern next door.

Inside, only two people occupied the space: the shop's owner, seated at a stool in the farthest corner, and a boy in the adjoining room.

Julius, a man approaching his forties, let out a long, lazy yawn. His fingers instinctively scratched at his thin stubble as he tried to find some comfort amidst the dreary silence. The whirring plastic fan was the only sound accompanying him as he sat, tinkering idly with a broken flashlight on the table before him.