The journey to the king's office was unusually quiet. Lanling had ordered Carl to make sure no one saw them and to keep anything he witnessed to himself. This was to ensure that only a few would be aware of their movements.
The office was spacious and beautiful, once again proving to Haruki that the wealthy in Qiyuan often indulged in extravagance. Gold adorned much of the furniture, and though the small library in the corner appeared tidy, Haruki doubted the king had actually read all the books.
With little regard for formality, Lanling took the feathered pen and paper from the king's desk, writing a list of ingredients as though he owned the place. He handed it to Mainu afterward, his expression sharp as he commanded, "Find out who's buying these ingredients in bulk and question them. Defend if necessary, detain if suspicious, and kill if you must. You may use my title and name."