A decision that cannot wait

'Should I?'

As was often the case, the simplest and shortest questions were the ones that were the hardest to answer. And in this particular case, it was no different.

Even without thinking hard about it, Theo could see a whole slew of both positives and negatives of taking such a plunge.

'I would no longer need to worry about the beasts,' he thought, taking a step back as if to distance himself from Callane, away from her men, as he pondered such a simple yet consequential question.

And the lack of threat...

It was most certainly an enticing perspective. But by no means did it exhaust all the benefits Theo would get from accepting Callane's offer.

'First, I could stop worrying about access to any kind of resource given the power of her family... Or, given the power of a family I'm supposed to belong to. I would be free to build the factories wherever I liked, no longer restricted by the dangers this place is full of!'