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((The For-No-Reason-In-Particular Holiday Special -- page 1 of 8))
Hector couldn't help chuckling a little. "It was a long time ago. But yeah, I still don't really care for alcohol."

The King just took another swig of his gin, and the two of them approached the cavernous outlook at the end of the plaza.

The lake below was still largely the same, apart from a few sections near the stone stairs on Hector's left. Four large areas had been segmented off from the lake with giant walls of iron. No water remained in them, and the previously sunken buildings therein were now almost usable. They hadn't yet bothered to move any furniture or equipment into them, but they soon planned to. Once more of the sections of the lake were drained and more walls put up, the risk of a leak would be basically nonexistent.

They'd decided that draining sections of the lake was a better idea than draining the whole thing. A couple of the planners wanted to keep part of the lake intact.

As the silence drew out, Hector remembered that there was something that the King might be able to help him with.

"Your Highness, do you know anything about House Gaolanet?" said Hector.

As he was bringing his glass up for another sip, the King's hand stopped. "Your fellow Lords of Gray Rock."

"Yeah. I haven't been able to find out much about them, other than a few names."

"Yes. They are notoriously reclusive."

Hector decided to just come out and say it. "I have reason to believe that they've had knowledge of reapers and servants for several years, at least."

King William was quiet a moment. "That... would not surprise me, now that you mention it."

"Why do you say that?"

"House Gaolanet has long had ties to the Agency of Foreign Affairs," said the King. "However, I believe in recent years their role was relegated to little more than consultation."