The Heeresgeschichtliches Museum stood as a formidable monument to the empire's martial past, its brickwork glowing a somber crimson under the overcast Viennese sky. Inside, the air was cool and smelled of wax, old metal, and the heavy weight of centuries. Kai walked through the grand halls with a slow, deliberate stride, his eyes sweeping over the displays of ancient weaponry. He felt the tension radiating from Elea as she walked beside him, her footsteps light and controlled on the polished stone floors. The breakfast from earlier had left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, a flavor of betrayal that no amount of museum air could purge.
"The architecture is breathtaking, Kai, but I did not realize you had developed such a sudden fascination with military history," Elea remarked, her voi
