Despite the finely brewed tea table and the handful of luxurious snacks that Auyen had prepared with the utmost hospitality, an awkward silence filled the room. Missha was the one who finally broke it.
«These appetizers...»
«¿Hm?»
«They are sandwiches from Pastelería Lubat... They are not bad, but those from Pastelería Nielon are cheaper and are probably more to your taste...».
Why was he talking about snacks all of a sudden?
It seemed very strange to me, but I assumed that he must be trying to start a trivial conversation to relieve some of the tension in the air. «Really? I don't know much about those things, since Auyen takes care of them. Oh sure. You do not know who...»
«I don't know. Auyen Rockrobe... He's your navigator».
«...?»
Once again, the conversation came to a screeching halt as the discomfort returned with a vengeance.
Why am I so nervous?
If this was going to hurt anyway, I better tear off the bandage. Once this was cleared up, I got straight to the point. «Since you got here, you must have decided, Missha?»
«...Sí.»
«And what did you decide?» I asked bluntly.
Missha hesitated for a moment before answering: «Your new clan... I will join him».
«¿In series?»
«Sí...»
When she nodded, the tension finally melted from my shoulders. I was sure he was going to reject me, since he kept moving and hesitating. I had even prepared myself in advance for rejection.
«As long as you... and your teammates are...».
I cut it before I could finish the sentence. «Of course everyone will welcome you! Although, of course, I forgot. You and Erwen didn't part on good terms, huh? Nothing happens. I am sure that you can be united as before. She's much better now too».
«Oh... ¿Es así...?»
«Why don't I call them now?»
«H-Huh ...? »
«You couldn't really chat with them last time. Since we are now all going to go to the maze together, we should get along...»
Missha seemed surprised by my suggestion, but ended up nodding her head. I left her and went up to look for Amelia and Erwen.
However, once they were gathered in the living room, the suffocating discomfort continued. After sitting quietly for an unbearable amount of time, Amelia let out a sigh and looked towards me.
At this rate we would end up sitting here all night, so she had to decide to take the initiative.
«Yandel. Wait comes to reach».
«…¿Eh?»
«If you want us to get along, don't answer and get going. You would only get in the way».
They kicked me out from the beginning.
***
Amelia, Erwen and Missha talked for an hour. Finally, Amelia came up to my room and knocked on my door, telling me she could come down. I hurried back to the living room, but things there were completely different than I had expected.
They neither got along nor fought. But the room was a mess, almost as if a hurricane had just passed.
«Um... Amelia?» I asked, dumbfounded. «What happened here?»
«After a long conversation, the three of us have decided to get along from now on», Amelia replied as if nothing was happening.
«Um, that's all well and good, but... that's not what I meant. Looks like... some things are broken?».
«Oh that? Don't worry. While we were talking, my hand slipped».
How could his hand slip so much that it destroyed an entire room?
When I looked at the other two, Erwen quickly avoided my gaze. «...That's right. His hand slipped».
So that was the excuse everyone was going with? I then turned my gaze to Missha, but she kept her mouth shut without giving me a proper answer.
Well, since no one is hurt, I guess it's okay...
I decided to stop questioning them about the living room. I wasn't that clueless.
They should have argued for a while, but it seems that everything went well.
Although if I had to be more exact, I would say that Missha and Erwen were probably still at enmity, but Amelia had agreed to mediate between them.
«Then... I'll go up first». Erwen quickly fled to her room.
Missha also got up from her seat. «I... will go too, then...».
«Hm? Where are you going? Why don't you stay here? We have many empty rooms».
«B-well... I've thought about it, but I think it would be better if I lived separately... Being here I would only make things uncomfortable... I heard that Ainar was doing the same thing...?»
Oh, it's true. Ainar told me that things in the holy land are quite interesting these days, so she prefers to spend her time there as First Elder.
«So... can you let me go?» I let go of Missha's doll, which I had grabbed. She gently cradled the part I had been touching as if my grip had been too strong. «A-Goodbye, then...»
Missha quickly walked out the front door. In the end, I was unable to overcome the distance that separated us.
«...You three. What have you talked about?»
I asked Amelia in frustration, but once again, she didn't give me an adequate answer. «That's a secret between us girls. There is no need for you to know».
There wasn't a single clue I could deduce from that answer to find out what the hell those three had talked about.
***
The day after Missha's visit, another guest showed up at our door.
«...¿Raven?»
«Can I come in?»
«Yes of course.»
Since testing Erwen's new essence, Raven had been busy with her work. It had been a while since his last visit.
«Is this house smaller than the previous one?»
«Oh, sure. It's the first time you come». I gave him a quick walk around the house while Auyen made us some soft drinks. Then we both sat down to enjoy them while we talked. «Surely you haven't come just because you're bored. What's happening?»
«'What's happening?' How can you ask me that after what you did?»
«So it's about the Magic Tower».
He let out a big sigh but, surprisingly, he didn't give me a hard time. I knew the context. Although my way of handling it was a bit extreme, at the end of the day, I was just doing my job as chief of the barbarians. More importantly, it all ended peacefully. What it meant...
«What kind of magic did you use on him?»
This was the real reason he was here.
«I can't understand why the lord of the Magic Tower would grant you so much. To be honest, I thought for sure that this would lead to an all-out war...»
«Have you come because you want to know how I convinced him?»
«...More or less».
I hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell him the whole story, including the deal I made with the man. Actually, I wanted his insight.
«Lurendel Garlinbarret...», he murmured. «Did he grant all that to protect her?»
«Do you know anything about her?»
«...Not really. In the past, we never had reason to talk much, since we were of different ranks. And since I joined the army, I barely visit the Magic Tower».
«Still, you are a magician just like her. I'm sure you know more about her than I do. Any information you have will be helpful».
«Then...» Raven paused before admitting: «Lurendel Garlinbarret is the Magic Tower's most prolific expert when it comes to barbarian heart research. In fact, the Tritten School itself is mainly dedicated to studying them».
«Um, so that's why I wanted my heart».
«Probably. It is very likely that he asked you because he really wanted to study your heart».
«And that must mean that there's a good chance that your research is something the Magic Tower is very interested in».
«So it seems... Otherwise, there would be no reason for the lord of the Magic Tower to give up so much just to save her».
«...Raven, could you investigate it for me?»
«Hmmm... Okay. I'm curious too. I'll do my own research and let you know if I find anything interesting.»
«Thank you.»
That was the end of it, but since Raven was already here, I decided to ask a question on my own. «Raven. Hypothetically, and I say this completely hypothetically... Has anyone ever gained... knowledge of the labyrinth?
«...Knowledge?»
«Yes, knowledge. Like, for example, someone who suddenly gains the ability to read and write in an ancient language when he couldn't before...».
Raven jumped to her feet, her hands falling hard on the table. «Ancient writing? Now can you read it?»
«No... I was just giving an example...
«What about an example? You're obviously talking about yourself».
These women around me are all too sharp.
I decided to confess. I wouldn't believe it if I said no. «Yes, now I can read in the ancient language».
«How much...?»
«I'm not sure. I haven't tried it, so...»
Before I could finish the sentence, Raven jumped back up and took a book out of its subspace, forcing me to read what, of course, was a text written in the ancient language of Rafdonia.
«'Mahniarsus strongly begged for his wife's return, but Kaprakadakh flatly rejected his request. He believed he could love her more than Mahniarsus ever could...» What kind of book is this?»
«Does not matter. Keep reading.»
«...Then Mahniarsus drew his sword and stabbed it into his rival's heart. As Kaprakadakh bled to death, he extended his hand, but all he could do was...'»
Raven's expression became increasingly dejected as she continued reading the book to him. «I-that's a book that not even I can read correctly without a dictionary...»
Hm, so it's like that...
Raven even considered himself an expert in ancient languages compared to most magicians.
«Muttin abiyur bukrath», vicí.
«...What did you just say?».
«That means: 'I can even speak in the ancient language'».
When I shrugged, she was completely speechless. It took him a while to regain his composure to speak. «...Mr. Yandel, can I hit you?».
Raven raised her small fist, which didn't seem threatening at all, towards me.
«Keeatho keekeehu kooekhu. Oh, eso meaning: 'No quiero que me pegues ' in-«.
«Are you making fun of me?!»
In the end, they punched me. Although the only one who ended up with a bruise was the one who hit me.
«Oh, seriously... What's wrong, Mr. Yandel?»
«I'm sorry. Anyway, going back to my story, have you heard of a case like this before?».
«...As far as I know, no. Nothing like this has ever been recorded. But... what happened? Was it... a reward? Is it related to your name being written on the Stone of Honor...?»
«Well, something like that».
«...Can you tell me?» raven asked doubtfully.
Despite his caution, I decided that it was not necessary to hide anything from him. We may not have been as close now as we were when we were teammates, but she had still helped me despite knowing that I was an evil spirit. Furthermore, I also needed the insight of a magician.
«What you experienced there was not just an illusion. No, it must have really happened in the past! It is clear that there is some kind of connection between the Lord of the Ground and the Witch».
Once I finished reporting her, Raven couldn't hide her excitement.
«It's an incredible discovery! This corroborates the hypothesis that the labyrinth is not from another dimension! Perhaps the coordinates of the labyrinth are not outlined by space, but by the axis of time».
I, of course, didn't understand anything he was saying. Axis of space, axis of time, whatever, none of that made sense to me. «Is that so?»
«Versyl Gowland! What did he say? She's a magician too, right? I'm sure you're doing your research thoroughly after making such an incredible discovery».
«No. I wasn't very interested in it, to be honest.»
"¡¿Q-Que?!"
That was because Versyl was a player too. Players like us didn't have much interest in the history of this world. We ignored her.
«N-It can't be... Even if she's a magician? If I were there...»
Raven, who had been screaming in apparent indignation, suddenly fell silent.
«If you were there?»
«...It doesn't matter. It's meaningless thinking, anyway».
The atmosphere suddenly plummeted. For some reason, I felt like I had to change the subject, and quickly. I hurried to get news that I was sure would make Raven happy. «Ah yeah! I have other news to tell you».
«...News?»
«Missha regreson».
I informed him of our reunion with Missha and how she had decided to join our clan.
«...Is that so? That's great.»
Why do you react like this?
«I'll tell you her address later, so you should visit her too. I'm sure Missha will be happy to...»
«Later.»
«…¿Eh?»
«I should go now. I have work to do».
Raven left the house, a grim expression on her face.
***
Once Raven left, I began tackling my long to-do list for the day. First, I stopped by the holy land to see if Rotmiller was adjusting well. Then, I went through the dwarf's forge to check his progress. I even summoned all the members of our clan to also talk about our next search. Most of the days that followed were made up of equally menial tasks, but they did not take up my entire day.
Today, for example, I had something else to do.
«We are delighted to welcome you to the House of Viscount Goodrix».
I visited Viscount Goodrix's mansion after receiving an invitation letter from him. He was one of the members of Melbeth, which was composed of thirty-one-No, thirty-two noble houses.
«Haha! It is a pleasure to see you, Your Honor. I am Viscount Goodrix. I'm sure you're already busy, so I'm incredibly grateful that you took the time to accept my invitation.»
As he was a dwarf, his tone was much happier than that of most nobles. However, since he was still a nobleman, he spoke in the same indirect way as all of them, with no shortage of compliments. When I finally managed to convey to him that he could skip all that, he finally got to the point.
«So», I asked him, «why did you call me?».
«On behalf of Melbeth, I have a request for you, Baron Yandel».
I had gotten my first exclusive search for Melbeth.