It truly seems like all eyes are on Hiro right now. Tension is building up around Re-Estize and the Empire. As well as other neigjboring countries and minor villages.
Things aren't the same as before since Hiro appeared into this world and things just kept getting worse, in terms of the plot. So many plot holes were seeing the day and characters that should take part of the story are getting forgot about.
Today, Hiro received an invitation by Jircniv himself to attend a special meeting he and the nobles will be having, regarding some unknown ruines that have been discovered somewhere around the outskirts of the Empire's domain.
That's why more tension rose between Re-Estize and Baharuth regarding whom had the legal rights to explore those ruines first. It could be a national finding, or even better, a treasure that waited to be uncovered. Either way, Jircniv wasn't gonna sit there and wait for Re-Estize to claim those ruines.
A certain noble already prepared the team of workers who's gonna participate in the event. The noble hands each participant a copy of the list. Getting to Hiro, he was a bit hesitant before finally handing it over after some deadly gazes by Jircniv.
"Most of these people are just workers!" A noble exclaimed.
"Yes. The workers will do the dirty work. They're a lot cheaper and more reliable for an exploration mission like this one." The noble responsible for this, said.
"Still. Workers aren't experienced fighters like adventurers, what if they encounter something abnormal inside those ruines?" Another participant asked.
"I already have some informations regarding those ruines, their age of construction goes back to thousands of years back in the last, based on the exotic wall carves and ancient architecture." The head noble explained.
His explanation made everyone gasped as soon as they heard the approximated age of the ruines.
They continued exploring the list until everyone reached a certain point and said the same exact thing at once, "Momon of Darkness will be there too?!" They shouted.
The noble coffs in pride, "But of course. I personally paid him for his services after all. He will serve as moral support for the workers and intervene if things get out of hand." He said.
Them, the head nobles eyes shift towards Hiro, "And Sir Hiro here also has the possibility to engage in this mission if he desires so." He says, looking at Hiro with expecting eyes.
Hiro makes eye contact with the noble. When he noticed that everyone's staring at him, he simply let's out a fake cough then continues reading the list. The noble was irritated by the fact that he got purposely ignored but Jircniv was impressed by this convenient act of nonchalance.
Suddenly, Hiro reads a group name he recognizes without second thoughts, "F–Foresight will be there too?" He asks, surprised.
The irritated noble puts on a fake smile and speaks, "Yes, they're one of the most skilled workers group. Surely their skills will come in hand... Although their performance have decreased drastically this past month, due to the supposed loss of one of their member." The noble says.
Hiro's eyes widened, "What do you mean by loss? Someone died?" He asks.
The noble can't seem to be able in providing more information as those matters are completely obsolete to him. He has already paid each group of worker in advance with two hundred gold coins, so he's expecting some satisfactory results from each one regardless of whom dies.
However, when Hiro knew that something was up with Foreaight. He just had to investigate, after all, he owed them a lot. For they took him under their wing on the first day and showed him the basics of an adventurer's life. Even more, they were ready to fight for him when the bandits attacked them.
Long story short, he was indebted towards them.
He planned on going to the guild to ask the receptionist about their whereabouts but to his surprise, he wouldn't need to do so as Termite was in the inn right next to the guild, drowning his sorrows in booze.
Hiro slowly approached the once-admired leader, now a miserable man. Hesitant, he didn't want to startle the poor guy.
"H—Hey..." Hiro mumbles.
"*gulp*... Wh—... Whaaaaat...? " Termite mumbles, drunk, as he turns to face whoever this person was. His blurry eyesight goes up slowly till he makes eye contact with the figure. Then, his expression lightens up, dropping the bottle of booze from his hand which makes spell over the counter, annoying the bartender.
Hiro waves his hand. "H–Hiro! It—It's you...!" Termite mumbles in happiness. It's always a pleasure to meet an old friend.
Termite hugs Hiro in happiness of this longly awaited reunion. The booze must have had some serious effect on his brain since... They weren't that close yet for him to hug him like a lost brother we finally meet after so long.
Hiro leaves the hug, and starts asking directly, "What happened to you Termite? I thought you wanted to go sober, and here you are drinking more than ever." Hiro exclaims, taking a seat right beside the old acquitance.
"Ugh.... Hehehehe...." The drunken leader of Foresight laughs. "Y'know... *gulp*... Sum stuff happens soooo suddenly in your life that you just...*gulp*... That you just don't know what to do next hehehe..." He said.
"..." This sentence confirmed Hiro's worries.
"...Arche is dead, isn't she...?" Hiro asks.
Termite immediately responds; Furious, he slams his hand on the counter, "NO! *GULP*... I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT SHE'S DEAD! *GULP*... ARCHE IS A FIGHTER AND WHEREVER SHE IS, SHE'LL SURVIVE!! *GULP*..."
Hiro's worries decrease a bit when he hears this, "Does that mean that she's still alive? I take it she's just lost?" It was tough to communicate with a drunk man.
"Almost. She was kidnapped." This sentence was said by a familiar voice, but it wasn't Termite's. Hiro turns back and sees both Roberdyck and Imina behind him, they have just arrived.
They take a seat and continue Termite's incomplete explanation. "We were on a mission when a mysterious vampire showed up. We tried fighting it but it was in vail, it was too strong." Roberdyck explains, shivering.
"We thought we were all going to die. But surprisingly, the vampire used some sort of paralysis magic that neutralized us. In that moment of weakness, it kidnapped Arche and left us there for two days. Barely surviving." Imina continues.
"A vampire..." Hirp mumbles.
"...Its name is... *gulp*... Honyo–...penyoko... *gulp*... At least... That's what it said when we first encounter it..." Termite said, looking at the ceiling.
And them, the sudden realization struck Hiro. The vampire in question was Honyopenyoko, a nickname of Shalltear Bloodfallen, one of Ainz Ooal Gown's floor guardian.
It meant that all of this was Ainz's doing. And Arche ws being held captivated in Nazzarick. Probably tortured and kept alive by the brutal and gruesome forces of Nazzarick.
The head nobles sentence from earlier regarding Hiro's possible participation in the exploration resonated inside the young adventurer's mind countless time...
And fuuuck he was ready to go to that Tomb right now...
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
P@treon.com/Skyfall12 (replace the @ by a)
>Best Support You Can Provide! You Get 20 advanced chapters in exchange!
Thanks for Reading.