Tension was thick in the room. Muran was about to rip someone's throat out. For her, this dungeon exploration had been full of provocation and setbacks. She lost a big part of her team and now someone was blatantly murdered.
But just as the female captain was about to question Phirr, her vice-captain stepped forth. The blond man whispered in her ear:
"Captain. Although I would… love nothing more than to beat everyone here… to death, we are in a… bad condition to fight. I'm injured, which… makes us the weakest party present.
We need to hold… back… for now and report everything to the… army at home. They should investigate… Erl's murder and come… to a decision…
Let's choose our battles wisely!"
No one overheard the conversation between those confidants. But everyone could watch Muran's clenching fists. Her skin reddened as she bottled her rage.
The woman let out a thundering 'hmpf' before sitting down abruptly. She ignored everyone else as she fought to contain her anger.
"Let's not… harp on this… matter for now. We… will report what happened here… back. Just know that… no one messes with the Tamed Storms Army!"
Although the vice-captain's voice was weak, a sharpness was attached to the latter half of his words. A shiver ran down Tepo's spine. Somehow, he felt the blond man was incredibly dangerous at this moment.
The threat hung in the air. Everyone wore solemn faces after the first person died. Who might be next? Would they die as soon as they found a clue?
Only one person kept a neutral expression. Lao Ru contemplated what might really be going on, but nothing was shown on his face. He simply waved his hand as he spoke up:
"Since this matter is concluded for now, you all can disperse. Let's finish searching the palace. If we don't find the Ahiluscendum we will have to find a way to reach the big statue."
Everyone felt as if salvation had arrived with those words. As long as they could get out of Muran's eyes, the independent warriors would even happily work for others.
Quickly the warriors dispersed in the palace. Tepo entered the servant quarters once more. He had one last room left to search.
Opening the wooden door, the investigator entered a bigger room. It had a tidy bed somewhat bigger than those of the other servants. Even a desk was placed in this room.
Tepo went through his practiced routine. A picture gradually formed in his mind.
From the more detailed uniform to the fact that the person housing here was obviously able to read and write, Tepo formed a good guess. This room belonged to the head of the servants.
This idea was even more consolidated when the investigator found something in a drawer. It was actually a piece of recording metal holding a picture.
It showed a mature woman with a stern gaze. She wore her black and white working clothes as she sat on a wooden bench not far from the palace.
Young women and men stood behind her. They wore different uniforms from maids to kitchen staff. All of them had an obvious respect for the seated woman.
Tepo put the recording metal in his pockets as he continued rummaging through the desk. Suddenly his eyes lit up. A small notebook quietly laid within a drawer. Tepo took it out and began reading.
Jackpot! It's a diary! Written in the common language!
Grinning, the young man browsed through the booklet. With his experience he was good at filtering information. Soon he had a few key passages in his mind.
So, the servants stayed in the palace until the end. There is no mention about the origin of those beasts or the dark roots. What a pity.
It is only written that the empire succumbed and humanity faltered. The palace held on the longest. But nothing is written about the palace's residents. Did the emperor die?
Hmm. In this part the housekeeper mentions that one of the maids derelicts her duty constantly. She often comes back with expensive gifts.
The housekeeper didn't dare to write it down directly but from the hints she put it seems the maid had an affair with the emperor. This would explain the fine dresses in the other room.
What a mess. Apparently, the housekeeper was displeased but she couldn't complain to the emperor of course. One day she stayed up late, trying to confront the maid but the young woman didn't return.
The maid was only back the next day.
Tepo kept this information in mind. He put the diary somewhere below his coat. A bit of dried blood fell off.
It's good that mother can't see me right now.
Chuckling, the warrior left the room. It was time to gather again.
This time everyone reported obediently. Muran's fiery eyes and raging expression kept the warriors in line.
Nothing much of value was said, but one piece of information caught Tepo's attention. Someone found a note from the guards stating that the palace had a curfew.
Tepo furrowed his brows as he remembered what he just read in the diary.
Soon the young man had to put this matter at the back of his mind though as it was his turn to report. But with Lao Ru's help no one questioned him as he claimed not to have found anything.
Naturally the warriors dispersed for a fourth round. Soon the warriors would finish mapping the entire palace. But the leaders were somewhat confused as no one had found the emperor's private room yet.
Could it be that as a high-ranked warrior the emperor decided he could do without his own room? But at least he needed a place to train. And some private storage. Maybe even a treasury…
As motivation was waning for some and increasing for others, Tepo went back towards the servant quarters. His forehead wrinkled in contemplation.
The diary explains how the housekeeper stayed awake to confront the maid. But the latter never appeared. Only the next day did she come out of her room.
This means she clearly avoided the curfew. How did she do it? I don't believe that a maid can evade all those guards and sneak back to her room.
While deep in thoughts Tepo found himself within the preferably treated maid's room again. His eyes roamed the simple stone walls. A certain possibility didn't leave his mind.
"Hey. You still there, ghost?"
As Tepo's words echoed in the empty room an illusionary figure separated from the wall.
"Wow. How did you find me?"
"Didn't we already discuss this earlier?", asked Tepo with a strange gaze.
The figure stayed silent for a moment.
"Oh. I remember. You're right."
Tepo nodded. Obviously, those ghostly figures had their own flaws.
"Do you also remember that your master asked you to help me?"
"Of course.", came the eerie answer.
"Good. Can you please search all the walls in this room for me. Ceiling and floor too. See if there are any hidden paths or secret mechanisms."
"Will do."
With those words Tepo watched the figure sink into the floor. It began to wave in and out, almost as if treating the solid materials as water to swim in.
Of course, the room wasn't too big. The figure was just about to circle it entirely before a groan escaped its mouth.
A shiver ran down Tepo's back as he listened to the whispery voice.
"What is this? I can't phase through this place!"
Complaining, the ghost left the wall from a spot close to the bed.
Tepo's face remained calm. Others might also describe it as smug. But the investigator's eyes told everyone that things were going as expected.
"Something stopped you? Can you explain it? Was it a material or a barrier or something else?"
Faced with this question the illusionary figure shook its head, letting it almost appear blurry:
"I don't know. I don't see anything at that spot. I only know I can't get through."
Tepo nodded slowly as he stepped forward:
"That's alright. Thank you anyways."
"You're welcome!"
Staring at the wall the investigator wasn't sure how to continue. The wall appeared seamless. In this new world with an unlimited amount of special materials there was an uncountable number of ways to hide a door.
Tepo even felt stupid as he knocked against the wall. He tried to estimate the secret door's measurements, but the wall sounded the same no matter where the young man hit it.
For a few minutes the investigator was clueless. Although the ghost didn't have any eyes Tepo still felt as if a judging stare was directed at his back.
Suddenly though the warrior had an idea. It might be a bit desperate, but this was Tepo's best bet right now.
Fishing the silver ring out of his pocket, Tepo put it on his finger. He used it to knock against the wall.
Right at this moment a voice sounded from the young man's back.
A man spoke in a neutral tone but with some amusement:
"Try using the ring!"