Mason, holding a giant axe, was breathing heavily as he tried to protect his team. In front of him was a monstrous, upright goat-like creature, wielding a massive club, its eyes filled with cruelty and bloodlust. The adventurer Hannah had already gone "missing," and the rest of the team was injured. Mason deeply regretted letting Charlotte join them, as it led to such danger. The goat monster charged at him, and Mason prepared to die, but at the last moment, the creature vanished into thin air.
Charlotte emerged from the darkness, smiling with relief, and said, "Good thing I arrived in time! Mason, Hermione, everyone, follow me. I'll take you to safety." This was the first time Charlotte had controlled the maze, deliberately creating a crisis to appear heroically at the critical moment.
Mason's resentment vanished, replaced by the relief of surviving, and he led the team to follow Charlotte. Charlotte quickly gathered all the adventurers and brought them back to the conference hall. Fortunately, this hastily assembled group hadn't suffered too many losses—only seven or eight deaths—leaving over a hundred members, most of whom were slightly injured. With timely treatment, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
As the maze of Machu Picchu formed, it absorbed the animals, monsters, and other supernatural beings that wandered within the ancient fortress. These creatures roamed around and somehow clashed with the adventurers. Normally, the adventurers would have been wiped out, but because they had become NPCs in the maze, the maze's rules protected them, preventing large-scale casualties.
Over ten small adventurer groups' leaders gathered, subtly confronting Charlotte. These experienced adventurers suspected that everything they had encountered was related to him.
A small adventurer group leader named Yaz stood up and said, "We're not spies for Byron, and we don't want to get involved with those vampires. Let us go, and we promise not to say anything, even forgoing our rewards."
Charlotte didn't respond to him directly. Instead, he smiled and said loudly, "First, I want to thank everyone!"
"I've found my family's treasure!"
His words immediately silenced everyone, as nearly every adventurer was captivated by the topic of finding treasure. Their minds were consumed with thoughts of treasure, wealth, and money, overshadowing all other considerations.
"I swore to the goddess that if I found the treasure, I would give five percent to those who helped me find it."
"I will keep my promise!"
The adventurers' enthusiasm flared up, and no one wanted to question why they had been abandoned in Machu Picchu or faced so many dangers. They were all focused on how much they might receive.
Charlotte looked from left to right, ensuring that everyone was captivated by his words before continuing with a devilish tone, "But unfortunately, the treasure I found isn't in Fars's legal currency!"
"So I can't pay you right now."
"You all know that this treasure belongs to the ancient orc nobility and needs to be converted in Strasbourg into gold coins, silver, and..."
"As for the small change, who cares?"
"Everyone here will be rich soon."
His words won the adventurers' cheers.
Charlotte spread his hands, shrugged, and said loudly, "So, I need you all to accompany me to Strasbourg to collect your share of the wealth."
"No problem."
"We'll go with you to Strasbourg!"
"Your generosity is unmatched."
"Can you tell us how much we might get?"
"Does going to Strasbourg count as employment?"
The adventurers bombarded him with questions, and Charlotte patiently answered each one. Once the group's mood had calmed, he led them out of Machu Picchu.
Before leaving, he glanced into the depths of Machu Picchu and muttered to himself, "Last time, I said I would find you and expose you to the sun, watching you turn to ashes."
"I misspoke."
"I was in a hurry to take care of some personal business."
"Now..."
Charlotte discovered that the monster that had killed Hannah was still resisting the maze, not yet becoming an NPC.
As for why Count Leo had easily become an NPC while this monster had not, Charlotte didn't have time to investigate.
"I will return someday to fulfill my promise, exposing you to the sun and watching you turn to ashes."
Count Leo was in a dire situation.
He had only wanted to take his servants with him, but the ancient orc fortress had suddenly transformed into an endless maze, leaving him unable to escape.
Fortunately, vampires are incredibly resilient. Although they usually maintain a refined demeanor, in such dire circumstances, they could eat anything.
Count Leo had even resorted to eating several field mice, the most common creatures in any desolate ruin.
Charlotte wasn't sure how to deal with the Byron count, so he decided to avoid meeting him for now. After all, it was tough to "starve" a vampire.
His carriage was loaded with food, drinks, and wine, all purchased when leaving Strasbourg.
The adventurers, having emerged from the Machu Picchu maze, ate heartily, regained their spirits, and followed Charlotte back to Strasbourg.
Charlotte, of course, didn't bring them back to 58 Elysée Garden Street. Instead, he sent them to the Lucca Varro District's City Guard office at 1 Falcon Street.
Though it had been abandoned for years, the basic structure was still intact, and after some minor repairs and cleaning, it was habitable.
These adventurers, accustomed to camping outdoors, weren't picky about their living conditions. With the prospect of a payout ahead, they had no complaints about Charlotte's arrangements.
Having settled the adventurers, Charlotte hurried to the central government office to meet his former boss, Mrs. Aldegonde, a strict and dignified senior government official.
Mrs. Aldegonde was surprised by Charlotte's visit and asked, "How is your work at Kilmainham Prison? Is everything going well?"
Charlotte replied with a smile, "I've been transferred to the Lucca Varro District to join the City Guard."
Mrs. Aldegonde looked puzzled and asked, "Are there any City Guards there? I thought the City Guards in the outer districts... well, you know, were just collecting pay without working."
Charlotte knew this well, even if he hadn't known before, visiting 1 Falcon Street would have made it clear.
He replied with a smile, "That's why I need to re-establish my records; otherwise, I can't get paid."
Mrs. Aldegonde nodded in understanding. Since Charlotte had once been under her supervision, she was willing to do this small favor. She quickly issued him the necessary paperwork, though that was the extent of her help. Charlotte would have to handle the remaining administrative tasks on his own.
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