Chapter 54

Chapter 54 - Returning to Another Side

Over on Felicia's side, after bringing along the old and young on to the carriage, the group had lead these refugees closer to where the Aloph Empire's members had been waiting to transfer the people over.

Giving both the carriage and all of the people over, we waved farewell to the group as we were given a message from Vanessa's father of some disturbing changes that have been happening recently. 

"So, according to the intelligence that my father has gathered, the Elder Council that we had found out about might truly be in existence as traces of an unknown group in the Beastman territories has been traced. Although not confirmed, based on what we have found out it should be the case." Vanessa said after we left a distance away from the others. 

Now that it was just our group, we could easily talk about more private topics without any fear of leaks in our intel. 

"What exactly was the evidence that was found by them?" Mellie asked. The rest of us also perked our ears as she had been whetting our appetites all this time. 

"Ahem, the evidence that was found is this!"

Taking the parchment that she had been strictly holding and hiding for herself and boldly turning it over for us to read, we quickly scanned through all of it and read the info that was found by the Empire. 

Most of it were records of people, mainly beast folk, who were taken into the capital suspiciously in secret. Even though so many of them were brought over, what was surprising was that besides some of them appearing in the slave trade afterwards, the fact that many of them had simply gone missing with none of them being found again is quite surprising. 

Although just a few missing people wouldn't be so suspicious, so many people coming in and never appearing again and all of them in the same location and coming from different sources is indeed rather suspicious. 

What's more, was that in the slum areas there was notably less people and much less kids around. All of this was pointing to something happening that lead to people getting taken all over the territory and then never appearing again. 

When hearing about this news and knowing that we were already here, the emperor had already chosen to have our new goal posted to us. It just so happened that Vanessa had called so they sent a messenger to send a letter over as well.

This time, we were not the ones to do any infiltrating. Rather, we were to be sent as an ambassador and guard over to the capital of the Beast Folk territory. 

Kale Adolph, had already sent a delegation and negotiated the position and so we simply needed to head on over and sight tightly. 

We were mainly stationed there to watch over the place and make sure to help protect the delegates over there and evacuate should the situation call for it. 

So, we hurried over to the capital. Hopefully we would be able to meet with that prince again if we had the chance, but judging from the Empire's moves and caution there should be some troubles in an encounter like that. Still, we hurried along without the burden of bringing along anyone so we were able to arrive in a somewhat timely manner. 

Arriving at the capital, what we first noticed was that things seemed to be going on as normal on the surface. But taking a closer look, you could tell that there was a sense of unease in the air with the stricter and stronger patrols passing by the walls and the more strict checks at the entrance of the gate. 

Fortunately, using an adventurer's badge we were able to move past mostly undeterred. There was a moment where one of the guards wanted to do a deeper check on our stuff, but they were stopped by one of the other older guards. 

Compared to the carriages lining up through to the city, our less packaged selves were much more easily allowed to pass. Still, most of the hidden stuff that we brought was hidden in my mirror space and entrusted to me by the group so they would not have found anything. 

Still, having less issues is always better than having them.

Once we arrived, we began to ask around for the location of the delegation and eventually were led a bit far in around the intersection between the noble and civilian populace. 

Now could be a time to explain more about it as this capital of the Beast Folk territory ruled by the Golden Lion Clan is mainly subdivided into three distinct sections. 

First there is the Civilian area which is the outer most ring of the city and encompasses the normal residential and shopping districts that most people flock to. It also includes places like Adventurer's guilds and other civilian oriented locations. 

Then there was the inner ring and core of the city that surrounded the castle in the center of the city. This is what is known to the outside world as the Noble District and the closer to the center the higher in status the nobles get. Most of the noble bloodlines and races among the beast folk have villas here built and cleaned regularly. 

After all of that, the third and final section is the Underground city. Like its name suggests, there is a sprawling metropolis underground full of various things that can't be shown aboveboard. Just from the little I could gather while wandering around aimlessly, I was able to learn of a black market, gladiator arena, slave market and slum area. All kinds of places that usually don't come to the light and are hidden in gray zones in other cities. 

I was a little interested in exploring such a place, but many humans are not welcome there and some are even kidnapped and sold when they are found there by the people living down there. In the underground city, Strength alone is power.

Of course, such facilities were tacitly agreed upon by the beast folk nobles above and with the fact that many human kingdoms also share similar features, it has long been a 'pseudo secret' and something that even the civilians above had heard rumors of. 

It is likely that such facilities are even tacitly approved and supported by many of the nobles both in and out of the capital for such darkness to accumulate here. 

Although I was itching to explore the place still, our main mission should take precedence for now. So we arrived at the intersection between the noble and civilian quarters and found the embassy for the Aloph Empire which was rather simple and contained for what it represented. 

Just with my spatial sensing, I was able to find a bunch of people watching everyone walking by and keeping track of any who appear near the embassy. Although a little creeped out, I could somewhat understand it since guarding against foreign powers should be normal. Especially in such rather tense times according to public sentiment. 

After all, even if most of the news had been blocked, ether have indeed been many missing people incidents in the territory and with the beefed up security, even the most clueless of people have some idea that something big was going on. 

"Welcome to the Aloph Empire Embassy here in the Capital of the Beast Folk Kingdom of Alcueriz. How may I help you today?"

Talking to us was the receptionist in the embassy who watched us with a standard bright smile on her face.

"We have an appointment booked under the name of 'Vanessa' so can you check for us?" 

Speaking to the receptionist was Luke who spoke with gentlemanly grace as Vanessa stood at his side. Hearing this, she asked us to wait a moment as she checked her list and soon called in another member to guide us to our destination. 

"Please follow me, good sirs and madams."

Following the staff's lead, we eventually arrived at a room labeled for security employees and after opening the door we were met with a rathe large open space for the security team to have a break in. 

Turning to see who entered, when one of the guards saw the arrival, they stood up to ask what we needed. 

"These people have been assigned to the security team under 'Crimson' so you should be able to handle the rest. I shall take my leave here then."

"Much obliged. Now, your group. We were told about you all, but the one responsible for handling your business is boss Crimson who is over checking the logistics department. So please have a seat for a moment."

The guard then guided us over to an area with plenty of seating. We took the seats and waited together for a moment. Watching us was some of the guards who were also having a break in this employee room which unnerved us a bit. 

They then headed out, likely to inform that 'Boss Crimson' of our presence and so we chatted amongst ourselves to pass the time.

"Man, since they knew we were coming, they should have already prepared a guest room for us and not this..." 

Grumbling was Vanessa who was feeling a little slighted at the situation to which Mellie calmed her down.

"It is only a matter of course as they were likely unprepared for us to head over so suddenly. And there was no established meeting time so you can't fault the man for doing his own work and not being ready to greet and invite us immediately."

Although she said that, we could most certainly feel a slight sense of displeasure coming from her as well. 

Unlike those two high society ladies, the three of us remaining thought that it made much sense. We were just here as an emergency measure so keeping things more on the down low made more sense, Especially in a time like this, where anything sensitive movements could tick the nerves and set off the tense atmosphere surrounding the city.

But we did not deny that sitting in a guest room would feel much more comfortable than getting covertly analyzed and stared at. 

Soon we did not have to worry about such gazes as we were then greeted by the head of the guard group, a lady named Crimson by the guards here. 

"Hey, sorry for the slight bad treatment, we should continue speaking in a more private location."

Following he read, she brought us to an official guest hall where she could then introduce herself and the situation that we would be facing soon.

"Thank you for arriving in such a timely manner. I am Crimson of the Banner Guards and I am the head of the delegation and guard captain of the embassy here. You can call me Boss, Lady, Crimson or any nickname of the sort. We aren't that particular."

Accepting her greeting, I could not help but wonder what her stats were. As the guard captain here, she should be fairly competent in terms of strength so I checked her with a covert Appraisal.

Name: Ragna 'Crimson' Hel

Title: Crimson Flash, Head of the Crimson Banner Guard

Race: Human

Level: 65

Magic: Fire Magic(6)

Skills: Intuition(4), Battle Senses(6), Spearmanship(7), Etiquette(4)...

Surprisingly competent as a fighter I see. 

Aside from Luke, she is one of the strongest fighters amongst humans I had ever seen. Thankfully, I made sure to covertly detect her as with her intuition she could have caught me casually regularly detecting her. 

By appraising her through her shadow, I was able to sense her existence to appraise while not locking on to her which would have been noticed easily. 

Once again, more valuable mini skills developed by mother Alice to once again save the day!

Still, her strength as a fighter is nothing to scoff at and the emperor still found it necessary to bring us to support huh. I guess that the beast folk are likely scarier than originally anticipated. 

After all, according to Alice the appraisal block on Luke has made it so only we in the hero party and she knows of his true strength. Only because seeing his friends dying in the simulation was he triggered to reveal his true potential that was hidden.

Hopefully this extra precaution simply turns out to be a false alarm. Otherwise, something major is going to happen that could shake the foundations of the human world in an instant.