It didn't take long for Aron and Lady Rose to reach the real area they were supposed to explore. Unlike the open area from before where the trees were more scattered, the area they were currently in now had thick trees that were densely spread which would make movement difficult for most would be explorers.
"You feel it don't you?" Lady Rose suddenly broke the silence and asked while gazing around the area. Aron who walked in front of her came to a stop after hearing her words and nodded. "Yes, the mana density has increased. But that's not all..." he answered before turning his gaze to his left and narrowing his eyes.
Aron said nothing and immediately began walking to his left, Lady Rose observed him for a moment before following behind. After walking three hundred meters he came to a stop and so did Lady Rose, she now understood what caught his attention.
Laying on the grassy ground below them were numerous large carcasses of rotting mana beasts of varying sizes. Aron didn't even bother to investigate for long as the clues on them were the same as those he had discovered a few days prior. Wounds but no sign of eaten flesh.
"Whatever beast did this is seems territorial, there's no other reason a beast would waste energy killing something if it wasn't going to eat it." Aron concluded but Lady Rose only continued to observe for any clues. "Then there's a high chance whatever caused this may attack us?" Lady Rose asked indifferently and Aron nodded.
"Yes, if we're lucky. Then we'd be able to get more answers."
With that said Aron and Lady Rose continued to explore. Meanwhile back in the city of Findel an uproar was caused by the arrival of numerous airships, two of which were extremely luxurious and held the Galos academy crest.
The peddlers and traders near the docking area didn't even dare approach and only observed from afar but even if they wanted to numerous guards were present, because unlike with Aron many if not all royals were present to give a grand welcome.
"Wow, I could get used to this." Scarlett who stood on the deck of Juliet's airship looked down at the scene with a grin on her face. She enjoyed wealth most and since agreeing to work with Juliet she had been earning a lot and living lavishly.
"It sounds amazing." Mirai appeared beside her and showed a gentle smile as she said this, making a few who saw the blind elf pity her.
Many of the members on Juliet's airship mostly avoided her and Sharla. It was common knowledge that most nobles and Ettenheim citizens hated the elves while people from Lachester were more open minded.
Despite this neither Sharla nor Mirai ever seemed bothered by this and spent much of the trip secluded in their quarters.
"It is amazing! I promise you that." Lucas said with excitement as he also took in the scene below.
The only two who didn't seem impressed were of course Juliet and Anastasia who had been far too used to such treatment. They descended the platform indifferently and didn't acknowledge the many royals bowing before them.
Soon Brutas, Henry, Esmeralda and Emilia appeared next to them and they too didn't show much interest in the welcoming they received.
N0 v el Next. CoM
"Spare us the formalities, I'm sure you know why we're here so quickly tell us everything you know regarding the possibility of a ruin being present." Henry stepped forward and questioned the well dressed man bowing at the forefront of the others.
Before the man could even answer however, Juliet also came forward and asked a question of her own. "More importantly, how many airships came before us already?"
The man seemed hesitant to respond because he was not aware who had higher status between the two. However since Henry didn't say a thing he naturally responded to Juliet first.
"About this Milady, an airship belonging to the man wanted for stealing from the great noble families had arrived here first. Numerous ships followed after but they were either destroyed trying to claim the bounty on his head or fled out of here..." The man explained in a low tone. Deep down he feared he may be punished for allowing a criminal to escape.
"A bounty? What bounty? Who set it up?" Hearing the man's words, Henry showed a look of extreme worry and got passed Juliet before asking many questions sternly.
The fact a public bounty was out claiming their weapons were stolen was not only embarrassing but it was humiliating since if this got too big, Galos Academy would publicly declare the accusations to be false as Aron had defeated them all during the Journey.
"...This... we don't know. We had thought this was put out by the major families and didn't dare question it. After all only a mad man would stain the names of you all..." The man explained while throwing in words of flattery but everyone's expressions looked less than pleased.
"The people who sought the bounty were all killed?" Juliet asked and the man nodded hurriedly. "Y-Yes, they were all practically slaughtered. We made no moves because we feared the city would be destroyed if we did so..." The began to sweat profusely under the pressure of the angered nobles.
"This is bad, if this spreads will be the mockery of Ettenheim! This bounty must be taken down immediately!" Brutas who had faced the most humiliating defeats to Aron was most angered and worried about the whole aristocratic community learning of his failure.
"O-I... I yes! I'll immediately do so and make sure those responsible are found out and punished severely!" The man promised but Brutas remained unamused. "Go now! Useless!" He yelled and the man immediately scurried off barking orders to go remove all bounty posters. He was so fearful that even he and the imperial princes personally took down posters alongside the guards.
"Everyone should send a message using the two way runic scrolls you have and inform your families of this bounty before it spreads..." Henry suggested and Brutas immediately nodded, showing his agreement.
"How could this happen? Do you think Aron staged this?" Esmeralda who showed a sour expression didn't hide how she felt towards the matter and stated what everyone was thinking. Perhaps Aron had done this to humiliate them.
"No, it doesn't add up. They're too many inconsistencies, I think it's more likely that this bounty has been around for sometime but only now got leaked to the public." Anastasia furrowed her brows then crossed her arms before finally adding to the conversation.
"What are you trying to say?" Esmeralda asked after hearing the implication in Anastasia's words. Anastasia however didn't hide what she truly thought.
"Simple, That the person responsible for starting this bounty is among us."
RECENTLY UPDATES
