"What's going on here?" Captain Borin approached one of his acquaintances right outside the castle and asked him for the details.

"Oh, Borin. Are you coming from the dungeon? Haven't you heard about the incident?"

"What incident?" I couldn't help chipping in this time; the atmosphere around the plaza looked too grim right now.

"Oh…" The person who was talking with the captain looked at me when I asked the question, then at the rest of the party as well as Qwy, who sat on my shoulder.

She could feel the deep tension around the plaza with her skill as well, and since she could feel it, I could feel what she could feel as well, intensifying the whole grimness of the surroundings.

"A few parties have been going missing since the last few days on the 1st floor. It is said that they either approached a certain part of the dungeon or fell there when they entered the dungeon." He started explaining with a serious tone, his eyes fixed on the captain and his even more serious expression.

"Three parties were confirmed to have died in that same area, and the only ones from the last party to fall that survived reported directly to the association." The death of three parties wasn't a small thing since parties usually had five to nine individuals.

Our party was small, but with our experience and skill levels, we were good enough for the lower floors. Many other beginners, however, did not have either skills or support from good parties like ours.

"The association requested help from the city guards since there was a case of confirmed deaths.

They collaboratively entered the dungeon's 1st floor to look more into that specific area; however, what they found there has been kept confidential since last night."

If they called out the city guards, Reddy was bound to know something about this. But then again, if the matter was something serious enough for them to keep it hidden, I don't know if Reddy could even tell that information to me.

"There was an announcement earlier this morning that they will announce the contents of the investigation later today, so let's see what all the fuss is about."

The man who shared all this with us looked at me once again, his interest obvious in his eyes, before he felt the glare of Captain Borin and flinched visibly.

"Then… then I'll see you around, Borin."

He ran away like a dog, with his tail between his legs. But then again, there was something that still bothered me.

"Excuse me?" I called him out before he vanished into the crowd. "In what part of the dungeon did this incident happen?"

My question was loud and clear. It was certain that he heard it as well, and since the rest of the party members looked at him in search of the answers, he had no choice but to come back and whisper the answer in a way the others could not hear.

"They say the association is trying to hide it for the time being as well, but I heard it happened in the secluded southern region, the one where the rumored 'new' safe zone was said to have been found recently."

He whispered that much, and yet we earned many glares from our surroundings.

But then again, they looked away as if they didn't want to get in trouble for knowing this information as well… but…

"New… safe zone?" What did he just say?

And the southern region? Wasn't it where Cass and I fell into when we first entered the dungeon?

And the safe zone…

'Didn't we…?'

My eyes blacked out for a moment, and cold sweat appeared on my neck.

"Miss Aria?" Only after the Captain called out to me did I get back to the present and look at them with the eyes that gave away my shock.

I could tell they knew I knew something about this. Cass… on the other hand, showed no signs.

"Ah, it's nothing." Cass, that bastard. They were talking about the place where he killed that dungeon guardian, and he had the face that knew nothing about any of this.

But then again, he could deceive these experienced people into thinking he was just a weak mage; this level of acting was understandable.

"Miss Aria? Is there something-."

"I… I have to go, everyone. I'll see you later."

Things were getting a little awkward, so I grabbed Cass and dashed away from the plaza. Then, focusing on the link between Reddy and me, I tried to find her presence.

"Miss Aria? W-what's going on?"

"Cut the bullshit act for a moment. People died, this is serious."

If the link resonated, it would mean Reddy was nearby; if it didn't, it would mean she was still at her office.

And from the looks of it, she wasn't in the association vicinity.

"Qwy, can you look for her?"

"Qwy!"

If it were her, I knew she would find her sooner than us. So, leaving the high ground to Qwy, I stopped a personal carriage and made way to the city walls, towards where Reddy might be.

"Qwy!"

It would have taken a few hours to reach the city gates, but, from the looks of it, Qwy had found Reddy far earlier than I had expected.

"Qwy! Qwy!"

She led us towards the other side of the association castle, and soon, we were able to find Reddy, who was surrounded by the people from the association, all talking seriously about something that… might have been my fault.

"Aria?"

From the way she felt immediate concern, it seemed like my worries were on the spot this time as well.

"What's… going on?"

But it wasn't a good thing this time around.

I had a feeling I had fucked up this time, but the death of some people wasn't the only thing I was worried about.

If it were just about a few deaths, the association might have buried everything far quicker than anyone might realise.

But if Reddy was busy planning something with the association people, then it was obvious there was something far bigger to this situation.

The matter might be out of anyone's hands this time.

'And I was the one who caused all this… shit.'

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