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[Powder Miner]

Efa whispered aside to Candy:
:"This duchess is closer to you than I thought a human being could ever be."

[SeriousConcentrate]

Leo clapped his brother on the shoulder.

"I bet I would have been picked if I hadn't gotten a haircut. Looks like this one is your responsibility."

[Swordstar]

Ciera headed after Iva, brushing past Alec, glancing briefly at him before continuing on. She entered into her guest room and collapsed down onto her bed. Staring up at the ceiling, she sighed.

I should just... give up on this. No matter how he pretends that it doesn't matter... I can't keep clinging onto this hope. There's no way he views me as anything but an annoying little sister, and I'd be lucky if that's how he views me...

[Xanmyral]

Fezz was taken aback at being called out, pointing a finger to himself as the duke issued a command and his brother patting his shoulder. "Bu--" He cut himself off from remarking that he wasn't wearing a robe, deeming it unwise to backtalk a duke.

"Er, sur--I mean, uh, yes Duke Sepin." Times like this Fezz wished he paid a bit more attention to his father's lessons in addressing nobility.

He really wished he did. The historian would rather not have two dukes threaten to kill him. ...The mage mentally revised himself to note that the number would be three, but he wasn't sure if it counted if you killed the duke in the process.

He ultimately decided this wasn't the best train of thought.

[Haspen]

"Splendid! Now, shush shush, the rest of you!" He did a little twirl and Charles and Iva took the others toward the guest chambers. Immediatelly, Duke sighed in relief.

"Finally." His tone of voice suddenly became perfectly normal for a male. "I hope you don't mind? Going with the high-pitched voice is quite exhausting, especially that late in the day. Now, where were we? Ah yes. Can you, hmm, vouch for your group? As in, can they remain loyal to one person?" He asked in a whisper.

[Sirus]

Grifen looked back the way the party had come from, wringing her hands slightly in worry. She had wanted to wish Fezz luck, but the presence of Duke Sepin had cowed her to silence.

: "Wonder what they're talkin' about...?"

[Xanmyral]

Fezz's anxiety soon turned to confusion, then an even more intensive anxiety. He shook his head at the question of him minding, wondering what the purpose of the voice change even was. Thinking on his next question though, the man thought back to his brother's choice regarding Matilda in Kretos. While he wasn't sure if he could personally vouch for the group, he nodded anyway.

"Uh... Yes, that would be right I suppose. We've been tested on this, and we've all stood besides the decision of one of ours, even if it wasn't a very... Popular choice within the group." He wasn't sure what to make of this, but he spoke in a similar whisper.

[Haspen]

"Good, good." He looked around once just to be sure.

"The piece of art I want you to recover is actually the Crown Blade, resting in the tomb of our beloved ancestor, Troy Lionheart. Troy made three ways of coronation available for his sons - by the eldest male, by the challenge, and by the ownership of Crown Blade. In the ancient past - I do not know if you are learned in history - Leon Lionheart took the throne by being the eldest, and he was quickly challenged by his brother Mireos. But back to the blade." He brushed some of his hair in a slightly fabulous manner.

"Everyone was quick to assume that the Blade was lost in the times of the civil war, but in recent years, while 'prancing' about the Imperial City, I managed to find out that it was actually buried along Troy when the First Emperor died of old age. Then I also discovered that the law that allows one to become Emperor by Blade is actually still valid, never been rescinded from the tomes of law and tradition."

"Recover the blade for me, so I can become the next Emperor. Empire is bad, and rebels aren't better. All I have to do is to implement my Masallan ways of tolerance and proper conduct on a larger scale. And of course, get rid of local lords. Empire lands must be whole, like in the ancient past."

"Therefore, I shall ask once more. Can you vouch for your group? Will you help me in my quest?"

[Xanmyral]

Fezz listened to the duke talk about history and his plan, admittedly tapping out a bit mentally during the history lecture.  He knew of the three ways, but the next bit was news to him.

The Blade's location wasn't too much of a shocker, ask a historian and you'd get many guesses (some rather absurd) as to where it was and the tomb of the king makes good sense. A judge well-versed in old law could probably tell you the last point about the law, as confusing as Empire law was, it is a point often made in insular courts.

No, the surprise was the location of the tomb. That was something kept in hushed secret, only select members with the knowledge to where even just knowing who knows is a grave secret. To put it all together.. He didn't know what to say at first, thinking about what duke Sepin had told him.

"...I don't much like the Empire. I don't much like the rebels either, after being forced to work with them for so long. The chance to instead choose a third option, much less one to also investigate and pick through an almost sacrilegious site of extreme historical significance to find an object of even greater significance."

"I'd probably of said yes on just the first point, but I'd be a really pitiful historian if I even thought about turning this offer down because of the latter." The scholar was practically trembling at the thought of it, his mind whirling about what might be found, actually finding and seeing the Blade, EVERYTHING! Good dragon he almost felt dizzy.

[Haspen]

"Wonderful. Here's how to get to the tomb, which is located..." The Duke leaned toward Fezz and whispered him directions, so that no one, even divine spectators from side-dimensions, couldn't hear it.

"I would like you to take 'Sir Charles' with you. He might be not sure of himself normally, but he is a skilled warrior. Now, we need to go down to some details."

"There are basically three ways you can get to the mountains near Eren. One is crossing the border with Empire and waltz through their border lands. That region is mostly farmland, but Imperial patrols show up often. Next, we have the border between Empire and County of Garaz. There's a forest called 'The Dark Glades', which stretches basically from the location of Triangular Borderstone to just few kilometres shy of the mountains. Only few roads go straight through it to the border. The third option would be crossing into Garaz County and circling the Dark Glades from the south. It's a hilly area with nowhere to really rest nor gather supplies. I heard there is a monastery somewhere there of some sort, but I can't tell much about it."

"Which route you are going to take? Of course, I can ask in the morning, after you can sleep on it..."

[Xanmyral]

Fezz thought on the three pathways, memorizing the location of the tomb. "Hmm... I can see the merit to any of the three. Garaz would be preoccupied with is war with Kretos, I think they're pushing on the island if I'm still current. Less travelers, but a harder hike however. We're not unaccustomed to travel though."

He continued to muse to himself. "Knowing our luck however... We'll most likely find hostile opposition at the monastery, the assassins again in the forest, or another great general on the farmlands." The historian was never one to believe the best of situations. "Just... Being honest." The scholar chewed his lip in thought, weighing the options.

"I think it best if I spend the night on this, if that's alright. I've been to many ruins and tombs, but this will probably be the greatest and most momentous to plan for. ...No doubt trapped. For one by birth, the second by right, the third wouldn't be easy..." Fezz fell back in silent contemplation.

[Haspen]

"Very well. Now, can you talk about the battle outside? I couldn't risk being found. I'm glad you have left none alive. If anyone would escape, we could be still in danger."

[Xanmyral]

The man nodded, although his thoughts were lethargic to leave the tantalizing subject of the Tomb. At what she said though, he scratched the back of his neck. Well, so much for (relative to him) smoothly handling this conversation.

"...Well... About that."

"Most were, er, disposed... But there were two groups who managed to flee. One led by..." The scholar thought back to what Candy had told him.

"...Amalie Divola? Amaaarrrnn.... Ah? Amana! Yes, yes, Amana. They attacked us with siege magic, but then simply left half way through. There was a second group though, they sort of... Vanished."

And thus began Fezz's long winded guess. "Teleportation magic, or perhaps invisibility. The former would imply that either they had arranged something long range before hand... Or they only made a short jump. But then, if that was the case, walls wouldn't stop them. The invisibility--well--could be possible, but I'd be surprised. A spell for both total concealment and silence? There was only four of them, to sustain such magic for long would be impressive, never-the-less still needing to remain out of the way."

Realizing that he perhaps shouldn't of rambled for so long, he cut to the chase. "So, er, all that leading to me basically guessing that it was a preset, long-ranged teleportation spell. There's a, ah, reason I said we'd probably be attacked by the assassins again if we went the forest route."

[Haspen]

"Oh, hmm, I see... so you're being chased by Inquisitors and quite possibly by the Eyes of the Emperor, a caste of utterly loyal assasins and spies?" The Duke grimaced. "Why, do tell if any other utterly powerful political groups are after you, it will be easier. Anyways, sleep with one eye open. I feel it in my bones that we might be assaulted even tonight."

[Xanmyral]

"Well, uh, probably The Generals of the Empire too due to... Er... Well..." The man itched the back of his neck again, happy that his eyes were hidden.

"You... Uh... Were just... Yeah. I'll shut up. Long story short... Stuff. You... Probably wouldn't be giving us this offer though if it wasn't because of it." With his last remark, he nodded and then hesitated.

"...If... You, uh, don't mind, may I ask a few questions, er, Duke Sepin?" He's pretty sure he's already annoyed the duke.