The study of Lord Nuunegal was his more private space, used by him to focus on work when he did not wish to be disturbed. He would only be interrupted here if some unexpected great event happened or some other matter would require his upmost attention. The study was adorned in fine tapestry and held many large bookcases, that held various literature and reference books, as well as several logbooks. Each one had been painstakingly gone over and research already, but he kept them all close in case he needed them for reference. There was a sofa in the corner made of fine fabric and silk, and fancily but not gaudily decorated.

  The desk of his study was similarly immaculate. Although it might be hard to tell from the way papers currently covered it, one could easily tell it was made from wood both incredibly fine and incredibly sturdy, and it showed only a little wear despite the amount of use it must get. No, perhaps it was because of the amount of use it got that despite its high quality materials, it still showed signs of wear. It held a lamp powered by a magic stone, valuable to most but not to a noble like him. He was making good use of it too, showing dedication to his craft and work. His chair was made out of similar materials, which made the whole room extremely expensive but also extremely high quality and durable. In fact, the chair in particular was made of wood to strong and sturdy, only a properly made weapon would be able to damage it.

  As for what lay on his desk, it was reports from all the activities of the night. The prince who got attacked, the Shaded that assaulted the city, news of this particular creature known as Harbinger, and finally, the battle reports in midtown and lowtown.

  He had expected all of them, except for the last.

  To think we were routed like that.

  He was also an accomplice for Chianthias, which meant those last matters were not something he wanted to see. They were meant to sabotage the outer city defenses, making the next stage of their plan easier. They would then come in, take the field, complete their objectives, and then leave. He would have a combined force push them back, and he would get the prestige and honor, while she would get the Starfallen she wanted and to deal with her personal grudge. Meanwhile, he would be known for driving away the Devils that had been causing their city trouble lately.

  In addition, the Demon King would not use that terrifying ability to wipe out the entire city whole. At the start of the Demon King's appearance every 50 years, three cities were always wiped out by some mysterious power right at the start. Nothing could stop or prevent it apparently, although it seemed that it couldn't target capital cities so easily, as rarely had capitals been destroyed by this mysterious power. There were still ruins that stood from the city that used to be here before this one, a capital that had been destroyed. And naturally, thanks to the power of The Silver Hour, all the civilians would be left unharmed.

  Lord Nuunegal was not some villain who sought to make his people suffer and die needlessly. He had no interest in world domination, and he was a highly skilled and capable lord just like his predecessors. He was not someone who acted purely out of greed or desire, and he was not some half-assed villain who was a villain just for villain's sake. He was working with Chianthias not for any such petty reasons like that, but because he believed the benefits outweighed the demerits. He was not some saint, neither was his father for that matter. He had goals, he had dreams. He was aware Chianthias was using him, just like he was using her. But at the same time, they were allies. They had a shared goal that both wanted.

  "So, will this impact the overall plan, Chianthias?"

  Chianthias stepped out of the shadows, a neutral expression on her face.

  "They didn't find all the teams, but this will weaken the results. Our dream may be further and further out of reach".

  "Does your side suspect anything?"

  "I have a spell that lets me compartmentalize my mind as needed. I can't have tells when I don't even know the truth when they are around".

  "If either of us get caught, I suspect we both would end up branded as traitors after all. We are rather ambitious after all, but it must be done".

  "Agreed. And with the prestige and honors we will get from a successful operation, both of us will not only get closer to our shared goal, but also our personal ones as well".

  Yes, Chianthias was here not as a servant of the Demon King, but for her own objectives.

  "Have you learned anything about the advisor?"

  "He keeps his guard up at all times. He is still a wildcard. Still, he is busy with the frontlines. That is helping to keep him distracted, yet...we cannot negate the possibility he is working with the Shrouded as well".

  "I suspect the same is happening within the Empire and this Kingdom as well, plus a few others. If it wasn't for The Shaded, we might have already made more progress on our plans".

  "Agreed. Things can't continue the way they are now. The fact the advisor keeps visiting me has me more and more makes me worried he might actually be onto us too. We may need to adjust our plans accordingly".

  "Hmmm. An interesting thought to explore if our original plan fails. If we can confirm the ones interfering with our plan are Shaded, then could the Starfallen be useful to us and our people?"

  "I have entertained the idea, but I can't say it out loud. He seems to love popping out of nowhere, this is probably the only place we can talk freely".

  "And even then, we have to be wary of eavesdroppers. The enchantments of this room have already repelled ten separate attempts to spy on what I am doing in here, so we should make this fast before they managed their way through, even if only for a moment".

  "Then, lets stick with the original plan. I will show no mercy..."

  "...and I will give no quarter. And between us both, let's see if we can succeed".

  "Are you absolutely sure? That doesn't quite make sense to me" Amyris mentioned.

  "It is the only explanation that makes sense. Very few people have that map. You, Riza, and Lord Nuunegal, and probably his head knight and mage. But it was clear the demons and devils knew it too".

  Amyris looked conflicted and unsure, and so did Riza.

  "We have known him for a long time. We have known him since his father, and his grandfather. For it to be Lord Nuunegal, that wouldn't make sense. As the leader's of the capital of the frontier, they get repeatedly inspected and checked by the royal family. There is no way they could have a relationship for this long. Besides, Lord Nuunegal lost his grandfather who fought the Demon King's forces fifty years ago".

  "And yet, with his involvement, suddenly everything fits into place" Ozlo commented. "It would explain as well how corruption managed to fester in both the Adventurer's Guild and Mage's Guild despite the fact he seemed to be running such a clean operation".

  "Ozlo..." Riza stated. "He has been an ally, and even a friend, for years. I don't think anyone is capable of tricking me, Amyris, and Ellie for so long".

  Krazel, who was also there, looked deep in thought.

  "Honestly, I think it depends on what motivation was given. Even if he is working with Chianthias, we cannot say for certain he is a villain or an enemy".

  "Krazel! You think they might actually be right?!" Riza exclaimed, a bit shocked.

  "I am not totally convinced, but I am not totally unconvinced. Having met the guy myself, I don't think he would do this. However, it is true that their facts line up. He likely could have done more to resist Valiance's political pressure and manipulation. He could have resisted more on a lot of things. No guarentee it would have had major changes, but that wouldn't make it effortless either. In fact, the only thing he really did was make sure Valiance was away from them during the assault...which actually helped Chianthias, since she might have had a harder time making her move if he was able to corner and surround them like that".

  Amyris seemed deep in thought.

  "The real question is motivation isn't it? There is no reason such a capable, reasonable lord would work with a minion of the Demon Lord".

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "Yeah. Without a motivation, I just can't see it?"

  "So what, you are saying we should abandon my idea?"

  Riza grimaced at Kuroki's response, apparently making him hesitate.

  "...no, it's not like that, but...all this is, its conjecture. It's possible Chianthias stole a copy of it at some point. Or brainwashed him".

  Amyris shook his head.

  "It was updated just last year, and me and Ozlo oversaw security for it and handled compartmentalization. We even had false lines installed to be safe, but they didn't go for any of them. And I made sure he wasn't under any mental control as well".

  "But, it doesn't make sense. He isn't the type of person who would do that".

  "Not without a good reason" Vanessia mentioned, and Ellie nodded as she spoke next.

  "The facts line up. Kuroki's reasoning is sound. The fact is, at minimum, he is a major suspect".

  Amyris frowned. "Indeed. The reasoning is sound. But we can't get anywhere without motive. None of the Nuunegal's have ever been shown to be traitorous, in fact they are often highly decorated and loyal. Unless...could it be he is actually only pretending to work with Chianthias, while secretly working against her?"

  Kuroki shook his head. "We can't go assuming his innocence. He could have informed any of you. Riza does undercover work all the time. You have some experience yourself I am sure. Yet he consulted neither of you on this. Furthermore, why would he overlook the issues of Mazri's office?"

  "Yes, about that...why am I here again?" Mazri said. Yes, Mazri Booker was also there in the meeting. Riza had grabbed him and made him come with them under the guide of going out for drinks, and here he was, a normal clerk surrounded by living legends and incredible powerhouses. Kuroki wasn't from this world, and he had met them all before hearing the legends, but to Mazri, he was standing around some of the greatest legends in the region.

  "Because we need to know exactly what is going on at this clerk's office. Any irregularities or abnormalities, anything that might indicate Lord Nuunegal's innocence" Riza said.

  "Or his guilt" Kuroki added.

  "...yes fine, or his guilt" Riza conceded.

  Zak meanwhile just nodded. "Honestly, I could see it going either way. The best and most successful criminals aren't cheap villains from a B movie. They are the ones who can operate for decades without ever being suspected, the ones who don't just appear, but even are friends, neighbors, coworkers. Nuunegal could be a villain, but his friendships with all of you could also be genuine. Things aren't always so black and white".

  "Zak is right" Amyris agreed. "I still hesitate to think he is the one that has been working with Chianthias, but I do agree that it may be bad to make assumptions. However, once again..."

  "Motive" Kuroki finished.

  "Yes. Without that, it would be hard to convince any of us. And simply put, there isn't a motive at all. None that fits working with an agent of the Demon King".

  Kuroki paused for a moment at those words.

  "The Demon King. But hold on, why are we assuming their relationship began with the Demon King rising?"

  "Thats generally the only time Devils and Demons ever truly unique. Every fifty years, when a Demon King rises, he unites them. Otherwise, they generally act apart from each other, at least the various Devils. They would have Demon underlings. However, the current Lord Nuunegal is only thirty eight years old. He wasn't alive since before".

  "Yes, but is there any reason Chianthias wouldn't stick around? I mean, she has come after the city twice now when a Demon King attacked".

  Riza took a moment to think it through. "I always figured it was a grudge she had against the rest of us, but it is odd".

  Kuroki turned towards Riza. "Why do you and the royal family trust Nuunegal so much?"

  "Well for one thing he is helping research the Demon King. Why does one rise every fifty years like clockwork after the defeat of the last? Where does this power originate from? Many have written it off as just being part of reality itself, but some of us think there is a mechanism or secret we have yet to find".

  "And he did this a lot?"

  "Yes, despite the risk. A lot of times, the Demon King targets these places first. It tends to be done in secret, but someone has to get the supplies and other things that are on paper and can be traced. Honestly, it wouldn't be surprising if the Demon King blew this city off the map. Of course, Amyris has built in a rather nice safeguard. Wait, the safeguard hasn't been...?"

  Amyris shook his head. "No Riza, the safeguard is still in place".

  "Then it doesn't make sense to devote so much time and resources into this when he is working for the Demon King".

  Kuroki shook his head.

  "No, we can't make that assumption. We have all been obsessed with this Demon King, but while that is Chianthias' boss, Devils spend most of a century not serving a Demon King. What if...she has been working with him for decades?"

  "Decades?" Krazel asked. "If that is true, then she has been invested in this city for a long time".

  "Which begs the question, why?" Vanessia muttered.

  Zak then looked at Mazri.

  "So, what sort of suspicious movement and paperwork has happened in this city that you cleared?"

  "I didn't clear anything suspicious!"

  "We get it, but surely you have seen something. If not suspicious then odd, strange, abnormal".

  "If you saw the kind of paperwork we got every day, you would understand how little that narrows it down" Mazi said, still nervous but trying to reply properly. It helped Zak wasn't famous like the rest of them.

  Kuroki thought back to all his own experiences. The trip here, meeting with the guilds and various people, the goblins, the rank up exam, getting kidnapped, the Arcanium, the trip into the ruins, his still long hair that cant be cut because its so deep seeded with mana, and now the festival.

  Hmm?

  As he was thinking about it all, he realized something. Something odd. He never thought to think of it when thinking of them separately, but together, there was something odd.

  "...why didn't they..."

  "Why didn't they what?" Amyris asked.

  "The criminals, who kidnapped me and Riku. Why didn't they use the sewers to move us? They used an enchanted carriage, but the sewers are long and winding, great for smuggling and transport. You can get in from outside the city, they are impossible to guard fully. So why is it that the criminals didn't use the sewers to move us? The goblins used the sewers even..."

  Zak closed his eyes for a moment nodding. "A good question".

  Ellie seemed to agree as well. "Had they done that, it was less likely anyone would notice. It is odd they didn't use it".

  "The Goblins started in the sewer. Riza, your knights, they fought them in the streets as they surged out, but what about the ones left?"

  "We did a quick sweep but there was none left we could find".

  "Not a single one left?" Kuroki asked.

  "Yeah, why?"

  Kuroki looked over at Mazri.

  "The sewers are from a previous city built upon the land that the builders of this new city co-opted right?"

  "Yes, that is right".

  "That means they get inspected and worked on all the time right?"

  "Yeah. Its not a glamorous job so few want to take it up, it always smells down there after all".

  "So if the same people worked on the sewers, or even just a specific area, over and over, no one would get suspicious, but instead would be grateful instead?"

  Mazri realized what was meant instantly.

  "Yeah. A crew specialized in architecture and construction usually get hired for the noble section especially. They have always worked on that, the boss has always been grateful for them...you don't mean..."

  "And there is the crux of it. Which section got cleared out first during the goblin attack?"

  "The noble section" Vanessia answered.

  "And did restoration work begin immediately after that?"

  "Now that I think about it, I think I saw that paperwork get filed right after the Goblin invasion".

  Zak snapped his fingers. "There is probably a secret chamber, no, perhaps a secret facility underneath his house, through the sewers".

  Riza let out a sigh. "You know, I am pretty sure we were talking about finding motive, not more conjecture earlier".

  Zak shot him a glare. "This is tied to motive. Or rather, finding it. The secrets of the motive lie there. And yet..."

  Amyris shrugged. "Its the one place even we can go freely. The sewers right below are controlled just as deeply. If I had to guess, those crews have been smuggling things in and out. Probably some actual construction too. But it is at least, a place to start. Provided of course this is true".

  In the end, everyone was having some difficulty accepting it, especially those who knew Nuunegal the longest. Riza was the one who found it most unlikely, followed by Vartra, and then Krazel. Ellie and Vanessia were next.

  "Still, what made you think of the sewers Kuroki?"

  "It bothered me about just how passive he was. As if he wanted the noble sewers cleared first, so then I thought why? And since I was trying to find connections to all the events we experienced, I thought about how the criminals didn't use the sewers. As if they knew something bad went down there, and that they shouldn't use them...and then, with the Demon King talk before, my final point I hadn't brought up yet hit me. The sewers are likely from the ruins of that ancient city, the one that Lich King or whatever once ruled. That means that the sewers survived the city's destruction...as well as anything underneath them".

  Amyris looked towards the door to his basement, which had a secret access to the sewers.

  "I see now. The sewers are in fact ruins. In other words, if this ancient city build any underground facilities below the city, they are very likely still functional".

  "Indeed. And if its located directly under where the Nuunegals have been ruling since they were put in charge of this city..."

  "In fact, they have ruled it since its construction" Amyris provided clarity.

  "Then they would almost assuredly know if something was down there. And given that the guy built underground ruins again, it wouldn't be odd. How many does the royal capital have anyways?"

  Riza hesitated. "I can't go into detail about some, I made some promises, but...a lot. Some are ancient, I can say that much".

  Ozlo shrugged. "There is an entire massive underground complex underneath the Royal Academy. Lots of people use it for secret labs. Its also teeming with monsters, so it might just outright be a dungeon. As such its used by students looking to become stronger, adventurers who are hired to keep the monsters from overflowing, and lots of dark underworld types. Also, a surprising number of researchers. Honestly, too many researchers. And a few art students who aren't right in the head".

  "Ahh, they asked for that huh?"

  "...I have no idea which you mean specifically, but most likely yes".

  "I mean the one where you pose nude in some heroic pose in an underground dungeon to show your bravery. For some reason there is a huge market for those, especially with noble ladies".

  "You didn't have to explain it! And I never did that! And why do you know that last part?!"

  "Raids".

  "...oh, yeah, that would make sense grandpa".

  Sometimes, Riza had actual good reasons for knowing what he knew.

  Either way, they were at an impass now. Was Nuunegal using Chianthias? Was Chianthias controlling Nuunegal like she had Anna? Were they working together? What was their end goal? All of those were questions they had. Honestly, while they had a good idea on who, the why was still lacking.

  But all in all, they had failed to realize something else. Something major. Something that would change everything.