Chapter 81 Back To Take The Key

"Aren't you going to speed up the process of retrieving the key?" Erend asked Saeldir.

Between the three of them, it had been decided that it was Erend who would speak to Saeldir about the plan to return to the human world--to the Republic of Ascaria--to retrieve the key.

Billy and Lt. Boartusk felt Erend was the most suitable to talk to Saeldir because Erend had spoken to him before.

Erend had also managed to get Saeldir to help him save them. Of course with that in mind, Erend was the most suitable person to talk to Saeldir about all of this.

"Aerchon will be back tomorrow. He will make the decision," Saeldir said while rubbing his forehead.

"I'm not sure Aerchon will take action immediately," Erend said.

Saeldir didn't answer right away. No one knows the exact reason why Saeldir did not immediately reply to Erend's words. But from what the three humans saw, it was only because Saeldir looked exhausted.

After a while Saeldir finally said. "Do you know where the key is?"

"Yes. We know for sure. We just need to take it from the people holding it," Erend replied.

Saeldir looked at Erend. "Are you sure?"

"Of course." Erend nodded firmly to show his confidence.

"What do you think you guys will need to get the key back?" Saeldir asked.

"I think you and the three of us will be enough."

"You know that my power will weaken in your world, right?" Saeldir looked at Erend in uncertainty.

"We don't need to fight," Erend said. "Well, at least not on a grand scale. We just need to sneak in and get the key. Maybe knock out a human or two."

"What if the key has already moved from where you thought it was?" Saeldir as an Elf Archmage couldn't let small things pass through his mind. He will continue to question things until he is satisfied before starting to do anything.

"That's why we have to hurry," Erend said while looking at Saeldir. "We really can't guarantee that the key will stay there for long. That's why we have to act fast."

Saeldir looked thoughtful. After a while, he looked at Erend again and said. "When are you guys going?"

Erend turned to Lt. Boartusk then to Billy. Billy then looked at Lt. Boartusk to provide an answer. Erend did the same.

Seeing that it was him who had to speak, Lt. Boartusk said: "How about midnight time tonight?"

~~~

After leaving Saeldir's room, the three of them intended to return to their own room. As they walked down the corridor, the palace atmosphere was so quiet.

It was unusual when the Elves looked at them with scornful and displeased eyes.

"Where did they all go?" The curious Billy asked.

"Maybe they're still afraid to go out," Erend said.

"Their magic shield is back, isn't it?"

"They are afraid of their own friends," Lt. Boartusk replied. "You know that there is a traitor in this palace, right?"

"Ah," Billy nodded in understanding. "Traitors in this palace will be stressed if they are in the middle of this situation."

"Yeah, they definitely won't rest easy seeing everyone already knows about their whereabouts," Erend said.

"We'd better think about ourselves. Come on." Lt. Boartusk quickened his pace. Erend and Billy followed him.

For today, Erend has completed his Daily Quest to hunt Goblins again. He has leveled up once again and is now Level 8. Erend has also gained 1 Skill Point with his Level Up.

But that's not enough. In order to upgrade the new Skills he got like [Fire Dragon Transformation], and get a new Skill [All Fire-based Power], Erend needed 5 Skill Points.

Erend felt there was no point in upgrading his old Skills. Now he simply upgraded his new Skills which were much more powerful. But it seems that getting 1 Daily Quest every day is still not enough.

Erend passed by the garden he used to contemplate when he wanted to contemplate with himself. So Erend said to Billy and Lt. Boartusk if he wants to stop in the park for a while.

Lt. Boartusk nodded in agreement. Billy also didn't see any reason why he had to stop Erend. So he also nodded in agreement.

Erend separated from the two of them and sat on one of the chairs in the garden.

'Tut,' Erend called Tut through his mind. Even though he was alone now, Erend didn't want to take the risk because ears that wanted to overhear could be everywhere in this palace.

[ "Yes?" ]

'Why don't any Urgent Quests appear when I go to Mount Calamity?' Erend asked through his mind.

["Systema doesn't think of that as something it has to solve." ]

Erend's brow furrowed upon hearing that. 'You mean it's not important?'

[ "For Systema, Yes." ]

Erend almost felt angry when he thought that the safety of his friends was of no importance to Systema at all.

But Erend thought better and knew that his friends were only important to himself. For Systema, they weren't special humans who played too big of a role.

[ "What's the problem? Didn't you save your friends already?" ]

Tut also seemed to know what he was thinking and feeling. Through the tone of his voice, Tut sounded like he don't understand why Erend felt angry.

'Ah, it's just unfortunate that I didn't get the reward even though I managed to do something so dangerous like that.' Erend said.

[ "Why are you asking for so much after getting that much power?" ]

Erend sighed. Being scolded by something invisible is very unpleasant. 'Sorry.'

[ "Be patient. When you get to Level 10, which means soon enough, you'll get something new." ]

Erend frowned at a mix of curiosity and excitement.

'What's that?' Erend asked.

[ "The Dungeon World." ]

'The Dungeon World?' Erend didn't know why he had to enter the Dungeon.

But if Systema's concept was something similar to that in the game, that meant the Dungeon was a place where he could get a lot of experience and other equipment.

[ "I'll explain when the time comes. For now, you just need to focus on the matter in front of your eyes." ]

'Just explain a little to me. Is that where I'll get more experience to level up?' Erend asked.

[ "Yes." ]

'Okay!' Erend nodded.

After getting a little enlightenment from Tut about something new that will be available to him when he is already at Level 10, Erend returns to meet Billy and Lt. Boartusk.

~~~

The midnight they had been waiting for finally arrived. The three of them didn't know where Elis had gone.

Since leaving the treatment room, the bespectacled woman was nowhere to be seen.

Most likely Aurdis had taken her somewhere to cheer her up. After what she'd been through, Elis did need some solace to calm her soul.

Meanwhile, when all the Elves were probably resting in their comfortable blankets, Saeldir walked to the room where the teleportation platform was.

He was carrying nothing but a pouch hanging from his right waist. As soon as Saeldir went inside, there were already Erend, Billy, and Lt. Boartusk standing staring at the platform.

"We won't be using it tonight," Saeldir said.

The three turned. Then Billy spoke. "You can use this to teleport anywhere?"

"Yes," Saeldir answered quickly. "You still remember the place where you could enter in secret?"

"We remember," Erend replied.

"I will ask you to imagine it now." Saeldir drew closer to Erend and then raised one hand towards Erend's head.

Erend imagined Elis' room where they had entered that night. The room seemed suitable enough to enter and exit freely.

They gave Elis access to a quiet room away from all the hustle and bustle so that she could learn whatever she was learning more freely.

Saeldir drew what looked like white smoke from inside Erend's head. Then he waved it in front of them.

A moment later a Portal just appeared. The portal showed the sight they had seen when they first intended to come to pick up Elis. A dark study room.

"Are you sure the key is in there?" Saeldir asked.

"The key is not in the room. But the room is in a building and we believe it is in the building." Lt. Boartusk replied.

Saeldir looked at them in turn. "Hopefully that's true and you guys don't waste my time. Come on in."

Lt. Boartusk led them in. Behind him is Erend then Billy. Saeldir took part at the very back of the line.

They finally entered Elis' abandoned study. The condition of this room was a mess when the owner left it. Billy immediately opened Anna's cell phone that he was carrying. Then he opened a file showing the floor plan of this base.

Billy then gave directions on the direction they should go. Erend looked at Saeldir then whispered. "You can use the magic you used to hide us in Mount Calamity."

"I already did," Saeldir replied.

"Oh," Erend nodded. "Good."

Lt. Boartusk ordered Erend to lead the way. Then they left the room.

~~~