Volume 4 Chapter 8 Unsettling Rumors
Larc had gone out to procure supplies.
Meanwhile, in the reception room—
"By the way, Mr. Zeke, I've been hearing reports of ground subsidence happening all over. Is this place safe?"
Zeke frowned.
"Ground subsidence, huh?"
Larc nodded and pulled a worn map from his bag. He unrolled it across the table and tapped several points with his pen.
"The ground's been collapsing suddenly in multiple locations. No clear pattern—it's happening everywhere."
Cino leaned in, studying the marked spots. Her usual easygoing expression turned serious.
"That's unnatural, isn't it?"
"Well? Doesn't ground subsidence just happen sometimes?"
Zeke crossed his arms.
Larc shook his head.
"Not like this. I heard some countries even sent out investigation teams to study the sinkholes."
Zeke's brows furrowed.
"And?"
A pause.
"...None of them came back."
Silence settled over the room.
Cino shivered.
"That's... not normal."
Zeke exhaled slowly.
"What's in the holes?"
Larc leaned back, arms crossed.
"No idea. All I know is that the investigation was called off completely."
"Can't blame them. If you don't know what's lurking underground, sending more people in is just throwing lives away."
Mysterious sinkholes.
Vanished investigation teams.
And the creeping suspicion that someone—or something—was behind it.
Zeke's fingers drummed against the table.
"Larc. Which country sent the team?"
Larc traced his pen to the southeastern part of the map.
"Kai-Pagos. The dwarves' country."
Zeke's gaze darkened.
"Dwarves..."
Cino's voice wavered.
"Brother... what are you thinking?"
Zeke cracked a small grin.
"That I should go check it out."
Cino's chair scraped back.
"Wh-What?! You're just going to throw yourself into danger?!"
Zeke shrugged.
"If someone's behind this, they could be headed our way next. Better to stop it before it reaches us."
"But—!"
Zeke ruffled Cino's hair.
"Trust me, alright?"
Cino bit his lip.
"...You always do this. It's unfair."
A heavy sigh.
"Fine. But promise me— don't be reckless."
Zeke smiled.
"I'll try."
Cino groaned.
"That's not a promise!"
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