Two nobles sat in the room with him. One glared at the other while the other sat in total silence amidst the people with a sullen expression. The Goblin sat at the table behind them with the other adventurers, his eyes glued on the nobility that sat within arm's reach of him. It was weird seeing the fabled "Human Nobility" up close. They didn't dress in fine clothes or the grand armor his father told him. Instead, one wore a simple but clearly enchanted breastplate while the other wore a simple, leather cloak that saw better days. Still, he couldn't take his eyes off of them.

One had a black eye on his face while the other had a scratch on his cheek. The white-haired noble drank tea while the other sipped on wine that Stefan considered unfit for a noble to drink. The noble didn't seem to mind the taste and he continued to drink his second glass of wine. He might've poured himself another bottle of the cheap swill if not for the sudden intrusion of the Guildmaster. The two looked at the person who barred them from entering the room where Arenhein's Council gathered as he looked at the two of them.

"Watch Captain Iris has been found. She is currently being escorted here by Lord Arwin's Knight."

"S-She's alive?!"

"She was spared by the enemy leader. For what reason, we are still to find out."

"And where did they held her?"

The white-haired man asked.

"An abandoned warehouse near the residential district. They also found various tunnels that connect to the abandoned sewer system of the city."

The Guildmaster sighed as he shook his head.

"To think that Demons have been moving under our noses for years now."

"Tch. Arenhein has grown lax... No, it's most likely due to the lack of leadership."

The Goblin didn't really understand what was happening, but based on Stefan's uncomfortable expression, it's probably not good.

He didn't really get this city stuff. It was confusing and vast and something he didn't really want to think about. He let out a sigh as he looked at what Riel was doing with her [Light] Spell. She had a smug grin on her face as she summoned various balls of light with various colors. Their light throbbed rhythmically and they bobbed around her like Fae Lights. He tried to do the same, but his [Light] Spell was static and fixed in place, unlike Riel's Spell where the lights around her moved and bobbed around fluidly and naturally as if they were alive.

"It seems that you're able to limit the mana output in your spells now. That's the first step. The second step is to control the mana itself to make it move."

"Hrr... It's hard."

Riel laughed as more lights popped into existence around him.

"Of course it's hard. What I'm doing here is pretty advanced for many Mages."

As if to gloat, Riel's lights began to circle rapidly over her head.

"Woah."

"Woah indeed, friend. Behold the genius that is Rie-"

"Ehem. Miss Riel, please refrain from casting distracting magic during the midst of an important discussion."

Their [Light] Spells were snuffed out immediately by Guildmaster Liam's words. Semilia snickered at them while Riel's cheeks were now flushed red with embarrassment.

"Anyway, I will have to issue rewards for those who involved with this emergency quest. And also, as the four highest-ranked adventurers available, I would like to ask you for your help in investigating the sewers."

They all raised a brow at the Guildmaster's request. But before any of them could say something, Lord Terius spoke first.

"The sewers? If it's the upper levels, I'm sure they'll be fine but the lower levels are a different kind of beast."

"Ah... The fabled "Second Dungeon" of Arenhein. The dungeon whose only treasure is the filth of all of the city's citizens."

"Oh? So even a powerful Lord like you listens to rumors?"

Lord Terius smiled at Lord Arwin, he returned his smile with a deep scowl.

"I've learned about it in books, not from unreliable hearsay. Arenhein was built over various layers and as time passed, the older layers became the sewage and drainage system for the excess waters of the Aren and the city itself. You would know that if you read books about the very city you ruled over instead of galavanting off to the north."

"I'm... Nevermind. Anyway, there's a map of the upper and middle section of the sewers. My family kept the map of the lower levels in their private study."

Lord Terius stood up from his seat and folded his arms.

"Although the front part of the castle and the main hall was destroyed, I think we can still access the castle if we go through either the west wing, the east wing or through the back."

"That's a lot of options."

Stefan said as Lord Tyrius scratched the back of his head.

"Well, the castle didn't really receive that much damage. Sure, the floor in the main hall of the castle is gone since beneath it is the family vault but other than that, not much was destroyed in the attack."

Lord Tyrius tried to laugh it off, but it was clear to him and everyone that he's just trying to play cool.

"Anyway, I think it's best if-"

"Lord Terius! A-Are you here?! Are you safe?!"

The door burst open as a woman barged through the door with a worried look on her face. Her eyes instantly locked onto the stunned Lord Tyrius.

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She kneeled on one knee immediately and bowed her head. There were tears in her eyes as the young man stared at her. Lord Arwin stood up as well and let out a heavy sigh as the Knight beside the girl walked towards him and handed him a sausage stuffed bread. Lord Tyrius said nothing as he walked towards the woman, her dirty brown hair obscured the tears that dropped to the ground.

"Let's hear what you have to say."

There was a fat man with a silly moustache sitting at the far end of the table. The way he ate the cheese from his platter made him question if this man was really a Human instead of an Orc. Beside him is the woman clad in shadows, Azalia, who drank a cold glass of water. To her right is a Dwarf with an eyepatch and a white beard covered with ash and soot. And to the left of the fat man is none other than Liam, the Guildmaster of the Arenhein branch of the Adventurer's Guild. They were the City Council, the group Lord Terius tasked with overseeing Arenhein during his two years of absence.

"Liam, why are there adventurers here? Are they bodyguards?"

"No. Daru, they're here since Watch Captain Iris' testimony will be important in their investigation into the sewers."

All eyes turned towards the girl that sat in the midst of the adventurers.

"I see. Her failure to sniff out and eradicate the cultists cost the guild a few hundred gold coins in damages. One of the fires destroyed a handful of warehouses where we kept the harvest meant to get us through the winter season. Importing food is quite costly during this time of year."

"The Library also had to expend precious Mana Crystals to fend off a handful of Demons that tried to open a rift."

"Not to mention the extensive damage caused to the shopping district. Many people went from being employed to being homeless literally overnight."

Out of the four, only Liam remained quiet.

"Azalia, what did that Elf say to you?"

The fat man snorted out as he licked cheese off of his fingers. Azalia recoiled slightly as she let out a heavy sigh.

"Lho'thrain told me to not press for compensation since the Library has funds to replenish our supply of Mana Crystals. The only issue he wishes for me to bring up is the issue regarding the relic being stolen. Our master simply asked if it will be okay for the library to import new books regarding Demons."

Azalia said as she glared at the fat man.

"Grr... That Elf really doesn't care for this city. Anyways! Back to the topic at hand! What the hell happened, Iris?!"

"That's "Watch Captain Iris", Sir Daru!"

The fat man shrunk away at Lord Arwin's harsh words. The Lord sighed as he stood up from his seat.

"I will personally listen to your issues. The damages will be paid... By my own pockets. For now, we need to gather intelligence regarding our enemy! Not bicker and point fingers at one another!"

Said Lord Terius as he turned to face Guildmaster Liam.

He didn't really get what was happening, but he was enthraled by the scene in front of him! He turned to face Stefan, Semilia, and Riel, yet they all had bored expressions on their faces. What? He wondered what was wrong with their heads. Before them was a scene he only heard and read about in books and stories! How the hell could they be bored with such a situation? Semilia let out a subtle yawn while Stefan's head slowly began to drop below his shoulders. Unbelievable!

"A backwater council for a backwater city. What more did I expect?"

"Well... Lord Arwin, let's give the boy a chance. He is still young and his head only knows how to lead soldiers and not people."

"I don't really care 'bout all these political shenanigans or whatnot. I'm just here to fulfil my mission."

He could hear whispers behind him. Lord Arwin, Ruric, and Elya clearly hit it off based on the way they chuckled.

"Everyone! Please! Let us first listen to what Captain Iris has to say! What happened to you? How were you captured by the enemy?"

Guildmaster Liam asked loudly, his voice one that silenced all murmurs in the room. The Goblin's attention turned towards the woman in question, Watch Captain Iris.

"... I got captured when my team and I tried to storm some warehouse we thought belonged to a gang I was hunting ever since I became a Guardsman."

Her words sent a shiver down his spine. She sounded cool.

"Gang? I thought they were cultists."

"Yes, Sir Daru, I thought that as well. They were a large gang headed by an... "old acquaintance" of mine. His name was Ilfris, a friend of mine during childhood. A wanted criminal due to his crime of-"

"The slaying of a handful of minor lords and nobles. The Rat is what we called him in Toryehelm after he nearly killed one of my advisors. You are familiar with this person, Watch Captain?"

Lord Arwin said as he stepped forward with a furrowed brow.

"Yes. I have been tracking his movements in the region after we noticed a spike in kidnapping incidents and a sudden influx of slaves from the south. An issue that should've been taken care of by the person that was tasked with imposing the ban on slave imports."

She glanced at Sir Dura, who simply scoffed at her.

"I did. I tried to enforce the ban. The damn practice leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that ruins my meals for the day. The smugglers are the real problem here."

"Whatever the case, they were able to sneak into the city at least a year or two ago. The team I tasked with investigating them only found a breakthrough a week ago. The operation itself was a success, at first. It all went downhill when he emerged from the tunnels."

"What emerged from the tunnels?"

Azalia asked with an inquisitive tone.

"Ilfris. The damned madman made a deal with a Devil and an Archdaemon. His soul and parts of his body for something."

"And the slaves and the kidnapping victims? Where are they?"

Guildmaster Liam asked loudly as he stood up from his chair.

"Those Demons you killed? Those are the kids you're looking for. They used them as vessels for Lesser Demons to turn them into Greater Demons while he used something to summon a powerful Demon. One with wings and is able to use Demon Magic."

There was a silence that crept over them. The Goblin already knew that the Demon he fought at the dungeon was connected to Semirra and he wondered what would've happened if they did not kill that Demon.

"One of them managed to escape... A Beastman with cat ears and a cat's tail. The rest he forced into the tunnels to be sacrificed at various locations around the city to cause as much confusion as possible."

"Hmm... All this to claim a single relic-"

"It's not just any relic. What we have is a sword that thirsts for souls but also one that imparts said souls onto another body. I do not know what they were planning beyond that, but what I do know is that those Demons brought my team down into the sewers and slaughtered them there."

Suddenly, Ork-y stood up from his seat with an angry expression.

"Enough about that! Among the children, did you see one with blue hair?! A girl no taller than that fellow over there!"

Daru pointed at the Goblin as he slammed a fist down onto the table. The impact spilt wine all over the fine woodwork.

"N-No... Sorry. I'm not sure."

"Damn it, Iris! You had time to listen to that fiend's plans but you don't have the time to look around?! Are you sure you did not see a blue-haired kid mixed with the lot?!"

"Daru, what's gotten-"

"She's my niece, Liam! She's the only family I have left! I came here to ask if there was a girl mixed in with the lot and what do I get?! Useless information that we all already know!"

"Daru! You're making a fool out of yourself right now!"

"Shut your mouth, Lord Tyrius! I do not care if you defend this wench in front of us, but at least have the courage to face what your incompetence did to the city!"

As he said those words, his hands moved quickly for a fat guy. The platter of cheese and pitcher of wine flew through the air as he threw it at Tyrius.

Tyrius dodged while the lady Knight known as Aster drew her sword. It was not to deflect the projectile being hurled through the air but instead to defend her liege from what caught the platter and the wine. Perhaps it was the hunger that lured her out from his shoe. The sight of the liquid as it flew must've been the reason why she decided that now would be a good time to appear. Whatever the case, Miu moved quickly to catch the available food.

Her tendrils snapped towards the platter of cheese and wine. She devoured both ravenously as more tendrils appeared out of her body to snatch whatever container held liquid. Cups, pitchers, even the vase that contained beautiful flowers was not safe from her hunger. Aster tried to strike at Miu, but her tendrils quickly dissolved the sword in her hands. Her yellow eyes turned towards the frightened Iris and Daru, who looked at the monster that stared at them with hungry eyes.

"A-A Slime-"

Daru didn't even have the chance to finish his words as Miu leapt onto him.

"Damn it."

Those were the only words the Goblin could muster as he wondered what he should do to rein in his pet.