''Sorry about that, Mrs...''

''Dara. Dara Felidae.''

''Right, Mrs. Felidae. My fiancé is a bit too affectionate at times.'' I circle my arm around Anna's waist and reply.

''...No worries.'' Dara shakes her head lightly. ''I wonder if Your Holiness has anything else to ask me?''

''Ah, right. I've heard that the drought here has been going on for more than a decade already, why didn't you just move the town to another place?''

''...Your Holiness, here is our motherland, where we were born and grew up in, we cannot just abandon it like that.''

''Just because of that?''

''Yes.''

Okay, that sounds remarkably similar to bullshitting, which I know a lot about.

chut

Anna kisses my cheek once more.

''She's still lying.'' She whispers.

Yup, I knew it.

''Hmm... Alright, Mrs. Felidae. I will not bother you further than this, but let me confirm one last thing.''

''By all means, Your Holiness.''

The dragons clearly attacked this town aiming for something, and the people here, or at least this lady, didn't want to move the town because of that 'something' as well. That's one possible scenario.

If so, the 'thing' will have to be immovable, and so valuable that the dragons would risk war to steal it. And maybe, just maybe, that 'thing' has something to do with the drought as well.

Okay, stop. I'm becoming a conspiracist at this point.

''Are you sure that the dragon's attack has nothing to do with the fact that you don't want to move the town?'' I narrow my eyes slightly. ''I'm sure risking your people's health, and potentially lives, to stay here just for some topophilia crap is not a wise idea at all, is it?''

Dara frowns for a second, but then quickly returns to her normal expression.

''Absolutely not, Your Holiness.''

''Are you sure?'' I release all of my mana and narrow my eyes even more.

Dara once again nearly jumps up, ears cupped pitifully, but in her eyes are still the same determination that I have seen from her since before.

''Y-Yes, Your Holiness.'' She replies.

'''' ... ''''

''Sure.'' I pull my mana back and smile normally. ''Thanks for sparing your time, Mrs. Felidae. We'll go now.''

We all stand up and prepare to leave.

Stolen story; please report.

I don't think she would've opened up if I were to keep pressing anyway, might as well go find somebody else... Like that cat grandma's sister.

''Ah, do you know where we can find a person named 'Tara'? I was asked to deliver something to her.''

''Please leave it for me, Your Holiness, I will make sure to do it for you.'' Dara hurriedly stands up and walks over to me.

That was all bullshit, and even if it's real, ain't no way I'm handing that thing over to you. You, my lady, are sus as hell right now.

''Sorry, but I can't do that, can I know the location?'' I flash her a 'friendly' smile.

''S-She should still be living at the end of the main street...''

''Do you know the exact address?''

''No, Your Holiness... I only know that she lives in that area.''

''Thanks.'' I pat her shoulder a few times. ''I believe in you, Mrs. Felidae.''

----------------------------------------

clack

I open the car door, and we all get into this cramped space again.

Oh, Justia is sleeping. Let's leave her alone.

''Was she lying again?'' I ask Anna in a low voice. ''The last part.''

''I'm not too sure.'' Anna shakes her head. ''She was lying about the part before that though.''

As I thought.

''You two got the recording, right?'' I turn to Liana and Tina this time.

'''' Mhm. ''''

''Thanks.'' I give them each a kiss on the lips. ''So do we go to the inn first? Or straight to Tara's house?''

''We can put off the inn for a while. It's only one in the afternoon.'' Liana opens her phone and says.

''I agree.'' Tina nods as well.

When I see that the other two have no opinion, especially Emy, who somehow has regressed to a baby and is sucking my breasts intensely, I decide to reach out and pat the sleeping Justia.

''Justia, sorry for waking you up, but we'll need to drive a bit more.''

''Mhm... Eh...''

----------------------------------------

After driving for a bit, getting lost, and then driving a bit more, we reached the end of the main street.

Now, we just need to ask for Tara's whereabouts.

''Excuse me~!'' I call a random lady passing through. ''Do you know any person named 'Tara' in the area?''

The lady seems afraid when I mention her for some reason, looking around nervously.

''What do you want from her?'' She asks.

Hmm... Let's try showing her the dream catcher, maybe cat grandma's faction is truly alive.

So I pull out the green dream catcher from my bag, and as expected, the lady widens her eyes immediately, alternating between it and me.

''This one... Did you meet Kara?!''

That's the name of the cat grandma, if I'm not mistaken.

''I did. She asked me to meet Tara.''

''Okay then, see that big library over there?'' She points to a relatively large building on our left. ''Go behind that, and you should see a metal door there.''

''Uh-huh.''

''Knock on it five times in total, three first, wait for a second, then two. Got it?''

''Thanks a lot.''

I wish you told me this, cat grandma. Imagine what would happen if I didn't meet this lady.

''No problem! Good luck, comrade!''

----------------------------------------

knock knock knock

knock knock

'''' ... ''''

clack

The door opens, revealing an old lady with remarkably similar features to Kara back in Xeno, my guess is that they are twins.

''Who are you guys?'' She immediately raises her guard.

Instead of answering, I just pull out the dream catcher to see almost the exact same reaction from her as the previous lady.

''Come in.'' She looks around a bit and says.

''I feel like we're in a spy movie or something.'' Fox Saint giggles lightly, looking around the dimly lit, book-filled room.

The room does have the atmosphere.

''I watched some movies before, but they were not quite as impressive as you made them to be.'' Bald Saint replies.

''That's because the ones in your era were bad.''

Let me show you two some modern films later then, bet it'll blow your minds.

----------------------------------------

After a brief introduction, which included me flashbanging Tara and a 'previously on Dragon Ball Z recap' episode, now we can finally get down to business.

''So first thing first, is Kara doing well?'' Tara sips her coffee and asks.

''She's doing very good.'' Anna replies. ''She now runs a small coffee shop in Xeno, where I often go to relax.''

''I see. That's good.'' Tara puts her coffee on the table. ''Now then, I'm assuming that you guys have something to ask me, am I right?''

I lean back on the sofa and cross my arms, narrowing my eyes slightly.

''Tell me.'' I begin. ''There's something underneath this town, isn't it? Perhaps something... Incredible.''

God, that's so cringe. Why did I do that.

''You... What incredible deducing...!'' Tara widens her eyes. ''I see you're not the final Saint for nothing.''

Eh? That was right? I was just trying to be cool though...

''According to what we've gathered... There might be a Super Core beneath the surface of this town.''

Wait, really?