For a few moments, Reno stared at James, who was as relaxed as ever. Reno was at a loss, uncertain of what to do. It wasn't their father who had invited him on this expedition—it was James. Could it be that he actually didn't want Reno to be part of this venture? Perhaps he didn't even want to mention it to him.

If that were true, the question was why. Why would he hide it?

But right now, Reno had other concerns. Overwhelmed, as he often was when faced with the discontent of the man standing before him, he pondered the situation.

Fortunately, James came to his rescue. In his clear, confident voice, he addressed their father.

"Why he is here you ask? For someone who claims to know our traits so well, you should have figured it out immediately, don't you think?"

The cold blue eyes shifted from Reno to James. For a moment, Reno seemed to feel a chill in the air, but it vanished as quickly as it came. The grin on James's face didn't fade; if anything, it grew wider.

After a few seconds of silence, their father finally spoke.

"Probably ... but let me guess. You invited him here—more like dragged him along, didn't you?"

James chuckled softly.

"You've got it. But since we're on the topic… is there a reason why my dear brother Reno shouldn't be here? After all, he's part of the family. Your hints were clear enough, even for someone who doesn't know you well. You are irrittated by my decision bringing him here."

At last, a faint emotion flickered across the older man's face. His eyes seemed to twitch slightly.

Reno suddenly felt even more out of place than before. Maybe he should have just taken his leave then and there but even though the situation was deeply unsettling he currently had no way to.

His father had behaved like this before, and Reno understood and respected the reasons. After all, their father had chosen James as his heir and was closest to him. That's why he excluded Reno from many matters and had a different relationship with him than with James.

It might have been unfair, but that's how life was. Besides, Reno had received so much from this family—his family—without ever having to give anything in return. The least he could do was follow the old man's decisions and show his respect.

James, however, seemed to have a different view, or at least that's how it appeared.

Their father allowed his emotions to show only for a brief moment before regaining his composure, his poker face honed by decades of business deals and hard work. He scrutinized them both for a few moments before a slight smile crept onto his face, similar to the one he had when reminiscing about their past.

"You're a bit different from me, James. You've inherited many of my talents and traits, but your mother's rebellious streak is just as dominant."

James slightly furrowed his brow.

Their father took a paused then continued with the smile on his face, "Alright, you leave me no choice. I'll involve Reno in this matter as well. It was originally intended for just the two of us, since you're my heir."

Reno didn't feel any less out of place after that comment. James, on the other hand, looked puzzled.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

"What's so special about it? It's just an old legend that you don't even know is true. For all we know, it could just be some scribbles on a piece of parchment by someone who was bored."

For the first time since the conversation began, Reno felt something other than discomfort—curiosity and confusion. Their father showed no particular reaction, simply shaking his head.

"No, that can't be. It's been passed down in our family for generations. That's why I only wanted to do this expedition with you, to pass it on to you as my father did to me, in case we don't find anything here... but so be it. You're as stubborn as ever."

He paused briefly, then turned his gaze back to Reno.

"The questions you have will likely be answered once I tell you what I've shared with James over the past few days, but let's wait for Dr. Dieb. After all, he's the one who fortunately discovered these ruins."

Reno's thoughts began to race. He had been right. This excavation was even more important to their father than he had imagined. Something about a piece of parchment that had been passed down—that's what he had said.

Was it a map or perhaps another artifact that the Schneeberg family had picked up during one of their journeys, perhaps during a past excavation?

Questions had already been piling up in his mind, and the revelation from his father only added to them, almost making him forget his dark feelings. But how could he? The near-panic attack had experienced not long ago had been intense.

He hoped that the explanation he would soon receive would bring him some peace of mind.

Fortunately, Dr. Dieb didn't keep them waiting long. He made his way through the cluster of workstations and people toward the three Schneebergs. Soon, he stood before them with a broad smile, greeting them with a hearty handshake.

When the sponsor of the operation asked Dr. Dieb to find a secluded area, he didn't hesitate and led them to another, smaller tent. There, the four men sat around a large table in a circle.

The atmosphere was tense, but not in a negative way—more so in anticipation and curiosity about what the older man had to say. At least, that's how Reno and Dieb felt. James, on the other hand, seemed to already know everything.

For a few moments, their father's blue eyes stared into the distance before he let his gaze wander around the table. Then he began to speak.

"Dr. Dieb, I didn't fund this expedition purely out of the goodness of my heart or a love for archaeology. I think it's only fair that you know the truth, as the one who first discovered this site."

The archaeologist's eyes widened slightly, though he said nothing, allowing the man to continue.

"About 200 years ago, during an excavation far north of here, my great-grandfather found a scroll of parchment in the treasure chamber of an ancient city. It was well-preserved for its age—remarkably so, given that it was over 3,000 years old."

Dieb nearly choked on his surprise, and his glasses almost toppled off his nose. Reno was equally astonished.

"The contents of that parchment were as remarkable as its age. It was written in a language no one could decipher, and it featured figures that no one had ever seen before. Until now, that is, because the images we've seen on the screens closely resemble those on the parchment."

Their father paused briefly before continuing.

"However, there was something else depicted on it—a kind of map. And this map not only marked the location of the ancient city where it was found but also pointed to another place, possibly the origin of the map."

Suddenly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone, placing it in the center of the table where Dieb and Reno could see the screen. Displayed on it was a photo of an ancient piece of parchment. In black ink, many strange symbols were visible, along with some drawings of the grotesque creatures they had discovered on the walls of the building.

However, their focus wasn't on those but on the map drawn below the symbols. Some smaller markings were recognizable as towns or places in the region, but one stood out. At the center of the map was a much larger marking, next to which seemed to be a drawing of a cave, and inside this cave was one of the grotesque creatures.

But that wasn't all.

There was another depiction—one that resembled a tree if one used enough imagination. A tree with fruits. Of course, it was all rather simply drawn, making it hard to say for sure.

Reno and Dieb looked up and stared in the direction of the older man.

"I suspect these ruins correspond to the city or place on this map. The region matches, the symbols are similar, and the grotesque depictions of creatures are also present. My great-grandfather and his heirs after him were obsessed with this piece of paper for some reason. And perhaps I'm just as obsessed as they were."

He leaned back slightly in his chair.

"It was pure chance that you found these ruins here, Dr. Dieb. I had to pursue this lead when I heard about it. Of course, I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with that parchment, but as it turns out, it does."