They borrowed two swords and horses from the staples before leaving the palace. First, they started circling around the nearby areas, mainly because Zeke insisted despite Lysander disputing that the knights had already searched there.

Since they couldn't find anything worth noting, they headed elsewhere.

“...I just now realized that I never truly knew any of you.” Lysander's quiet voice cut through the rhythmic sound of hooves, earning Zeke's attention.

“What do you mean?” He asked as he faced his brother. Just like how Circe couldn't read his expression, Zeke couldn't discern Lysander's either.

“I've only known you from your…” Lysander paused for a moment, “Childish tantrums and questionable behaviors. I even thought you might've been adopted at one point.”

When Zeke didn't say anything, Lysander continued, “But now I know there's more to you than just your horrible reputation.”

Zeke frowned, “Your point being?”

“I just want to let you know that you are a Salvador, even if others tell you otherwise,” Lysander looked at him, “...What you said to Father earlier…it reminded me of what he often said when I was younger.”

Despite having no information on their childhood, a certain sentence suddenly came to his mind, “...That a Salvador always fights for what he believes is right?”

“Yeah,” Lysander faced straight ahead as their horses trotted closer towards a forest near the back of the palace. From close by came the sound of flowing water. “I'd always nodded along, thinking whatever Father said was right. I never truly stopped to think of what he actually meant by that…Until now.”

Lysander's short chuckle made Zeke flinch. He didn't expect him to laugh, let alone smile at him of all people. “You're a Salvador, and my brother through and through. That was the first time I've heard you get angry yet remain within reason.”

“...You thought I was being reasonable?” Zeke raised an eyebrow.

“People often say I take after Father,” Lysander shrugged, “I didn't like that comparison since I thought I could never be as good as him, but now I have to agree that we're both…insensitive.”

Zeke rolled his eyes, “You just realized?”

“I don't know you,” Lysander's attention shifted to the forest before them. They'd reached the edge by then. “And that just proves I didn't know Rowena as well as I thought. I want to believe she will be alright…but she's…she's still just a kid. You had to say it out loud just for me to realize that.”

“...You're being very confusing today, you know that?” Zeke scoffed, a small grin spreading his lips.

“I am trying,” Lysander sighed, “I don't want my insensitivity to ruin my chances with Lady Penelope.”

Zeke laughed, “She's got you in her palms, huh?”

Lysander raised an eyebrow, “You're one to talk.”

“Hey, we're in an equal position in our relationship,” by then, the two of them had gone into the forest, following a river that converged into a lake near the palace. If Zeke recalled correctly, it's a sightseeing spot for the royals. “Just that I hold her slightly higher than myself.”

“Slightly?”

“Slightly.”

He couldn't see probably in the dark, but he swore Lysander rolled his eyes at him just now. Before he could comment on it though, the older brother suddenly stopped the horse, pulling on the reign so hard it startled the poor steed. “Wait, wait, stop!” Lysander dismounted and knelt to the ground, “These are…someone was here not long ago, there are traces of horse hooves and wheels.”

Zeke frowned, trying to see the details Lysander pointed out. He could somewhat make out the trails, but couldn't be as sure as to what they were. “So a carriage in the middle of the night? That certainly screams suspicious. But isn't there a small village nearby?”

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“The hooves face the forest, so they're definitely not coming from there,” Lysander explained as he rose to his feet. As he hopped back on his horse, he beckoned with his chin, “Let's go check.”

Despite his initial skepticism, Zeke tightened his grip on the reign and rushed ahead. He'd seen and memorized all the locations of Dungeon Regime, so he knew roughly that the mentioned village awaited straight in front of them.

Soon, the faint lights of civilization flickered through the leaves. Zeke entered the village first and stopped right beside the nearest woman he saw.

“Hello!” Zeke tried to sound as casual as possible, seeing as he'd accidentally startled the woman, “Do you happen to see anyone pass by here? Preferably in a carriage?”

As Lysander pulled up next to him, the woman had calmed herself down and responded, pointing behind them, “Yes I did, sir. We were gathered for a feast when I heard wheels coming from outside. I did not think much of it though, so I never saw where they went exactly.”

“Then is there anything else near here?” Lysander asked, “Some…abandoned buildings? Or anywhere in particular that those people may have stopped by?”

“...There's something,” Zeke spoke up instead. He turned to the woman as he snapped his fingers, “Mineshaft, there's an abandoned mine around here, right?”

His words sparked realization in the woman's eyes, “Ah yes! I remember now,” she eagerly nodded, “My grandfather used to work there before it was closed down. We'd already sealed off the place as per His Majesty's orders.”

Lysander stared at Zeke, “You know where that is?”

“Roughly,” he nodded, “But it's as she'd said, the mine's been closed off for years.”

“It's a good enough of a place for them to hide,” Lysander tugged on the reins, getting his horse moving, “Let's go Silas, lead the way. We have no time to waste.”

Silas turned to the woman one last time, “Thank you! Enjoy your meals!” Flicking the rein, he cut off Lysander's horse and led them back into the forest.

Not long after, they arrived at their destination. The worn wooden frames structured around the opening blended in with the surrounding, but Lysander swiftly pointed it out before Zeke rushed past it. As expected, the entrance had been reopened, the wooden barriers laid fragmented nearby.

After they tied their horses to the nearby trees, they quietly headed inside with Lysander leading the way, taking out their swords as precaution.

As it began to feel like forever had passed due to the darkness, they soon saw light at the end of the long descend. Torches lined the giant chasm, lighting up the rusted railways and minecarts. Zeke could clearly make out the footsteps printed on fine dust.

Some of the passages before them had been blocked off by rocks and debris, most likely from the cavern's natural erosion. The ones that still remained opened, though, all had their torches lit up, signifying usage.

Lysander walked to the tunnel furthest from them, “...I hear something coming from here.” he whispered, trying not to make his voice bounce off the walls. Without the need for further elaborations, they both threaded into the tunnel.

The mineshaft had plenty of room for the two of them to walk beside each other, though Lysander still took the lead as they descended the bore. There were other paths branching from the sides, but they remained walking straight forward.

When they came to a forked path, Lysander suddenly stopped, just in time for someone to turn the corner and got startled by the presence of two intruders. But before the man could even let out a scream, Lysander swiftly cut him down, slicing his throat in one clean movement.

“...That surprised me,” Lysander stated calmly as he shook the blood off his sword, “At least we know we're in the right place.”

“You considered that as getting startled?” Zeke didn't say anything out loud, simply nodding along with the older brother’s words. “We should quickly move. That guy's probably patrolling the area, they'll start to suspect something's up when their buddy doesn't return.”

With that, they made their way further down the tunnel. Along the way, they came across several more men, all of which had similar dark clothing Zeke saw the palace intruder wore. They proved to be no issue for Lysander to handle, each going down as easily as cutting through paper.

It aroused both their suspicions. Clearly, something didn't add up. “...They're most likely just random people they paid to do their chores,” Lysander noted as they made a turn. Zeke had already lost count of how many times they changed paths. “Be on high alert, you never know if there are any—”

Before Lysander could finish speaking, a ball of fire hurled towards them from around a corner. Luckily, he reacted in time and deflected it with his sword. “Show yourself!” There was no longer need for any stealth. Lysander put up his guard, coating his weapon with a layer of translucent energy: his aura. “Who are you, and what is your purpose for kidnapping Rowena?”

“Straight to the point, your personality is just as the rumors described it.” A man's deep, hoarse voice rang out as he revealed himself. Similarly to his henchmen, he wore dark clothing; a black hooded coat masking his face, showing only his arrogant smirk and bearded chin.

“...His mana is dense,” Zeke instantly recognized the man as a strong mage, and he couldn't help but swallow down a nervous lump in his throat. “That fireball was probably just a test to gauge Lysander's strength, and if I'm correct…this guy's way out of his league.”

“I'll have you know that I've struck down many mages like you on the battlefield,” Lysander gripped his sword, extending his aura into a more solid form. Though Zeke couldn't see his expression, he could tell that he had a cold, stern face like always. “All of them had the same demeanor as you did, but they fall the same either way.”

The mage merely laughed, his voice echoing through the cavern walls. Zeke even feared the ceiling would topple down from the sheer intensity of his tone. “Oh, really? You seemed rather clueless about your situation, Lysander Salvador, unlike your little brother over there who seemed to know exactly who he's facing.”

Zeke didn't expect to get mentioned. “...Did he read my mana? Even though I hid it?”

“Don't look so surprised,” the mage chuckled, “Even the grand mage couldn't fully conceal his mana, what's an amateur gonna do about it?”

Lysander glanced back at Zeke, a look of clear confusion flashed across his once ice cold features, “...Silas? What is he talking about?”

Zeke clicked his tongue in frustration, “...I was planning on hiding it for a little longer, but I guess I have to let the cat out of the bag.”

Lysander didn't try to stop him when he sheathed his sword and stepped in front of him. Zeke stared at the opposing mage, not showing a single thing on his face. Unlike the man, he clearly saw a hint of frustration judging from the slight twitch on his lips; he tried to read him, but couldn't find a single thing.

“I'll let you go first,” Zeke spoke in a voice brimming with confidence, “This time, use something stronger than a basic fireball.”

The mage snickered. He failed to hide the annoyance behind his smug smile. “As you wish, kid. I'll let this spell be the last thing you get to see.”