9 Investigation

"What?!! How can only now they found the fort. It's impossible to build it overnight, right?"

"My lord. As per your order that limited the patrol zone of the western area, the soldiers never went more than 500 meters from the town."

The Lord held his head. "So everything was because of my mistake."

"You can't blame yourself My Lord, I know you did it because the order of General Karsten." The butler said. General Karsten was the one who sent Elias's father to his death. After Elias's father's death he hasn't been satisfied with it, so he made Lorist to make Elias's family live a hard life. He wanted to make Elias's father as an example to everyone who do not obey him. If you are not afraid to die, then how if I make your family suffer, that was his principle.

The lord then ordered the town guard to not patrol more than 500 meters away to the west of the town. It was mainly to leave Elias's hut unguarded. While the western area itself is relatively safe with no bandits roaming the area, there were cases and reports about the appearance of low beasts. But it was still not a threat for the town, so until now there was no case that needed any special attention in the western area.

"You don't need to console me. For now your duty is to check on the fortress. Investigate who is the owners of the fortress, and if necessary you can have an audience with them and ask them about their purpose building the fort and which group they are from. We can't let any other power beside the town guards to emerge in this town. And sent some soldiers to spy on them, and report to me about every activities they do outside the fort."

"As you wish My Lord." The butler answered while bowing his head.

"Now go." The Lord waved his hand.

"Yes." The butler said and he get out of the room.

The study returned to silent atmosphere like before the butler came.

"Sigh.." Lorist sighed as he slumped on his cozy chair.

--__--

In the village Elias is sitting under the banyan tree looking at Irene and some of the kids who are playing with some rabbits and puppies. These animals are not just ordinary animals, but a magical beasts which was tamed by Irene.

Aside from reaching level 9 beginner mage, Irene also got beast taming skill. She can tame any beasts as long as their levels are lower than hers.

Elias just watching at Irene. He doesn't realize that Irene aware he is watching her. Irene became annoyed everytime Elias's habit of looking at her absentmindedly emerged. It was because everytime he did that, she felt very nervous and her ears became so hot. But even though she felt annoyed she was never feeling unhappy, instead there was always a happy feeling she doesn't know how to explain.

Irene suddenly turned her head to look at Elias and said, "Brother, didn't you planned to go somewhere today?"

Elias who was taken aback when Irene suddenly looking at him became nervous. "Uh..eh.. Yes, yes.. I planned to go to Maron City." Elias stuttered.

Today Elias planned to visit the city, mainly to sell some magic cores. Until today the magic cores in his hand had reached one hundred cores and to buy some life necessity like clothes etc for him and the others. He also planned to buy some raw metal ores to test his blacksmith skill. This skill is one of the skills he got from the memories that have not been tried before. It was because he doesn't have necessary resource to do it.

Today he want to take Aldrick with him to the city. Aside from him and Irene, Aldricks is the oldest among the kids, so Elias want to let him experience the life outside of the village. Of course Elias himself never visited the places outside the territory of Tiris Town.

After he told Aldrick and the latter became very excited while the other kids disappointed that the ones brought to the city wasn't them. To calm them Elias promised that he will bring them to the city in the future.

Negar placed all the magic cores in an item storage. He doesn't put them in the Godly Stone because he doesn't want anyone know about it. Even the ones in the village doesn't know this stone.

The item storage was made by Elias using a magic core. He used the knowledge he got from the alchemy master's memory in his mind. The higher the level of the magic core, the bigger the space in the storage is. The lowest of the magic core is the core of level one low beast, it has one square meter space. The higher the level of the core, the space will increase with one square meter.

Once everything was prepared, Elias held Aldrick in his hand. In a blink of an eye they disappeared from the sight of everyone in the village.

--__--

Finn is one of the patrol squad leader. His squad was responsible to patrol the western and the north western area. Since he joined this squad until he was promoted to a 5 men squad leader, he was very confused why the area being patrolled in the western area only limited to 500 meters. Even though he was curios, he felt that this way was better since he will have more time to rest.

But everything was changed since a hunter who was returned after hunting in a small forest in the western area made a report to him. He told him that there was a fortress in the area one km away from the town.

In the beginning he thought the hunter was joking or exaggerating things. If there is a settlement, at most it will only be a wooden fenced village like other villages in the surrounding of the town. The only thing made him curious was why the village was so close to the town. The nearest settlement he knew was 10 km away from the town.

He decided to take a look, after all,he and his subordinates were only slacking in the barrack. After he saw the fortress himself, he hurriedly returned to the town and reported to the town guards leader.

And currently he was ordered to investigate the fortress along with 30 soldiers. They were led by the town guards leader.

When they arrived at the fortress' gate the leader shouted loudly, "Anyone inside? We are the Tiris Town Guards. We want to have an audience with the ones inside."

Not long after, a tiny head appeared atop of the wall. It was a boy about 4 years old.

The child was looking at them from above. He narrowed his eyes with snot running from his nostrils. The soldiers was amused when they see the boy's behavior.

Finn was surprised when the child appeared. Before the shock disappeared, another tiny heads showed beside the kids. Another seven kids was looking at them.

"Is this fortress owned by those kids?" Finn asked his comrades. The other soldiers not answering them, it was the same exact question they wanted to ask.

"Kid, where are your parents? I want to talk with them." The guard leader asked.

"Hmm.. We have no parents." The first boy who appeared answered.

"Then who is the owner of this fortress?" The leader continue to ask.

"What is a fortress?" The boy asked the kids beside him. While the other kids shook their heads showing that they also have no idea.

The guard leader just facepalmed, now he know how difficult it is to talk with kids. 'Don't tell me the owner of the fortress are these kids. Am I have to have a talk with them?' He thought.

"Then who is the owner of this big wall?" He asked once more.

"Oh.. do you mean the one who built this wall? It should be big bro Elias then." The kid said.

The leader who heard it finally sighed in relief. "Mmm.. Can I meet this big bro Elias?" The leader said imitating the kids speaking style. When the soldiers heard it, they want to laugh but they held it.

The kids was confused, why was this uncle talking like kids? They was never encountered an adult talking like that.

"Big bro is out right now." The kid's answer was short.

"Then who is the one taking care of you, is there any other big bro or big sis?" The leader asked again.

"Yes. There is big sis Irene."

"Can I come in to talk with her?" The leader said.

"Let me ask her first." The kid said then jumped off the wall.

The soldiers was dumbfounded after they saw it.

"Was that kid just jump off the wall?" Finn with his jaw open asked his comrades.

"Do you think we know?" His comrades scolded him.

...

Not long after, a beautiful woman appeared on top of the wall. She is Irene. She was nervous because there is so many armed people outside of the village. After seeing them she can feel that all of them have higher cultivation than her. The lowest of them was at level 1 intermediate realm.

However, she still can hide her nervous feeling and showed herself before them.

"My name is Irene. Is there any matter you need from me?" She asked.

"My name is Gran. We are from Tiris Town Guards. Can you let me in?"

"I'm sorry, I can't. Our leader is still outside so we can't make any decision without his permission. If you want, you can wait for him." She said.

Gran, the guards leader keeps quiet. He is thinking what step he have to take.

"What is your opinion?" Gran asked the Vice Leader beside him.

"I think we need to wait a bit longer. We can wait in a safe distance and send someone to make a report to the higher ups and asking any other instructions." The vice leader said.

Gran nodded and said, "Let's do it that way. Tell the others that we will stay 200 meters away from this fortress."

Irene who heard everything they said just stay quiet, she just hoped Elias will return earlier. If those guys intended to attack the village she doesn't have any means to stop them.

"Okay Miss. For now we will wait for your leader, let's hope he doesn't take too much of our time." Gran said. Then the soldiers retreated until they are 200 meters away from the village.

...

"Harper, come here." Gran shouted to one of the soldiers.

A tall soldier approached Gran. "What is your order Captain?" He asked Gran.

"Go to the town and report to Butler Nick, tell him all the events that happened and ask him what steps we must take." Gran ordered the soldier.

"Yes, Sir!" the soldier replied, then he channelled his energy to his feet and start running towards the town. He was running with 60 km per hour speed.

--__--

After arrived at Maron City, both Elias and Aldrick were surprised by the city. Tiris Town was nothing compared this city. Three storied buildings were common in this city, while in Tiris, the highest building only has two stories. There are also stores which sell different kinds of things.

Elias asked a person the store which sells and buys magic cores. When they arrived at the store, Elias immediately sold 10 low level magic cores. There were not many people selling ten cores at once, but that amount will not cause other people put their eyes on you. But it was a different story if he sold the cores in Tiris Town, it will definitely causing some unwanted troubles.

After playing around for a bit, Elias and Aldrick returned to the village.

"Finally you arrived. We have a situation right now." Irene said to Elias.

--__--

Inside the town lord's office.

Lorist Rivald sits on a chair. In front of him the messenger sent by the town guards stands.

"So, the real owner is not in the fortress. And the people inside it only kids and a woman, and they call it as a village? It seems they are not a threat to the town and just want to live in there. But I am curious to who is this 'Big Bro' and the ones who built the fortress." The lord said after he heard the report.

"I'm sorry My Lord. But I think that those kids are not ordinary, and the woman seemed very calm when she faced us." The messenger said while he looks at the lord.

"As for your report that you saw a kid jumped off the wall, it seems that they were trained in some form of cultivation. As for the woman being calm, it can be that she never sees the soldiers as a threat or that she forced herself to be calm." The lord concluded. He really has what it takes to be a lord, he is wise and smart. He thought that being calm is not mean that someone is stronger than you.

"But, even so, for her to be calm despite facing tens of soldiers proved that she is an experienced person. Go tell Gran, for now just wait for the real owner to come and don't make any unnecessary move." The lord said while holding his chin.

"As you wish my lord." The messenger said. He bowed to Lorist and exited the office.

'Let's just hope there won't be any problem'. Lorist wished.