Guest

"These things are true as time is right...

...A guest arrives as he derives...

...With tool and clue she think suffice...

...A ruin beneath not need think thrice."

Just as I am on my way toward the kitchen door, once more The Keeper is acting as a poet as he began to describe the guest outside. In the meantime, the knocking noise calms down replace with a feminine voice.

"Excuse me I believe this is the Scott house correct" The lady voice from the outside calling in. First thing first who are you my lady and second who is this Scott this is supposed to be my house so is Scott's name my family name?

Who am I and what is my relation with the lady outside. I think and shove the dice out mine pocket and then roll it on the dining table.

'80' Interesting a fail roll let see what I get.

"failure. Arostier you know who you are. Your real name here is Auksara Tiean Scott your ID is in the wallet that lay on your study desk which you previously fail to notice and as of your relationship with the lady outside the sound alone is too hard for you to recall but you did remember that not too long ago you send a letter seeking help from your professor" help of a professor? for what purpose though? But since she is not any enemy let not make the lady wait outside for too long.

"Yes yes you come to the right address I will get the door for you immediately" I grab the dice and shove it in my pant pocket and proceed to the door. And to my surprise, the door isn't locked what a safety hazard house I live in but no matter as now the door can be open.

Outside stood a slender physique lady in a wrap fur coat protecting her from the low temperature outside. The lady have a short ruddy brown hair and green eye which full of passion. Holding by her hand is an old fashion Gladstone bag the type of bag that is an amalgamation of suitcase and toolbox.

As I watch her outward appearance I found her eye seem to be fixated on me. An eye that looks full of curiosity as if she seeing something that is not to the ordinary but before she asks anything I first invite her to the living room of the house.

Before I close the door I realize that there is no locomotive and no one else outside of my door so she came here alone. So I close the door and lead her into the living room opposite the kitchen.

Inside the living room is a warm-looking fireplace in the middle of two bookshelves decorating that side of the wall. In front of the bookshelves is a short table surrounded by a long and regular-size sofa. The opposite side of the fireplace also has two bookshelves and a picture of me albeit in my original dark brown color hair standing with someone who I do not recognize.

"Please sit so we can talk miss." I find a seat and invite my guest to sit. The lady then finds a sofa to sit on and drop her bag close by. The bag look to be full of material as I can here a sound of iron rolling inside when she place it on the ground.

"Arostier Scott, I lived here and what shall I call you?" As a courtesy and introduction should come first this is always my first priority except for some dumbfound situations. I spoke while at the same time holding my hand up for a handshake.

"Berdetta Parker an underground explorer from the geologist club nice to meet you." Ah, a geologist and mysterious place underground did I invite her here in the hope of investigating what was down there at the cellar?

"So have you found anything related to the place down here Miss.Parker" I have no idea what our connection is but seeing her introduction it might be a case of expedition recruit or something similar.

She shakes her head. "I already try to look for anything to add to your description of this place from the local library but other than some old rumor suggest that down there is a manmade tunnel. Old forgotten underground passage is what we likely to meet down there I presume" Apparently she did some research before coming here. What an active fellow we got he also she doesn't look deject at all even though she said she find nothing new is she enjoying the mystery? Ah I do want to hold a conversation but I don't have anything to give in this conversation at all what a shame a rumor about the underground tunnel sound important considering it is likely the goal of mine.

"Give me a History check if you wish to know about the manmade tunnel. Your body did sent an invitation to her after all." The Keeper's voice suddenly rang out.

"Hm... Ms.Parker did you heard?" A double-meaning question is my attempt. if she heard The Keeper it is for that and if she is oblivion this question will be seen as relating to the underground passage discussion.

"Is there anything Mr.Scott can add? I only find out about the rumor this place have a secret passage for trafficking slave is there more to it? Anything more to add as an owner of the resident Mr.Scott?" Ok she did not hear the keeper it seem. Very well as for that question let see after the dice.

I bring out the dice to show it to Ms.Parker. I want to check whether she can perceive this thing or not.

"...What is it?" Ah she sees it so this thing is not in my mind it seems as it have physical form for other to perceive. "Look like a dice but seem to have more face than a regular one. Is there any significance you wish to imply?" Eh... was it not common yet in this time period to see a ten-side dice? Well seem like I gain her attention let roll with it.

"Let say that it relate to this expedition Ms.Parker I want you to observe and give me some opinion." 'I will roll for history recall any info relate to underground rumor' I direct that thought toward The Keeper as I roll the dice on the table.

'10' and '3' and as I have seen before the magical glyph combine phenomenon have once again taken place. I shift my focus toward watching Ms.Parker reaction to this kind of situation and what I saw is that of Ms.Parker's curious gaze toward this phenomena.

'13' huh that was quite a high roll there maybe I will have a think to talk about after all huh.

"Hard success history improve check. Arostier as you recall what history this property of your aunt once were. You once heard your aunt mention as if jokingly about reestablishing an underground tunnel and something about good luck that made the project faster as there is a natural cavern in the way. Come to think of it you it, your aunt never contact you after mention it till the day you find out that your aunt passes away." Oh, a hard success eh seems like my history stat is quite decent how fortunate. And there is also some small detail to add to the conversation nice.

"What is with that dice how come the number combine in the air like that. No... how come it can even calculate and show the number like that with these tiny-looking dice?" Oh she seem to got confuse. Well that is to be the case since I will also find it hard to believe seeing a dice that tell a result holographically even in my day and age what can this people in the 19th expect?

"Ahem well it is hard for me to explain since I also didn't quite sure of it origin." let find some cover up for now shift the focus. "The thing I want to add about the tunnel might not be credible since I heard it a long time ago but I have some reason to believe that the tunnel down there is not exclusively man-made as in there might be a natural cave connected to the tunnel if what the previous owner said is to be true" This should be the content of that roll so it should be relevant.

"Oh and as for the dice I found it here as I move in. Might sound like a big leap but I thought that this dice might come from down there so I enlisted your help to find out what is below" Let's hope this is persuasive enough it is bad for me if she questions thing here so let shift more.

"Ms.Parker you are a geologist right? I am not sure what this dice is made of can you have a look at its material? Maybe try giving it a roll, feel it touch, anything like that." I can see that she want to ask something but seem to be lost for word since I keep talking she seems to decide to give it a try.

"Understand I will take a look at it first. But I feel like I need to said this first I have never experienced any magical rack before so you know Mr.Scott" As she done speaking her hand start doing. She open her Gladstone bag showing a compartment inside, it is full of something that look like an underground exploration gear. I can spot some flare and helmet etc. She picks out a hand lens a small magnifying glass as she use it to observe the dice surface. She also use some other tool to try and scratch the dice maybe to check it hardness? I don't know since I ain't a geologist.

And then she roll the dice.

'10'and'7'

And to my sirprise the magical glyph phenomenon occurs once again. I am quite shocked as I didn't expect for the other to be able to use it.

'17' the number form as Ms.Parker try to touch the floating glyph just for it to be pass through like nothing is there.

"Berdetta Parker Geology Science Check" The Keeper voice rang out in my head. I look at Ms.Parker and find that she didn't seem to be losing any focus so I assume she still didn't hear the voice of The Keeper.

"Hard success and check for improvement for lady parker." It seem to use Ms.Parker stat as base for this situation huh. well, that is somewhat making sense though. "As lady Parker attempted to identify these rock-like dice without any appropriate tool without any facility and as the minute passed by. What she found is only a tiny bit. That tiny bit she found as a geologist is that this thing has value in academic research." Huh? so you announced the result of the dice roll to me neat.

I see Ms.Parker place the dice back on the table and shake her head a little.

"Sadly I can't do much with the only tool I got with me Mr.Scott but I can tell you that this dice material is some kind of odd structure rock that I find it hard to describe as of for now."

"As a geologist do you find any value in this dice?" I asked

"Of course there is! A strange rock plus strange phenomenon how in the world would this kind of stuff have no research value!?" Oh true how would it not?

"Hah it is good that you took interest in it I also wish to research this thing too. Maybe after the little adventure? What do you think Ms. Parker interest in researching this dice together later?" I don't know whether I will still be here after the session but what can go wrong with such a small promise?

"Sure thing pleasure making an acquaintance beforehand then Mr.Scott" She then initiate a handshake.

"Just call me Arostier. pleasure making a cooperation Ms.Parker" It just doesn't feel right being call Scott so let us shrink our relationship a bit.

"Sure mister and as for me you can call me Berdet happy cooperation Arostier" Hum...hum I shake her hand with delight as it look like I got a brain-type companion for the expedition ground beneath.