Back to the mountain

Hera and Silah talked with the ambassadors for about one hour. They explained how the people of Boothudurn lived and the type of society they had. Hera reinforced several times that there should be rules or laws to protect their way of life, since forcing them to buy food and other supplies could disrupt how they were used to doing things.

Valyra made it clear that this was the case among most civilizations, and they had several ways to avoid those kinds of troubles. Kadmek also added that even the merchants would help them figure out the best way for the city to have the benefits of the modern world but keep their own culture and customs alive. A lot of it had to do with separating the people who lived there from the incoming traffic. After their talk, everyone felt ready to go to the room, or at least as prepared as they could be. They headed outside and towards the doorway, accompanied by Bonnie, Alex, and Helena. Silah had invited them to come along. The ambassadors weren't that thrilled with the idea since it could give the people from Boothudurn the wrong impression. However, the invitation was made by Silah, who they assumed was someone well respected there. It would be rude to say no.

They entered the Kobold Tunnel that was still being explored. People were moving around and finding several other rooms connected to it. Most rooms in that tunnel were already known by other explorers, but a couple of new rooms made things even more complicated. The guild ended up calling several employees to organize all that, and people were still blocked off from entering. Scout teams were the only ones allowed to go to the new room.

As Hera and the others arrived at the doorway, they were allowed to pass through it. Inside the Kobold Tunnel, just outside the small path leading to the Kobold Field, three dwarven guards were posted as if they were waiting for them.

"Silah, Hera!" Sevaris gasped.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Why aren't you back home?" Silah asked.

"Honestly, things are a bit… tense back there," Sevaris scratched his head.

"What did you do?"

"Look, Olenda asked me if she had put on some weight. I just told her honestly that she was a bit rounder these days."

"For fuck's sake, man. You never tell a woman that, not when they ask," Hera sighed, "Don't you know we ask that when we are feeling self-conscious?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know that? Besides, my Olenda is the most beautiful woman in the mountain."

"That's debatable, but I guess we are not there, so that might be true," Silah said.

Sevaris scoffed and turned to the other humans, "So… some of you I know. Who is the ambassador?"

Introductions were made, and the group was led to Boothudurn's doorway. The guards were all extremely excited about meeting more humans for the first time. They also assumed that Valyra was a human, since they didn't have the concept of an elf. The lack of attention clearly bothered Kadmek, and Hera noticed some mocking glances that the elven woman gave to the old dwarf. They seemed to have a very good relationship.

They reached the doorway about one hour later, and the small blockade Ogryn and other dwarves had created was unexpected. Hera imagined something like a checkpoint, but they constructed an entire building covering the doorway with small doors where people could come through. Inside, there was an area like the reception of a hotel, but there were a couple of rooms and a bathroom to the right. It was a place that people could live without an issue, as long as they had supplies. Already working on the blockade, they saw a few other dwarves, including Naka, who was there to make sure no one tried to invade the area.

"Captain! I didn't expect you to be here," Silah said when they arrived at the building.

"We agreed it was best to stay outside the mountain to protect our city. Besides, Ogryn figured that we can lock the room if needed."

"That is indeed the case," Valyra chimed in, "However, if you wish to completely close off your room, you must close all doorways at the same time."

Naka squinted at the elf, "It's a good thing we only have one then. And I didn't catch your name."

"Of course, apologies. I'm Valyra, and I'm a level 53 researcher specialized in politics and infrastructure. Also, let me add, you have more than one doorway. I guarantee it. No room has only one."

"And I'm Kadmek, a level 48 fighter. I use a hammer to fight, but as you can see, I'm unarmed," Kadmek rose his arms and did a spin to show that he wasn't carrying any weapons. After a moment, he cleared his throat and gestured to Kevin to say something.

"Right! I'm Kevin, I'm level 33, and I'm a hunter, and I'm very dedicated, proactive and hope to assist you in this new endeavor."

"Are you… interviewing for a job?" Bonnie asked.

"What? No! I mean, am I?" Kevin scratched his head.

Hera sighed. This wasn't a good look for the guild. Valyra and Kadmek seemed much more trustworthy, and Kevin… well, he seemed more like an intern than anything else.

"Right, what about those three?" Naka pointed to Hera's party.

"These are my friends. I tried to tell them they could stay back, but, well… That didn't work. These are Helena, Bonnie, and Alex. Mage, researcher, and assassin, in that order. They are all under level 20, although I'm not sure why everyone is telling their levels," Hera replied.

"It's to allow the captain to understand our strength and also reassure her that we are not a high-level party who came to attack," Valyra explained.

"Very well, and all of you are the people who are going to change our city?" Naka asked.

"We don't want to change your city. Just give you options to join the rest of the MAZE. We have the knowledge, tools, experience, and culture of billions of people among our groups, and thanks to that, we can progress at a much faster pace than when alone. But this will only happen if you accept that. If not, you are free to continue your lives as they are. We can even assist you with that. However, it would be better if we discussed this with your current ruler. And I don't believe you are him since you should have a King," Kadmek said.

"A woman can't rule where you are from?" Naka turned to the dwarf.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. We talked a bit with Hera and Silah and, although they didn't mention his name, they referred to him as King and 'he.' So I assumed he was a man and not a woman," Kadmek explained.

"Well, you are correct. Come, I'll escort you there, but be warned that I will not allow you to harm any of my people," Naka said, and turned to the doorway.

The party walked through it and arrived back in the city. The size of the kingdom surprised the ambassadors. They didn't expect to have such a large community thriving on its own. In most cases, when a new civilization was found, there would be only a few hundred people. It's been over 500 years since anyone found a place with more than a thousand citizens that had no connection to the rest of the MAZE. Kevin, Valyra, and Kadmek kept asking about where they got food and water and how they made clothes. Hera and Silah had already answered the majority of those questions, but it seemed like they wanted to double-check the information.

Naka replied to some questions, but she ignored a good part of them, thinking that the King should be the one to talk to them about it. At the same time, Hera told Bonnie, Alex, and Helena about what happened inside the room. She mentioned staying in front of the doorway every time she felt homesick, how it was to live without the sun, and kept showing the different places and people that she knew. It was like having someone show you their hometown, although the situation itself was considerably different. Hera was also cautious not to talk too much about certain things close to the ambassadors. She didn't want to give them some piece of information that could go against the people of Boothudurn. Despite everything, she was a bit skeptical about their intentions. Most organizations and countries were only interested in their own benefit, and King Rutigan wasn't exactly the most careful person. If they started showering him with gifts, technology, and large promises, she was worried about what might happen to the city.

"Hera, I think I'm going to check on my family now," Silah said, just as the group got closer to the palace.

"Sure, did you get everything?" Hera knew she had bought some food and some knick-knacks for her family.

"Yeah. Don't leave the room without talking to me, ok?" Silah asked.

"Don't worry. We crossed two doorways already. We are staying the night here, and… well, I'm guessing the ambassadors will stay at my place, unless Rutigan made a room in the palace fit for human-sized people," Hera squeezed Silah's hand before letting her go.

After splitting off, Hera and the others entered the palace and were guided to the council chambers. When the ambassadors arrived at the checkpoint, Naka sneakily sent one of the guards back with a message to gather the council. Unfortunately, she didn't stall long enough, so only Rutigan, Ogryn, and Fethy were already waiting for the group.

"Welcome!" The King greeted the group. Usually, the council chamber only had the seats in a circle with an empty area in the middle. Now, however, there was a table and an illusory whiteboard right in front of it, with the seats a bit more spread so everyone could see both the table and the board. Rutigan was right by the door carrying a chair to the table while Ogryn and Fethy were already in their seats.

"We thank you for your invitation, King. I understand that all this might be a bit overwhelming, but we are here to help to the best of our abilities," Valyra bowed to Ogryn.

The counselor chuckled, "I appreciate it, but there seems to be a small misunderstanding. I'm not the King."

"Oh… My apologies, I simply assumed due to your seat," Valyra replied while Kadmek hid a chuckle.

Hera felt a bit bad since it was partially her fault, but it wasn't like she didn't mention Rutigan's age on purpose, and she did say that his counselor was an old man. But it was an honest mistake. No King would ever be bothered to set up the chairs in a meeting in human culture. Even managers already felt like they were above all that.

"Worry not, Hera and Blue told us that humans have different expectations than we do. Please, feel free to take a seat. We are still missing a few members of the council," Rutigan walked towards Hera, "And I'm happy to see you back here. Part of me didn't expect you to return so soon."

"I wasn't going to leave you guys to deal with all this on your own. But Blue went back to her family," Hera smiled.

"I imagine that she missed them," Rutigan turned to the remaining members of the group, "And who are you?" Helena, Alex, and Bonnie introduced themselves, and the King made a point of shaking each of their hands, "Hera told me many stories about you all. You are very good friends, and thank you for helping her grow."

"C'mon, man. Don't make me cry," Hera playfully pushed Rutigan away from the group.

"Very well, very well. I know you've been here for just a few months, but you are part of our family. Never forget that."

"I won't," Hera smiled.

"All right then. Now, the rest of the council shall arrive shortly. Hera, you and your friends are more than welcome to join this discussion, but I will understand if you wish to show them around the city as well," Rutigan gestured towards the number of chairs on the table. There was enough not just for the ambassadors, but also for Hera's group.

"Actually, it would be better if we didn't include other people in this discussion. Politics is a sensitive subject, and some of their views might hinder our work," Kevin interrupted.

"Nonsense. Hera taught me much about your world. She would be of great help to us."

"Even so, I must protest. In our society, discussions of policy are to be made only with those who have the power to make decisions. I'm afraid we won't be able to continue if someone who wasn't prepared for such an occasion is around," Kevin said. By his tone, Hera didn't feel like he was making fun of her or being a snob, and it wasn't like she didn't understand why he said that. Most international deals were made behind closed doors. Still, hearing that wasn't exactly pleasant.

"Very well," Rutigan turned to Hera and her friends, "I apologize for my mistaken invitation. Take this chance to show your friends around town, but I do hope that we may talk later. I'm sure we will have much to discuss," Rutigan said.

"Sure, same time as usual?" Hera replied with a smile, trying to fight the urge to snicker at Kevin. It seemed obvious that the King was showing that Hera would take part in the decision nonetheless.

"Yes, I will be waiting."

Hera turned to Helena, Bonnie, and Alex, "So, what do you guys want to see first? My home, the lake, or the dungeon I created with Blue?"