Chapter 383: Learning about the surroundings (1/2)

Sir Arthur looked at the group, studying each of their emotions silently, before finally speaking up as he looked at the golden-eyed youngster with a growing smile.

”You know Aiden, your question is actually quite good.” He nodded, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room once again.

”After all… why would you possibly care about such petty and bothersome squabbles, right?” He asked as a mysterious, knowing smirk stretching across his bearded face.

Immediately, the air in the room became heavy, still, rather awkward even. Aiden's usual aloofness instantly vanished, he looked at the old man, with cold eyes and a stern outlook dominating his expression.

His sister, Lily, was looking rather similar to his brother. Her usual cheerfulness vanished, replaced by a serious look. Though she remained seated, it was clear she was ready and could jump into action instantly if the situation soured even further.

Galina also focused her golden eyes on the white-bearded old man. Whilst her face was hidden behind her faceless thin frame of the mask she got from his Young Master, her eyes carried no trace of the previous kind and shy little girl. There was a fierce passion burning in them.

Even the royal siblings, Drake and Scarlet turned serious after the old man's strange words. Though they preferred avoiding unnecessary trouble, they couldn't sit this one out and leave their friends in trouble if push comes to shove.

”What do you mean by that, Sir Arthur?” Sara asked with a heavy, stern gaze fixed on the old man's figure, studying his body posture and movements. If possible she wanted to de-escalate the trouble. Explaining a fight in the back office area alone would be rather troublesome, not to mention if the higher-ups in the headquarters would learn that one of the participants was the legendary Roaring Lion!

Having been suddenly placed under such heavy scrutiny, the old man, Sir Arthur didn't seem to mind it at all. He ignored all the others and just kept his attention on the long black-haired boy.

Still, as his lips parted he responded to Sara's inquiry first.

”Nothing much. Nothing much…” He muttered, before taking a blink. In an instant, the strange look vanished, the previous gentle, warm smile replacing it, he looked at the youngsters in the room, nodding his head at them.

”I didn't mean to come out as intrusive or offensive in any way. If I did so, that was not my intention and for that, I humbly apologize. Everyone has their secrets, and I can respect that.”

He winked at Aiden with his last sentence, his intent was clear. His actions, his look, his words were saying: 'I know your secret, boy'.

Whatever he meant by his earlier words, Sir Arthur didn't elaborate further and returned his attention to the earlier topic.

He turned and looked at Sara as he asked.

”Miss Examiner, did you perhaps bring a map with you? If so, may I ask that you unfold it over the table?”

Nodding, a large yellowish piece of rolled-up pergamen appeared in her slender little arms, which she promptly unfolded, using a couple of rocks that she also pulled out from probably from some space-related treasure she had.

As the pergamen was slowly unfolded and weighed down, the topographical map of a large piece of vaguely familiar land appeared in front of Aiden and his group.

At the southern reaches of it, the city of Higrove appeared as an irregularly shaped rectangle-like body just at the side of a light blue line that represented the nearby river they all knew.

The large forest was like a huge mass of green that encompassed a huge portion of the south, southwest and even stretched up to the north, covering most of the explored, visible space of the western border, ultimately ending somewhere at the generic line where the capital Elsaid could be found.

West to the capital around a thousand or so miles a huge mountain range separated the Kingdom from the huge black mass that covered almost all of the eastern half of the explored landmass. 'Trachian Empire' was written with large white letters at the center of it. Most of its space was coated with black paint, even its geographical features were like a mystery.

Finding this very puzzling, Aiden raised the question almost instantly.

”Excuse me, but why is the east covered in black? Do we no nothing of that part of the land?”

To his surprise, his question was answered by Sara and not the veteran old man.