174 She Sends Her Little Messenger (1/2)

Robin slowly walked over to a spot near the center of the wall. The air seemed to be...coming down from above? Then it clicked inside her head. Right. The fireplace. There had to be a chimney connected to the outside.

She looked up and saw a small hole in the ceiling. It was too small for a person to fit through, although it was perfect for a chimney. Well, at least the air problem was solved. As for how to get out without accidentally hitting the sewers, hot steam, or volcanic vents: Robin would need to carefully consider things.

”Hmmm...” Robin frowned.

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Behind a line of carriages in the shop for repairs, Christian appeared, being spat out of a solitary slime. It then transformed into Quinn. Christian landed on his feet, but almost fell over, as he had landed on a wooden dowel meant to become a wheel spoke. Christian quickly hopped onto solid ground.

”Where are we?” Christian asked.

”The second circle. This was the closest one to the earthquake site. If we follow the stonemasons, we should be able to reach there quick enough.” Quinn replied.

”Right.” Christian nodded. At that point, a crowd of dwarves carrying large hammers and chisels hurried past the entranceway.

”See? What did I say?” Quinn smirked.

”Don't just stand there! Let's go!” Christian called back as he ran out the door.

Quinn sighed. ”So hasty. Does he not have confidence in the hero's plot armor?” Then he laughed. ”What am I saying? Even if Robin doesn't have plot armor, she's skilled enough that she can probably deal with it on her own.”

Shaking his head, Quinn followed after Christian at a more leisurely pace.

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Ayva scowled at the stonemason who had reported to her. ”Yer saying this was designed this way? Ta just cave in like that?”

”The rubble is too orderly ta think otherwise.” The stonemason said. ”Look at how level et is. if'n et were an accident, then there'd be an uneven-ness where some parts'd be deeper, an som part's be higher. Also, the edges around the collapse are too clean. Not ta mention the signs of pickaxes on the walls there. If'n et isn't a collapsible tunnel, then Ah'll eat me own boots.”

Ayva was quiet for a moment. Then she asked in a somewhat less confident voice.

”Say...What are the odds of a body being buried under all of this?”

”Well-” The stonemason was interrupted by Christian arriving upon the scene, rushing up to the site.

”Ayva, please don't tell me that Robin is underneath that. He's just helping out somewhere else in the second circle, right?” Christian asked, trying to reign in his growing sense of panic.

”Alright...” Ayva replied slowly. ”Ah won't tell Ye. Ta be honest, Ah'm not too sure where Robin be right now. As fer that there rubble...” She turned to the stonemason. ”About what Ah asked ye earlier?”

The stonemason shook his head. ”If there was a body then there'd still be a sign of uneven-ness. Collapsed tunnels are meant ta interlock in a way as ta completely fill the area underneath. a body would mess with the equilibrium of the interlocking. If'n he be down there, then he's not in tha tunnel.”

”So, at tha very least, we can rule out death by collapsed tunnel.” Ayva sighed. ”Where are the plans fer this area?”

”According ta my records, this stretch of land be under King Throm's brother, Lord Thorn.” The stonemason scratched his head. ”All of the areas under his lands are handled by mah second cousin's company. So I'm not in possession of tha blueprints.”

”Oh, by the king's crown!” Ayva scowled.

Christian felt relieved, though still somewhat worried.

”Perhaps he isn't even under there?” Christian asked, hoping that was the case.

”Nonsense! Robin comes up here for the first time ever, and all of a sudden there's a coincidental cave-in? Robin's definitely involved in this.” Quinn quickly shot down Christian's false hope. ”But, odds are, sh-he's probably still alive.”

Ayva's scowl deepened as she glanced over at Quinn. Was he also aware of Robin's situation? She narrowed here eyes.