The Sixth Elder pulled back his hood completely, revealing a well-defined face. His grayish-green eyes swept over the group in the dim mine shaft, finally resting on Minnie.
“...Seventh Elder, what are you doing here?”
The Sixth Elder's gaze lingered on Minnie for a moment before slowly scanning the people behind her—Blake, Oliver, Isabella, and finally resting on Leopold.
“...It seems you aren't the only one who knows,” the Sixth Elder said in a low voice. “Do you all know about the Fifth Elder's situation as well?”
“We just came from the warehouse,” Blake said, sizing up the Sixth Elder. “The underground level is more than half empty, and there are suspicious marks on the crates.”
“So... did the Sixth Elder also notice that something is wrong with the Fifth Elder?” Minnie asked tentatively.
The Sixth Elder didn't answer immediately. He turned his head to glance deeper into the mine shaft before turning back. “I came to confirm something.”
“What is it?”
“Where the supplies transported down the elevator shaft went.” The Sixth Elder pulled a ledger from his cloak. “This contains the Fifth Elder's accounts, documenting the flow of warehouse supplies and procurement over this period.”
“However, I find these accounts highly unusual.” The Sixth Elder opened the ledger and tapped his finger against one of the pages.
“At first glance, the source and destination of every transaction seem perfectly clear. But anyone with even a basic understanding of bookkeeping will notice numerous discrepancies.”
The Sixth Elder took a step forward.
“In other words, this ledger is forged, and rather clumsily at that!” The Sixth Elder lowered the ledger and looked Leopold in the eye. “Such falsification might seem plausible in ordinary accounts.”
“But this is the Fifth Elder. Such a sloppy forgery feels far too deliberate, almost as if someone is trying to frame him...”
Leopold didn't respond immediately after hearing the Sixth Elder's words. Standing in the shadows of the mine shaft, he glanced at Minnie beside him.
Minnie's expression didn't change. She kept her head slightly lowered, her hands wrung in front of her, looking utterly at a loss.
Yet, Leopold couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The Sixth Elder's ledger, the empty crates in the underground warehouse, the way Minnie had led them here—all the “evidence” was far too neat, like a prearranged path where they were being guided at every step.
“Framed... You're right, I think so too...” Minnie's voice was very quiet, carrying a hint of hesitation. “The Fifth Elder... wouldn't make such careless accounting errors, would he?”
“If it's a problem even the Seventh Elder can spot, it's indeed beneath the Fifth Elder's usual standards,” the Sixth Elder agreed with a nod. “Though the Fifth Elder certainly has the face of a traitor...”
Minnie's eyelashes fluttered slightly. She didn't argue, only whispering, “...I really don't understand these things very well.”
“The Sixth Elder is right,” Leopold finally spoke, his voice calm. “The discrepancies in the ledger are indeed too obvious. It's not the kind of mistake someone in the Fifth Elder's position would make.”
The Sixth Elder nodded again and tucked the ledger away. “That is why I believe these accounts were intentionally forged to frame the Fifth Elder.”
“Hey, Leo,” Isabella called out. She was already standing by the elevator shaft, peering down into it.
“It's very deep down there,” Isabella said without turning around. “And there's wind.”
“Wind?” Leopold walked to the edge of the elevator shaft and looked down. Sure enough, there was a steady, faint breeze, suggesting a vast space below that was highly likely connected directly to the surface.
This seemed to explain how the Fifth Elder transported the supplies out and where they had gone.
Standing a few paces away, Minnie asked softly, “So... should we go down and take a look?”
Leopold didn't answer immediately. He stood up, slapped the dust off his hands, and turned his gaze away from the shaft opening. “It's getting late. Let's head back first, everyone.”
The Sixth Elder glanced at him but didn't press further, simply nodding. “...Very well. The mine shafts are unsafe at night, and it's best not to linger near the elevator shaft. You all should head back first; I'll handle the matter of the ledger.”
He stepped aside, clearing the path.
Leopold paused slightly as he walked past him, but he didn't stop. He could feel the Sixth Elder's gaze on his back, as well as Minnie's.
Leopold paid them no mind.
He continued forward, lost in thought. Was the Fifth Elder the traitor? Or was the Seventh Elder the one with issues? Or was this Sixth Elder an accomplice as well?
The information was too chaotic; Leopold needed time.
That night, Leopold let out a long breath only after returning to his room. He rubbed his temples, still feeling that something was off, though he couldn't put his finger on it.
Knock, knock. Someone tapped on his door twice.
“Leo?”
Leopold looked up, startled. “...Bella? The door's unlocked.”
Isabella pushed the door open, holding a small wooden mug that was steaming.
“Herbal tea with honey,” Isabella said, handing him the wooden mug. “You barely ate any dinner. Have something to drink.”
“...Thanks,” Leopold said, taking it and taking a sip.
Isabella didn't leave. She sat down beside him, propping her hands on the edge of the bed, her legs swinging gently.
“Are you thinking about what happened this afternoon?”
“Yeah.” Leopold took another sip of tea. “I'm wondering if we're being led by the nose.”
Isabella tilted her head to look at him. “By whom?”
“...I don't know,” Leopold admitted honestly. “Maybe a bit of everyone. Minnie, the Sixth Elder, the Fifth Elder—each of them is telling a partial truth, but everyone is also hiding something.”
He set the mug down. “And when it comes down to it, these matters belong to the goblins themselves. Gorn said he didn't want us getting dragged into their internal strife...”
“What should we do? I have absolutely no clue, Bella...” Leopold looked up and gave Isabella a helpless smile.
Sitting beside him, Isabella watched his face, waiting quietly for a moment. Seeing that he had nothing more to say, she spoke up.
“Then... how about we go for a walk?” Isabella suddenly suggested.
Leopold blinked. “Now?”
“Yes, now.” Isabella tilted her head at him. “The information is too messy, and you need time. Sitting in your room won't help you sort it out, so why don't we go out and get some fresh air?”
“...Where would we find a breeze underground?”
“Exactly, where would we find wind underground?” Isabella said. “But maybe we can create our own?”
She stood up, walked to the window, and pushed open the heavy stone shutter. The underground “night” flooded in—the fluorite simulating the night sky had already been dimmed.
Leopold watched her stand by the window, looking back at him with eyes full of anticipation.
“Do you... want to fly?”
“I want to go out, to fly!” Isabella stepped forward quickly, gently taking his hand, her eyes shining with excitement. “Leo, you can transform into a dragon now, right?”
“I... should be able to,” he said.
Isabella smiled. “Then let's go.”
Before the words could fully leave her mouth, she gripped Leopold's hand and leapt straight out of the window.
The two of them plummeted down the steep cavern wall. The howling wind, mingled with Isabella's laughter, rushed past Leopold's ears and echoed freely through the vast underground corridor.
“Hahaha—”
“...At least let me prepare first!” The rushing wind tore his voice to pieces.
Leopold quickly channeled his mana. The bones in his back and shoulders rearranged themselves as pitch-black scales sprouted from beneath his skin, the sudden unfurling of his wings whipping up a powerful gust of wind.
“Leo! You fly pretty well!” Isabella had already transformed into a white dragon. She swept past above him. “Your transformation is just a little slow, though.”
“You can't really blame me for that...” Leopold spread his wings and flew toward Isabella.
“Keep up!” Isabella's voice drifted back, filled with uncontrollable laughter.
She folded her wings, lowering her body to skim low over the rooftops of the residential area. Leopold followed suit, creating a soft, rushing sound in his wake.
“Don't just copy my movements, Leo. Your wings are larger than mine, so you need to turn half a beat earlier.” Isabella flew past the tower in the central plaza.
“Got it.” He tucked in one wing, narrowly missing a flagpole, and then tilted to the left, sweeping around the other side of the tower.
Isabella was the first to soar high into the air. The faint glow of the moonlight fluorite fell upon her pristine white scales, casting a subtle, pearlescent shimmer.
Leopold flapped his wings and followed closely behind. His black dragon wings cut through the night breeze, bringing him in front of Isabella in an instant. Not knowing what to do next, his wings instinctively spread, shielding her.
“Are you trying to hug me, Leo?” Isabella couldn't help but laugh.
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