"welcome back chief!!" One of the guard greeted him.

Chanotte raised his hand and entered the soldier base. It's quiet there. Usually, this main base was crowded with soldier and they spent their time with drinking or talking with each other.

One of the soldier came down from the stairs. Chanotte used this chance to ask what's happened when he left this place.

"tell me, where's everyone?"

"sir! they go on patrol. There's several supiscious things happened in this town"

"i see. I assume the reports of all those things are on my desk?"

"yes sir!"

"got it. You may continue your duty"

The soldier left him. He continued his way to his room. When he opened the door, he could see a man with height around 176cm and his red hair made him recognizable from far.

"Chorin, you're here"

"! sir Chanotte! you're back! by holy mother protection" He gave his salute to him

He's Chorin Phallantine. He's a vice chief of king's guard. He came to this fort with Chanotte from the capital. He also helped Chanotte during the expedition to the south. They were more like a friend at this point.

"yes.... there's a lot of thing that i want to discuss with you"

".....i understand. Let we discuss it while having a drink. I'll prepare it"

"thanks Chorin. I'll change my clothes then"

He headed to his room and changed his clothes. After washing his face from the bucket in his room, He went to where Chorin was waiting for him.

He saw two big glass full with beer and one plate of grilled chicken. He realized that he wasn't eating anything since this afternoon. This was an excellent timing.

"please sit, sir"

"thank you"

He sat and took his glass. The cold beer really looked so good now, and he couldn't helped to drink it without any delay.

"-fuuh- it feels like this is my cold beer after a long time"

"haha, you only left for three days sir"

"you're right...yet i don't feel that's a short time"

"and this has something to do with our discussion now?"

"yes Chorin. But let me eat first"

"ah, of course sir. Please help yourself"

He enjoyed his grilled chicken and te cold beer. It's not like the foods that was given to him in the underground room were bad. But Half-beast's foods had totally different taste with their foods, human's food. One of the significant difference was in their spice.

"by holy mother's blessings" He thanked for the foods

"so, let me hear these supiscious things that happen when i was gone"

"yes sir. There's reports about a creature that jumped from roof to roof at the main and Khal'ard district"

"creature? you can't identify this creature?"

"forgive me sir. No one from the soldiers saw this creature. The reports solely came from civilian"

".... rumors again?"

"pardon me sir?"

"no, forget it. Then, what's else?"

"this is still not announced to public, but our water source from Raven tears river are polluted by something"

"by something? you don't know what's the source of the pollution?"

"forgive me..."

"-sigh- then? what else?"

"this is actually came from commander..."

"commander Libhane? what's about it?"

"he gave order about.... there's a restricted area at Dhanglin forest. No one could enter there"

"not even me?"

"not even you sir"

"seem i need to talk to him personally" He thought about his next plan

"that's all the reports that you need to know sir"

"then, it's my turn now"

Chorin carefully listened to his story. How he lost to the Half-beast, how they treated him, and what he heard in that place. All of his story made Chorin suprised.

"to think a mere Half-beast can defeat you sir..this Yana man, must be really dangerous"

"yes, at the very least, you can't look down at him"

"but it's really true? all those rumors are made by black testament? and commander want you dead?!"

"keep your voice Chorin, you need to be careful"

"ah! forgive me sir" He realized his mistake

Chanotte stood from his chair and looked at him.

"then, I'll rest for now. Tommorow, I'll ask commander about that"

"understood. I'll patrol here tonight"

"thank you"

He went back to his room and lay on his bed.

"a restricted area.....this can't be good. Must be something to do with the elf..."

His fatigue started to take control over his body, and he closed his eyes to rest that night.

-----( Chapter 55 "Let's discuss" )-----