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While the Chairmen may not have had an abundance of information on specific cases of Isekai Theory, it's fascinating to know that you and Cresswell are far from the first. There are probably numerous artifacts from Earth scattered as collectibles to the most wealthy collectors, and for all you know, there are other Earthlings walking around right now. Of course, it does seem to be rare. Either way, you return with stories of your own. You tell them of all sorts of random things--stuff you take for granted, like lightbulbs or magazines. There's obviously so much you could go on about where hours could pass, but you simply start going off on various tangents in hopes any of it makes sense: video games, computers, vehicles, McDonald's, telephones, Shonen Jump, airplanes, electricity, Instagram, fantasy erotica, Bugs Bunny... It goes on, though you try not to lose them as best you can by building your way up from earlier periods of time to the more confusing modern inventions. You speak of the books you found in that cyclops gave, and how Davella from your adventures at Redbloom Academy was actually a scholar in writings from Earth, even to the point of translating bits and pieces, much to the joy of Lynx.

You've never gone off this much and for this long about Earth even with your own allies. In fact, this makes you rather nostalgic. Absoterra is amazing as well, but this discussion makes you realize how many things you miss. It feels like it's been an eternity since you slept in your own bed, or played a video game, or walked down the sidewalk as cars zoomed by.

You sigh. Maybe you'll see it again one day, but for now, you're happy, especially with those you've met.

Candy, who is now sitting cross-legged on the table instead, much to the dismay of the nearby Okawa, hangs on your every word, as do the others. "Wow. That sounds amazing. I'd love to see it with my own eyes. There's so much fun to be had beyond this world! Can you explain what a video game is again?"

"Now now," Rada says. "The poor man has been speaking for so long. Give his throat a break."

Her lips start to curl as a grin draws itself across her face.

"Don't say it," he interrupts before she can crack a joke.

"What was I going to say?" she asks innocently with puppy dog eyes.

"But circling back to earlier, I agree that we can't just go to war with Tivera," you say. "Too many innocent people would be hurt, or get killed, all because of those on top. I also worry about revealing Catherine to the public, because she might become the target of assassins. The good news is we know the tunnel must lead somewhere. The bad news is we don't know where, so the only way there would be probably the worst way to get there."

"You say the tunnel was made south to north through the empire, correct?" Bulrak asks. "If that's the case, then I have a theory to present."

"All right then. What is it?" you ask back.

"You said Elok Daven has a collection of formica insectrin. Now this is only a theory, but is it perhaps possible that he resides in one of Demon King Muian's abandoned laboratories? Even one that was never found."

That name sounds familiar... That's right. Taiga mentioned him once before.

You recall her saying, Demon King Muian resided far south. Through dark magic and terrible experiments, he was able to birth intelligent insectoids. You must understand how strange it feels to discuss such things, however, considering the two of us are exactly that. I know I've recently sworn to serve under you, Lord Warren, but I'd rather not delve into that history.

"Maybe he continued where Muian left off after he was slain," you say.

"Perhaps," the dwarf replies.

"Then maybe we could search the ruins of where he once lived. Find another way to Elok that isn't through the tunnel."

The door behind you opens. Immediately, you turn your attention around, not at all expecting anybody new to appear so late into the meeting. A figure, garbed in a thick grey robe with a matching, wide-brimmed, pointed wizard's hat, appears in the doorway. His beard is even longer than that of Barkis', and he appears to be about the same age as well. To help him walk, he uses a long wooden staff that looks like a branch taken straight from a tree. Though this man has a strange presence about him. Perhaps its his likeness to a certain grey wizard from famous literature, or how confidently he's arrived with the meeting effectively over, but the two of you lock eyes for a lengthy moment.