The Side Story : The Gray Shadow 2

In the palace of Bifrost, the Earl, Mozel was sitting on his throne. He seemed impatient as if waiting for someone.

Finally, he heard the guard enter with three people and announced,

"The general Sarah! The Ranger Strider and Gray Scavenger!"

Sarah; known as "Sword Queen" and leader of Valkyrie which only consists of women warriors, Strider; the strange adviser of the Earl, and Gray Scavenger, most promising strider in Bifrost, they came in to be granted an audience with the Earl.

"We are back, Earl."

"Oh! Sarah, Strider, and Gray welcome back!"

Earl Mozel welcomed them warmly.

Strider asked,

"I was ordered back to the palace when I just finished searching western border area and it seemed quite urgent. Could you please tell us what's going on?"

"Well, I do not know where to begin... lately, people in the palace have gone missing these days."

Sarah asked,

"Which people in the palace...?"

"Some members of the Senate, and my special rangers. I am not sure they're going missing is related to one another but it is quite unusual. You three are my most trustworthy allied for me, that is why I want you to investigate this case."

After that, Gray asked,

"Yes, your highness, Could you let us know everything about the case?"

"Alright, I have to tell you the what happened 4 days ago........."

Ragnum yelled at Earl Mozel,

"Earl! What are you doing???"

Mozel asked back, and he seemed to know nothing,

"Why are you so upset, elder Ragnum?"

"I must tell you this! You decided to support Silver Arrow without discussing this with the Senate! The tradition has been more than hundreds of years old. Are you really concerned about Bifrost???"

But, Mozel seemed quite calm,

"Ragnum, you misunderstand me."

"Misunderstand??? You have no right to do that! how can this be a misunderstanding??? You think the Senate is useless?? Why are you ignoring our advice to respect the empire???!"

"Earl! you cannot do this!!!!!!"

"Guard!"

"Yes! your Highness!"

"Escort the elders to their homes."

"Yes! your Highness!"

The Soldiers dragged Ragnum and elders outside. While they were dragged out, Ragnum was still yelling.

"How dare you!!!!!  Earl, let's see what will come to you. I will not just be silent!"

After Mozel's explanation, Sarah nodded,

"As we expected, they have a strong pro-Empire inclination. They will not stop resisting us. By the way, are they related to the case?"

"Hmm. Ragnum is also one of the missing people. A day after the argument, he disappeared, the Senate seemed to lay the responsibility for the missing on me. After we argued, he went and disappeared, their doubts are reasonable."

"And... What about the rest of the missing people?"

"Some elders who went out with Ragnum have not returned yet, and some rangers are investigating the rumors of a machina."

"Machina!?"

Strider was so shocked.

"I was also surprised. I haven't heard anything about a machina for more than 20 years. The rumor of the legendary machina. How surprising!"

"Anyway, there is a rumor that the machina was found in the sulfur cave. And the machina seemed to be Ascaron! Ascaron had been a guardian of Bifrost, and there has been a legend that Ascaron appears only when a crisis comes. That's why the people are agitated over the rumor. Even rangers investigating it have gone missing as well.", Mozel said with concern sounding in his voice,

"The rumor of Ascaron, missing elders and rangers, it is to coincidental. It feels ominous. Therefore, I am asking you three to investigate this case in secret. The priority is finding the missing people, and if you find any clues about the rumor of the machina, please let me know immediately."

"Yes, your Highness!"

Soon, they headed to the cave.