Chapter 330: A surprise visitor?

While Captain John Deere and his men secured the scene in front of the eastern gate, south from their direction, three figures have just stepped into a hidden underground tunnel, that would ultimately take them inside, behind the walls.

"What is this place? How did you know about it, Aiden?" Stepping onto the musty tunnel, Drake asked with a scrutinizing tone as his eyes darted around the place. He was beyond surprised, he was shocked. 

"My Master showed it to me when we came to rescue my sister." Aiden shrugged, speaking in a nonchalant tone from behind his black faceless mask. He was at the front his two partners, Drake and Galina disguised with the ring's illusionary magic as Scarlet the red-haired princess were following slightly behind.

"Just how many similar hidden entrances are there? Is this the case for the other cities as well?" Drake continued to voice his concerns, this time not aiming it directly at his friend. Instead, he was worried that each city in the Kingdom has been breached in a similar fashion. 

"If this is the case in the capital as well, we are incredibly vulnerable against attacks… Just what has my father been doing…" He sighed, lamenting the sad reality. 

For now, as heated, impetuous he is, he can do nothing against the current situation. What he needs is to reunite with all of his siblings then go against his father who has clearly lost sight of what's right or wrong. Just from their earlier ruction with that guard captain was a clear indicator of what state their once great and mighty kingdom is in. 

Shady dealings, slave tradings, and other underground activities are running rampant, and the people that would be supposed to stand up against all of that, are actively supporting them instead. Assassinations, kidnappings, blackmailing, looting, and stealing in broad daylight and nobody bats an eye. 

Thinking about all of that, Drake clenched his fists, the glint flashed through his determined gaze. This has to stop. He will do everything he can to put a stop to it, even if ultimately fails in the process, he will do everything within his power.

"Aiden." With a stern look in his eyes and a somber tone, he called out for his friend at the front.

Slowing his pace, Aiden turned his head sideways taking a glance at his silver-haired human friend.

"Yes? We should be halfway in. We will exit at the Slums, in a small and empty house that should be familiar to you." He revealed a cheeky smirk as he spoke. Before he could turn his attention back to the straight, dark, and empty tunnel ahead, Drake called out again.

"Aiden. Are we friends?"

His question was weird, it caught Aiden slightly off-guard. He stopped, putting a momentary halt to their venture, he turned around to face the silver-haired prince.

"Yes, we have been through thick and thin by now Drake. I do consider you one of my friends. Even if you are a bit too hotheaded at times." Aiden smiled at his own jab, before asking a question of his own. "Why the question?"

"Once I reunite with all of my brothers and sister… I will go against my father, the king. Ever since he made those deals and allowed our family to be torn apart, he just doesn't seem to care. He is driving this kingdom to ruin."

He clenched his fist so hard that blood started dripping to the musty floor. 

"Just look around. We are walking in an underground tunnel, sneaking into a city. I am sneaking into one of my OWN cities, have to hide my identity! This is not right! Nothing is! Corruption, slave traders… even the guards can't be trusted anymore!" He exclaimed with slightly more emotion and power behind his voice as he intended. His eyes were flooded with tears, as he continued with a breaking tone.

"I… I will stop my father and do whatever will be needed to take back the kingdom from those ruling it from the shadows. I will guide it back to the glory that it once had!"

Aiden nodded, and although it was hidden a slight smile appeared on his lips. With his usual calm and warm tone, he spoke.

"That's great. From what I have seen so far, darkness and corruption are everywhere. Average citizens, adventurers, guards, even the supposed leaders are tainted. People are hurting, killing each other… You think of orcs and goblins as monsters, but from the way I see it, you humans are worse."

A light "Humpf!" came from Galina's direction, she nodded appreciatively at her Young Master's words. Although she was still not versed in the human's common language, she could understand her master's words with ease relying on the mental connection they shared with each and every System assigned minion.

Surprised by Aiden's strange phrasing, Drake raised an eyebrow, but in the end, he decided to not push on it. For now. Instead, he raised his right hand towards his friend, looking directly in his two small golden dots that shined through the shadowy cover of his hood. He knew that the number of issues, problems are not small and that even he has a hard time looking behind the faulty teachings.

"If I want to stand a chance, if I want to change this world, or at the very least, this kingdom for the better,… I… I will need to rely on your inhumane strength, Aiden. Can I… Can I ask your help? Can you lend a hand to me?"

There was no instantaneous response to Drake's question. His hand remained stretched out, like a symbol of hope, wishing to garner to the attention of the one that could stand up against this endless, despairing void and scare it away.

Aiden looked at this human for quite a while, thinking back to all of his experiences with him. Although he was quite hotheaded and was prone to act in a way that did not paint him in a favorable light… he was still one of the 'good, uncorrupted, untainted ones'.

However, to be honest, even though he regained all of his memories, Aiden still didn't really care about humans at all. He already accepted the fact that he is not one of them, nor did he wished to hide within their ranks. He felt much happier with his family be it his sister, Granny, his Master, or his newest additions, the servants.

He also had the first tribe, the conquered orcs rebuilding their once lost civilization from the ground up with the aid of Roas, his first servant. No. His first new addition to the family.

Still, should he refuse to offer his help to a friend in need? That's not something Aiden would be willing to do, it would go against everything he stands for.

Eventually, he came to a decision and decided to grab his hand and shake it.

"Sure. I will come when you need me. I may not be there for each and every step of the way, but when you need me, you can call for me and I will help fight the battles alongside you." He warmly spoke as he shook Drake's hand.

An appreciative smile began to stretch across Drake's face upon hearing his friend's words. He actually felt glad that he decided to cross blades with this strange boy back in the Slums when he came to rescue her sister. It was that moment that marked the beginning of their friendship and their future campaign ultimately to retake this kingdom…

After the brief but emotional pause, the trio resumed their steps, and not too much time later they reached the staircase that led them back to the surface. As the walls of the empty house appeared once again, and Drake stepped into it, he laughed.

"Seriously? We are back here?" He chuckled, shaking his head at the irony. "This means we are in the Slums, we still have a bit of distance to cross to get all the way towards the residential district and the guild."

"At the very least, we are now inside the city. If I had known what would happen at the gates, I would have just used this one from the start…" Aiden sighed, lamenting his mistake. If he would have come here from the start, he could have avoided bringing unwanted attention to themselves. Now, people would be aware of them, and whilst, for the time being, they managed to hide their identities, he couldn't be sure how long would that last. 

He sighed again, as he walked towards the windowsill. He turned towards the direction of the Guild, only wishing to finally put an end to this mission and get back to his room in the inn. He needed a couple of days to do the system updates and to also be able to change his appearance back to what would allow him to freely walk within the city limits again.

"Anyway… we shouldn't waste time here and get back on the ro-" Drake exclaimed wanting to leave, however before he could finish his words, suddenly a loud knock could be heard, coming from the door.

Shocked and surprised Drake turned towards Aiden, looking at him if he knew anything.

Aiden could only sigh then reveal a lopsided smile and shake his head. Even to him, the neutral, white-colored dot wasn't visible on his system map before. It only appeared after the knocking.