Zavlan pressed his forehead hard. "This is my fault I was so stupid, stupid, STUPID!"
Shufa, seeing this, immediately approached. She placed her palm gently on Zavlan’s shoulder. The other Guardian captains remained silent. Xavier adjusted his stance, while Monica stared blankly at the marble table. Their faces all reflected a deep sense of guilt.
Zavlan composed himself. He sat upright and adjusted his attire. He turned toward Shufa and smiled softly. "Thank you, my Shufa."
Zavlan looked forward again. He tapped the surface of the white table with his index finger. The rhythmic tapping echoed through the silent subterranean room. Silence hung for several seconds.
"All right," Zavlan said, breaking the quiet. "Eutas?"
"Eutas is under our protection, Your Majesty, though he briefly refused to eat out of concern for his daughter, Lady Cyhas," Xavier said. He stood stiffly, one hand gripping his sword belt.
Zavlan nodded slowly. "Well... that is only natural."
Zavlan stared at the table with a pensive gaze. The shadows of the paintings on the white walls seemed to lengthen as the light shifted. "We must find them as quickly as possible."
"From what we know, that artifact teleports its users to dangerous locations like high-level dungeons or even the Southern Continent," Zavlan continued, leaning forward. "With Eutas here and that information, we can conclude that Zalvarich and Fyar’s squad were all thrown into such perilous places."
Zavlan slid his palm across the cold marble. "It could be a dungeon, the Southern Continent, or another kingdom. By that same logic, Organization 000 has lost its leader for now."
Thud!
Zavlan struck the table with his fist. The sound startled the atmosphere. "This is our chance to hunt down the members of 000!"
He looked at Raphal, who sat across from him. "I will form a special joint task force consisting of Guardians and adventurers to hunt every member of 000 whether they be captains or mere grunts and you will lead them, Raphal."
Zavlan continued his orders with a firm voice. "After this meeting, represent the kingdom in a meeting with the Association to convey this. Order the Association to raise the bounty on all 000 members by 200%. Anyone who can capture or kill an 000 captain will receive a luxury home and a monthly bonus of 200 gold for the rest of their lives."
Raphal could not suppress the smile on his face. His pupil-less white eyes seemed to shine with enthusiasm. He nodded quickly, his blonde hair swaying. "Consider it done, Your Majesty."
Clap!
Zavlan clapped his hands together. The sharp sound split the room. "All right, that is the solution for those problems. Now, I want to hear your opinions on how we find Fyar and his party. I already have a plan, but I want to hear your thoughts first."
Xavier raised his left hand. "Permission to speak, Your Majesty."
The other Guardian captains, including Zavlan, turned toward Xavier simultaneously. "Speak."
Xavier nodded slowly. He took a breath before starting. "I suggest we form specialized squads scattered across all nations to find them. Contact our spies among the Dragon-kin, Rituk, Vampires, and all other races to be on standby at every dungeon or level deemed dangerous."
"Oh, that... that is interesting, very interesting," Zavlan nodded. He tapped his chin, looking back at the captains along the table. "What do the rest of you think?"
Borda nodded in agreement. He straightened his black hair, which was slicked back. "I think Xavier’s suggestion is excellent, Your Majesty. I also suggest we simultaneously gather military intelligence from other kingdoms; I fear that because of this incident, other nations may view us as weak and plan an invasion."
"Ah, makes sense, makes sense," Raphal nodded in understanding. He turned to Zavlan. "Your Majesty, i think that is good plan."
Monica nodded while still holding her glass. "My opinion is the same as theirs, Your Majesty. Their ideas are quite good~."
"I agree as well," Vantiane said while twirling his thick black mustache.
Zavlan turned to Shufa, who stood beside him. "What about you, my Shufa?"
Shufa nodded without hesitation. "I agree Your Majesty."
At the end of the table, Autum gave a thumbs-up in agreement. Her face remained graceful, her purple eyes calm.
Zavlan nodded and resumed tapping his thumb on the marble table. The atmosphere in the room grew heavier.
"Very well. Raphal, you will be in the team hunting the members of 000 and the Whitening."
Raphal smiled with satisfaction, showing his teeth. "Ready!!"
Zavlan then turned toward Xavier and then toward Borda. "Xavier, Borda, the two of you will lead and manage the search for Fyar and his party. I will select the Guardians currently in the city and contact our spies to serve as members."
Xavier and Borda nodded in unison. The sound of their armor clinked as they moved as one. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Zavlan turned toward Autum, Monica, and Vantiane. "The three of you will guard the city I have chosen."
Monica, Autum, and Vantiane nodded together. "Understood, Your Majesty," they answered in unison.
"All right, I will also appoint representatives for the meeting with the mayors, Dukes, and whoever will accompany me when I go to meet the Dragon King later."
Again, and again, and again, I am forced to play chess against them... Whitening, 000, Fyar... the kingdom, the dragon-kin... ugh...
And... the dragon-kin... I am certain you won’t do anything about your pathetic general... I am sure they would be ashamed if the news of their general dying while collaborating with human criminals were to spread... heh...those ashhole... So logically, they will prepare a deal with us... and that is why they have invited me to a sudden meeting... I must formulate a plan for that meeting later.
Zavlan let out a long sigh and leaned back once more into his black leather chair. He rested his head against the headrest, staring at the blinding crystal lights. "Prepare yourselves, friends. We have much to discuss today. Prepare some coffee."