Chapter 16: Moving Forward (2)

*sigh* 'Why isn't anyone answering me?' Kyle thought to himself after sitting down on a nearby bench with a defeated expression.

"Don't ask me. Even I don't know what is going on and don't forget, I'm the one who usually deals with the abnormal stuff that could create paradoxes and other time and space related phenomena. Voidlings and Devourers are one thing, but this is something completely out of my zone." D answered with a serious expression, as he was crossing his arms and looking around.

The duo (only Kyle) had been asking the people around for over an hour, be it guards, businessmen or even shopkeepers and civilians, no one had provided Kyle any answers and that had led to his current situation.

'Tell me, since you have the ability to read minds, why don't you use it on the guards or the people around?' Kyle remembered as he gave serious look towards D.

"It doesn't work that way, because I'm basically using telepathy to read your thoughts. As for why I'm not using it on others, that is due to a lack of a connection with the other people. In reality, I rarely get to use telepathy to talk with others, since normally, it would be impossible to speak with a Voidssenger, lest someone was into your situation." D explained with a serious expression.

'So, this means that it's impossible to read the other's minds?'

"Thoughts, not minds and yes, that would be impossible to do so, so long as I can't get a personal connection with them."

'Then what should we do? Any attempt from getting information from the people, usually results in silence.'

"Hmmm... Have you had any conversations with people?" D asked with a thoughtful expression.

'It depends, does the conversation include out of business topics?' Kyle asked inwardly with a thoughtful expression.

"Business does not count. Even if it's asking for any random info, that will still count." D answered with a calm expression.

'Then I know the perfect person to ask.' Kyle then rose up with an excited smile on his face and quickly made his way towards the clothing shop while D was trying to hold on his shoulder, as if he was holding on a wild horse.

...

--30 minutes later--

...

"I guess we got a lead finally." Soren exclaimed happily after leaving the clothing shop from yesterday.

"I was kind of surprised when you started running randomly, but to think you already have an acquaintance. You are quite the social person after all." D commented with a smug expression.

'Hey... I'm not a recluse.' Kyle complained inwardly as he gave an angry look towards D.

"Anyways, want to go over the information we got?" D asked with a slightly serious expression.

'It will help us to make a plan, so why not?' Kyle answered with an uncaring expression.

"Good to hear an energetic voice for once. Let's start with this settlement, whose name is Valni, similar to the tower. This settlement is more of a camp, with all of the basic shops and necessities, but almost no permanent residents. As for those who are staying here, they are the shopkeepers and innkeepers and it's very rare to have any other permanent residents. As for the reason of its existance, well, the tower is more then enough of an answer. This should be good for our location, right Kyle?" D asked for reconfirmation, after finishing the recap of the info about Valni.

'Pretty much. Next, would probably be the reason for all of this abnormally cold reception. For that, I think we have a decent idea about it, am I right?' Kyle answered with a thoughtful expression.

"Yup. Since he said that yesterday was the day the doors to the tower had opened and magic trials had started for the day, it is safe to assume that people would come to overcome them. Of course, because of that and the existence of the guards, we can decuce that the people that came here, are most likely people of the high echelon or nobility. So the reason of the lack of answers from the guards, will most likely be orders to not utter a single word." D continued his explanation with a serious expression.

'But that still leaves the other people. Why would they keep ignoring us and not give us any answers?' Kyle sat down as he asked inwardly.

"For this, it's going to be slightly farfetched, but I think it's the same situation with the guards, just with a slight difference."

'What do you mean?'

"For the people, my best bet would probably be on bribery. Since the influential people want to avoid information spillage, they probably bought the silence from most of the people who are probably associated with them. Anyone else would have little to no info that is connected to anyone in particular and would only have the general knowledge of the situation."

'I can see where you are coming from, but I still feel this is a bit much. Bribe hundreds of people, just so they don't know the element they chose to wield?'

"Like I said, farfetched theory and it was mostly a shot in the dark. Let's not dwell on that for now and think back on the last bit of info he gave."

'You mean the person who is trying to register people to the Magician's Tower?'

"Yes. He said that he only appears during a three-day period, of which one of them was the day when the doors to the Tower of Valni are open."

'Then, assuming that he wants to register people, that would mean that the third day he stays, can't be the day the doors open, right?' Kyle asked with a thoughtful expression, as he got up from the bench.

"Exactly, meaning that the man should still be somewhere in the settlement." D answered with a nodding motion.

'Then we just have to find the man himself. Thankfully, the shopkeeper did say that he spends most of his time at the plaza we were before. But how come we hadn't seen the man yet.' Kyle asked with a curious expression, as he was making his way towards the carriage plaza.

"He probably hadn't gone there yet. Don't forget that it's still morning, or rather should say it's almost noon. Maybe the guy just wakes up at a later time." D answered calmly as he stared at the bright sky.

'Well, it's not like we have any other leads at the moment.' Kyle stated with a helpless expression.

"Then the plan's been set. Go back to the plaza and look for the man working for the Magician's Tower." D confirmed with a smile on his face.

'Say, how will we know the way he looks? ' Kyle asked curiously.

"I don't know. After all, I wasn't the one who was asking him." D answered with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

*sigh* "Did you really just have to rub it in like that?" Kyle complained with a quiet and anguished voice, as he bashed his head at a nearby wall, out of sheer anger and disappointment.