[NR] No Way Out - Chapter 658

Siegfried guides the party from his office to the guards’ record keeper. “Okay, we’re going to get a scribe to write down your report. Well, you could write it up, but then I’d still need the scribe to sign off on it being the same as your verbal report. So it's easier to just let them do their job.”

Courtney nods, “We can understand that. Paperwork is a problem wherever you go and I’d much rather paperwork be a problem from having to do it than because I don’t have it.”

Siegfried sighs, “I’m glad you understand. I’ve dealt with too many guards and adventurers alike who can’t appreciate that. Done right, the paperwork is there to protect you as well. Err, I guess I should say that if the paperwork is designed with good will in mind. You can certainly make sneaky snake paperwork, but I don’t find that kind of thing proper.”

From there, they spend about ten minutes getting said paperwork filled out and reports filled.

Siegfried shakes his head, “I don’t know what it says that we have specific forms for when higher powers swing adventurers around.”

Jason shrugs, “When there are beings strolling about with the power of a kingdom or more, you’re going to get that kind of thing. In a proper bureaucracy that will require paperwork just as much as a diplomat needs to report what they do.”

Siegfried nods, “That’s a good way to look at it. Anyway, do you want to stay in town or check if you can head back to your clearing?”

Rosha raises an eyebrow, “I thought travellers like us have been able to get out?”

Jason snorts, “I suspect he’s more pointing out that whatever got us here, might not let us leave.”

Rosha, “Ah, yeah, that makes sense.”

Jason, “Either way, we should probably at least try to get back to the clearing. If only to confirm it for the good captain here.”

Siegfried nods, “Would be a nice note for the report. You never know how this stuff will go. Sometimes you’ll be allowed to come and go as you want. Others won’t let you out or if you do go out, they don’t let you back.”

Then, after a round of goodbyes, the trio are about to leave when they realize it has gotten quite late at this point. Rosha, “Huh, maybe tomorrow.”

Courtney nods, “Yep, already getting dark.”

With their plans changed, they head back into town to the inn they’ve been using. Though this trip feels less eerie as you expect the roads to be somewhat empty at dusk. If anything, it was kind of shocking how many were still out and about.

The only thing that broke this false calm was the fact everyone was on edge. It seemed that they were out not to go anywhere, but to keep an eye on things.

Once they reach the inn, the emptiness comes back to the forefront. The inn is dead with only a couple townsfolk drinking. In fact, when the team enters it takes the person behind the bar a moment to realize they were here for a room. People simply hadn’t been staying the night over the last few days.

In fact, the only available food was the stew, seeing as they had one of those stew pots they keep going by simply adding more ingredients as needed. Well, that and yesterday’s bread. Which very much needed the stew as this wasn’t soft white bread. It was old school bread.

After that, the night passes quickly. Though it takes Rosha a while to get to sleep. While she had slept in all kinds of conditions since joining NeoRealm, this was different. They were in an inn, but there was that eerie silence. It just didn’t sit right with her and made what sleep she did get, quite uneasy.

Next morning, bright and early because none of them slept well, the party chowed down on the eternal stew and some fresh bread. Though before they could even leave the Inn, Helina finds them. “Hey guys! Heard you planned to head out. Sadly, I can’t tagalong, but I do have a request.”

Courtney puts her bread down. “We don’t know if we can leave and we aren’t heading towards civilization.”

Helina waves it off, “Nah, I don’t need you going that direction. I don’t even need you to leave the area. Instead, I want you to mark the edge. Well, and tell me about how far out it is. Can’t trust any mark will stay in place. Even this nonsense hasn’t stopped the Deep Wilds from changing stuff around.”

Courtney nods, “We can certainly do that. After we report what we’ve found to Siegfried. He asked us for help first, after all.”

Helina shrugs, “Long as you get the info to me. I’m sure he has mapped out the edge. Goodness, he probably has them updating the map daily. However, I want to see if you have a different boundary.”

Jason shrugs, “Makes sense to check on that. Though I would assume other travellers have been used to do so.”

Helina shakes her head, “Nah, I want you specifically to check. After all, you’re the ones getting your chain yanked around.”

Rosha nods, “Fair enough.”

With that, the group finally gets on the road. Or lack of one, seeing as they’re heading into the Deep Wilds to try and get back to their clearing. This trip is quite easy as they don’t have to avoid or fight any monsters and soon they reach the barrier.

It is hard to see, but Rosha is just able to notice it ahead of time. A good thing too, as unlike other travellers, this barrier is solid to them. Rosha knocks on the invisible wall. “Welp, that answers that.”

Jason walks up to the wall, channels Energy into his hand, and gives it a shove. “Well, I assume they tested Mana and Qi, but now we know Energy isn’t doing anything to it either.”

Courtney smacks the barrier with a spell. “And now we’ve also confirmed our magic isn’t doing anything, either. While it is safe to assume they tested Mana and Qi, never assume.”