The way there were a lot of civilians at the dock by the time they arrived was bad news to Darius.

Instead of Arsen and Elysaria greeting them, he came face to face with Solstice. Her worried gaze told him everything as she quickly told them to follow her as Darius ordered his crew to stay in the ship before the two walked beside the researcher hurriedly. 

"What happened? Where are they?" He didn't even get to greet her as Solstice leads them back to the ministry. There were a lot of researchers rushing in different directions as Solstice brought a few records.

"They still haven't returned but we've gathered a few more records while you were gone. We hope such documents could assist you. Captain Alcinder's request," Solstice told him before sighing. "We wished we had gotten this sooner but they were all crumpled and stored away in the archives."

As the researchers buried themselves with work, the tension in the room escalated. Darius looked at the large arched window as Aloysius was discussing things with Solstice, possibly trying to ask more about the records. 

The captain, however, was worried if Elysaria and Arsen would eventually return. If they had caught and encountered the Duke, then that would mean that something had happened while they were in those waters. Though, he wasn't sure if they were still in good condition. 

He has a lot of faith in those two. Despite only knowing them for almost a month, he knew how experienced they were. Surely he was only mistaken. Maybe they had taken another longer route than theirs. But his hope seems to diminish in every hour that had passed by. 

The agonizing wait and the oppressive silence along the frequent hushed discussions among the researchers made Darius and Aloysius stare at the door for quite some time now. It made them wary. Nervous that during the expedition, Arsen and Elysaria would never return. Solstice, one of the researchers of Arkenheilm, also felt her anxiety growing every second.  

Aloysius noticed how silent Darius was and stood beside him. "They're strong. They'll find their way back."

His tone, however, almost sounded as if he was trying to reassure himself more than him. Darius nods and slightly took a deep breath. "The sea can be quite unforgiving so I'm hoping that they indeed had taken another route back instead of forcing their way back to where that Duke was." 

Just when hope threatened to wane completely, the heavy wooden doors creaked open. Heads turned, and a collective gasp swept through the room as Arsen stride in a cold manner with Elysaria behind her, holding more records than they had before. Outside, her crew was docking the ship. 

"We're alive." 

The slight weariness on her face was evident but the glint of relief was seen as she finally reached her table, putting her gun down and Elysaria having placed the records on it as well.

Darius sighed in relief before approaching Arsen with a nod. "We almost feared the worst. What happened out there?" 

"A giant serpent. We had thought we were clear to pass through since the duke was nowhere to be seen. But it seems that even if we hadn't taken up the same path, he was still targeting us." 

Elysaria paused for a while before leaning on the wall. "He took on his other form and swam underneath our ship. It was a good thing that the crew and I had managed to maneuver before he plunged us deep with the waves crashing above us."

Arsen sat on her chair, her eyes directed at the records on her desk before deciding to take them and arranged them on another huge table set by the other researchers while she was gone. 

As they looked at all of those, she noticed a pattern. Some of them were written in Ephemios with a number on the top corner, indicating its arrangement. But one that she hadn't expected was some of the records being written in another language. 

She took those that were written in Ephemios and compiled them before taking the others and putting them aside. "Solstice, I need you to get me someone who can decipher these, if you wouldn't mind."

Solstice took a quick second to study what Arsen had handed her and she nods. She walked away as Arsen read the words on the records on her left and transferred them to another paper. 

Apparently, most of the data records had shown how to avoid the Errantes. It was stated that most of the entities weren't as much hostile when not provoked. 

It was also better if one would keep an eye out to certain people that weren't included in the crew as this could indicate that they're not human. Most errantes could only take form of loved ones and those who had already died years ago — resulting in their efficiency in luring people to their demise. 

Arsen then saw how Darius kept his grip on one of the records, her eyebrows raising slightly. "What's that on your hand, Captain Thorren?"

"It was written in another language. If my wife had been here..." Darius trailed off before he sighed. "Anyway, I figured it was in your language or probably written in how those in Everfrost do." 

Arsen stood up and walked towards Darius before she grabbed the paper to inspect it as Darius handed it. "Unfortunately, it's not written in our language. We can wait for Solstice and we can possibly decipher it within the day."

Hours passed by, Solstice came with another researcher beside her and they took the papers — both doing their best to translate the words. Apparently it was written in Oreaphic, the standard Everfrost writing.

After the documents had been translated, Darius and his crew gathered around the table in the dimly lit room of the ministry. Solstice explained, her finger tracing the faded lines on the parchment.

Aloysius leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with interest.

"These writings," the other researcher began, her eyes scanning the translated text, "states that there was a treasure in the Regimere that had pulled from its depths. Filled with gold, pearls, and mysterious stones, and coins." 

Darius brows furrowed in concern. "Pulled from the ocean waters? By whom?"

"Disturbing those waters probably awakened the duke then," Aloysius assumed as the researchers frowned. He turned to look at the two before waving his hand in dismissal. "Oh my apologies, you may continue."

"Well, you weren't wrong there." The researcher beside Solstice frowned. "It was written here by some Everfrost sailor so we could surmise that it's probably them."

"Date?" Arsen raised an eyebrow.

The researcher paused, turning the papers and reading quickly. "1616."

"Figures." Elysaria nods. "The language they used aligned with Ephemios. Aetherial was only adapted back in the 1660's."

Solstice continued reading the paper. "We sought the treasure and buried it in the island right after the abyss."

"The serpent, once dormant, roams fiercely. It wouldn't take long before it finds us." Solstice added, her eyes meeting Darius and Arsen's. 

The two only remained silent before one of them broke the silence.

"Seems like they tried escaping and planned to return to it once they've secured it. Maybe they were planning to get reinforcements," Arsen concluded.

"Do you think they're still alive?" Darius raised an eyebrow.

Arsen only remains silent before shaking her head. "Considering that the nation is still in shambles, I'd surmise they haven't retrieved it yet. Which is why Ophelia seems determined in trekking the Regimere these days."

"The only way these things would go back to what is was is to return the treasure," Elysaria added.

"I'd rather not get my hands dirty with filthy riches anyway. I've known these waters. And the last thing I want are riches. I'd rather have my peace for my men to sail these waters," Arsen told them as she crossed her arms.

"Seraphius." The four turned their gaze at Solstice who was reading the papers. "That's the name of the Duke."

Arsen hums. "More reason to avoid it then."

"Seraphius was once a god connecting our two nations. He was meant to be a guiding symbol, a compass for sailors who lost their ways in the Regimere,"

The researcher beside Solstice explained the tale. She knew such story considering that she was once a citizen of Everfrost who only moved to Arkenheilm after her parents sailed to the nation.

"There was a tale that his treasure got stolen by a greedy king and was used to destroy the golden city. The once calm god became disturbed by his actions, he decided to kill those whoever tries to get his treasure after that."

"So, instead of helping sailors, he overturn ships into the abyss as a mere symbol of his resentment to the humans, hiding his treasure in the depths below to prevent such betrayal once again."

Arsen only gathered such information and nods before looking at Elysaria. "Prepare the ships. Chart a course back to Malum Trench."