After that conversation, silence imbued the whole journey. Naell wondered why, yet he embraced the quietness as they toured the empire's roads.
Judging from what he observed, small as they were, the dwarves were quite nimble and strong, and age didn't seem to affect them much.
With their long lifespans only second to the long-eared elves, their population was also known as the second largest, only lagging behind the human race.
Dwarves were also known as the best artisans and inventors, surpassing scholars in that aspect. That was why compared to all the domain Naell had been to, Nonau was far more advanced that although they were inside the cave, it appeared not so.
With the natural light that shone from the diamond-like roof and the magic lights, the empire seemed to be in a location definitely not inside a mountain.
"If the Republic was the country of the future, Nonau was indeed the future, HOOT." Said Owly to which Enitma and Naell both nodded.
If the Republic felt like the beginning of the Renaissance period, Nonau was definitely in its modern era.
"So this place is the other one, huh." When Naell muttered that, Enitma couldn't help but chuckle.
The prince then replied, "Both of your reactions were funny then; did you guys think I meant some deeper meaning?"
Naell and Owly honestly couldn't remember their reactions. Yet at that time, they were still testing the waters with the prince.
"We did, and you should know that, HOOT!"
Enitma once again laughed, with Naell and Owly following along.
"I guess that's true. Even now, perhaps you guys are still wondering if the Republic is in cahoots with the pieces."
Yet when the prince uttered those words, silence once again filled the vehicle. It was not just because of Enitma's words but also his gaze, which sparked both the duo's vigilance.
And then the vehicle stopped, yet no one moved. Not Naell, not Owly, not the dwarven mage and knights, and not even Enitma, whose eyes were still locked onto the duo.
"How foolish," the prince finally said.
Naell could only ask in return, "How so?"
Yet Enitma only sighed and replied, "This."
Naell could more or less understand. However, it didn't necessarily mean that what he wanted to hear was the truth.
"Do Lady Arawa and Mr. Sanbu know?" asked Naell once more.
"They don't, but I suppose they'll just look at me the same way you're both looking." Upon responding, as if on cue, the dwarven knights began to open the vehicle's door.
This was followed by the dwarven mage who then said, "We've arrived."
The duo were then escorted inside a cave, which they found ironic. Nonau was, after all, just a big cave. They weren't inspected, but Naell immediately felt a barrier that seemed to restrict or weaken one's magic and aura.
Owly also noticed it as he lightly used his claw to alert Naell. In response, the young master of Beryldot only nodded with slight pain.
'It's strong enough to ban telepathy, huh,' thought Naell.
Truth be told, they didn't anticipate Nonau being part of Lucile. The Dwarven Empire was first and foremost part of the alliance.
However, seeing how close the empire was with the Republic, it makes sense that both were either a spy or an enemy, yet definitely an alliance to one another.
The deeper they went, the stronger the sealing of one's power usage became, which started to irk the duo. It was not to the point where they felt pressure, but an itch was starting to prick their senses.
It was apparent, though, that Enitma, the dwarven knights, and the mage escorting them were exempt from the barrier.
Naell could only guess that the trap was designated for outsiders. It was definitely made by someone knowledgeable about barriers.
From what Klata had told them, unlike barrier magic, barriers used by non-dark elemental mages and martial artists were definitely weaker.
However, since this power used mediums such as papers to be activated, it lasted indefinitely and used less mana or aura when creating one.
To create a barrier, though, one needed intensive knowledge because its creation was filled with sequences of codes, unlike barrier magic, where one needed to learn the spell and pay for the mana.
That was why scholars who could use aura or magic but lacked quantity used barriers to defend themselves.
Even a skilled mage or martial artist would have a hard time navigating through barriers if they didn't know the code.
Hence, the place they went would surely scare anyone, or so Enitma had thought.
No one could blame him, though; he was not there, nor did he know Naell was the type of person who could navigate through such barriers easily if he wanted to.
It was not the first time he did, after all, as the teleportation magic in the guild and school at Taglagas was made with barriers.
Moreover, Klata, the current guardian of Vitality, was an expert when it came to barriers. Still, Naell was hoping he didn't have to fight.
Not long after, they finally reached the end of the cave. By then, a shadow could be seen awaiting their arrival.