(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 6)

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, I wouldn't rule out the idea, since you didn't take the wines."
>The potato crate was damaged in a manner that suggested something broke out of it, correct?

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I wouldn't rule out the idea, since you didn't take the wines."
>The potato crate was damaged in a manner that suggested something broke out of it, correct?

>She frowns further and fiddles nervously with her sleeve. "I... see."
>It did appear that the hole was broken from the inside out, yes.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Which leaves the question, who else has been down here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Which leaves the question, who else has been down here?"

>"Um, well... you're the first person I've seen walk in through my cellar," she says.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Seen, but...heard? Found traces of? Going into the Wild Rose's cellar was the first time you hit anything else, but do you have any other ways in or out?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Seen, but...heard? Found traces of? Going into the Wild Rose's cellar was the first time you hit anything else, but do you have any other ways in or out?"

>"Well, the rest of my house is above here," she says, gesturing to the room behind her. "It exits onto the street like anyone else's. Otherwise, I try to keep well below the surface. I don't want to damage anyone else's foundations, you see." She stops and frowns effusively. "I'm really sorry about the Wild Rose. I really am."

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we discreetly have a smell of the area, or is she likely to notice that. If we can, do that.
>"So, the thing you're telling me, is that there's no other ways in?

[DracoOmega]

>Can we discreetly have a smell of the area, or is she likely to notice that. If we can, do that.
>"So, the thing you're telling me, is that there's no other ways in?

>Given that you can tell a decent amount simply by breathing through your nose, you're pretty sure you can be discreet about it. You smell a variety of scents that seem quite appropriate for someone's home: wood, the smell of oil burning, a few assorted foodstuffs, and something vaguely musty - possibly books or old documents - among other less notables. There is no strong smell of alcohol present.
>She fidgets. "Well... there is another way out, but... I don't think anyone would have found it; it's well-hidden."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Let's see it."

[DracoOmega]

>"Let's see it."

>"Well, it's-  I mean, I can- Well, I-" She stutters out a response and then her shoulders sag a little. "I... I guess I can show you. If it'll help clear things up, but..." She trails off, looking away.

[Hello Purvis]

>"If you would, please."

[DracoOmega]

>"If you would, please."

>"Okay..." she says, a little resignedly. "Just give me a moment."
>She ambles back into her house and puts out the lights, then reemerges a moment later and closes the door behind her. She nods at you.
>"Okay, follow me, then."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm sorry about this, if you're uncomfortable. I'm just trying to figure out how someobody could have gotten in and out of the Rose's cellar without anyone there, or you, noticing, not to mention being able to take something with them."
>Hm. She doesn't have obvious claws or sharp nails....
>"Forgive me for asking, but, when you're digging your tunnels, do you leave... claw marks, behind?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm sorry about this, if you're uncomfortable. I'm just trying to figure out how someobody could have gotten in and out of the Rose's cellar without anyone there, or you, noticing, not to mention being able to take something with them."

>"No, no... I understand," she says, still frowning a little. "It's just, well... Well, I guess the escape tunnel was supposed to be a secret. N- not that I have anything to run from, but... old habits die hard, I suppose. I guess no one's going to barge down just because I show you where it is. Unless someone already did barge down... Oh dear." She fusses with her sleeve again.

>Hm. She doesn't have obvious claws or sharp nails....
>"Forgive me for asking, but, when you're digging your tunnels, do you leave... claw marks, behind?"

>"Of course," she replies lightly. "I am a mole, after all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I know all about having a back way out."

[DracoOmega]

>"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I know all about having a back way out."

>She nods and gives a gentle smile. "Thank you."

[Oldmansour]

>"And I know how to keep a secret."
>Follow the dear little mole.
>"So, you'd also know if there's been any new tunnels dug down here, something that you didn't build? I was thinking, before I came here, that someone from the surface might have dug their own way down. That may still be possible, just someone dug their own shaft, and then used your tunnels once they stumbled on them down here."

[DracoOmega]

>"And I know how to keep a secret."
>Follow the dear little mole.
>"So, you'd also know if there's been any new tunnels dug down here, something that you didn't build? I was thinking, before I came here, that someone from the surface might have dug their own way down. That may still be possible, just someone dug their own shaft, and then used your tunnels once they stumbled on them down here."

>She seems reassured by this, and ambles off down the way you came. You follow after her.
>"Oh dear..." she says. "I... hope that didn't happen. I spent a long time building all this... But yes, I would absolutely know if anything at all has changed. I know every inch of these tunnels inside and out."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Just how many tunnels have you made?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Just how many tunnels have you made?"

>"Oh, just a dozen or two," she says. "Most of them aren't really finished; I keep thinking I ought to spend a little time decorating them, although the bare earth is pretty homey on its own." She runs a hand warmly across the tunnel wall. "It's just a little something I do in my spare time, really."

[Oldmansour]

>Keep an open ear for anything hostile down here. In case we need to defend grandma Momoka. As well as ourselves.
>Do we know how good a sense of smell moles have in general?

[DracoOmega]

>Keep an open ear for anything hostile down here. In case we need to defend grandma Momoka. As well as ourselves.
>Do we know how good a sense of smell moles have in general?

>You keep your ears peeled for any possible hostiles as you make your way to the escape tunnel.
>You're not certain, to be honest. You think they're very good at sensing vibrations, though.

>Momoka leads you back to the second chamber you entered, and then ducks into the tunnel you took to get there, crawling into the narrow passage with an ease that belies her somewhat awkward-looking gait while walking. You follow in after her, though find you have a hard time keeping up as she scurries forward through the twists and turns in the earth. After some time, you make back to the first chamber.
>By the time you emerge from the tunnel, you find Momoka already walking over to the discarded wine bottle, a deep frown on her face.
>"What's this doing here?" she asks in a dismayed tone.

[Hanzo K.]

>"That my friend, is one of the wine bottles I mentioned earlier."

[DracoOmega]

>"That my friend, is one of the wine bottles I mentioned earlier."

>"But what's it doing here?" she asks insistently.

[Oldmansour]

>"Best guess? Whoever took the wine crate either dropped that one and didn't bother stopping. Or stopped to enjoy their gains, and tossed it before finishing it."

[DracoOmega]

>"Best guess? Whoever took the wine crate either dropped that one and didn't bother stopping. Or stopped to enjoy their gains, and tossed it before finishing it."

>"I... I don't like this," she says simply. "This shouldn't be here."

[Oldmansour]

>"Take a look around here. Anything else seem out of place to you?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Take a look around here. Anything else seem out of place to you?"

>She stares disapprovingly at the bottle for a few more moments, then talks a walk around the room. She bends down next to the cork and picks it up, adjusting her glasses with her other hand. She regards it with dismay, then puts it back where she found it and does another circuit around the room.
>"Everything else looks normal," she says, then shakes her head and repeats. "I don't like this. This is my home."

[Oldmansour]

>Give her a comforting pat on the shoulder.
>"Don't worry. We'll find whoever's responsible for this."

[DracoOmega]

>Give her a comforting pat on the shoulder.
>"Don't worry. We'll find whoever's responsible for this."

>You give Momoka a comforting pat on the shoulder. She slumps a little.
>"Thank you," she says quietly, then slowly shakes her head.