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After making sure you weren't being followed, you all rest and recover by the forwarding base. Herta discussed sensing some corruption magic being present in the cave. Yumi probably needed to recover; while she didn't show any of the symptoms of corruption magic, she refused to leave the crystal for any purpose until she was at least a few hours under the purification of the anti-corruption artifact back at the mansion. Everyone here agreed to do the same.
But first you all discuss the main objective.
"So, do you think Aneko is part of one those things?" You ask in general.
"Verily, the agony of fate whispered upon the winds—'tis highly probable..." Yumi gives a non-answer.
However, Herta shakes her head. "We never were able to find her, right?" But looks more pensive as she says the words.
"I guess it's possible she's hiding somewhere deep in the cave." Yumi shrugs. "I would've probably been able to confirm it if it weren't for these two dummies you brought along, Mas- Savant." She corrects herself.
"Yumi, what do you make of this?" Deciding not to comment on her verbal slip, you ask your resident ghost girl her thoughts.
"The echoes of countless souls elude my grasp, save for an imposing entity that looms with palpable might. Like a force of nature, he resonates with an enigmatic power. Dare I say, he may have caught a glimpse of the Savant Master and myself as we lurked in the shadows..." Yumi recounted. She glared at Herta. "Let us thank the Goddess of Artifice for bestowing upon us the unmistakable mark of her divine essence, illuminating the identity of our souls to any within that cavern."
"I'm sorry, Master!" Herta exclaims, nearly on the verge of tears. "I thought it was a good idea to bless us before we went in, but it just made it obvious I the same first-wife from before..." You harass her with some light physical punishments and verbal abuse, calming her down.
"Could anyone translate what the ghost girl said in Common?" Mel says. "I'm feeling a little out of it after that whole experience, and it's taking a lot to keep myself from passing out because of mana fatigue." She catches her breath. "Sorry."
"She couldn't really sense any individual souls, other than the Poltergeists." You clarified. "Except for this big guy that seemed to be <span class="mu-i">really</span> powerful for some reason."
"Alright. Sorry again, haha..." Mel says with a weary smile on her face. "I knew you'd save me, Master. You always do..." She kisses you on the cheek and is out like a light.
"About that 'powerful guy' Yumi talked about, you think... ?" Herta looks at you, worried.
"Yes. The orc." You confirm.
Oghlurk was practically daring you to attack him. This wasn't something you could just sweep under the rug.
When you arrive home you call everyone for a meeting—save for the still unconscious Mel—to share your misadventure. Yumi seems to have recovered just fine, if her dramatic retelling of events was anything to go by.
