The Gems of Element

Part 2: Earth Region ~ Chapter X

"Wh-what?" I stare at the place where I think I should be looking at, but all I'm seeing is a regular stone wall. I look to Leon for some sort of sign that I'm missing something. I get nothing from him so I turn to Amice, then finally Adam. Thankfully he returns my gaze and notices my clear confusion, jumping a bit when we lock eyes. He then not-so-subtly coughs at Leon, making him look twice at the blank wall behind him.

"Oh! Right, sorry." Leon walks over to the wall, glides his hand over the surface, and focuses all of his attention on the different stones like he's actively looking for something. His hand stops on a stone that looked ever so slightly different than the rest. It was slightly darker, and the closer I got to it the more I noticed it protruded outwards by the smallest millimeter. I definitely wouldn't have seen it at first glance, only now seeing the difference when his hand stopped on it. To my surprise, he then moves his hand two stones down. Landing on a stone that perfectly blends into the rest being the exact same shape, size, and color, and pushes it. 

It then activates something, with the low-pitched sounds of clanking and whirring audible from behind the wall. The stones push back on each other, slowly revealing a hidden doorway within the wall with stairs leading down into somewhere. I take a moment to process what had just happened before my very eyes.

"Oh... heh, I wonder why I'm not surprised at the fact that there's a super secret, hidden entrance? I guess I kind of expected it? Haha..."

"Oh my- ! When has-?! What...???" A voice suddenly says behind me. I turn around to find Lanota and Mary standing there with their mouths hung open and a tray of bread and cheese in their hands, respectively. 'I didn't even notice they left?!'

"Hey, my breakfast! Thanks!" I say, skipping happily over to them and snatching the trays from their cold, stiff hands. Going over to the table, I hurriedly place the food on it and quickly make an impromptu cheese sandwich, to which I then devour it in seconds. While happily eating my breakfast, I watch as Lanota shakily walks over to Adam and immediately bombards him with multiple questions.

"What is that?! Why is it there?! How come I've never seen this?! How come I've never heard of this? Who cleans it?! Oh my, it must be filthy! I-?!" As Lanota's head nearly explodes from the stress and confusion of the sight before her, Adam simply lets out a sigh and disappointedly shakes his head.

"Oh dear... Nobody else was supposed to know about this! Lady Amice, I thought you had sent them away?!" Adam then looks to her for an answer. She puts her hands up and shrugs her shoulders in response.

"I did! I have no clue as to why they would come back. Although it is a good thing they did because I am starving!" She says, joining me in finishing the food.

"W-Well, the Princess said she was hungry! So we decided to bring her some food. We did not mean to intrude on... that. Our sincerest apologies!" Mary says, piping up from behind Lanota's back.

"Oh! Do not worry, it was simply an accident. You do not need to apologize for anything, especially when it is clearly Amice's mistake and not yours!" Adam shakes his hands in a "no" motion at her, a little apologetic as well.

"Even if it was an accident, it doesn't change the fact that we were not supposed to come back. We are very sorry."

"No, you couldn't have known to come back if I had told Amice to tell you directly, instead of subtly hinting it at you when there was a chance you would not have gotten it. So then it is technically my fault, my apologies."

"No! You must not apologize for something that is clearly not your fault! I am sorry if my words made you think that way."

"No, I'm sorry I made you apologize in the first place. It was my mistake."