There was no doubt that for two High Elf Rangers covered from head to toe in magical equipment, the sentry posts set up inside the fortress to guard against Troll raids were basically just for show.
Other than dogs with exceptionally keen noses and hearing, they did not even need to avoid anyone. They could simply walk straight through in broad daylight.
And dogs would certainly never be allowed into a place where nobles gathered.
Thus, without any effort at all, they found the study located at the innermost part of the fortress.
Just as the male elf was about to use tools to pry open the locked door, the female elf suddenly raised her hand in a gesture telling him to wait. She personally stepped forward, used a long piece of iron wire to hook open the bolt inside, then gave him a hand signal that meant, "Keep watch outside," before slipping inside herself.
But after entering the study, she realized that things were somewhat different from what she had expected.
There was no one in the study. Not even the oil lamps were lit. Instead, dim light flickered from a tunnel leading down to the basement.
Driven by curiosity, the female ranger carefully descended the stairs.
A few seconds later, she saw a horrifying sight that she would never forget for the rest of her life, one that made her scalp tingle.
Inside the spacious basement, two Trolls were strapped to separate chairs. Their skullcaps had been removed, exposing white brains soaked in blood.
One of them had countless mysterious symbols carved into the back of his hands and arms. He was clearly a Witch Doctor who had mastered voodoo magic.
The other was an ordinary Troll warrior, with exceptionally well-developed muscles in both his hands and feet.