Tarno and his two friends with gasping breath arrived in front of the pavilion, from the edge of the skull hole it seems they ran to get there quickly. Their arrival made Ki Darmo who was sitting in the front room immediately come out to meet them, the elder of Serayu Village showed a surprised and anxious expression.

"What happened?! Why did you come like people being chased by demons?"

Tarno and his two friends were still trying to catch their breath, seeing this Ki Darmo held back his curiosity.

"Come sit down and have a drink first, so that you can calm down so that you can calmly tell what happened that made you come here in a hurry."

Tarno and his two friends sat down and took turns drinking water in the jug, the jug containing boiled water that felt cool was always in the pavilion whether or not there were guests sitting there.

"This is it Ki, we were ordered by Ki Darmo to monitor Arya meeting Gento Ireng to see if Gento gave Arya a necklace. The necklace was then worn and not long after Arya followed Gento Ireng into the skull pit,” said Tarno.

Ki Darmo was shocked to hear Tarno’s report.

“Huh?! Arya followed Gento into the skull pit?”

Tarno and his two friends nodded their heads.

“We were going to prevent them by going out of hiding to monitor them Ki, but we remembered Arya’s message before leaving for the edge of the skull pit not to take any action other than just monitoring and coming back here to meet Ki Darmo to report what we saw,” said Tarno, his two friends nodded again.

Ki Darmo was actually still shocked by Tarno’s report about Arya accepting Gento Ireng’s invitation into the skull pit, but suddenly he remembered Arya’s figure who he considered to have sufficient kanuragan knowledge so that his worries immediately disappeared.

“Hmm, yes I understand now why Arya asked you not to take any action except to monitor and report everything you saw about his meeting with Gento Ireng to me.”

Tarno and his two friends looked at each other, confused by Ki Darmo’s attitude, who suddenly looked calm, even though previously the village elder was no less panicked.

“Then what should we do now Ki? Arya will suffer the same fate as the kidnapped villagers who never returned until now.”

Ki Darmo smiled hearing Tarno’s question and statement.

“Hmm, you don’t need to worry. Arya will be fine there, we’ll just wait for him to come back to meet us in this village.”

Tarno and his two friends were even more confused by the village elder’s statement, Ki Darmo knew about it and then he smiled again.

“Arya is not just anyone, in his body there is a very powerful power. Never mind Gento Ireng, even that damn White Crocodile Demon Queen wouldn’t be able to face him.”

Tarno and his two friends looked at each other again.

“What Ki Darmo means...”

“Arya is a highly knowledgeable warrior, his arrival in this village is a blessing from God to help us solve the problems that often befall our village,” Ki Darmo interrupted explaining.

Tarno and his two friends were seen nodding their heads, it seemed like they already understood why Ki Darmo’s attitude was suddenly calm unlike when they first came there.

“So we don’t need to take action and wait for Arya to come back to this village, right Ki?”

Ki Darmo nodded, but not long after he spoke again.

“Although I said earlier we don’t need to take any action other than waiting for Arya to come back, there’s nothing wrong if you take turns monitoring the skull cave from time to time. However, don’t get too close and don’t act in a way that will invite the suspicion of the White Crocodile Demon Queen and her followers, later I will appoint several villagers to take turns going there.”

Tarno and his two friends nodded again.

 

******

Arya and Dewi Purbalara were still on the top floor of the white crocodile palace, to be precise, in a room where there were various types of flowers, they seemed increasingly engrossed in conversation.

“What did Gento say to you, Arya? That you were willing to be brought to this palace?”

Asked like that, Arya scratched his head while thinking about the right answer so as not to arouse suspicion in Dewi Purbalara’s heart.

“After Gento invited me to meet at the edge of the pool, Gento gave me this necklace to wear. After that, he invited me here, I didn’t mind.”

Dewi Purbalara smiled happily hearing Arya’s answer.

“Hmm, it turns out that the white crocodile necklace was also able to subdue him. Even though previously I was doubtful because I thought Arya was not like the residents of Serayu Village who were easily conquered,” Dewi Purbala muttered to herself.

Meanwhile, Arya was also happy because he had given the right answer, so that Dewi Purbalara was not suspicious of him and would find out more about him.

“Oh yes Dewi, what should I do here. Do I also have to join the palace soldiers?”

Dewi Purbalara shook her head.

“You don’t need to join them, to me you are an honored guest.”

Arya was a little surprised to hear Dewi Purbalara's words.

"So I don't do anything in this palace like being a soldier or a bodyguard for Dewi?"

Dewi Purbalara nodded and smiled sweetly.

"Yes, I give you freedom here. Not to be a soldier or my bodyguard."

"Am I also allowed to leave this palace at any time?"

Arya's question made Dewi Purbalara frown.

"I mean, if at any time I want to walk around on the mainland out of the depths of my skull and of course I will come back here."

Dewi Purbalara smiled and nodded her head, a sign that she agreed with Arya's wishes.

"Why should I forbid him? After all, he won't be able to go far anymore. Ha.. Ha.. Ha...!"