[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230524/91458118b42d1b084bbaf3d9ea357448.png[/img][/center] 

He answered the question as they moved.

"Yes and no, it would depend on what is most cost-effective, keeping the barrier to offer protection for the city or using the extra firepower. If the big brass decides to keep the barrier it will hold for a while but I doubt the enemy doesn't have something prepared in advance to break through, remember this was a siege, which means time is in their favor, not ours, and if they got half the preparations I think they did then they likely waited this long because it was easier" And knowing the paranoid old man he probably had anticipated that the wait would make them fight all the harder "

Their arrival at the guardhouse was quick and perhaps they still had some luck left as the guildmaster was fit to see them right away.

Once pleasantries were exchanged Adam beat him to the punch and spoke first.
[quote=Adam]
“Unfortunately, I messed up, and I'm sorry for that. First, I never mentioned to anyone that the enemy can see Source Mail messages and interfere with communications. And second, I overlooked that fact when sending my letter, so now the Witch Queen knows we knew when they were going to attack. Frankly, they probably have a new plan now. Again, I apologize for the mistake.”
[/quote]
He wasn't very good at it.

Once more he was reminded about this particular habit of his friend and not for the first time he felt some faint irritation, it was... frustrating to hear Adam talk like that sometimes. He was a good man and an even better friend but this was one of his traits that needed sometimes got out of control.

But that was okay, this was one of the very few things he could help with.

Giving Adam a few pats on the back he signaled to him he wanted to speak, then took a step forward "I am afraid that the Witch Queen has access to Hacking, I am unaware if she does it herself or if she has a specialist to do it" He gave a few shakes of the head then resumed "Back when we received the message we found it to have been tempered by her, even now I don't think my party knows about 'Hacking', I only know because special circumstances regarding a Blessing from Lathop"

Use the 'we' to signify the whole party, making it clear Adam wasn't alone, explaining they were ignorant but leaving enough rope to involve him.

"At the time we were extremely distraught by the contents and I think we subconsciously pushed the matter aside, the aforementioned Blessing had certain consequences to my physique which resulted in a pathological fear of the Witch Queen" He gestured towards Adam "It wasn't until my teammate here realized he had been using the guild services to send a message that he made the connection that if She could temper with our message, she may be spying on all of Valhaim's"

Involve them, it was their service that was tampered with, also elevate Adam's contribution, he was the one to discover it. He wasn't good at politics, not really, but even he wasn't blind enough to ignore how valuable they were to the whole city during the attack, with all the contributions they had made it was unlikely they would be punished, if he was a betting man he would say the matter would be swept under the rug. Still, it was better late than never, he doubted Adam was the only person using the service during these last days, and sure he may be the only Druid to do so, but there was no telling what other secrets were leaked.

After some further questioning, they were released and back to the Mended Drum.

Mac news was something that he would have welcomed any other day, but in this one in particular he was just silently waiting for one last kick in the nuts to end the day.

It was just one of those.

However, before he went to sleep he made sure to impart some last words to Adam.

"Hey Adam, Tree-Man, look, this may have been a fuckup but it was a collective fuckup, any of us should have reported the entire thing the moment we found out about it, hell I doubt you are the only one who send messages, there are a lot of Adventurers around and I bet a couple of them have friends and family outside" He took a couple seconds to think the right words "Look what I am saying is don't beat yourself too much over it m'kay? I know you are your harshest critic and truthfully thoughts like that will just make you suffer for nothing. Better focus in what is to come"

He gave the man a couple pats on the shoulder before biding him goodnight and then retreating to his room.

What a shitday.