Anchisa is being uncharacteristically silent.

Joan, for lack of anything better to do, has sat on the ground and started to clean her gun.

Everyone involved here is definitely absolutely super duper lying. Mordred finds it difficult to fault them for this because Mordred and Anemone are also lying but lying is the thing that they are doing.

"He said something about a manuscript he was studying that had led him to think there might be. But I wasn't clear on whether there was any, you know, physical evidence for his theory. I guess there isn't?"

"Ancient manuscripts are often written by people who are, to put it nicely, perhaps more concerned with interest than with accuracy. Herodotus thought that in Persia there were gold-digging ants the size of dogs."

Lev is kind of irritated that they came all the way here to look at a perfectly ordinary tomb.

"Sure, that's why I wasn't sure. But Acuna's a scholar, you know, and I was under the impression that he'd been here, so - well, I guess if there's nothing to it. I'm sorry there's not much to be found here, then. Too bad the tomb is secret, it seems like even the tomb of a very boring second century Aksumite noble is still something you don't see every day. Be cool if I could, you know, at least give the people back home a description. But I guess if you're - keeping it secret out of, uh - courtesy?"

"Well, obviously you understand that we can't take you inside. It is still very old and irreplaceably precious. It could get damaged."

"I suppose if it's very fragile. Well - hopefully your friend will find something worth publishing about it, even if it isn't her most exciting paper. We're sorry to have bothered you for nothing, then."

"It was still lovely to get to speak to another archaeologist! Perhaps we can have dinner together? I am afraid I cannot offer you a feast, but it would be very interesting to catch up with the latest research."

"Oh, of course! I'm afraid I'm not, you know, an expert yet, I'm sure I can't provide as much depth on any particular subject as a professor could, but if you don't mind that, then sure."

"Well, I'm sure your information is more up-to-date than mine regardless." Smile."Who did you say was funding your expedition again?"

"Oh, we're not here on an expedition, you know, with actual equipment and an actual dig site? The anthropology department has been in a pretty sorry state since Ayers went missing. But they let me at some of his notes, and you know, it was this big mystery, what happened to him and what he found while he was here, so I talked the university into giving me enough of a stipend to get by on, and - well, I was hoping that he had miraculously survived all this time and would have lots of interesting things to share, but I guess that's just how it goes sometimes."

"I see," Mariam says. "Well, it would be lovely to speak with you tonight. Do you mind if I return to my work? We have a few minor details to wrap up before we can leave."

"Not at all, it was wonderful to meet you."

"Of course! Should we come back here at - what time would be good for you?"

"How's seven? Louise should be back by then. I'm sure she would love to discuss her research." Smile smile smile.

"Oh, wonderful! Seven it is."

Haha. They're in danger.

Yeah, definitely.

Meanwhile--

Zoe, Araari, and Oswald arrive at the Ministry of Culture.

"Hello!" a receptionist says cheerfully.

“Hello! We are looking for information on the obelisk?”

"Sure thing!" she chirps. "We have all kinds of information about all of the amazing sights in Axum. --Are you aware that there is, currently, about to be a war?"

"We have been picking up on something like that!"

"I think this is not a very good time to do tourism!"