CHAPTER 27: The plan in the banquet
"Now that everyone is here i relatively trust since we are bound by a contract, i can start telling my plans. " Kyle says as he surveyed around the room and take notice of their expressions. Melissa was clearly not listening as she keeps on fussing about Cellica while Cellica is disagreeing with her. Isaac looked like he didn't even bat an eye on what Kyle is saying as he munches the food he's eating and leaving Alrich who is actually listening to him. Seeing this, he coughed loudly to grab their attention.
"Can you not do that? I'm eating" Isaac gazes at him with disgust.
"Then listen to me! The slow destruction of this world will begin at the war between the Lederion and Demer Kingdom so listen if you don't want to die. This will happen since the supreme pontiff of the church of light will suddenly visit the Lederion kingdom and lead to discovering them and other kingdoms hiding the cursed sacred weapons that are sealing the legendary monsters and demons." Kyle says quickly and seriously that everyone was surprised. Immediately, everyone's attention was on him.
"Yes!" Isaac shouted excitedly as everyone stared at him and silence covered the room. Shrugging, he continued eating.
"Uh…I'll ignore that, but you're saying that there will be a war? Isn't the Demer and Lederion Kingdoms together with other kingdoms allies? Both of the kingdoms are in peace and there has been no major quarrel between this two so why?" Cellica asked
"You should rest and not stress yourself, it's quite obvious, isn't it? The kingdom with 3 heroes wielding the sacred weapons and a kingdom hiding the foulest destructive and demonic weapons ever created and forcing the otherworlders to wield them to become instruments of war. Both of them will naturally go to war." Kyle shakes his head as Cellica smiles weakly
"Then let me ask this, are the both of you working for the Lederion Kingdom?" Melissa asked warily
"Nope, they attempted to kill us, and this guy over here plans on taking revenge on that kingdom. We are different from others who are wielding the cursed sacred weapons since the ego doesn't control and influence us. I've said this before." Kyle sighs.
"What are your plans then?" Melissa asked
"First, we will bring Alrich with us to the banquet and try to convince Aleena Irlith the one who is destined to marry the crowned prince to join us.." Kyle stared at Cellica but there's a hint of anger when he says the name Aleena and the crowned prince.
"Why? I know that she's talented but she's working for the crowned prince who i will kill" Melissa glared at Kyle.
"We made a deal with a god" Kyle sighs
"What?! Didn't you say that the cause of destruction is the gods but here you're saying that you made a deal with one of them!" Melissa bangs her hand on the table from anger. What angers her more is the fact that despite Kyle saying that they need to trust each other, information that is useful for their goals is hidden and ignored. He's not saying the whole truth and decides to reveal it bits by bits.
"Listen, it was a goddess who didn't fall so i accepted it. You can either believe me or not but i'm sure that this is still within our contract. We will introduce ourselves as the envoys of the witch of calamity, do small talks and convince her forcefully if i needed to. Then leave. The revenge can wait. " Kyle says with a smile
"I know….but i don't know if i can stop myself" Cellica says with her jaws clenched and her fist shaking in anger while glaring at the table like she's gonna kill it. Kyle smirks as he notices that Isaac finally finished eating.
"Then i'm gonna give you an incentive. I heard that someone gave you a flower right?"
"Y-yes? I'm mean i guess" Cellica glances at Isaac with an awkward smile
"WHAT!" Melissa shouted loudly that nearly destroyed their eardrums.
"WHO?!"
"You can do anything to him" Kyle smirks while Isaac glares at him.
"How about you do it yourself, i'm not a plaything" Isaac says with a frown.
"I know but you don't want to screw up the banquet right?" Kyle asked with confidence in his voice.
"If i can fight them then i won't mind, just knowing that we are the envoy of a witch already sunk our reputations to the floor added by the fact that we used the 'foulest destructive and demonic weapons ever created' will basically make us demons to them. Once we reach there, their hostility will prick our skin. There might be a chance that we will be ambushed once we leave the banquet. I only care if we achieve what that goddess told us to do" Isaac says with a sneering smile.
"I guess so…that's why we will use Alrich to woe that woman since taking her by force might be difficult. It's would also be suspicious if Cellica doesn't appear in the banquet since the crowned prince might think his plans were revealed." Kyle leaves the chair and circles around the room, pondering on how to stop Cellica from showing hostility to the killer of her father. Kyle scratches the back of his head in annoyance as he started regretting telling Cellica who killed her father just days before the banquet.
"Why not tell them that she's under the weather and that she's sick?" Alrich asked
"I… can't do that. The elders and my cousins would be ashamed and embarrassed if the wind hero couldn't appear at the banquet just because she's sick. My family will be laughing stock" Cellica sighs.
"It's alright…i can control myself. I'm not a wind hero for nothing" she says with a forced smile.
"Well, i guess i have to do this then. Alrich, contact the shadows and give them information about the experimentations of the crowned prince on the humanoid chimeras so they can create a distraction for us." Kyle sighs
"What do you mean? I don't know anything or even how to contact the shadows" Alrich says profusely as the eye of truth shone with its black diamond-shaped pattern inside Isaac's iris. Noticing this Kyle smiles with his hand on Alrich's shoulders
"Come on, i was the one who gave you the power to go against heaven. Can't you do it for me" he cheerily says
"How am i supposed to do that? I don't even know where they can be found!" Alrich raises his voice.
"Tsk tsk, what a lying boy. I'm quite hurt you know" Kyle dramatically holds his cheek.
"What do you-Alrich was about to shout back but Isaac interrupted him.
"Stop the nonsense Alrich, i don't want to hear your lies. It's hurting my eyes" Isaac glares at Alrich
"Hahahahah, it's funny seeing you try to hide and started lying under someone who can detect lies" a burst of loud laughter echoed as Alrich, Melissa and Cellica were confused. Wiping the tears forming in his eyes. Kyle opens his mouth to speak
"We have special or cursed eyes if you guys called it. I thought you guys would ask us about it but its…quite entertaining seeing you acting as our eyes are normal since you thought that our eyes are our insecurities or a secret we don't want to share. Some of you were disgusted while some of you were amazed." Kyle continued laughing.
"My eyes can see the truth while he can see the future" Isaac explained
"Welcome to the weird and wonderful eyes Alrich" Kyle smiled at the uneasiness of Alrich once he realizes that he was found out.
"I doubt that's the only thing your eyes can see" Melissa says
"Well, i also doubt the thing that looks like a dog hiding in the Shadows of Melissa is safe or not" Isacc gazed at the both of them.
"I-i guess i don't doubt you anymore" Melissa chuckles awkwardly and nervously. Awfully trying to hide her familiar that is currently hiding in her shadows. Isaac notices this once they reached the white mansion but he never asked what it is since he doesn't have any interest in it.
"So anyway, i hope you can do that Alrich. You don't have to be scared anymore since you have the power to survive Isaac's strongest attack without sacrificing an arm. " Kyle smiles at Alrich as he nodded weakly.
"Our plan is this since i'm sure that the shadows will take interest in it so they will surely check it themselves if the information was true. A battle will happen in that precious lab of his so of course there's a high chance that he will be not there most of the time since his research is more important than reputation and if it was released to the public, then he will surely be pushed away from the throne and banished. Alrich will try to convince Aleena with Isaac checking and providing assistance while i will take care of the people taking interest in us since Isaac might offend a person or two. After the banquet, leave separately but Alrich needs to be with us. As long as we can convince Aleena, we will leave the premises immediately. We should also act as we don't know each other right Cellica and Melissa?" Kyle explained.
"I guess we have no choice but to follow it. You're quite reliable at times like this" Cellica says with a smile as Kyle bows his head elegantly.
"Of course Wind Hero" he smirked.
"So is there anything else?" Cellica asked
"Can you get someone to create an Ustrium sheath for me?" Isaac asked with a smile.
"Then what can you offer me?" Cellica smirks which irked Isaac but he remained calm with the only thing on his mind is to stop that annoying katana from speaking.
"Hmm…i see. Hey Kyle, i'm gonna leave to hunt some monsters tomorrow and try to join the adventurer's guild" Isaac says to Kyle as he can only offer money to Cellica since he doesn't know anyone who can create a sheath for him and without any money, his sheath can't be created. He heard from the knights that hunting monsters for their leather, horns and the life stone is a way of earning money and has a chance of hitting it big if someones lucky. Someone just needs to receive the adventure card to be able to hunt and officially become an adventurer.
"What?! You're bringing that katana of yours that emit a demonic aura and you expect that the adventurers guild will accept you? At best, you get imprisoned and at worst you'll be executed on spot" Kyle says while shaking his head with his hand on his face.
"I guess….then can i inform what my class will be?" Isaac pondered before looking at Cellica.
"Why would i care…wait you still didn't have a class? Besides, i have no interest in your class" Cellica said, he actually manages to cheer her up so she's willing to do a favor of creating a sheath for his katana but she wanted to see what he's willing to do.
"Then i will reveal one of the secrets of my eyes" Isaac smiles as Cellica was indeed tempted since demonic eyes are rarely seen in history and the discoveries about it are too few to even create 3 pages worth of information.
"Can i leave now? I have to meet the shadows since there is a one-day delay of them choosing if the information is worth their time or if its not then i can find an alternative before the banquet. " Alrich excuses himself as Cellica allows it, leaving Melissa, Kyle, and Isaac in the room.
"Ok fine, i'll accept it but on one condition. You need to demonstrate it" Cellica smiles as Isaac nodded but before Isaac can speak, Kyle yanks Isaac towards him.
"Wait, i thought you don't trust anyone? Why are you willing on revealing a piece of your trump card?" Kyle whispers
"I don't have i choice do i? Besides, as you said. We are already signed with a contract" Isaac whispers back as he gazes at Cellica.
"Illusions doesn't work on me, any type no matter how strong it is" Isaac says as Cellica was quite disappointed but nonetheless, a promise is a promise.
"FInd then take this!" Cellica activated one of the rings on her fingers as it glowed a bright violet color as Isaac's eyes were covered with exact color only for a second before vanishing.
"H-how?! That was dream cage, it's a high-tier magic!" Cellica shouted as she realizes that she was too excited that she coughs and clears her throat before gazing at Isaac with a dignified expression.
"I see..how impressive. You can have my word, that sheathe will arrive once they know the exact measurement of the katana. You may leave now" she smiles awkwardly as the both of them left the room. Leaving Melissa and Cellica on the table. Suddenly the door burst open only to see a maid as her chest heaved as she struggled to control her breathing after running with a letter in her hand.
"Lady Cellica, Melissa! Ciaran is seen leaving the mansion with a pack of bags before vanishing outside the walls of the capital with only this letter on his desk" the maid said despite breathing heavily.
"WHAT?!" Melissa shouted as she rushes to take the letter before reading it from top to bottom.
"What is it, Melissa?" Cellica asked worriedly
"It says that he's leaving this mansion to gain power so you can believe in his strength." Melissa grits her teeth as the letter crumple.
"Sorry, Cellica. I have to find my stupid brother, be right back!" Melissa shouted before rushing outside the door with urgency written all over her face. Cellica picks up the crumpled letter on the floor as she opened it.
"Forgive me Lady Cellica for leaving your side, don't worry. Once i come back, i will be strong enough to protect you and my sister. Please take care of her while i'm gone. She treats you like a big sister since she said that you're dependable and courageous. I also wanted to be like that. Thank you to the Venir Family for saving us from slavery and giving us warm food and a comfy bed to sleep in in the rain. I will always be grateful and i swear that i will pay back the goodness that your family has done to us. Thank you for giving me hope and motivation to become the outstanding knight that i am now. Thank you for you my sister for always sacrificing and protecting me as a child but now that i have seen that i still cannot protect the both of you. I will be a great hero you dreamed of once before. A shining knight saving the world. I will gain allies together with me and i will strike the demons that are controlling the both of you. I swear in my life that i will take revenge on those foul demons and save the both of you from their hand." It is the contents of the letter as Cellica reads the entirety of it.
She felt guilty for pushing him away when he trusted and admired her. She thought that what she did to Ciaran is the same as the crowned prince did to her, they betrayed them, they betrayed their trust and admiration. She falls weakly to the chair as she chuckles at how weak the wind hero becomes. If Isaac can see her, he might have mocked and angered her. She can only hope that Melissa finds her brother as the guilt and worry added by grief and stress is too much for her heart to handle.