The scouts hiding in the scenery quickly sprang up into action and go to where the others are.
After they came in and verifying their security.
They head inside to meet their members.
"Sir."
The soldiers said while saluting. Their fists are on their chest upside down. Apparently, this is the same way Gallensia soldiers salutes.
"Well. I will tell them to get the food. leader, come with me please."
"Yes."
As they proceeds. They got to a majestically huge castle. Apparently, Takao is the only one actually living there. But mostly, there are other peoples allowed inside.
After walking a bit inside.
They entered a certain room.
"Please wait here."
"Yes."
That room has good interior and the furniture seems to be extremely expensive. It also has a pretty soothing wind inside. Though he doesn't know how such wind is getting inside.
He proceeds to sit on a couch that is elegantly designed. And the person called Martin left.
He waits what seems to be half an hour and a person suddenly opened the door.
He looks serious. He has black hair and eyes. His body is not that much of muscular. He looks to be in his teens but he releases an extremely fearful aura. He doesn't know what kind of clothes are those. He has a white top which is a T-shirt and black jogging pants. Much of his clothes preference even if he's a King now.
Of course, he took baths every day. But it is done within just seconds as he just had to take care of dirt and it is easy using water and just get rid of it after. It could be done anywhere but he also literally took a bath. He only does it when he needed. He also could create clothes so he made many pairs of his favourite clothes.
He favours these clothes since it's easy to be around with.
"Yo."
"Ah..."
He proceeds inside and got to the middle of the room facing his guest. A black chair is generated suddenly and he sits there.
Tal is extremely confused about how such a chair is made. That chair has a soft seat and has good design even it is pitch black.
"Um... Who are you?"
"Me? I am... This place's King. Yes. I am that."
"You are?"
"Do you think I am lying?"
"No..."
"Good."
As he is gonna bow down now that he has known this person's identity. An unknown force has kept him from doing so.
As he looked up to him. His hand is up and open that seems to be grasping him.
"No need to bow."
"Yes..."
"Good. By the way. I am Takao Suzuki. Tell me why you are here."
"Sorry. But... We are only sent to investigate. We don't seek battle. By the way. I am Tal."
"Of course. I don't sense any hostility from you all."
"Yes. Well. We are currently investigating the death of one of our generals that's stationed on a camp around this place."
"General? A camp? Is that the camp that is wiped out and seems to be a complete mess?"
"Yes."
"I killed him."
"You..?"
"Yes. I did."
He couldn't control his anger since General Isaac is his friend once. He even became his mentor before in using a sword. He immediately reaches for his sword and slashed to Takao at high speed.
But before he could do it. Someone grasped his left shoulder and the same weapon from before is pointed on his neck that is apparently a Kama.
He wonders how somebody is there when behind him is a concrete wall.
It is apparently a shadow Kama when he saw it. A shadow hand is also holding it.
"Stop, Degen. I could protect myself."
He trembles and dropped his sword. He slowly looked behind and saw the same shadow from before that now looks human.
"But..."
"I said it is fine. I hope you could handle yourself."
"Yes. My King."
And he disappears by going away using the wall.
"Sorry for my rudeness!"
Tal shouted in apology
"Is that General a friend of yours?"
"My former mentor."
"He is a good swordsman I admit. But it is war. There no right or wrong in a war. Right?"
"Yes..."
"Well... Now that you knew that. Won't you go back now?"
"I..."
"But. I have a proposal. If you accepted this. You could save many lives."
"What is it?"
"I wanted you to do me a favour. But first."
He places his hand on Tal's chest.
"I put a curse on you."
"W, what curse?"
"Here. The curse will activate if more than ten people had known about our deal, is that fine?"
"Huh?"
"If you accepted. This curse will be carried on with you and many people will live. But if you refuse. I will take back the curse but many people will die. What would you choose?"
"What deal?"
"Good. Well, that means you accepted. Right?"
"Yes."
"Very well. Let me tell you first about the curse. If more than ten people knew about this information and our talk. It will activate. Your heart will stop functioning when it activated, alongside with all people in a kilometer radius. No matter how many there are."
"What!?"
"Yes. So. Better tell this to those people you trusted. It will activate whether or not you are the person who told it to others. So you had to only tell this to your trusty personnel."
"Yes... I will."
"I have a deal with King Gallensia. I will attack the nearest city here. But there is no day when I will attack. I planned to do it in a week. So. Here is our deal. You go evacuate the citizens from that city and I have to burn it so that Gallensia won't suspect me of sabotaging them. If you refuse now. I will attack right at this moment. Killing millions of people in the process."
"No! I won't refuse!"
"Good. So you are now able to tell this to ten people. Exceeding that count will kill everybody in a kilometer radius just like I said."
"You needed something. Right?"
"Yes. I wanted you to bring Atrox, Presny, and Raske's family. The elite soldiers that are with this general on his camp."
"Yes. I knew them. But... Why their family?"
"They simply offended me and I wanted to kill them to the last member of their family. I knew every single person in their family. If you didn't bring them all to me. Even an infant. I will kill another city."
"... Yes... I understand."