They had a very lively dinner, they talked about how they encounter the bandits on the way to the Capital including how they met Zero the Young Swordmaster on the way.
"Interesting! How did you end up being held hostage by the bandits!?" Ezekiel asked while having a very curious look on his face.
"Oh...Young Master Ezekiel I intentionally got myself get caught by the bandits." Zero replied nonchalantly.
"What! Why!?" Ezekiel immediately replied and was more curious about the topic.
'*Sigh He'll definitely look like a Stupid Swordmaster. I mean who does that!? Getting yourself held captive just to eat!' Xarth was so done with this topic that he just ignored most of it and continued eating.
"Well, I just thought that I should tag along knowing that I won't have to worry about walking or eating."
"Woah! Interesting! That was a great idea!" Ezekiel replied while having a pretty impressed expression on his sparkling face.
Xarth choke on one of the pieces of meat he had cut up.
*Cough *Cough
"Oh!? Young Master Xarth are you alright?" Ezekiel asked worriedly.
"Yes, I'm fine." Xarth immediately took a gulp of water to flush down the piece of meat in his throat.
'Every main or support character that I have met so far is totally way different on how they behave as the novel described them. Zero supposedly has trust issues and doesn't open up easily to others but that is not exactly what is happening prior to my experience now. I think he is starting to open up to me, Ernoul on the other hand was supposed to be timid but these days he seems to have confidence in his self and Ezekiel was supposed to be very smart with his words and a manipulative bastard, not this white-haired fool. But those symptoms haven't shown themselves Yet...Well, we'll see that later on to what is Ezekiel really about, after we have that long nice chat that he had talked about."
"Sir Zero, Where are you from?" Ezekiel Asked the Young Swordmaster.
'Good focus on him...'
"I'm from Marquis Wheelmen's territory in a small village called Brook." Zero replied to Ezekiel's question.
"You've come from a long way. So does the Marquis know you I'm sure he would have taken you in?" Ezekiel asked he was curious if the Young Swordmaster has suitable Master.
"No..." Zero replied with a gloomy tone on his voice.
"Alright, Why are you going to the capital Sir Zero?"
"Some things happen..."
Xarth took a glance at Zero before putting the piece of duck meat in his mouth.
'I'm sure he's sensitive on that topic..'
The dinner continued as Ezekiel pays his attention to Zero while continuously asking question about what he had been doing all this time including his personal information like age and height that kind of stuff which is pretty suspicious.
It was already 9:00 in the evening they all had their fill on those spectacular dishes and it was time to have that long and nice chat Ezekiel had talked about.
"Then please follow me Young Master Harold and Young Master Xarth."
"Xarth-nim, do I have to go with you?"
"Naturally you're supposed to keep guard on us," Xarth replied bluntly at Zero.
Harold eye's widen. "What? Why? Did you hire him Xarth?" He asked while having a confused look on his face.
Xarth glances at his brother and answered."Yeah, So Young Master Ezekiel is it alright to have Zero with us?" Xarth added as he ask Ezekiel while having a small grin on his face.
'I'll feel secured doing so...' Xarth believed that he would be safe inside this castle if the Main Character is always present on his side. Since it his duty to protect them on that day until the King's Birthday celebration.
"Of course!, actually I was skeptical if you two would let Sir Zero go with us" Ezekiel replied with the same smile he always has on.
'Why? Anyway, that's good news.' He was confused why he wanted Zero to go with them since they are suppose to talk privately.
"Great then lead the way." Xarth started to smile.
'Xarth when did you hire Zero? I'll have a talk with him after this regarding that matter.'
Harold headed his toward his butler "Cairo, Go on ahead at the inn where we talked about and prepared those apple pies that Xarth had requested while we're gone." He commanded as he wanted Cairo to rest afterwards.
"Certainly Young Master Harold, Have a great evening." Cairo lowered his head before heading out of the dining room.
The three men proceed to stand from their seats and started following Ezekiel out of the dining room. The moon was shining brightly in the night sky the large arch shape windows that were colored stained glass reflected the light coming from the moon creating a very vibrant color around them while they were walking down the corridor to go where a set of stairs leading up can be found.
The stairs looked well built with each side having steady handrails to hold on to and the baluster was symmetrical in shape they were colored white in addition they have a very complex pattern submerge in them that completely compliments the yellow color of the Castle's walls.
The group started climbing up the stairs, Ezekiel stopped at the 3rd floor out of the 10 floors above. They continued strolling down the hallway stopping at the very end of it where a single piece of artwork can be seen.
The artwork was made on silk coated paper. It was a painting of a very beautiful scenery of a mountain with a river coming from the top of it. The line strokes were very elegant like flowing water, the emphasis was on the mountain it was quite detailed, patterns were quite refined and completely compliments every aspect of the painting. On either side of the artwork were 2 sconces with no candles on them.
'Why did we stop here? Is there some kind of secret room?' Xarth thought this as he looks at the painting with an iffy feeling.
'Art!!'
"What?" Xarth quietly responded to Soleis who was gone most of the dinner time.
'Come to think of it where does Soleis always go?' He asked this to himself as he doesn't see Soleis near him all the time.
'Art, there's another room in there and I can feel a very divine aura from within it.'
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Someone spoke at that moment.
"Young Master Ezekiel this a dead end." Harold implied.
"No, Young Master Harold."
Ezekiel started to rotate the scone on the left side Counter Clockwise while the scone on the right side Clockwise. The surrounding started to quake with very low intensity.
*Quake
The wall where the painting was sitting on slowly ascended revealing another pathway with a door at the end of it.
"W-What!?" Harold unconsciously let out.
'A hidden room, So does that divine aura Soleis picked up has something to do with us on what we were supposed to talk about with Ezekiel this evening. This definitely explains a lot of the bad feeling that I was having earlier.'
"Young Master Harold do not fret. This is a secret room in the castle where we can talk privately."
"Oh Okay...Are we discussing something of importance?" Harold Cautiously asked.
"Yes...It can cause a great uproar here in the Messiah Kingdom."
'HUH!? What the hell is this dude talking about? What kind of thing can cause such great uproar here in the Messiah Kingdom.'
At that moment Xarth was struck by the words he had said earlier at the Duke.
'Amoth...Is this about Amoth!?'
In the Novel, Duke Jidek really did not slay Amoth he only sealed it with an artifact called "Chains of Restraint" An artifact he had stumbled upon during the Raiyaston war on the ruins of the Holy Temple of Life and Death it was stash inside a box with a high-level security lock, But that didn't stop Duke Jidek to tear that open.
This was the very reason why he participated in the expedition to slay Amoth he knows well that the expedition will fail without them having any Swordsmaster at that time because of some issues.
So they only sealed him in the expedition this was a secret only known to other high ranking nobles they decided to leave the priority of keeping guard of Amoth to Duke Jidek Lancaster because he has the Artifact "Chains of Restraint." and that is the true story on how the Duke really gained his social ranking. The novel also described that it is in the deepest underground part of Ischyr贸s Castle.
This happened after the incident at the King's birthday celebration. They held a celebration the next day after the King's incident commemorating Zero's achievement where all the nobles were invited and this was when Duke Jidek met Zero the very first time and requested his help for destroying the sealed 'Amoth'
'Amoth' The creature of the past. One of the worshippers of the Demon King Vonis is the last of his kind. It's a creature who has three heads of a lion also with a body of that of a dragon without its wings. It has very sharp fangs and claws, sharp enough to cut through anything. A monster that stands as tall as 25 meters, It also has very destructive firepower that can burn a village with 5 seemingly breathe. 'Amoth' was known for creating chaos everywhere his claws has set foot on. Giving Despair and Fear to anyone who has encountered it.
'Why didn't I think about this earlier!? Lee Son you idiot!'
"Young Master Ezekiel What kind of thing could cause such great uproar here in the Messiah Kingdom?." Harold asked once more.
"Let's talk about that inside. Let us go."
The group ambles their way into the very end of the hallway. the three men briefly stopped with caution waiting for Ezekiel to head in first.
Ezekiel unlocked the door and headed in first the other three followed shortly after Ezekiel had headed in.
The room was quite wide with an accent wall made of dark charcoal tiles that boldly stands out in this elegant room. Deep blacks complement warm whites with gold accents to create a glamorous scheme, black chairs and tables were placed at the center of the room. Many types of artwork were displayed inside the room, painting different from each other and at the very corner of the room an elegant white mirror with a woman's face implanted at the very base of the mirror, was enclosed inside a box shape glass.
"Please sit where you're comfortable." Ezekiel announced as he can't have his esteemed guest sitting uncomfortably in his own home.
The three did as they were told and sat at which spot they were comfortable with.
Suddenly the bookcase on the corner side slides itself revealing a staircase leading from downstair to where the Duke's office can be found.
The Duke climbed up the stairs and came out of the bookcase passageway.
The two-man gasp as they were surprised by the entrance of the Duke while Xarth on the other knew it from far away.
'*Sigh Why does this have to happen now?'
The Duke Elegantly saunter his way at one of the chairs in the middle of the room and sat on it he crosses his legs and place his hands at the armrest of the chair and looked straight at the three confuse men.
"Now that we are all here, let us discuss things. First of all, I'm grateful to all of you for agreeing to talk in private. I'll thank Ezekiel for arranging this meeting."
"Thank you, father." Ezekiel smiled mischievously at Harold and Xarth.
'Ha! This bastard really did play us. Harold just naively agreed on his invitation without even knowing what it will lead us in the end.'
Harold slammed his fist at the near table while having a grave look on his face. "What is the meaning of this Duke Jidek!?"
"Don't worry Young Master Harold. We just want your help with something." Duke Jidek earnestly replied.
Harold retracted his hands and placed them at his thighs "What exactly do you need help with?"
"It's a very serious matter... it is about-"
'Amoth?'
"Amoth."
'I knew it! It's happening and a lot earlier than the designated time in the novel. I guess it triggered when Zero has set foot on the Lancaster territory.'
"Amoth? The creature of the past? What about it Duke? I heard you already slayed it in the past."
The Duke's hands that were on the armrest moved away from where it was as he started to clasp his hands together while he's expression started to look so serious. The mood of the room turned to a grave atmosphere on the spot.
'The atmosphere turned serious in an instant...Well I mean this is a very serious matter for the Lancaster Territory. This is an event in the novel that created countless damage to the residences of Clona. It was when Amoth unexpectedly was released from the artifact 'Chains of Restraint' that has been sealing him for the last 35 years.'