And so Maku and Chaneri brought Mizuki upstairs to show him the rooms. The place looks luxurious even though it doesn't look like much from the outside.
"This is my dad's room, that one is the other men's room." Maku said as he pointed the closest rooms from them.
"This one is the ladies' room where I sleep." Chaneri added.
"And the last one over there is mine, and now will also be yours." Maku said as he pointed to the room at the end of the hallway.
Maku opened the lock to his room and upon entering Mizuki roamed his eyes around. There are two beds on each side. He sits on one of the bed.
"Make yourself feel at home." Maku said as he opened the window letting the air come in.
Mizuki hasn't spoken any single word upon entering the room but just look at Maku directly from eye to eye.
"What's wrong? Did I say something to offend you?" Maku hysterically asked .
"No, it's not that. It's just that, I've been an outcast for too long. I almost forget how it feels like to be in a house full of people again." Mizuki said solemnly. "I just missed my family." He turns around. "I'm sorry."
Maku just shunned away and focuses his sight on the scenery outside the window. "I kinda miss my mother too. Ever since she was gone, I always felt there's a void in my heart. I feel incomplete."
"Now, now!" Chaneri interrupted. "We should not be talking about this right now big bro. Please drop the subject already. Think happy thoughts." She said with an obvious face.
Maku just sighed and laid off in his bed. Mizuki did the same as well after he places his violin on the bedside near the bolster.
"Oh right, where is the rest room?" Mizuki asked suddenly as he stood up from the bed.
"Just beneath the stairs next to the kitchen." Maku answered. "Do I have to escort you?" He asked.
"No, it's okay. I can handle myself." He replied.
Mizuki hurriedly ran downstairs to take a pee. He was barely holding it the whole time. At last, he managed to empty his bladder on time.
"What took you so long?" Mizuki overheard a conversation from the lobby of the inn. It's Faye talking to someone Mizuki have never met a while ago.
"I was eavesdropping at the empire this whole time." The man answered.
"Seriously? For two days?" Faye sternly asked.
"Just shut up and listen will you." The man reproved Faye.
"Then what did you find?" She asked.
Suddenly, out of nowhere the man felt someone listening to their conversation not far from them. He then pulled out his sword and walks towards the bathroom.
"I know you're there, show yourself." The man said.
Mizuki comes out of the bathroom with both arms clutched together.
"Oh, it's Mizuki." Balthazar said.
"I was just taking a leak, then I overheard your conversation and stopped to listen." Mizuki said.
"Anyway, this is Dave." Balthazar introduced the man. "And this is Mizuki." Likewise, he introduced Mizuki to Dave.
Dave then retrieved his sword and put it back in its cane.
"So what did you find?" Jeruzen asked Dave.
Dave took a deep breath. "Zhia and Marjorie were caught."
"Oh no, Zhia!" Isidore gasped.
"According to the information I dug out, they were caught at the western territory near Ashen Wasteland on their way to Kestramore."
"How were they caught, isn't that place miles away from Nethilor's border?" Balthazar asked. "And besides, barbarians subjugate that area." He added.
"They were followed by the empire's soldiers, someone must have given their location." Dave answered.
"Where are they now?" Isidore asked.
"They're held captive at the dungeon of Nethilor and worst, the king declared for a public execution and that will happen in two days." Dave added.
"We must do something to save them!" Isidore said worriedly. He cannot bare to watch his beloved Zhia, being killed in front of the people.
"Well, what else could we do. We cannot just abandon them and let them be executed. And besides their execution is a bad reputation for the revolutionary army." Faye said.
"So, what's the plan?" Jeruzen uttered.
"I've watched closely when and how the guards change their shifts. They change shifts every 6 hours from 12 am. We'll sneak up to them in midnight on the exact day they will be executed."
"And how are we suppose to do that?" Faye asked.
"On exactly 11:30 in the night, we have to wait for the three guards assigned for the next shift and knock them down before they have the chance to enter the castle wall. Then we'll steal their armors and disguise as them. With that, we'll be able to switch positions with the previous guards." Dave explained. "However, we have one more problem. Mostly of us are wanted and posters are being scattered all over Nethilor. We are shorthanded. It will be difficult for us to go through the outskirts of the empire." He said while holding the wanted posters on the table.
-
-
Name: Balthazar Levine
Dead or Alive
$10,000
-
Name: Jeruzen Rico
Dead or Alive
$10,000
-
Name: Maku Levine
Dead or Alive
$10,000
-
Name: Zhia Sakura
Dead or Alive
$10,000
-
Name: Marjorie Ysabel
Dead or Alive
$10,000
-
Name: Faye Auxtero
Dead or Alive
$50,000
-
Mizuki who's listening from the discussion noticed something odd from the wanted posters laid on the table. The reward on Faye's poster was higher than the others.
'I wonder why? Maybe because she's a fairy?' He thought.
Aside from that, he noticed that Dave and Isidore are not in the wanted posters.
"The only person that can go inside is me and Isidore." Dave said.
"Hmm. So we lack one person." Balthazar said as he holds his chin seemingly while thinking deeply.
"Who else do we have? We cannot recruit someone from the revolutionary army in time." Faye said.
"And aside from being a girl, Chaneri is too young for this mission." Isidore added.
The entire room was filled with deafening silence. Everyone was thinking what any other option there is.
"I'll do it!" A voice interrupted them from behind.
It was Mizuki who was just sitting there listening the whole time. He was no longer noticed because of what's happening.
"Mizuki!?" Balthazar was startled.
"You're kidding right?" Faye's eyebrow raised again emitting a stern aura.
"No, I'm certainly gonna do it." He said as he stood up. "Please let me join you." He bowed down in front of them.
"Are you really sure you're gonna do it?" Dave questioned him.
"Yes, sir." Mizuki answered.
"Do you know what we do? We're like shadows lurking in the night hunting those felons who tainted the peaceful array in these lands. We spent most of our days hiding in the shadows as our beliefs oppose those who sit on the throne. The sunlight barely touches our skin and we don't even have a chance to go back to our families or even have one. Now if you still have pity left for yourself or for your family, you better stand back." Dave uttered foully.
"Justice will be served, even in the darkness." Mizuki uttered that surprised them. "I don't have any family to return to, they was once a victim of this ardent. Joining your group is the least I can do to avenge their deaths."
"I see." Dave looked at him with judgement in his eyes. "I hope you've come prepared."
"Stand up now, you don't have kneel down." Balthazar said. "As the leader and senior of this group, I hereby name you, the newest member of Midnight Justice!"
"Ehhh!!!" Mizuki shrecked that agitate the others.
"What?" Balthazar asked in surprise.
"You're the leader!?"
"Yeah! And?" Balthazar's eyebrows clinched in confusion.
Mizuki was holding his laugh. "Nothing. I thought Mr. Samurai here is the leader." He said referring to Dave.
The attitude irritated the man. "Do you have anything to say?" Dave asked sternly.
Mizuki cleared his throat. "Thank you for granting my request on joining this squad." He bowed down.
"I'm glad that you already knew the squad's motto." Isidore congratulated him with a smile.
"What motto?" He asked confusedly.
"You just said it earlier." Isidore replied.
"Justice will be served, even in the darkness." Everyone uttered in unison.
"No wonder, your motto is so cliche." He said.
"Hey!" Faye said. "How dare...."
"Stop it Faye!" Jeruzen interrupted her. "Just be easy on him, will you?"
Faye turns around infuriated.
"Still, you haven't recited it in full." Isidore said. "The next line goes like this: Even if it means bloodshed to attain harmony; At the end of the day, justice will prevail; And kindness will triumph over evil."
And so Mizuki became the newest member of Midnight Justice. A group of assassins and mages under the protection of the revolutionary army who pledge to eradicate the wrong doings of those who sit upon the throne.