The man stood at the door, just one glance, you could see that he wasn't the same as ordinary workers in the mansion even though he dressed up in a very simple outfit, dark blue-long sleeves-Larp cotton shirt warped with a belt, a black cotton pant, and knee-length black leather boots.
That simple outfit when you put it on the right man, the price for sure gotta raise up at least 4 times the original price. The man had the excellent body craves and muscle of a real man, of course, as well as the man, wasn't bad-looking. Venta felt a bit of pain as he recalled his skinny human form, nothing he could compare with the man…
Moreover, the man's aura was no joke. Such an intimidated person, who could it be?
Venta cracked his brain in the fastest speed to fit the man with the information from the story plot.
The man walked slowly toward them. His step was steady and had no sound yet relaxing, he walked with confidence. He wasn't much smaller than Lumen Novaculata, at least around 235 or 245Meter (The bird felt sour). The man didn't carry any weapon…as he came closer, Venta could see the man crystally, he was a bit surprised. There was a small cut scar across at the corner of the man's right eye, his beady right eye was hazel while the left was green…oh shit! One man from the story appeared in Venta's mind that fitted perfectly with the description, Mr. Fake Captain in his real appearance.
Mr. Fake Captain never took his eye away from the fat bird, he just couldn't control himself to feel aggravation as he gazed at the fat bird regardless of what was on his mind, his facial was remain indifferent.
Captain turned his attention to the prince then him lowering his head: "Greet, your highness, Prince Moonlit"
Moonlit took a few glimpses at the man but he couldn't recognize the man, he has never seen him before.
Moonlit said with a friendly smile: "No need to be formal, just called me 'Moonlit' or 'Sir. Moon', and May I know your name?"
Captain answered while continued lowering his head: "This low servant called 'Frank'-'Frank Noel' "
Moonlit nodded his head as he mumbled: "Frank Noel? ...Noel?"
Frank didn't show any reaction, he used to see this kind of reaction, his tone was tranquil: "This low servant was just a commoner"
Ok, let's get to know about Frank Noel.
Frank Noel was the left-hand man of Lumen Novaculata, wasn't for nothing. He was the man that raised from the very bottom to his current place, despite the fact, he was a commoner-no a single drop of blood of noble. He went through countless hardships, bullying, mockery, being taken advantage of, betraying…even it was painful, he would still bite down those rocks, big or small as long as it was in his way. His mouth filled with blood or even his teeth was broken, that was his joy, he could survive and climbed up the stair on his own, he was a man of men.
Venta truly admired him from the bottom of his heart but he didn't find Frank Noel likable because Frank Noel was too caution and heartless. Furthermore, Frank Noel looked indifferent but his eye stared at him (Venta) like he was a guilty person that had done many injustice things, did this pitiful bird ever do anything bad to Frank Noel? No…right?
When it came to combat ability, Frank Noel was still weak compared to Lumen Novaculata, however, Demon Lord or Hero Lux would have a very difficult time breaking through Frank Noel. Frank Noel was the strongest among all the Novaculata Knights as well as one of the strongest of the whole continent, yet, he remained under one man for almost a decade, he couldn't even touch a strand of hair of Lumen Novaculata. It wasn't Frank Noel's fault or anyone's fault, it was just, Lumen Novaculata was a real monster in small giant form.
Venta got goosebumps all over his body whenever he thought about Lumen Novaculata. Plus with he knew some parts of the character backgrounds, he swore he would never ever offend Mr. Lumen Novaculata…Never!… He meant it.
Cut!
Moonlit was stunned, his reaction seemed to offend Mr. Frank Noel?
Moonlit said panicky: "I-I-I apologize, I don't mean anything, I-I just find 'Noel' was an unusual name…I don't hear it often…so-so…I-…"
Venta observed Moonlit with a doting smile, when Moonlit was panic, he looked so lovely, his beloved Moonlit was so good-looking.
Venta flew to rest on the Moonlit's shoulder and then he said nonchalantly to Frank Noel: "You come as our guide, right? So let's go"
Frank Noel noticed immediately, the fat bird's voice was completely changed, it used to almost duplicate from Prince Moonlit's voice, now it sounded fresh and full of youth energy, nevertheless, it was still annoying him.
Frank said calmly: "This low servant doesn't deserve your highness's apologize and please follow me closely to avoid losing the way"
No matter how calm Frank Noel seemed to be, Frank Noel's eye stared at Venta, it gave off the vibe that an eagle looked at an insect…the worthless insect at that…but why? Why!?
Venta and Moonlit followed Frank Noel then left the room and Venta's head was full of question marks. How could Frank Noel hate this innocent-adorable bird (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)?
As they walked through the corridor, Venta was crazily drooling in his pure mind, Moonlit and Lumen Novaculata were men, he couldn't marry them but he could marry Laura Novaculata…his mind was pure…absolutely pure. Well, he just dreamed to be rich in the shortest way…it wasn't a plan, it was just a dream…a dream of an innocent bird (◔з◔)～♪♬.
The decoration along the corridor was overwhelming for a poor bird! The painting, the vase or even the fiber of curtain…it screamed to him, money-money and money, Wow! He wasn't jealous or something…ha-ha, if the god gave him a new life, why didn't he make him handsome and rich? Don't misunderstand, he wasn't jealous…Venta quietly wiped away the tear at the corner of his eye.
Venta and Moonlit followed and followed Frank Noel obediently, Venta got confused with the path, it had many turns-left-right-right-left…how many turn already? In addition, they seemed to go down? Underground?
20 minutes later…
They finally arrived at their destination, the Underground Medical Room…more like a prison.
The whole room was dark and the source of light was from the candle chandelier at the center of the room. Each side of the room had three beds with the patient on them. If he was sick and stayed in this room, he would fall into depression.
Venta cast that idea away, he cleared his throat that said the reunion words from the entrance: "Everyone dies yet?"
Venta's voice held no emotion as if he talked to the air, the patients laid down on the bed suddenly received a bullet to their heart, they wanted to shout out loudly that they were still alive but they got no strength to do so.
Frank Noel acted as a halt-ass messager, he said indifferently: "…should be almost…die"
The patients got another bullet shoot to their heart, these people came to save them or to finish them?
Venta: "…ok"
Patients: 'What that 'ok' means!!?'
Pang!
The door that they just came through, was reopened forcefully by someone.
That person stood at the door panting restlessly like a dog see a bone, who was it this time?
Frank Noel frowned: "Ian, what are you doing here?"
Ian wanted to greet Sir. Frank Noel, however, couldn't bring himself to do it. First, he needed to adjust his rapid breath to normal, he ran too much, he was grabbing air!
Back then, during the time, he was training at the training ground with other knights, one of the knights said that they accidentally saw, Sir. Frank Noel brought a distinguished guest to somewhere. Other knights didn't concern much about this but it was different from Ian.
He got a gut, it might be related with his teammates, the unfortunate rookie knights that came back from the Dark Magenta Forest, half-dead, half-alive. Owing to the fact that Ian was the real captain of the rookie knight team.
He dropped everything then rushed from the training ground that 10Km away from the Underground Medical Room, he spent only 15 minutes! He ran with his will rather than his strength.
When arrived, he was too thankful for himself that he didn't crumble down on the floor or he would lose all his dignity in front of Sir. Frank Noel and the distinguished guest, Prince Moonlit.
'Ian' rang a bell, Venta: 'Oh! The real captain appeared, Ian Martin, the only son of Count Martin'
As they arrived at the Underground Medical Room, Moonlit reacted a bit slow to the conversation between Venta and Mr. Frank Noel, before he could say anything, the door abruptly pushed open then another man showed up. He heard Frank Noel call that person 'Ian', who? And more importantly, that man looked so familiar.
Ian regulated his breath, he was somehow able to breathe normally, he hurriedly greeted the prince, he fold his right hand then put it on his left chest, he was lowering his head for a bit, the same gesture as the Frank Noel did a few minutes ago: "Please, excuse my rude behavior. Greet, your highness, Prince Moonlit, I'm Ian Martin, the son of Count Martin, I'm here as the captain of the rookie knight team that was injured from the Dark Magenta Forest"
Moonlit absorbed the information without any delay, no wonder, he felt like he met with Mr. Ian before, now he knew why then he said: "No need to be formal, just called me 'Moonlit' or 'Sir. Moon' and I really appreciated the rookie knight team's bravery, it was such a pleasure to meet with the captain again"
Ian looked at the prince's friendly smile to him and he felt guilty, he couldn't help to glance at Sir. Frank Noel, 'THAT' captain wasn't him, it was Sir. Frank Noel disguised as him. Ian could only he-he while scratching his head as the reply.
It was time to face Sir. Frank Noel, Ian stood firmly and he looked sternly at Sir. Frank Noel: "Sir. Frank Noel, please allow me to remain here, and I promise I would practice twice times when I go back"
Frank Noel stared coldly at Ian, Ian's back was sweating unstoppably, he didn't want to lock his eye with Sir. Frank Noel, it was too cold and scary. Yet, he chose to do it because he was deeply worried about his teammates.
Frank Noel moved his eye away, he said: "If the prin-…Sir. Moon allowed you to stay then you stay"
Moonlit was caught off guard, why was all of a sudden change to him?
Moonlit covered his surprise with a blossoming smile: "Of course, Mr. Ian can stay"
Frank Noel didn't say much: "Practice x5 times"
Ian swallowed down his tear bitterly: "Yes, Sir!"
Venta waited a bit then he said: "I will start to check with the worst one and the less injured one"
Ian happily replied: "I know that and please wear a mask before going close to the patient, to avoid breathing in the poi-…", Ian stopped talking then he glanced around and he saw only him, Sir. Frank Noel and Sir. Moon plus a small bird, only them that stood at the entrance, yet, whose voice was that? He didn't believe that the knights could talk that much.
Ian said cautiously: "Er…I wonder~ whose voice was that? I don't recognize that voice"
Venta rolled his eyes: "How is it possible for you to know my voice, when it's the first time we met, and how many mask you have on you?"
Ian made a dumb face like he had brain damage, it took him several seconds before he recovered then he exclaimed: "A bird talks!? A monster!?"
Venta smiled until his eyes turned into a crescent moon, he said sweetly: "Your name is Ian Martin, right? I will remember that don't worry, I won't forget it", at the end of the sentence, Venta's face was emotionless and his voice was chilling to the bone.
Ian could sense danger from the bird's word, he gulped down then he decided to throw away all his dignity to save his ass: "Oh no, monster? No way, such a cuteeee~ baby bird, only a stupid person who thinks a cute bird as the monster, he-he", Ian said using a high pitch voice and it made everyone feel disgusting.
Patients: 'Their captain got no shame! Shameless! Bo-ho (T~T), the worse, that person is their real captain', the patients decided to close their eye and ear, ignorant sometimes could be a blessing.
Frank Noel controlled his urge to kill someone on the spot, he said through his gritted teeth: "Bring out the mask, let's go to check the patients, don't waste any more time or they will die"
Patients: 'It would great if Sir. Frank Noel dropped out 'they will die', they won't easily die, ok'
Venta and Ian seemed to remember the main point: "That's right, the patients are dying!"
Patients: 'Thank you for remembering them! Get your ass to work! These patients are waiting for you!'