"Welcome, Master Aodhfionn." An elder man greeted the dwarf master and Ezio at the gate of one of the most prestigious sects in the Kingdom, Zeus's Wrath.
"Hmm," Aodhfionn murmured lightly as he kept on walking. The elderly man didn't say anything as he led them toward the banquet room. The room was big enough to accommodate thousands of people and there were tables set on the four sides of the room. There sides were for the disciples of three other sects, the one close to the door was for the disciples of the host and the one across the door was for the Royalty and important guests.
Across the room, there were different levels and on each level, there were tables. Guests would sit according to their ranks in society. Since Aodhfionn was the guest of honor, he was quite late and all the other tables were already full.
Aodhfionn walked confidently towards the highest table where the sect leaders and royalty were seated. A level below that, Supreme Elders and Ministers were seated. The ones below that were other elders and some important disciples.
Ezio and his master arrived at the highest table and Aodhfionn sat without any reservation, but there were no empty seats for Ezio.
"Young Hero, there are no empty seats in this area, how about you sit over there?" The elder who led them in told as he pointed at the bottom table near the door.
Ezio looked at his master and saw him grinning at him. Since he got the permission, he turned to look at the elder haughtily and said, "Do I look like one of your disciples, mister?"
"You certainly do not." The elder said with disdain while looking at Ezio.
If it was months ago, Ezio wouldn't mind, but for this banquet, both master and disciple had ordered high-quality clothes and Ezio looked absolutely dashing in his suit. Although the design was odd to the local people, he wouldn't change his mind no matter what.
"Good, you still have eyes in that empty head." Ezio snorted. "Fetch me a chair."
"A chair?" The elder asked.
"Can't ye hear mah disciple?" Aodhfionn said while raising his brow. "Fetch a chair."
"Bu—" The elder looked in horror, then his gaze met with the sect leader who was watching curiously. Seeing him nod, he fetched a chair from somewhere and gave it to Ezio. The latter carried it to the highest table and placed it between his master and some old woman.
"Can you scooch over a little, please," Ezio said with a bright smile as he tried to fit his chair into the empty space. Aodhfionn was watching with a proud smile and others were looking at both of them in disgust. The lady in question was moving her chair by moving her butt little by little and soon, Ezio was seated between the two of them.
"Quite a disciple you have, Master Aodhfionn." One of the dinosaurs said while fanning himself. He looked so conceited, Ezio could swear, the man was probably shitting with fancy posture. He was wearing a purple robe with lightning insignia on it. He was the sect leader of Zeus's Fury.
"He is mah pride," Aodhfionn said with a nod. "Unlike yers, huh, Li Long."
"Pfft!" Several gasps escaped from people around. While Ezio was looking around obliviously, a voice informed him with telepathy. "His disciple died when he was acting like a prick in front of royalty."
Ezio looked at his master with new respect and gave thumbs up in his heart.
"How classy." The same prick said but didn't ask anything else.
"We met again, Young Hero." The Prince Consort said with a smile as he looked at Ezio. "What was your name again?"
"Ezio. The awesomest man in the whole world." Ezio said with a smile as he looked at the giggling Princess Moon. Because he was only 13 years old, she wasn't taking him seriously.
"Haha! Young and funny." Prince Consort said with light laughter. "No last name?"
"None." Ezio said without holding back. He didn't care if others thought he was a bastard or not.
"I see. How unfortunate." Prince Consort said with a fake sadness dripping off his hypocrite face.
While others were speaking, Ezio felt a spiritual perception wash over his body. He acted as if nothing happened, but the sudden tension in his body didn't escape from the man who was hiding in the shadows.
"Did he notice my spiritual perception?" He asked in bewilderment. "Must be my imagination."
Ezio didn't know where the perception originated from, nor did he care. No one could see anything so long as he didn't want them to see. He didn't know if it was the ability of the Mysterious Room or the Title "Shrouded by Mystery," but it didn't matter. Since he could hide his powers, that was all he needed.
While he was pondering, some of the big names started to talk with his master. The best alchemist in the Kingdom, Xu Yong, was telling how unfortunate it was for the King to get ill.
"I tried my best but still failed to understand his illness." A man with glasses said with a sad sigh. He was the healer in the Kingdom and was quite famous. His name was Zi Yu.
"I know you did your best, Uncle Zi. Don't blame yourself." Princess Moon smiled and eclipsed the room. Prince Consort on the other hand looked around with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. While Ezio was looking at him, all of a sudden he turned to look at him too. Ezio, for a second, wanted to avert his gaze, but held it at the last second and challenged the man.
Xiao Chen's smile grew bigger as he looked at Ezio as if looking like a monkey dancing under his tune. Ezio for a second had the urge to jump over the table to bash that insolent's head to the ground.
While he was thinking like that, suddenly he felt something was wrong with his body. It only lasted a second, but he was sure something entered his body through some unknown means.