Aiko and Quin stood before the imposing figure of the king, who sat upon his ornate throne with three knights positioned behind him, their eyes fixed on the two heroes.
"Forgive us for summoning you with such haste," began the king, his lips curling into a small smile as he addressed his guests.
"It's not a problem, Your Majesty," replied Aiko, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword as she regarded the king with respect.
"May we inquire as to the nature of your request?" interjected Quin, his expression stoic and resolute.
The king's smile faded, replaced with a grave expression as he leaned forward in his throne. "As we feared, the Dragon Veremos has begun to make his move," He intoned, gesturing with a wave of his hand towards a massive template that appeared in the center of the throne room.
The template was immense, easily large enough for all three occupants of the chamber to view it. Aiko and Quin stepped closer, their eyes widening in awe at the intricate details etched into its surface.
On the template were vivid details of the kingdom's map and 3 other towns that had been victims of the danger the king was about to inform them.
"Is that…a map of the kingdom?" Murmured Aiko, her voice barely above a whisper as she examined the template more closely.
Quin remained silent, his gaze fixed upon the king as he awaited further instructions.
The king nodded, his eyes flickering between the two heroes. "Yes it is, just yesterday, we received three alarming news from the knights, apparently, lizard men had begun attacking the towns at the border… quite the problem".
Quin's voice was stern and resolute as he addressed the king, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. "Forgive me for asking, Your Majesty, but didn't the same thing happen last week with the village at the West border?".
The king's expression darkened, a shadow of worry crossing his face. "Yes, it did," he replied, his voice heavy with concern. "The attacks have become more frequent and more brutal in recent weeks. They are not normally this persistent with their assaults."
Quin raised an eyebrow, his tone clipped and direct. "I hate to be the one to ask, but have you ever tried to track this Valhara guy or whoever is behind these attacks?".
The king was quiet for a long moment, his eyes cast down as he pondered the question. "We have sent multiple knights before, including my own son, but they have either returned with no information or not returned at all," he replied, his voice heavy with regret.
Aiko took a step closer to the king, her eyes focused and determined. "Your Majesty, if it's not too much to ask, would it be possible to speak with the knights who have attempted to track down Veremos?" She requested. "Their insights could prove invaluable in our efforts."
The king regarded her with surprise, his expression softening as he realized the depth of their determination. "You plan to track him down yourselves?" he asked, his voice tinged with admiration.
Aiko nodded firmly. "It's the only way to put an end to these attacks," she stated firmly. "But before we can do that, we must first deal with the threat to the town."
The king nodded, his gaze shifting between the two heroes. "I understand," he said, his voice heavy with concern. "You have my full support and the resources of the kingdom at your disposal."
Aiko turned to Quin, her expression questioning. "Do you have any objections to this plan?" She asked, though her tone suggested that his opinion didn't matter much to her.
Quin snorted, his eyes gleaming with boredom. "As long as I get to kill some bad guys, I don't mind," he declared.
The king chuckled, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "It's good to see such bravery and dedication in the face of danger," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "May the gods be with you both on your journey, and who knows, you might actually meet some adventurers to join your party there".
"The town has adventurers and they were still ambushed?" Aiko uttered in disbelief.
The king gave a nervous smile, "Perhaps they were outnumbered." He said.
"Yeah, yeah. Just tell me when we're leaving. I'll be ready anytime," Quin said as he turned his back on the king and started walking towards the exit.
"Excuse us," Aiko bowed her head before following Quin out of the throne room.
But then, Quin stopped abruptly and turned back to the king. "Hold on a minute," he muttered, fixing a serious gaze on the king.
"It almost slipped my mind...but hey, King," Quin called out coldly. "What punishment did you dish out to that failure of a hero?"
The king looked puzzled, not understanding what Quin meant…
"Quin! This isn't the time for this!" Aiko's voice echoed through the grand hall, reverberating off the walls.
Quin ignored her protests and turned his attention back to the king. "It's been three days since we reported the incident, and we have yet to hear any form of punishment...why is that?" He demanded.
The king's expression turned to one of realization, "Ah, you mean the False hero," he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Well, the case was a complicated one, and there wasn't much I could do without concrete evidence."
"What?" Quin muttered, his annoyance clear.
"But you don't have to worry about anything..." The king's finger pointed at Aiko, "She already promised to keep an eye on him and report any suspicious activity."
Aiko's eyes remained calm, and she looked forward. "Your Highness, I never promised to report anything," She corrected, her voice firm but respectful. "I simply said that I would look after him and make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble… I have no doubt he's innocent".
The king's face grew red with embarrassment. "Ah, my apologies. I must have misunderstood," He said, clearing his throat.
Quin snorted. "Typical," he muttered under his breath, turning to leave once again.
Aiko shot him a warning glance before bowing her head to the king. "We'll do our best to track down the Dragon king and end this threat to your kingdom," She promised before following Quin out of the throne room.