"There are five soldiers standing outside our house!"
Pablo heard Flashy loud and clear and his reaction was…
"That's all? You are scared shitless because of this? I thought something big happened."
Pablo was nonchalant and seeing this, Flashy lost it.
"Why are you so calm? A murder took place yesterday and now the soldiers are outside. What if they know something? At least act like you're worried."
"You won't get it. Let me handle them." Pablo came out of the room and went straight to the bathroom.
After five minutes, he came out with his face clean and hair kempt.
Then he went inside the bedroom again.
"What are you doing? The soldiers are literally outside!" Flashy barked. For him, Pablo was just wasting time.
"I am making myself presentable. That's all. It helps in many ways." Pablo answered and came out with fresh clothes.
He wore a black shirt then a long black coat. His height was good enough for the coat to look good on him.
"Let's go now." He said and finally descended downstairs.
Flashy followed him. He was looking good as well so Pablo didn't say anything to him.
Cupid was on Pablo's right side as always.
"How can you be so calm, Boss? It's like you know something like this will happen. When I saw those soldiers from the window, I almost shit my pants. And don't forget, you are from the slums." Flashy said. He was still tense.
"Yes. I want to know that too. How are you not afraid? Yesterday, you said you have a feeling something will happen." Cupid asked as well.
"First of all, we have no idea why the soldiers are here. They could be here for something else entirely. Like the tax to the count the man was talking about. I will hear them out first and you will stay quiet, Flashy. I will do the talking. Just agree to whatever I will say to the soldiers."
"Alright." Flashy agreed instantly. He knew he was stupid so he wouldn't meddle.
Pablo nodded and finally reached the main door of the house.
He took a deep breath, plastered a bright smile on his face and opened the door.
"Oh. It's the brave soldiers of our Numb city. Sorry for making you wait, great lord. I was in the bathroom." Pablo spoke with utmost respect and he even bowed down his head a little.
Though, he made sure to look at each of the soldiers.
There were five of them and all of them had a big ax on their right hands. They were wearing purple uniforms, which also had their names written on their chest pocket and all of them were burly and menacing.
If it were someone other than Pablo, they would have shitted their pants just like Flashy just by one look at the five soldiers.
"Hmm. You have manners, kid." The soldier standing in front of the other four soldiers said. He was the tallest among them.
'He must be the leader.' Pablo reckoned and focused only on the tall man. He made sure to see his name as well, which was Jorim.
"Of course. I know my place in front of you, great lord." He said.
The tall soldier, Jorim, nodded and looked inside the house.
"Is this your house?" He asked.
"It belongs to my father, great lord." Pablo lied.
"Hmm. Do you have your Ego yet?" Jorim asked again.
"No, great lord."
"Don't say great lord again and again. You don't really mean it."
'Not bad.'
"Whatever you say is right." Pablo remained humble and he stopped calling Jorim great lord as well.
"Is your father home?" Jorim asked.
"No, sir. I came here at night yesterday and there was no one here. I think he must have gone to do business in another city as usual."
"What about your mother?" Jorim asked again. Only he was talking among the soldiers.
"She is not here either. She must have gone with my father as well. He does that a lot."
"I see. Men, let's go inside." Jorim waited for nothing and shoved Pablo aside.
He entered the house and the four soldiers did the same.
All five soldiers were now inside the house and Pablo was left standing at the door.
He looked at the floor the soldiers just walked on and shook his head.
'I am starting to understand what is going on here. This is troublesome.'
Pablo closed the door and turned around, following the soldiers.
The five soldiers reached the hall, Jorim being in the front.
"And who might this be?" Jorim asked as soon as he entered the hall.
The four soldiers arrived as well and Pablo came just after one second.
"Oh. He is my friend, sir. He is staying at my house for a few days." Pablo answered for Flashy.
Flashy heaved a sigh of relief. If he would have said something, he would have messed up in fear.
"Oh. What's your name?" Jorim asked, smiling. He stared at Flashy with his black eyes.
"My name is Flash-"
"Flash Burner, good sir." Pablo interjected. "He is Flash Burner."
Flashy gave Pablo a questioning look and Pablo glared at him.
"Oh. Yess. I am Flash Burner." Flashy accepted his new name. He kinda understood why Pablo did that.
But Cupid didn't get it. "What was that?"
'His father is a noble. His name must be famous. If Flashy and his father have the same last name then things will mess up. And these soldiers are bad news.'
"How so?" Cupid asked.
'You'll see.' Pablo gave a vague answer and focused entirely on the five soldiers.
All five of them were looking around the hall and they were all separated.
Flashy was standing still on one spot, not saying anything at all.
"Um. If I may ask, what are you all here for? Did my father make a mistake?" Pablo asked directly.
Jorim and the other four soldiers stopped looking around.
Jorim came forward and stood in front of Pablo.
Pablo was small in size in front of Jorim but he didn't back down. He kept himself humble and maintained eye contact with Jorim.
"You see," Jorim spoke, coming down on Pablo's eye level.
Pablo waited for Jorim to speak further and Jorim exactly did that.
"A full family was murdered here yesterday." Jorim said and with a smile, he finished saying…
"Do you know something about it, intruder?"