A BIG INCIDENT happened in one of the biggest and largest inns in the capital of the Briar Kingdom, Belia Town. According to the words passed down from many story-threaders, a prominent figure had a failed attempt at assassination.
If not for the grandmaster with them, the person might have been dead and not only heavily injured. While some of his knights and even servants had died from the attack. Unfortunately, the remaining knights of the Odesia king weren't able to even take hold of one of the assassins, making the incident a close case of attempted murder.
Despite how the incident was an open case, there seems to be some people who love overrating facts and turning them into gossip.
But what made the 'gossip' widely known was that the people involved in the incident were not simple but were prominent figures. The only fact that was maintained was about how the king of Odesia, King Xueno Odesia, was under an assassin attack in the midst of bathing.
Calleous who was passing by a pub full of people who were still talking about the gossip, decided to enter the public pub to listen more to the incident.
He just got away from his brother, who wanted to bring him together with him to visit a public bath house when they heard about the incident of the Odesia king. So Cadmus ended up taking a bath in his private bathtub while he let go of Calleous, who said to take a leisure walk in order to digest the foods he had eaten.
Calleous really only wanted to take a walk to help his stomach digest his food but on the way to his walk, he heard so many versions of the incident that he became confused about what really happened.
At the same time, despite knowing how some of it was exaggerated by those storytellers, Calleous still got curious when he heard some speculations that may be far or not from the real truth.
Before entering the pub, Calleous made sure that he was wearing the hood of his robe properly and his trademark mask was worn securely. Then he took a step inside the pub.
Because of the mask covering the lower part of his face, including his nose, the nauseating mixtures of smells of tobacco, beer, sweat, and human odor were all covered by his mask.
He subconsciously tapped twice his mask, like he was showing his gratitude for the job well done.
While doing so, he also tried to spot an available seat where he can join someone who seemed a native to gather the information he wanted to know. Because it was a known fact that inside a public pub and a popular one like this, a lot of important information was easy to find.
Looking around, he spotted a table for two on the far corner of the pub under the stairs towards the second floor. A young man probably the same age as his brother was sitting and drinking alone.
Without hesitation, Calleous walked towards the table and stood in front of the man who also looked up to him. Shock flashed in his face, which was thankfully hidden behind his mask and hood when he saw just how handsome the young man was.
To be honest, this guy might be the most handsome he had ever seen—more than his brother, who was said to be the handsome version of his beauty. And he also believed that his brother was the most handsome—not until he spotted this face within this tacky pub.
And since he was immune to seeing a handsome face and the perks of being a prince of his king brother, the shock was quickly forgotten as he lowered his face mask.
He might really hate this unwanted beauty of his but in terms of this information gathering, this beauty was the best skill he could use to acquire information from a person without letting the other become aware of his intention.
Calleous flashed the most genuine smile he could ever muster as he pointed to the available chair in front of the fellow young man.
"Can I take this seat? Or are you with someone else?" He even acted like he was looking around to see if there was really 'that' someone.
Calleous was expecting the other to at least be put into his beauty spell for a few seconds yet to his surprise, the other guy was able to answer him.
"I'm alone. Seat wherever you want. I don't even own this place."
Calleous wanted to pout but he prevented it by biting the inside of his cheek as he still tried to flash a smile.
"Thank you. You see, I am actually from another kingdom. And I notice how this pub was fully packed, so maybe the drinks and foods here are the best; that's why I decided to come in."
"I didn't know it would be this pack that there are no available tables at all. Seeing that you are the only loner here, I decided to join your table instead. Is that okay with you?"
He was never a fan of talking; even between his father, who was a timid person like him, his father would look more talkative than him and yet here he was, naturally spouting questions like a natural chatterbox.
"That's normal. With how the annual report was coming, many kingdoms wanted to stay in this kingdom until the start. Are you a knight? From what kingdom?"
Calleous felt unconsciously happy when the man initiated another topic by asking him questions. With a real smile, he looked at the robe he was wearing, and with proudness in his gentle voice, which was made more angelic because of his smile, he answered the unknown guy.
"Yep. And I'm from the Ciltara Kingdom. You may not have heard of it because I know our kingdom is smaller compared to Briar and very far from here, but Ciltara is a good kingdom. If you decide to visit, I can even show you around!"
It was already late when he realized what he had said. Calleous could only cover his loud mouth with his hand as he mentally scolded himself.
What was he even getting excited about? And what was that? That was the very first time he tried to invite someone to come to their kingdom and suggested that he could tour the other around.
He might be doing that because he was acting but it was the first time he acted like that! And that was really uncalled for!
Who cares about his kingdom? And who cares if he willed himself to be a personal tour guide? He? A prince at that?
Calleous felt like he was getting crazy. What the hell was going on with him?
"Ciltara? I know that. I haven't been there but I heard a lot about your kingdom. Will you really tour me if I happen to visit?"
His question did not only drag Calleous back from his own world but made him nod his head eagerly. "Of course!"
And oh hell, Calleous knew that he'd gone bad when he saw the other smile at him and his heart started beating like crazy. He really lost it. And he's not even worried about it!
CADMUS QUESTIONABLY watched his younger brother be in a trance while playing with the food on his plate. In actual fact, Calleous had been in a daze since he came back late from his so-called walk.
He wanted to ask the other why he came back late—the sun was still bright and shining above their heads when Calleous left him but now it was already the moon who's illuminating the night when Calleous returned.
As a 'concern' brother, it was only normal for Cadmus to ask his brother for details on the reason why he came back late. He wanted to know what he did, where he went, who he met, and why he went back at this time. But Calleous was already spacing out that he acted like he didn't hear him.
Those questions seem normal and ordinary for Cadmus but unknown to him, they were already too much to ask. He did not only sound concerned, but he also didn't sound like a brother but more of a wife asking her husband if he was having an affair.
Though Cadmus didn't care if that was really the case. Because he really wanted to know the answers to his questions, and he will get to it no matter what. So when Calleous was about to pass by him, Cadmus stepped on his brother's way.
"Hey, Callie. I said, why are you just getting home—?"
Cadmus didn't finish his words. He had a surprise look on his face as he watched Calleous completely zone out, passing by him like Calleous didn't see his presence.
In this way, Calleous entered his own room, leaving his elder brother there waiting for a response. Cadmus wanted to get mad but the recipients of his scoldings were already inside the room.
Even if he tried to enter the room without his brother's consent, Cadmus knew he couldn't enter because he tried to enter but when he attempted to turn the knob, it didn't move. The door was locked.
Cadmus was getting anxious and it didn't help when he heard something falling inside his brother's room. When he knocked in a hurry, his brother shouted back that he was fine and then the door was still not opened for him.
It was only when he knocked on his door again to call him for dinner did Calleous open his door for him. And now, after preparing mentally for what may come when he heard the answer of his brother, Cadmus had mustered the courage to ask.
"So, what's the matter, Callie? Are you willing to answer me now?"
It seems like Calleous' mentality this time was better compared to when he just came back because he didn't act like he didn't hear his brother's words. Moving his eyes from the plate, he stares at his brother.
"What? Do you need something?"
Calleous honestly didn't hear his brother, as his mind was still full of the events that happened that afternoon—heck, he wasn't even sure how he safely came home when his head was filled with the figure and all about that young man he fatefully met.