Chapter 37 - Unmasked Boy

"A-About my son?"

The matriarch of the Lancaster family was surprised.

"Yes, about your son, Zachary Lancaster."

Gavin said sternly.

"Pardon me but I do not disclose my family's information and such for no apparent reason. If its something that you want to know about that much, you should talk to Zachary himself. Please, excuse me."

She said while making herself scarce from the dinner.

Meanwhile the trio of gluttony continued to mow down their food.

The plates were cleaned out so fast that you would think they merely vanished into thin air.

After a solid hour of stuffing themselves, they said their thanks and retired back into their respective beds in their amazingly arranged room.

"I feel like I'm so full I'm going to puke!"

Suna exclaimed.

"Well, try not to, because that would be pretty disgusting."

Gavin said.

Yin already fell asleep.

His bloated stomach was definitely more than noticeable, as a humongous bump was showing underneath his sheets.

Luken asked for some cigarettes from the workers downstairs and lit it outside the house, on the patio.

The Serpent Summoner knew something that both Luken and Suna were suspecting the same thing.

He went down the steps and saw Zachary.

The young boy was helping the workers clean the dishes and arrange the chairs, as the aftermath of their feast looked like a monster had ravaged the dining area in its entirety.

Gavin slowly walked towards him.

He knocked on the table in order to get the attention of the boy.

"Hello there."

He said as he announced his presence.

"H-Hello sir."

"Helping out with the dishes? The son of a royal family should not be tasked with doing errands such as that, right?"

"Right. But the workers here are good people, and I want to help them clean up whenever I can. Cleaning is just something that comes second nature to me. It is sort of a part of my daily routine that I absolutely cannot break."

"Looks like someone's passionate about cleaning."

The two laughed.

They continued to talk until all the other workers had gone down the cellar and take their well deserved rest.

"T-Thank you for catching that serial murderer, sir!"

They thanked Gavin before doing so.

He waved at them as a way to say goodnight and farewell.

Seeing as they were the only ones still on the kitchen, Gavin took a sit.

Zachary was convinced by him to do the same as well.

"How long have you been a Slayer?"

Gavin asked directly.

"I think you must have mistaken me with the wrong person sir, I am not, nor will I ever be a Slayer. I'm already eighteen years of age. And it is far too late for me to awaken my Anima cells now."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, sir."

"You should learn how to lie better, Zach."

Zach was now sweating bullets.

From the temple of his head down to his neck, it was as if a small cloud was pouring over him.

"I am not lying at all, sir."

"You seem like a bright and intelligent kid. So, you do know that everyone who manifests their Anima cells at the age of twelve is supposed to report to the Slayer Corps, right?"

"S-So I've heard."

"Please explain to me why you have not been enlisted into the ranks of the Slayer Corps then."

"It is simple, sir. Because I am not a Slayer."

They were both smiling politely, seemingly laughing and joking about it, but their inner monologues said the opposite.

"Just admit it. There is no use lying now."

Gavin thought.

"Leave me alone you wretched Slayers."

Zachary had repeated these words time and time again ever since Gavin talked to him.

There was a deep silence that enveloped the situation.

Until it was suddenly broken by Luken's arrival.

"Yo, any one of you guys have a lighter or some matchsticks or something?"

Both Gavin and Zach shook their heads.

"Come on kid, just use your Fire spells and light this up for me will you?"

"…."

"No? Alright then."

Luken walked back upstairs. But not before taking an entire bottle of whiskey.

"You do know that we are leaving early morning tomorrow, right?"

Gavin said with an annoyed face.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you."

Zachary was inching towards the stairs himself as well.

"Your technique and form is shoddy at best. You're not going to be able to do anything if you're wasting your talent like this. Let alone 'kill' the person that stole a target from you. The Red King."

"You know nothing about me."

Zachary was now annoyed.

"I know that you are an incompetent fighter though. You moved the same as my juniors when they first fought and bore arms. You won't be able to kill the Red King in your current state, masked boy."

Zachary gritted his teeth.

He clenched his fist in anger.

Yet he still managed to respond in a lightheaded manner.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, mister."

He responded.

"Drop the act, Zachary. You might have been able to fool the people in this house, but not us. You were the gas masked boy who attacked the Red King just hours before this. Since you're a part of a royal bloodline or family, surely fifty thousand zennies would be nothing to you. Is that not enough evidence for you?"

Gavin smirked.

Did the Serpent Summoner corner the boy already?

Was he about to admit his true identity?

Zachary clapped slowly.

"My, my, you Slayers really are trouble. Aren't you a smart fellow? Alright, fine, I was the one who rushed in and tried to assassinate that putrid old man they call the Red King. That was the first time I ever stepped outside and put my talents to the test, are you satisfied now?"

He said so while smiling menacingly.

"I am offering you the chance to come with us. To undergo brutal training and to see if you are a good fit for the Six Blades, and we can overlook the fact that you hid from enlistment all these years."

"Are you kidding me? Do you expect me to-"

Zachary's outburst was interrupted by Gavin.

"Stop talking, just go and think about it.. I'll be in my quarters now, let's talk about your decision tomorrow, Zachary Lancaster, unverified Fire Slayer."