Chapter 115 - The Feast III

Everyone present in the grand hall took their seats once the head priest asked them to do so. Not knowing what would happen, Emelia couldn't help but look around the place, suspecting every priest present.

The head priest stood, lowers his golden goblet onto the table, and said a few more words before taking his seat. From its name, it is just a normal feast. Nothing suspicious around the hall, just a few paladins guarding the doors. 

Never did she knew that the feast was nothing special. Just an hour of preaching, then servants entering the hall to serve the meal. 

Emelia slightly leaned towards Elliot and asked, "That's it? Nothing more?" 

"Nothing more. This is how it always goes," Elliot whispers to Emelia. 

It's not what she expected at all.. Emelia thought the feast would be more extravagant. Then what's the point of showing off his golden throne and expensive utensils? Everything went normal, but then she had a feeling it isn't. 

The gazes sent by the head priest bothered her. Though she decided to ignore them, he wouldn't stop looking in her direction. Elliot knew about it and sent glances at the head priest every now and then. But still, he didn't stop. 

While the crowd was busying conversing with each other, the head priest didn't waste time to make his move towards Emelia. He stood up, holding his golden goblet, filled with a special wine brewed by the temple. 

"I greet His Imperial Majesty and the Princess. Once again, I want to thank them both for making time to come despite your busy schedules," said Head Priest Trenor.

Elliot took a step forward, blocking Emelia's sight away from Head Priest Trenor. Elliot flashed him a fake warm smile and said, "It is a must event to go after all. I only went because you invited me. If not, I wouldn't bother coming here at all."

"Don't be so hostile towards me," laughed Head Priest Trenor, gaining a bit of attention around him. Then looking at Emelia, he raised his golden goblet and praised, "Is Princess Emelia feeling unwell?"

"Indeed, she is feeling unwell. I was about to escort her back to our room, but then she insisted on staying," answered Elliot as he gently grabs her hand.

Head Priest Trenor nodded his head and smirked, "Then I should not keep His Highnesses here. Please go back to your room and take a rest."

"Thank you," thanked Elliot, making their way back to the room. 

As the door shuts, Emelia sat on the bed, whose gaze looked lost. One hand under her chin, pondering hard about how perfect everything went. The feast is nothing special. Just a normal feast, as it said in the invitation. But one thing bothered her. 

"Emelia, I think it's best for us to leave this place as soon as possible," suggested Elliot, walking around the room back and forth. 

"I think so too," agreed Emelia, saying in a softer pitch so that the paladins guarding their room wouldn't hear. 

When Emelia stood up, preparing to make her way out of the room. They both heard a knock on the door, and with Elliot's confirmation, a familiar face enters the room, wearing a white robe just like the other priest did. 

"Have you found anything?" Elliot asked Air, who removed his hood and bowed his head.

"Behind the temple, after a few minutes of walking, there is a small shed protected by paladins. I suspect that they are hiding something in there and asked Enoch to distract the paladins."

"And what did you see? Is it what Vanessa had described?" Elliot asked Air, who nods his head. 

"I see. Call the coachman. We're leaving early. Make sure not to get caught," reminded Elliot. 

Air bows his head before leaving the room. Elliot turns his back and said, "We'll interrogate my fake brother."

A bucket of water was splashed at Edward's face, whose hands were constricted with rusted iron shackles around his wrist. The man gasped out loud as if he was just awoken by a nightmare. His whole body, trembling in fear, he looks up at Elliot.

"B-brother? What are you doing?" 

"When are you going to drop the act? I can't believe you had the audacity to act as my younger brother. Who are you? What's your relationship with the temple?"

Edward grit his teeth, glaring at Elliot with a smirk. He thought his own act had fooled them, but he was wrong. He bit his lip, clenching his fist, and asked, "Why? Why can't you just get fooled by my acting? It took such a long time just to learn how to act like him."

"You can't fool my eyes. Let me remind you. The last person you should not act as is my younger brother. I know him from how much more than you do," Elliot grabs his collar. "I've long accepted that my younger brother had died. Burnt into ashes that night."

"The weak and soft younger brother? Prince Edward? Did you not know that he was still alive? He survived the fire and a few days later died because of his own weak body."

Alive? His brother? Elliot didn't listen to his words and raised his fist, about to swing a punch onto his face but then held back. It's all a lie. The words said by the fake Edward. 

"What? It's because you don't know about that day at all. I was the one who found the weak Prince that day, lying on the ground with a high fever," continued Edward, not caring if he was going to receive a harsher punishment later. "How do you think I knew about the birthmark? From what I know, only the royal family knew about it. As a safety measure."

"You're not wrong but not right either. As the years passed, more people knew about the birthmark," corrected Elliot, matching his height with Edward's. 

"My right pocket. I'm sure there is something you will recognize," said Edward. 

Alan, who stood behind them the whole time, took a step forward and checks the pockets of Edward. He felt something cool in his palms and brought it out. It was a brooch with a huge rectangular emerald in the middle.

"This…how do you have this?" Elliot asked Edward who chuckled.

"I was telling you the truth. I found Prince Edward on the road with a high fever. He gave it to me, telling me to give this back to you."

The brooch Alan found is a brooch given by his parents. Both Elliot and Edward received it when they were younger. It was a pair that could be attached to each other. It was the only kid in the whole empire. 

"What's your relationship with the temple? You gave yourself away once, and it wasn't a small one but a huge one," asked Elliot, placing the brooch into his pocket. 

"I did it on purpose. I'm not so stupid to sell myself to them," laughed Edward while those present raised their brows. "I'm sure His Imperial Majesty knows the schemes of the temple. It's something I loath very much too."

This raised Elliot's curious. He applauded the fake Edward in his head, but at the same time, he wondered what made him hate them so much. To put his life on the line.

"Let me introduce myself. My real name is Albert Evelyn. I'm sure my last name sounds familiar if you recall."

"Don't tell me you're..."

"That's right. Naia Evelyn is my mother. Who died after going crazy, manipulated by the temple. She was the victim at that time," Albert said, who shut his eyes for a while then opens it back. "You don't have to trust me. But my only motivation is to bring the temple down. Make me your spy or what I don't care. I will do anything to bring them down."

"Why ask us when you can ask someone else?"

"Simple. Who else has the power to oust them?"