Welcome to Azerith.
Eiden spoke in a deep, resonant voice to make himself sound more domineering. His actions—seating himself grandly upon the massive obsidian throne, staring down at the visitors from above, and speaking with authority—were all things he had never done in real life. But he had seen enough boss characters in games to fake it well.
And judging by their expressions, it was working.
Yes! Nailed it. I must look very cool from down there...
But then he noticed something odd. They didn't look impressed. They looked scared.
Wait. Why do they seem so terrified instead of awed? Did I overdo it? Am I really that scary?
Eiden raised his right arm slightly, about 40 degrees, like a noble giving a command, and said in his deepest voice, "You may rise."
The group—seven young women, their hoods hiding most of their faces—slowly lifted their heads, their movements trembling and cautious. The one who appeared to be their leader stood at the front. Even she, who looked the boldest among them, was visibly shaking.
Eiden kept his face covered in mist, his body cloaked in a dark robe he had conjured with his will alone, seated atop a throne that probably hadn't seen a ruler in centuries. It was all a façade. He had no idea what he was doing.
"You may speak," he said calmly.
The leader, gathering courage, opened her mouth and spoke clearly, though her voice betrayed a hint of hesitation.
"I thank you once again for saving us from our fated doom."
Eiden didn't respond immediately. He wanted to maintain the mystery, the sense of authority. He crossed one leg over the other—again, something he'd only ever seen in games or anime—and nodded slowly.
"Introduce yourself."
"Yes, at once," the leader replied respectfully. She stepped forward and pulled back her hood.
Crimson eyes. Silver hair. A face so breathtakingly beautiful, for a moment, even Eiden lost his composure internally. She had the aura of someone confident and capable, yet beneath that exterior, Eiden could sense her wariness and fear.
Realizing that the entire group was still visibly anxious, Eiden tried to ease the tension.
"You need not fear me," he said in a slightly gentler tone. "I will do you no harm... unless you attempt to harm me first."
That seemed to help. Their shoulders eased just a little, their eyes no longer full of sheer terror. Still cautious, but now less petrified.
The silver-haired girl took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, then spoke again.
"My name is Lumia Vortelle. I am currently acting as the leader of this group... and we are on the run."
"Run?" Eiden repeated in his deep voice, leaning forward ever so slightly.
"Yes. We are being chased by the soldiers of Viscount Haze—" she stopped abruptly, her discomfort obvious.
Eiden noticed it and cut her off gently.
"You do not need to say more," he said, his tone returning to a composed and deep cadence. "All of you appear tired. Go, get some rest. You may each choose a room for yourselves. If you are hungry, the kitchen and the storehouse are open to you."
He deliberately gave no direction—no floor, no map, no guidance. That was part of the show. Let them explore the vastness of the castle and be in awe of it.
Besides, Eiden thought, the place is absurdly big, with more than enough space. The storehouse is overflowing with food—meat, vegetables, grains—preserved by some unknown power. Enough to feed a hundred people for twenty years. And the castle looks abandoned, but there's not a speck of dust. Self-cleaning maybe? That would explain why it doesn't smell like centuries of rot and mold.
His mind wandered for a bit until Lumia bowed again.
"Thank you for your concern," she said. "And… what may we address you as, great lord?"
Eiden froze for a moment. He hadn't thought of that.
After a brief pause, he spoke:
"You may address me as... Kleros."
"Lord Kleros," Lumia repeated, bowing again. "Then, we shall take our leave."
Eiden nodded wordlessly, maintaining the image.
After the group exited the throne hall, he waited a few minutes, then pulled out the floating crystal and began observing them from above, like a silent watcher from the heavens.
They were frantic. Hungry and tired, they searched desperately through the corridors, opening random doors, trying to find the kitchen.
Eiden couldn't help but chuckle.
Hehehe… behold, my big and mighty castle. Even I got lost in it once.
Eventually, one of the girls—a petite one with dark hair named Clara—found the kitchen and called the others over. They all ran in, gasping in awe as they saw the storehouse, their eyes sparkling with delight at the sight of food.
They wasted no time. Working with practiced efficiency, they began preparing a meal. Their coordination was impressive. It was clear they had done this many times before. Cooking while on the run must've been a necessity.
Eiden smiled faintly.
Speaking of food… it's strange. I don't feel hungry. Or sleepy. I've been up for hours now. I should feel something. Does this body not require rest or sustenance?
Meanwhile, the girls, having finished cooking, began eating on the spot. It was obvious they hadn't had a proper meal in days. They devoured everything gratefully, warmth returning to their faces.
After their meal, they sat together, some leaning on each other for support.
"Are we going to be okay?" one of them asked softly.
"Let's hope so," Lumia replied. "So far, he has done nothing to harm us. In fact, he helped us."
Clara added, "Maybe he's a benevolent lord."
"But… why can't we see him at all? His face was covered in mist."
"No need to question it," Lumia warned gently but firmly. "Some things are better left unknown. If we dig too deep, we might invite unnecessary trouble. Let's remain vigilant… and above all, let's not offend Lord Kleros."
Eiden continued watching them, thoughtful. They soon resumed their exploration and eventually came across a massive bathing area—easily big enough for all of them.
A little while later, Lumia returned to the throne room, looking slightly embarrassed but trying to remain formal.
"May we… use the bath, Lord Kleros?"
Eiden only nodded, still keeping his mysterious demeanor. Lumia gave a grateful bow and hurried back.
The moment she left, Eiden leaned back on the throne.
By now, they're probably in the bath…
He rubbed his chin.
Ahemm. Just to make sure there's no trouble, of course. I'm not dirty-minded. I just… want to check if everything is safe.
He poured some of his energy into the crystal and the mist within shimmered. At first, it showed something completely random—flowers blooming in a field.
He stared at the flowers.
Beautiful. So peaceful.
He committed the image to memory and buried it deep in the recesses of his mind.
And I swear, he thought, I will never speak a word about this.
To be continued....