Never

Chapter 7: Audience with the king

Since the days when the old Pale King ruled, many things had changed, some laws had been abolished and new ones created, some knowledge and inventions had been lost, but in turn others had been created, and yet there was something that regardless of the passing of time, it had remained the same: The taste of servitude for gossip.

No matter the status or social class, no one escaped the sharp tongues of the maids, who did not hesitate to comment on the affairs of this or that person, the strange customs of the knights, or the shame that a certain noble passed when they made an indiscretion at the party the other day.

This is why the story of the mysterious guest who was staying in the room next to Ogrim was obviously not going to go unnoticed. Even if the opposite was attempted.

It was only a handful of bugs that saw the mantis arrive at the palace, but after a few hours everyone was aware. Having so few details of the story, the unknowns had been filled with imagination. The story that prevailed the most said that this mantis was Hollow's girlfriend. After all, they had seen her dressed in his training cloak and she had stayed in a comfortable room with all the considerations. Was there another better explanation for this whole matter?

Hollow was the best knight in the kingdom, the strongest and the one with the most noble heart. Of course, they also recognized his lack of sense regarding certain matters, but despite that he was much appreciated in the community. That's why most people felt worried about his relationship with the mantis. It wasn't long since Hollow had reached adulthood and this female looked older. Wouldn't she be manipulating him? Looking to take advantage of him for his status or to get some benefit?

They did not know much about the mantis society or their particular philosophy of life, they were simply a mystery. The little they knew about them was that they had wild and violent behaviors. Why precisely of all insects did Hollow have to look at a mantis? This only helped to increase the myths and stories told about them.

"They have a forbidden relationship and he had to kidnap the girl in order to have her" some said.

"The mantis courted him before he reached adulthood" others spoke.

"He beat her in combat and that is why she must marry him now, those are mantis customs," said others.

Of course, no one was even close to getting the right answer. But everyone spread the story with such vehemence that suddenly the fantasy seemed much more credible than reality and for everyone, that mantis became Hollow's official girlfriend. And she had arrived to be presented before the king. Maybe soon there would be a wedding. And it was all this unjustified gossip that ended up causing a series of misunderstandings.

It all started early in the morning when Big woke up to start his daily routine. The king needed a ridiculously small amount of sleep that was limited to a few hours during the night, a small half-hour nap in the afternoon, and that was enough to work well all day.

As he always got up almost at dawn, he took time to decorate himself and then walked to the kitchen for breakfast. He always had lunch and dinner in the great dining room of the palace, with some noblemen or with some of his siblings, but breakfast was his moment of solitude and introspection, where he sat at the humble kitchen table, dedicated himself to read the morning newspaper and listen to the maids' conversations. Of course, they did not know that the king was always attentive to every word, because he always looked distracted and sleepy and Big knew how to act with discretion, so it was not too much trouble to have him there and they spoke freely.

That morning, Big seemed very focused on reading an article about the increase in crime in the commercial district of the City of Tears, but every now and then he paid attention to the conversation that the chief cook had with one of her assistants. Although at first he was not very interested in their words, as soon as his brother's name came out, he turned his full attention to the females, of course he turned the page of the newspaper to continue pretending to read.