Summoning Woes

Ch 4 - Godspeed

“Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Hurry up and get back to your leader,” Michele said.

“Actually,” Klavier folded his arms. “I’ve been tasked by my leader to be your bodyguard.”

“Huh?!” her eyebrows twitched. “Well, whatever. It wouldn’t hurt to have one more person to protect me. Good. Then let’s get to the ballroom and hear those old men talk politics. Man, I hate those stuff, seriously…” she trailed off into a soft mumble.

Michele entered through a door. Klavier followed suit, entering into massive room that was the length of three hovels. The ceiling was just as mammoth, spanning several meters into the air with a circular platform housing several candles at once that lit the place. In it were a great number of people dressed in tuxedo suits and elegant dresses. The buffet table sat on the far left, hogged by a small group of well-fed people drinking red wine.

“Your face tells me that it’s your first time here,” Michele commented.

“It is, milady.”

“You’ll want to stay close if you’re not to get lost.”

“It feels off without the music,” he walked over to the empty stage like he was attracted to it. “Maybe I’ll fill it in to avoid boring the crowd.”

“It’s not necessary, kid. These people know how to entertain themselves with a lot of things - music, drama, theatre, war, you name them. But none of those interest me a single bit.”

“I see,” he heaved a sigh.

Nobility was not something people could earn by mere hard work. Envy riled up in him as he watched them enjoy an abundant amount of food amidst their banter though the atmosphere was all but calm peaceful. With the recent happenings in Shida’s lab, the empire was on the hunt for the destroyer’s head. He shrugged the thought aside, following Michele like a shadow as she engaged the men with a pleasant smile.

“Hey, can you hear me?” a familiar voice rang in his head.

Klavier blinked his eyes twice.

“Hello! I’m talking to you dammit!” the same voice said. “It’s Themis! I’m talking to you right in your head. It’s a technique called telepathy.”

“Err,” he looked around, trying to look for her physical body in the crowd. “Where are you?”

Michele shot a glare at him.

“I’m still at the infirmary. Will just woke up and is now taken care by Aem,” Themis said.

“Aem?”

“Some long haired pretty boy. Anyway, do you feel something?”

“I feel lost, that’s for sure.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. Jokes aside, there’s a powerful presence inbound at your location. It’s something like Zellha’s, but stronger. Warn the guards about this. I think this guy’s really strong and will be coming in big.”

“They can’t handle them, is that what you’re saying?”

“No. Best be prepared for anything.”

“Got it,” he shifted his attention to Michele. “Milady, there’s a message from Themis.”

“Go on.”

He described Themis’s explanation from the first word to the last, watching her expression turned sour as he went on.

“...I see. It sounds like a god is coming to invade soon. They’ve done it before, but why now of all times?”