Chapter 32. Banquet.

The next day, Eros's team arrived in full force at the gates of the palace. The guards immediately recognized them and let them in, but with an escort who led them to the entrance to the palace, and there they were met by the butler.

The butler led all four to the banquet hall, in which there were a large number of people, by dress and conversation, as well as by the luxurious atmosphere, Eros immediately realized that these were not ordinary people, but nobles.

As soon as these three arrived in the hall, no one paid attention to them, and those who still looked in their direction felt only contempt at seeing their appearance. It was hard to call their clothes luxurious, but not cheap, nevertheless they went to the king. Eros could not expect that they would be invited to the banquet, he thought that they would just come, the king would thank them, give them a "valuable prize", sing to them how good they are and how the king needs them.

"Why were we invited here at all, to laugh?" Lily's nervous voice sounded in the heads of all three.

"If someone tries to taunt us, I personally will beat the crap out of them!" - Rick's firm voice sounded.

"Then I will join." - added with a hint of fun in Roni's voice.

Eros, on the other hand, decided to remain silent and examine the hall in more detail, just at that moment the very person who invited them to this place approached them.

- Mr. Darton, why were we invited here?

- I cannot know this, it was the order of the king, - he answered, Eros even heard notes of regret in his voice. Apparently Darton himself does not understand why they were called.

- I see, - Eros said with a heavy sigh.

"Eros, can we leave?" Rick asked.

"We cannot do this."

"Why?"

"If we leave so early, it will only show disrespect on our part for the king who invited us personally, albeit through an intermediary."

"I see ..." - Rick answered with annoyance.

- Since everything turned out like this, then we probably will go "have fun" because it is so "fun".

- Yes, of course, have a nice evening.

Leaving Danton's company, they sat down at one of the distant tables. Where they began to communicate and taste the dishes that were on the table. Eros examined the hall, in search of clues, something alarmed him in all this. It's like he's missing something, but what?

For a moment, the titan froze in surprise. He saw two people at the other end of the hall, they were among those magicians who were inspired by the Queen's speech and participated in the battle at the palace. The Titan continued to scan the room, and with each passing second his mood grew darker and darker.

Eros found ten magicians in the hall, of which he saw seven during the battle, as well as nine men, dressed in simple clothes, but in very good physical shape. And this led him to not very good thoughts ...

"Eros, what happened?" - Ronnie's serious voice sounded in the head of the titan.

"We got caught up in some kind of crap again!" - too calm voice, said the titan, - "I feel that the second round of yesterday will begin soon."

"Why do you think so?"

"Look in the corners of the hall, do you recognize someone?"

Three obeyed Eros and began to peer into the faces of people, but after a minute both guys exhaled and shook their heads, but Lily looked in surprise at one of the corners.

"I remember him, he shouted the loudest then and was the first to rush to the palace!" - she pointed to a cute guy of twenty, Lily also continued to look around the hall and pointed to three more.

"If so, where did you get the idea that today they will try to kill the king, maybe they were just like we were invited? "

"Flair." Eros replied briefly.

Until the evening, nothing happened. Eros even began to think that he was simply too tired and re-imagined too much. During this time, many magicians and knights who arrived gathered in small companies and talked about something. The nobles did not react in any way to this, as if they did not exist. Everything was calm and quiet ...

- His Royal Highness Tom E. Fiore, has arrived! - proclaimed the butler, two servants opened the doors at the same time and a small old man with white hair and a small mustache entered the hall. There were two knights on either side of the king.

"Indeed, all little old people are very influential!" - said Rick thoughtfully.

"Why do you think so?"

"Remember Makarov, Yajima, Danton, and now the king himself ..."

"There is some truth in your words."

The king calmly walked to the largest table and stood on a chair, raised his glass.

- Thank you all for coming to this banquet. I organized it to celebrate the "Victory", as well as to thank those who provided great help in this incident - some nobles immediately reached out, others straightened their backs, - I would also like to thank the magicians for responding and lending a helping hand in a difficult moment, as well as the knights that did not spare themselves fought with the enemies, many of them left their lives on the battlefield, but let them know that their heroism will never be forgotten!

Everyone in the hall began to applaud especially fiercely the magicians and knights invited by the king, but the nobles behaved sluggishly and looked at the king with very displeased faces. After all, how could he thank ordinary commoners, and not even mention them, because they "fought like lions"!

- Therefore, let's raise our glasses to Victory! - everyone in the hall raised their glasses at the same time.

- FOR VICTORY! - they all exclaimed and drained them.

At this moment, while everyone was relaxed, a scream sounded and one of the knights to the right of the king fell to the ground, his body twitched in convulsions for a couple of seconds and froze.

- ASSASSIN! HERE IS THE KILLER! PROTECT THE KING! - the second knight took out a sword and stood in front of the king and began to look around.

A stone wall has grown in front of the doors to the hall.

- It was too simple, - came the malicious voice of one of the people among the nobles, he was skinny, with gray hair up to his shoulders and an unpleasant face with a long nose and small mustache.

- Explain yourself, Marquis Wiz! - sounded, the firm voice of Tom E. Fiore, there was not a drop of fear on his face.

- What can I explain to you my king?

- Why did you betray me, I never treated you with prejudice and ...

- Oh, don't talk nonsense and stop wasting time, - with a grin, stretched Vis, - Your guards will not know about it soon, or do you think that I work alone? - almost half of the nobles took his side, - See, I'm not the only one against you.

- What do you want?!

- Oh, just a little, - his smile became even wider, - Throne!

- Even if I die here, there is still my wife, as well as many confidants, you will not be able to usurp the throne!

- Indeed, but I will make everything much easier, I will take the queen as my wife, see how many people support me in this, - pointing to his entourage, Wiz laughed, - Oh ... looking forward to our wedding night ... - he said with a dreamy smile, - And when the princess grows up, I think I can wait ten years ...

- SHUT UP BASTARD! - roared the king, throwing an empty glass at Visa, - I SWEAR YOU WILL NOT DIE A LIGHT DEATH! YOU WILL NEVER GET OUT OF THE PALACE TO MISS!

- Oh, I'm afraid, I'm afraid, and how are you going to defeat me if all the local magicians are on my side? - he did not pay any attention to the angry king, because for him now the king was like a "dog without teeth" that can only bark.

- Fucking pedophile, - a calm voice sounded, it was not loud, but everyone could clearly hear everything.

- Who said that?! SHOW YOURSELF!

- I, - everyone looked in the direction of where the voice was coming from and saw only three children and one adult man, - And what will you do?

- KILL HIM IMMEDIATELY! - the nobleman growled and looked at the girl, froze for a moment, - Leave the girl, tonight I will be engaged in her re-education in my game ... - but not having time to finish, his body was covered with a bright scarlet flame, - AAA! SAVE! - many rushed to extinguish Visa, but they could not do anything, but only caught fire at the same moment. But what is most surprising, the flame did not burn him immediately, but slowly, as if eating the body. The screams of agony lasted more than two minutes, until he was hoarse, or maybe his vocal cords were burnt out, but he continued to shake with the remnants of his limbs ...

All who watched this were shaking with horror that filled them, watching their companion die, but they did not rush to help him anymore, because they did not want to instantly turn to ashes like the three who tried to help Wiz.

- You shouldn't have said that of course ... - the calm voice of Eros sounded, - Lily, you would have reassured the boy, he is fighting for your innocence.

The girl flushed sharply and looked at Eros with anger, but at the same time tried to calm the enraged guy. But still, at this moment, Lily felt only happiness when she saw the reaction of the young man, and the fact that a man was burning nearby, she was dofen.

- So, we all listen to me, - clapping his hands, attracted the attention of the titan, - If you do not want to experience the same heavenly pleasure as Wiz, I recommend lying down, burying your face on the floor and putting your hands behind your back.

- Why are you allowing yourself rabble! - the angry voice of one of the nobles sounded, - Immediately kill them!

Seven magicians ran at Eros at the same time. Seeing this, a wide grin appeared on his face, before reaching ten meters they were covered with flame and in a second turned into ash. The rest, who were also going to rush after them, froze abruptly, not daring to take a step. On the other hand, Eros noticed the movement of one of the nobles and pointed his finger in his direction. There was a cry and the sound of something of steel falling to the ground. This object was a simple-looking dagger without drawings and precious stones.

- I told you not to move, - said the titan with a sly smile, - It was just a warning, the next move and you will die, - pointing his hand at the door, he created in his hand a white ball the size of a ping-pong ball and threw it into the wall that the stone magician created.

The wall and the door behind it were destroyed and several dozen knights burst into the hall, which immediately surrounded the king.

- Arrest all these people, - Tom E. Fiore pointed to the lying nobles, as well as to the magicians who were on the side of Vis.

- I told you, - said Eros in a bored tone, - Some crap will happen.

- Gentlemen, - surrounded by guards, the king approached them, - I would like to thank you for saving my life.

- What are you, you already had everything under control, - with a slight smile, he pointed to the roof.

The king looked at Eros in surprise.

- How?

- Teach your guards to restrain the murderous intention, because when it came to the princess, from the ceiling I felt several directed at the Marquis Visa, and before that I had not noticed them.

- That's how it is, thank you for telling me about it, - the old man nodded with a good-natured smile, - Since everything was so ruined today, I want to invite you another day to reward.

- What are you, it is not worth it, it is the duty of every citizen of the Kingdom of Fiore, to protect the king.

- I insist, - nevertheless, the king was flattered by this and his mood became much better, - When I figure it out, I will send for you.

- Thank you, your majesty! - all four bowed to Tom E. Fiore.

- And now, I will take my leave, we must finish with all the cases.

Eros and his friends also did not stay in the castle and left it.