Chapter 5

Author: Thanks for reading.

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EVENING

RECEPTION HALL

Met again, this time, it wasn't just the chief, captain Ger, Den and Mira. Three more guards were present in the room as well.

Two behind the captain who stood behind the chief, one at the door.

After they were served by three maids, everyone began to eat, right after offering their thanks.

Den dare not touch his food. The food didn't suit his taste and one could say he was very picky when it came to food.

Making no attempt to touch the food, this gained the chief's attention.

"The ingredients and the water is not contaminated. I checked before the food was prepared. Also, I won't poison you" the chief stated, thinking he was hesitant to touch the food because of these reasons.

But that wasn't so.

An awkward smile on his face, Den said, "Oh, that is not so. I just.........."

Find the food not to my taste?

There was no way he could say that!

"Is exactly that" and he accepted, thinking it was the only choice he had.

Come to think of it, he wonder why Eld wasn't invited as well. Could it be the chief was still angry?

Or.......... could it be........he wanted Eld out of the case?

"Did you find what you were looking for Mr......." And old man Sable remembered, he never asked their names.

Funny, he didn't know their names and gave them permission to involve themselves in the case.

"Den. The name is Den and this is Mira" Den introduced them with a friendly smile.

Come to think of it, he never told the chief their names. He (Den) thought.

"I'll remember. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Hmmm, what a weird old man, he won't even ask where they were from, why he was wearing a mask while Mira wasn't.

Maybe he wasn't concern or interested.

Den thought before snapping out to answer the old man's question.

"Yes. Thank you for letting us in on the case"

"There's no need"

Well, as long as he had no problem with it. Den was willing to go the extra mile.

"Mr Den, can you tell me? Who are you and where are you from?"

Took him long to ask but who said he (Den) wasn't going to answer.

"We're from the Kingdom of Peace"

"Oh, a land ruled by a king. Most of the lands around here are ruled by great magicians and swordmen"

"True" Den answered, nodding.

The chief wanted to ask one more question. About why Den still hasn't revealed his face. What was he hiding?

However, before he could do that, Mira interrupted.

"Chief, can you tell us more about the painting that went missing?"

Oh, nice one Mira! He (Den) totally forgot about it!

Maybe it could help with the case.

"Is one of a kind and has my signature on it. All others without the signature are fake. There's only one original which was with me and is priceless"

"Maybe I ask what the painting is about?" Den asked and the old man did not fail him.

"Is a painting I made myself. The original painting, that is"

An original painting of what?!

"Is a painting of the five great heroes, putting an end to the demon king, twenty-five years ago"

This revelation surprised the living life out of Mira and Den.

But Den showed no such reaction on his face and Mira could see as she looked at him.

"I see, then, it really is a rare painting" Den said with a smile.

Oh, Mira could sense what was going on.

She knew something about the painting.

Something she dare not share.

That painting,...... really was a curse.

And she pitied her master for hearing about it again.

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NIGHT

In the end, Den did not touch his food. Right after dinner, he and Mira were shown their rooms. Pretty close to each other in the same building.

The chief told them to stay in the main house and by the tone he used, it was more of a command.

The chief must have taken this action cause he was still suspicious of them.

Whatever the case was,...............Mira was more worried about her master.

She was now in Den's room, staring at her master who sat beside the opened window, staring at the night view, totally out of reality.

She was worried about him after all that they heard from the chief and so, she decided to stay by his side.

But,..........she couldn't bring herself to bring up that topic.

The topic that put her master into such a bad mood. Den hasn't said a word since they came in.

His mask off, she thought she could finally read his expression but there wasn't much.

His expression said nothing about him, being in a bad mood.

Just an unreadable blank expression on his face.

Even so, Mira could still tell he was in a bad mood. She has known her master for the longest time after all.

"Mira"

"Huh?" Mira replied immediately, giving him all her attention.

"The culprit must still be in town. Go guard Eld tonight. I can take care of myself. And bring him to me tomorrow morning"

Hearing this, a depressed look clouded her face.

*Sigh, this meant she'll have to keep watch all night.

After stuffing herself, she was so sleepy and tired and here was another job for her.

Then again, it wasn't like she could have a good rest in this place.

(Mira couldn't sleep well in unfamiliar places)

Still,........it would have been nice if he looked at her, even just a glance, while he said that.

Her master has been staring into space and hasn't even looked at her once since they came in.

Feeling upset, defeated, she got up, saying, "I'll do just that" before leaving the room.

He didn't even tell her 'Take Care' when he always did, everytime he gave her a job.

Also, he did not call her Mi,.........he really wasn't fine.

The moment the door shut, Den let out a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

He only wanted to be alone that's why he sent Mira off.

*Sigh,.......... guess he really wasn't fine.

*Sigh, and he sighed again.

Flashback of his conversation with the chief during dinner, then surfaced.

FLASHBACK

"Is a painting of the five great heroes putting an end to the demon king twenty-five years ago"

"I see, then, it really is a rare painting" he said with a blank expression.

The chief, continued,

"During the battle I was there. I witnessed how they put an end to the demon king. I witnessed how the world was rid of evil. The scene was exhilarating. There was no way I could look away. I couldn't hold back. I immediately took out my tools and began to make the painting. A painting that will serve as proof,....... a reminder of how the world was wiped out of evil"

Wipe out.......wipe out of evil...............

Did this old man really think demons were the only evil ones?

Humans,..... humans were evil too.

"It was a battle, but chief had his equipments for painting" Den said and the old man smiled, looking up at him.

"I was no fighter. I was only brought along to witness and paint the end of the evil. To serve as proof, provide it to the people and let them know the threat, was wiped out"

END OF FLASHBACK.

Quiet, Den stared at nothing, the chief's words playing in mind again and again.

Wiped out of evil.......Threat...... All this was nonsense.

That painting was nonsense.

Not when he knew it was only humans who brought evil and threats into this world.

The five great heroes,........they were nothing but fools!

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MORNING ⛅

Just like Den ordered, the next morning, Eld was brought in by Mira.

They sat around the table in the room and Mira couldn't help but stare at Den who had seriousness in his eyes.

Mask back on.

He was in work mode. Usually, Den wasn't this serious, cause, you know, their previous cases weren't that serious.

Their previous cases, sometimes, were very much like the first case.

Cheating husbands getting punished by their wives and sometimes, it was the other way around.

Still,.......she was worried. Was he okay? Was he able to sleep? Did he get over what they heard yesterday?

"My friend, his name is Jak. He's,......was hardworking, in fact, he worked too hard. Always took his job were too serious"

"Where did he work?" A serious Den asked.

"In the only inn in town. Is owned by the chief. 'Live Inn' " the man (Eld) answered.

He used to work in Live inn. This was something worth keeping in mind.

"That guy never missed a day. He was always so busy, working hard to earn a lot. He wanted to open his own inn. 'Having just one inn here isn't good. The village will never be more open at this point' ........ He always said. But now,........his dream will never be fulfilled" a devastated Eld shared.

"Did you notice anything weird about the previous night? When he came back from work. Or....... anything, before......... Before his death" Den asked, trying to be careful due to the man's mood.

This question was very important so he (Den) had to ask. Even though Eld didn't look okay.

"No, not that I can think of" Eld said, still thinking about it.

"Did he tell you anything about a painting?" Mira asked and Den looked at her, surprised.

This question should have been asked first.

Eld was trying to remember something, he (Den) could see how hard he was trying, yet, he still put pressure on him.

"Try to remember"

And it worked.

Seconds later, realization hit him as he remembered something.

He looked up at Den, saying, "I remember!"

And this, was the beginning of something new.

A new lead.

A smile covered Den's face, but only his eyes showed it, as he stared at the man.

Waiting for what he knew.

What exactly, happened to Jak that night, before he came home.