Chapter 69

We left the restaurant with our stomachs filled to the brim, and the urge to lie down and fall asleep was starting to nag at my mind, but I had to remain awake if I were to utilize the sun-charm tonight and possibly consume the Order 8 potion.

"We have 5 minutes now, so we should head over."

Aaron chimed up as he pointed to a carriage that stood near the diner, the coachman waiting with a little impatience, as I could see the wrinkles on his face morph into an annoyed glare.

"Let's go."

Raymond suddenly took my arm and headed over to the carriage, but someone in the corner of my eye caught my attention, his indigo hair sticking up in the crowd.

"Shinso?"

I pulled away from Raymond's grip and stared right at him, and I couldn't help but blush a little. I suddenly remembered my current predicament, how I was "dead," and that Shinso was probably greasing my death and probably would have a heart attack upon seeing me.

Suddenly his eyes flew in my direction, and they locked right on me. I saw his expression gradually change from one of nonchalance to a gaze of fear.

"What the..."

I could hear Shinso mumble those words, and I could tell he swore by reading his lips. Shinso suddenly pushed past a few patrons in the crowd and approached me, his expression still locked on me.

"How the fuck are you alive?"

His voice rang with fear and some amazement as he ran his fingers through my brown hair, I looked up at him and gave an awkward smile. I felt like telling him everything, but due to the implications posed upon me by the dirty in the fog I didn't saw anything corresponding to my fate. 

"A miracle I guess."

I couldn't help but smile like an idiot as I wrapped my arms around Shinso, but he held my body uncharacteristically tight, holding me so close to his body I could feel his heartbeat even under the multiple layers of clothing he had on.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, everyone's gonna go nuts when they see you." 

Shinso then let go of my body before peering behind me and seeing Raymond and Aaron next to the carriage.

"What are you guys doing?"

Aaron suddenly looked back down to his watch frantically before looking at Shinso with a serious glare.

"Nothing that involves you. Raymond, Isaac, let's go."

Shinso narrowed his eyes as his blood began to simmer with a little annoyance due to the given lack of context, so he grabbed his arm before he could enter the carriage.

"Tell me, now."

Aaron turned around and sighed, deep down he was annoyed by Shinso's bluntness and attitude, but the urge to protect him and give him complete context masked over.

"We're conducting a plan, Raymond's gonna enter into the council hall and tell them crucial information, it's for the better of finding Isaiah."

"Madame Fitzgerald's son, why's that asshole here?"

I could hear Raymond grunt at Shinso as he crossed his arms and looked at him with a look of sheer rage, but due to his status it was considered "ungentlemanly" to show true complexity of emotions in front of other people, Raymond wanted to punch Shinso in the face. 

"He knows a lot, and since we are considered the lower end of society, Raymond's gonna talk with them because he's a rich person, and god do they love rich people."

Aaron laughed sarcastically, his voice laced with a mocking tone.

"Ok, just be careful please."

Shinso looked towards me and I could see the corner so his lips twitched up into a small smile, but beyond that smile I could instantly sense the fear and concern within his body.

"I'll be safe, trust me."

I turned back and headed into the carriage, Raymond and Aaron sitting beside me. I looked outside the window, and saw that Cattleya, Carter, Aizawa and Demetrius were also in the market, but they didn't see me.

"Bye guys."

I whispered as I waved to them gently, hoping deep down that they'd see me and wave back. But if they did they'd probably die on the spot due to shock and terror, which made me laugh a little under my breath.

I then turned back towards Aaron and Raymond, the sun-charm gripped tightly in my hands. I heard the coachmen whip the horses and Aaron tell him where they were headed.

When we arrived it was about 4:10 in the afternoon, which was a little after we were supposed to execute the plan. We all stepped out of the carriage and looked up at the towering building in front of us.

The council building was the tallest in the entire kingdom, and it was surely as large as it was tall. The top of the building had a large dome made of glass, which people could look out of and view the night sky.

There was a long walkway to the building, and on either side of the large set of doors there were 2 guards situated, carrying metal spears that seemed to give off an aura of fear.

"I'm guessing they bonded the fear aura to those spears?"

I asked Aaron, my body already shivering due to the effects of the power. Aaron nodded silently as he approached the guard and spoke up.

"Our friend here wishes to speak with the council."

Aaron said as he pointed at Raymond, who puffed his chest out slightly and put on a stern yet calm expression. The guards looked towards Raymond for a few moments before realizing he was Madame Fitzgerold's son.

"You may come."

One of the guards spoke in a noble voice as he opened the door and allowed Raymond to step in. Raymond looked around the council hall, as there were multiple large paintings on either side of the walls. Some reflecting historical figures, while others were just portraits of the council members, wearing noble expressions that seemed to be pasted across all the portraits.

"Wait outside."

The guard commanded as he entered the room at the end of the hallway, which was filled with a large table. On either side of the table stood multiple high back chairs, and all of them had the council members in them.

After a few minutes the doors reopened, and the guard led Raymond into the room. Raymond felt the multiple glares of the members focused on his direction, except they rather held curiosity and niceness rather than intimidation.

"Hello, members of the council. I am Raymond Fitzgerald and I am here to discuss important matters with all of you."

One of the council members, Lorin Annaegoad, a tall lanky man with a neat jawline and raven black hair, spoke up, correcting his posture.

"What matters have you approached us to discuss? We don't take kindly to those who waste our time."

Raymond chuckled, but immediately returned to his serious gaze as he cleared his throat.

"It has come to my attention that there is someone who had ill intentions directed towards you."

Lorin raised an eyebrow, leaning in his chair to get a better look at the teenage boy.

"A man by the name of Isaiah Walls has conducted a rather bizarre scheme to take hold of one of you and take over this kingdom."

Raymond finished speaking, he closed his eyes as he expected the room to erupt with laughter, but one of them, a young woman with blonde hair, just cleared her throat.

"Continue, we'll need this information."

She spoke in a rather serious voice, one that exceeded Lorin's. Raymond reopened his eyes and sighed in relief, before looking towards the woman and nodding his head.

"Isaiah Walls, a criminal who has an artifact that allowed him to invade the minds of others, is working to conduct a scheme of what I previously told you."

"He came from an organization known as the Nightshades, and he shot a man named Oboro Shirakumo. He worked with another man, a man named Aaron Salista, to help with this operation. But as of the moment, Aaron has disassociated with the plan, and has sent me as a makeshift ambassador of this case."

The woman's eyes narrowed, and she picked up her glass of tea and sipped it, her eyes still locked on Raymond as he continued to speak.

"Now, it is of humble nature that I request that you help us take down Isaiah, and return Seraphis Kingdom to its previous time of prosperity and justice."

After Raymond finished speaking, he sagged down and awaited an answer. Suddenly the room began to fill with a strange blue fog, one that emanated from the back of the council members chairs. The fog began to circle around Raymond, and based on the strange feeling that Raymond had, it was the Order 5 abilities of the Protection Routeway, but the strange feelings inside him were instantly suppressed due to the effects of the necklace he was wearing, along with the bonded effects of the sun-charm.

"He's not lying, or holding ill intentions."

One of the council members spoke up, as he raised his hand and commanded the blue dog to return to behind the chairs.

He then looked toward Raymond and cleared his throat.

"We thank you dearly for this warning, and we'll do everything in our power to prevent this intrusion."

Raymond nodded slowly, but just then another idea entered his mind, making the corners of his lips curl up.

"I have one more thing to say."

All the council members looked back at Raymond and nodded, Raymond tried to hide his smile as he spoke.

"I know the man who hired Isaiah to commit this atrocity."

The council members leaned in closer, nodding slowly.

"His name is Isaac Daniel's."