Breakfast Together

The Supreme Heavenly Lord gave a faint smile. "Maybe you have been looking in the wrong areas."

Thana folded her arms, feeling annoyed with him but at the same time quite curious about his riddle-like answer. "So where should I be looking?"

Before the Supreme Heavenly Lord could answer, one of the celestial servants approached them, bowing deeply. "My Lord, breakfast has been prepared."

The Supreme Heavenly Lord nodded. "May I invite you to have breakfast with me?"

She could hardly imagine she would be able to stay willingly at the table during the formal breakfast with the Supreme Heavenly Lord, bearing in mind the way the celestials looked at her. But then again, she couldn't say no, could she?

"Alright," she replied, though she could barely manage a smile; it wasn't a genuine one.

The servant led them to a small outdoor dining area nestled in the courtyard. A table had been set with an assortment of delicate dishes—fruits, pastries, and some other celestial foods Thana couldn't even name.

The Supreme Heavenly Lord seated himself at the head of the table and Thana sat across him, although she felt quite uncomfortable. She was not familiar with such a type of treatment, and the sort of politeness during the meal was rather oppressive to her.

As they ate in silence, Thana could think only about the odd chore that had been assigned to her. If there was no ghost, what was she supposed to be searching for all along? And why was the Supreme Heavenly Lord so insistent that she stay another day?

Finally, she started speaking when she could bear her thoughts no more.

"So, what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?" she asked, proceeding to put her fork down. "You told me that there is no ghost, but you continue to give me impressions that there is something else going on, I want to know what it is."

The Supreme Heavenly Lord looked at her. "Just be patient."

Thana sighed sharply. "I'm not exactly known for my patience, you know."

There was something in the corner of his lips—almost a smile—and for an instant, Thana caught a glimpse of it. "That much is clear," he said lightly.

They finished the meal in relative silence, and once the servants had cleared the table, the Supreme Heavenly Lord stood up.

"You may continue your search today," he said. "But focus not just on the physical space. Sometimes, what you seek lies beyond the surface."

Thana raised an eyebrow. "And that's supposed to mean...?"

"You will understand when the time is right."

Thana opened her mouth to argue, but quickly shut it, knowing it would be pointless. The Supreme Heavenly Lord was never one to give straightforward answers, and she wasn't about to waste any more time trying to pry one out of him.

"Fine," she muttered. "I'll keep looking. "I'll keep looking. "

With that, she took her scythe and went back to the palace to figure out what was going on.

As the day passed Thana grew increasingly bored and restless, and by the middle of the day, she was lost again in the endless corridors of the palace. She had seen everything, searched every room, and every corner, yet, there was no one.

"This is ridiculous." As she stood there, trying to collect her thoughts, a few celestials looked at her with interest. Their voices were not that loud, but you can still hear them talking about her.

"Why would the Supreme Heavenly Lord bring her here...?"

"Is she really from the netherworld? She looks so... ordinary."

"Do you think she knows why he's so interested in her?"

Thana's jaw clenched. Although she had been always indifferent to rumors in the palace, the voices were beginning to irritate her.

Let them talk, she thought. Who cares about their opinion anyway?

But as much as she tried to dismiss it, deep down, she did have her doubts. Why was the Supreme Heavenly Lord so interested in her? And what was he hiding?

Her thoughts were suddenly cut short by the gentle sound of footsteps coming towards her from the rear. Thana looked behind her, thinking it would be another servant or a celestial, but instead, she was met by the Supreme Heavenly Lord.

He gazed at her gently, keeping his face a Stoic mask as before. "By any chance, did you find anything?" he asked.

Thana rolled her eyes. "No. I have searched all the places and still, I am unable to locate anything. It seems to me that there is nothing more to seek in it at all.

"The Supreme Heavenly Lord nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off her. "Perhaps you are right."

Thana blinked, surprised by his response. "Wait, what?"

"There may indeed be no ghost," he said, his tone contemplative. "But that does not mean your time here has been wasted."

Thana frowned, her frustration growing. "What is that supposed to mean? Why bring me here if there's nothing to find?"

He then turned around and started walking down the hall leisurely, signaling her to join him.

And with a sigh, she reluctantly walked alongside him, her scythe resting on her shoulder. They strolled a little, silently, and then he started speaking again.

"Do you ever question," he began, " 'Where and how did the rumors of a ghost originate?"

Thana glanced at him, confused. "Isn't it just palace gossip? People making up stories to pass the time?"

The Supreme Heavenly Lord shook his head. "There is always a kernel of truth in such rumors. Something, or someone, planted the idea of a ghost in this palace. The question is why."

Thana furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of his words. "Are you saying someone started the rumors on purpose?"

The Supreme Heavenly Lord nodded. "It is possible."

Thana stopped walking, turning to face him fully. "Then why not just deal with the person responsible? Why drag me into this?"

He met her gaze, his expression as calm and composed as ever. "Because, Thana, there are things at play here that go

 beyond mere responsibility. Some forces need to be understood, and you are more suited to this than you realize."

Thana's jaw clenched. She didn't like cryptic answers, especially when her time and patience were being tested. "I'm not in the mood of playing your games, Supreme Heavenly Lord. If there's an issue, tell me the person's name, I'll handle it myself."