"Azekiel? Who is he?" Layim inquired, frowning.
"He is a young man who has been living here for the last three years. Just a few hours ago, he was scolded by us all for making unnecessary noise. It's really strange how he's not here. He generally doesn't go missing," The middle-aged man exclaimed. "That right there is his bed."
"I see," Layim muttered. "So this Azekiel went missing in the last few hours. And from what I heard, the guards also went missing right around that time. It looks like we do have some links here."
"Jackal, what do you think?" he asked another Lord of Sin.
"This certainly makes it seem like he's related to whatever is happening around here. But the people checked everywhere. He isn't here. Where could he have gone? It's not like he can go upstairs. He is a commoner," Layim responded grimly.
"Maybe someone killed the guards? Azekiel saw it happen, so he was also killed? It's quite possible that he is buried in the ground? That could be why we couldn't see him... Wait a minute!" As Layim's line of thought progressed, he suddenly realized something.
"Buried... How could we be such idiots! I think I know where the culprit can be! Come with me!" Layim started running back towards the tent.
"Where?" Jackal asked him, still not understanding.
Layim burst into laughter as if he couldn't be wrong. "If something is buried, it makes it difficult for us to find it. But there are no signs of land being dug. So, where could the culprit be hiding? What other place to be buried where someone could avoid us? The answer was right before our eyes, but we missed it!"
"You mean the mountain of edibles?" Jackal asked, frowning. "That does make sense. If someone killed the guards, dragging them away would've been risky. The chances of being seen would've been higher. So it would make sense that someone took the bodies inside the tent instead and buried it under the mountain of food."
"Exactly! And if I'm not wrong, Azekiel must be there as well! If he is alive, it would mean that he is behind everything! And if he's also one of the dead bodies, that would mean that the real culprit is hiding in the crowd of people. In any case, we'll have more clarity on the situation!" Layim declared.
After a short sprint, the two men reached before the Tent. Layim was so glad at this point that he had left Luna here to keep an eye. If not for her, the culprit could've run away.
"Did anyone come out of the tent other than the Porters that were with us?" Layim asked.
"No one." Luna gazed back. "Why?"
Layim smiled cheekily. That meant the culprit was still inside.
"Whoever did it is still inside. He hid under the mountain of fruits to avoid us! Let's get that bastard! The King of Pride will certainly be grateful to us if we help him with this. He might even take us on his team!" Layim opened the tent.
"So they caught up. I had a feeling this would be the case," Azekiel was hiding right behind the entrance. He could clearly hear the conversation taking place outside. "Layim is still as cunning as I remember him to be."
"Are you sure about this strategy, though?" he asked Raphael, making sure of something.
"It should be possible." Raphael nodded.
"Good. I'll take the risk then." Azekiel patted his chest as he prepared to take the biggest step of his life. He was prepared to step on a new journey that he couldn't have imagined before.
"Greetings, Layim."
Just as Layim was opening the entrance to the tent, a voice came from inside.
Layim stepped back in slight surprise. Who was it that dared to call him by his name?
This voice... It sounded awfully confident and not scared at all.
Even though Layim had stopped opening the tent, it didn't stop. The chain kept sliding up as someone from inside continued.
Before long, a proud figure stepped out of the tent. The figure seemed to belong to a young man who was barely twenty. The man had beautiful blue eyes and short blue hair. His slender face made him look somewhat handsome, but his eyes appeared to be filled with something incomprehensible that made it impossible for people to approach him.
"Azekiel, I presume?" Layim asked with a calm smile.
Azekiel nodded before he responded. "Layim, I presume?"
He glanced at the other two and calmly stated. "Jackal and Luna. You two are still fawning over Michael?"
"You!" All three Lord of Sins had their faces twitch unwillingly as they experienced the epitome of irritation. Was this commoner trying to mock them?
"Not only do you dare to call us by our first names, but you also do the same with the King of Pride? Do you have a death wish, commoner?" Jackal asked, frowning.
"I do have a death wish." Azekiel smiled in response. "But not a death wish of mine. I have a death wish for Michael. When you see him next time, tell him that his death is near... I have arrived!"
Luna weirdly looked at Jackal. "Has this man gone crazy? What is he blabbering? He thinks he can leave here alive in the first place, let alone face Michael?!"
"Leave this place alive?" Azekiel chuckled. "When I can leave death alive to return to live, what trouble will I have in leaving you all behind? Leave; I don't want to dirty my hands in the blood of Sinners like you."
With his hands behind his back, Azekiel started walking away like he was an ancient expert who was before kids.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Claps started echoing as Layim clapped. "You put up a good show, kid. Even I was surprised for a moment, but if you think your bluff will scare us, you couldn't be any more wrong."
He further continued, "Since protecting this food was our responsibility, by hurting the guards, you have gone against the Lords of Sins! For a commoner like you, that's a crime worth death!"
He placed his finger on his forehead and muttered softly, "Scales of Truth."
As he chanted the spell, a broken scale appeared in his other hand. On one side of the scale, there was a small leaf placed. On the other side, there was nothing. However, before long, a portrait of Azekiel appeared on the other side of the scale.
As soon as the portrait appeared, Azekiel felt as if the gravity around him had increased suddenly. He couldn't keep standing. His body was forced to his knees as he felt the weight of heavy mountains on his shoulder.
The scale tipped in the direction of the portrait.
Lord of Hatred also stepped closer. He waved his hand, chanting something of his own. "Saber of Hatred."
A blood-red saber appeared in his hand, which was his Weapon of Sin.
The man reached before Azekiel and swung his saber. "It's time you die!'
