The silence at our table was unnerving. A stark contrast to the murmur around us. The mess hall was lively like nothing happened.
I forced a bite of steak into my mouth.
*Diomedes, the "sidekick", was dead.*
Chewing filled my mouth with meat's juice.
*I met him yesterday. He branded me a "street cat."*
The meat was delicious, saliva flooded my mouth.
*Will I recall his face every time I hear that nickname?* The thought disturbed me more than I expected.
Dizziness sideswiped me. The murmur of the mess hall blurred into a dull roar, and the taste of the steak in my mouth faded.
*What am I even thinking? It was...* My heart skipped a beat.
*It was six weeks ago, not yesterday.*
"Leonard, are you okay?" Althea asked.
"Althea, what happened to Diomedes? Short," I asked quietly, ignoring her concern.
She replied quickly with a speck of irritation, "Diomedes died during the mission to rescue the Queen and the Princess."
*Huh, so she knows, but how? She talks with other spirits maybe? Or 'limited' divine knowledge?*
I set my fork down, the tine scraping loudly against the plate, drawing their attention.
"My apologies, I had to check something with my spirit," I said, choosing my words carefully as I focused my gaze on Hector. "And my condolences. Would you be willing to share what happened, if that's not asking too much?"
Evadne, Hector, Ajax, and the others remained silent.
Their hands, holding silverware, were lifeless over plates still laden with food.
*This "war for survival" is something I need to know more about. Without delay.*
I wanted to shout the question again, but held back, my nails digging into my palms under the table.
Hector crossed his arms, his hand reaching to smooth his face before speaking.
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"We were dispatched to the Royal Palace." His voice faltered, but he grunted and resumed, "When we arrived, there was a skirmish between the Royal Guards and the enemy." He paused again.
His gaze fell to his hands, which he splayed on the table and flattened, as if holding the wood down. "The Queen was severely wounded, the Princess unconscious, and we joined the fight."
"They were just small fries!" one of the knights—Linus, if I recalled his name correctly—shouted. His fist clenched so hard his knuckles went white.
People at neighboring tables shot a few glances our way. Idas put a firm hand on Linus's shoulder and added quietly from between gritted teeth, "But out of nowhere, three Hobgoblins joined the fight."
*Hobgoblins?*
It was just a name to me, so I asked, "They're more dangerous?"
Evadne set her cup down with a quiet, deliberate click. "Death sentence for civilians, but just a minor challenge for a Holy Knight."
"Yeah, they don't even make us sweat!" Ajax exclaimed. "But this time..." his scarred hand shot out and slammed the table, making the silverware jump. The sentence trailed off as he suddenly lost all vigor when he saw Hector's furious gaze.
Idas, focusing on his own clenched fists, continued where Ajax left off. "Spartacus was the first to fall."
*Spartacus? Do I know him?*
"He didn't see it coming. Who would think a mere dagger—"
"That's enough, Idas!" Hector's guttural shout instantly killed the conversation at our table.
Idas looked up. Fear and embarrassment in his eyes, but he didn't say another word.
Hector's focus shifted to me as he spoke. His hands trembled slightly but voice remained steady. "I'm sorry, Leonard. The details are classified."
Evadne's 'High Priestess' expression remained intact. She said calmly, "As the Otherworlder, you will learn more details later, but this is neither the right time nor the right place."
*Time is the only resource I'm not willing to waste.*
But glances from a nearby table confirmed her words.
"Thank you, High Priestess, you are right," Hector added. "What we can say is that Diomedes was Pylades' second for a reason." The other knights nodded at his words. "His instincts were spot-on, and he blocked the next attack aimed at Pylades, but due to the circumstances, he paid for it with his own life."
His words were met with silence. It stretched, knights' faces were somber.
Then Ajax, his scarred hand still on the table, slowly drew it up.
He struck his chest plate with a single, resonant thud. "United we stand."
Idas did the same. Thud. "United we stand."
Linus, Marcellus—one by one, every knight at the table struck their armor. The series of percussive thuds was a grim salute.
A single, defiant heartbeat for the fallen.
My throat felt tight.
*I'm no knight.*
Fist itched to follow their salute.
*There are no words worth saying.*
Still, I said, "Thank you for letting me know. It means a great deal to me. Diomedes was one of the very few people I've had a chance to meet and share a laugh with."
They replied with silence. It felt right.
We slowly resumed eating. Over time the trivial conversations began, finally leading to a more cheerful mood.
Mine remained tense. I stopped chewing, losing myself in thoughts.
*The game continues, takes casualties, and I have to learn the rules fast.*
I placed my fork on the plate with silent tick.
*I have to talk to Pylades, Hector said he's trai-*
"Are you finished with eating, Otherworlder?"
I flinched.
Evadne had leaned in close, whispering insistently into my ear. "Then let's go to the Highest Priestess."
The "strange dagger" pierced a Holy Knight's Sacred Armor. What is its secret?
