Private Meeting.

"Now that everyone has arrived. I would like to commence the meeting." The king announced to everyone currently present at table.

Currently, Shugel was sitting in a large dinning room. The room itself was spacious, with high rise cealing and ornate crown moldings. The ornate crown molding were also a source of light along with soft, ambient lighting being emanated from the chandelier overhead the table they were sitting on.

On the one end of rectangular table was the king—two knights standing behind him—, and on another end was Shugel Kasane.

Adjacent to the king, seated on his left side, was the queen, radiating grace and regality. To his right, sat their daughter, capturing Shugel's attention momentarily before he averted his gaze.

Celena, sitting next to the queen's daughter, caught Shugel attention but his gaze was drawn further towards the commanding presence of a well-built elderly man standing beside her. Clad in classic butler uniform his demeanor suggested a wealth of experience and unyielding loyalty.

He had round ears which meant he was a human. Though, Shugel didn't want to draw conclusions.

He noticed Shugel's gaze and looked at him from the corner of his eyes, they were sharp but humble, catching him off-guard. Shugel shifted his gaze back to the king.

It seemed the for some reason, Ulius—who was standing beside the queen—was also present in the place.

Including the two knights, who's faces were hidden by the helmet, and one elderly butler there where eight people in the room.

Only eight. The room was silent beyond it.

"I would assume everyone already has basic idea of what has acquired till now but I would like to start everything from zero." The king spoke.

The elderly man stood still, and simply nodded acknowledging king's consideration.

The king looked at Shugel, "Very well then, boy, introduce yourself and your purpose."

Shugel looked around to see everyone's expressions, all were waiting for him to speak, but the wait was not out of admiration or respect, rather of pure scepticism.

Shugel took a deep breath and then exhaled, preparing himself to risk everything on his hypothesis, but before that, "My name is Shugel Kasane. For some reasons I cannot tell where I come from but I ensure you, I don't mean any harm. Most probably the king or queen have already found something about me from the guild but please bear with me as I clear some things."

As he finished his introduction and revealed his willingness to explain further, everyone remained silent signalling him to continue.

Shugel looked the king asking for his permission, "You may speak without fear."

*I am already dieing from fear, what do mean by without fear!?*

Shugel softly cleared his throat bringing everyone attention on his words, before speaking, "The cave I was found nearly dead in, I have no I idea how I ended up there. My memories are so surreal and foggy that I can't even distinguish real from illusion."

He stopped for a breath before continuing, "The Sequence of events that have let me here are something I can't even begin to comprehend for now. But for some reason, I know things that no one knows, but don't know many things that other people know. For example, the truth seal that was placed on me is still active isn't it? And If I speak false, even though I won't die I would experience tremendous pain."

"Absurd! How do you know of such thing..." The mist blue haired girl, sitting next Celena, banged the table but on noticing that no one had reacted like her, suppressed her words.

Even though no one has reacted that heavily. The atmosphere sure had dropped and everyone had a look of disbelief.

Even the queen who had remained silent till now had to make sure by looking at him, and confirming if she had heard it right.

*Now, that was quite a strong response than what I was even expecting.*

He had prepared some more examples but those came with more bold assumptions he had came up with, it would be wise if he didn't risk speaking them.

"Tell me, how do you know of that?" The kings tone was grave.

*Is there something I am ignoring, why such grave response.*

"Truth Seal was created by a sage some hundreds of years ago, even the knowledge of it's existence is long forgotten, but to state something only select few know about the seal is..." Celena commented, unable to describe how she felt about him.

"Didn't I say, somehow I know things I shouldn't." Shugel humbly rephrased.

"And for that reason, I can't speak false and you all are aware of that."

Their eyes communicated it all. Even in the assembly, the fact that truth seal had been active at it's peak strength had made everyone consider the validity of such bold proclamation.

The fact that he didn't mean any harm and everything else were given the weight of truth which couldn't be ignored.

The king glanced at his wife, "what he is speaking really true."

The queen simply nodded, her face was pale, Shugel couldn't tell if it was due to sickness or what he has said.

"Which means what he said in assembly..." The mist hair girl murmured, and queen simply nodded.

"Everything that has come out of his mouth is true." Queen confirmed, her words hanging heavily in the air, intensifying the already silent tension that had settled densely in the atmosphere

He hadn't gotten a chance to look at the Ulius but noticed Ulius had came in an alert position, the knights too had come closer to the king.

"Who would dare to do such a thing within the walls of my own palace?"The kings voice resonated in mixture of disbelief and anger.

To that Shugel humbly replied, "I have no idea, your honour. All I know is we don't have much time."

In the room, amidst the heightened tension, two individuals had managed to maintain their composure. While celena appeared unruffled, Shugel's attention was primarily fixed on the elderly butler standing steadfastly by her side.

The elderly butler stood with an air of poise and grace, emanating an aura of unwavering composer. Motionless yet elegant, he maintained his position with a quite and dignified presence, undisturbed by the unfolding events in the room.

The king looked at Celena, "You had came here to escape from all this but If what this boy is saying is true then, I will do everything in my power to avert this situation."

The king turned his hus attention to Shugel, "Tell me everything you know. There is no room for doubt. If it was my life I could have scoffed at it but not at this."

"I apologise for my limited knowledge, but this is all I am sure of. I don't even know if I may be left alive after I have revealed this much." No matter how much he tried to remember his past experiences were only limited to the cage. He had only seen the glimpse of aftermath.

The king looked disappointed. But without letting the situation overpowered his thoughts he maintained his composer. He fell silent as if thinking of something.

The room had grown silent as everyone's mind was navigating through the information that had been revealed. The conflicting thoughts and emotions.

There was a knock on the door, after a second knock a maid came in, "There is an emergency."

The king looked worried on what the emergency may be for the maid to infiltrate the meeting without permission. "What is it?"

As soon as the king asked that, another kinght came from behind said, "We are trapped."

Shugel raised an eye as to what the knight meant by the word trapped, when the knight elaborated, "A strange kind of barrier is surrounding the palace all of the sudden."

The tone of his voice was grave. Suggesting that the barrier he was talking about was no normal thing.

"What about our mages?" The mist hair girl asked.

"They are unable to do anything."

The mist hair girl looked at her father, the king, everyone looked at each other to confirm they all were on same page.

"We have to end the meeting for now. If anyone has anything to speak, speak now." King question was met with silence as everyone mind was concerned about the barrier.

Soon after, the king got up from his place, and the knights followed him.

He noticed that Celena was also preparing to follow the king as she steadily got up from her seat. The mist haired girl also replicated her motion.

As they both started to walk towards the entrance, the elderly butler also followed them.

Shugel glanced the queen who sat at her place watching everyone leave.

He had no idea what he would do alone here. At a hint of isolation in this place, made him anxious.

"Wait," he spoke to Celena, "Can I come too?"

She simply nodded and replied, "as you wish."

***

—Aside from the queen and Ulius everyone had moved to outside the palace.

Many mages had gathered there, trying to do something with different kind of orbs and spells. No matter what anyone did they were met with resistance far greater than anything they knew.

The king tried to push his hands against the invisible barrier. Shugel noticed that king's hand was covered covered in a reddish glow as he tried to push the barrier.

When he tried to push with more force the barrier repealed the force with a shock.

"This is no normal barrier. We will require imperial or even divine level magician to break this kind of Barrier." King commented, being anxious and quietly impressed at scale of barrier that was surrounding them.

Shugel had followed Celena and others to this place and was now witnessing the true scale of one of the fantasy element—A invisible barrier—in person.

It was surreal. He wished to touch it. Confirm it with own hands. But for now the look of tension on everyone's face was keeping him in check.

The king was discussing something with the mages about something, though Shugel could not hear what they were talking about.

Celena, the mist haired girl, and the butler were seeing the reality of a certain threat unfold in front of their eyes.

Shugel had no idea if something like this has occurred in previous loops but he was clearly marking the possibility of running away from this palace as dead end in his head.

Celena touched extended her hand to feel the invisible barrier, on coming into contact he could see ripple like effect on the air.

"Please practice caution, princess Celena." The butler warned her before narrowing his eyes.

"What is it, Fors? You look like you know something." Mist hair girl pointed at Fors' expression.

"My apologies if this old man may have given you any hope." The elderly butler, who had been referred to as Fors by the must haired girl, tried to humourousily deny but on noticing the tone of her question changed his answer.

"Though, I may have come across this kind of barrier before, but this in on whole another level. It's nearly impossible to exit or break the barrier. Anyone who has put this Barrier is surely wicked and no normal person." Fors explained.

"Is it from the time in your early adventure days which you have told me about many times?" Celena asked, looking at Fors who had nostalgic and complex emotions radiating from his aura.

"No, it's something I have not told to anyone. Though that may also be because there was no need to." Fors stopped and looked at the barrier, before warning, "There is no way to break out of it for now."

Shugel was listening the conversation unfold, when he noticed in peripheral that King was done with what he was discussing and approaching towards them.

"You all should go back inside. I would suggest if you stick together until the threat has been recognised and dealt with. Fors take care of them, I have ordered everyone to increase the security." The king suggested. But more than a suggestion or sounded like an order.

Fors simply nodded with a yes.

Celena on the other hand, looked at the mist haired girl and said "Laya, Don't even of staying with your father."

*Laya...*

Laya was left wide eyed as Celena predicted what she was thinking, "But..."

"Don't worry Laya. Your dad is actually pretty strong, plus I have my knights protecting me all the time. It's my duty to be worried about you not yours." The king patted the mist haired girl.

On hearing her name, bells rang in Shugel's head. Something, he had heard in previous loop before he was killed.

Shugel was lost in thought when, "let's go." It seemed while he was lost in his thoughts the conversation between father and daughter was over and everyone was ready to go.

"Didn't you hear? I said, let's go." Celena spoke to Shugel who had missed the first command.

"Oh, Sorry." Said Shugel before following Celena and others.

"Now that what he has said is proving to more true. I assume, he will be with us?" Laya grimaced.

*Wow. That hurts. I can hear you. Please show consideration.*

Shugel kept his mouth shut trying act if he wasn't hurt by those words.

Celena exhaled, "Well you are no wrong, now that I have vouched for him and many more reasons it better if he stays with us."

"I can't believe this." Laya seriously looked annoyed by the idea, but also understood why it was necessary so she didn't speak any further.

Shugel was thankful a second.

Fors, the elderly butler was walking behind Shugel, observing him and others. Even with his composed tone Shugel could feel his eyes observing every little detail.

Silence persisted for a while and just when they all were near a turning in the hallway of the second floor Shugel spoke, confirming that no one was around exept them, he broke the silence.

"There is something I need to talk about." In a grave tone he made the statement.

Celena turned back to look at him, his eyes conveyed and added to the gravity of his words. Laya too seemed surprised by the sudden development.

Though Shugel couldn't turn back to see what Fors's reaction was, he got the feeling that Fors was simply observing the situation with curiosity.

"Should we call a meeting again?" Laya asked.

However, Celena understood Shugel's intension and dismissed her idea.

"No, It should be only us." He replied.

She accepted his request. Acknowledging the need for privacy and discretion in address whatever he wish to tell them.

She looked at Fors and Laya, and suggested, "Let's move to someplace private then."