I Know the Secret to Surpass Level 100

Chapter 132: Treason

They sat inside the banquet hall and Elliot didn't remove his gaze from Madam Hoot. He now knew that she was the one who was planning something against them, but what could her motive be? And what would she do?

After she revealed the true colors of her eyes, she never once spoke to Elliot again. It seemed like her gaze was focused on Lance's, not leaving her sight at the prince like she was his mother.

When the night came, Elliot was still on guard. The others did not see how Madam Hoot revealed her true self because they were busy watching the paintings and all the decorations of the halls. They didn't have the system to warn them about non-human brings too, making it almost impossible for Elliot to explain.

He paced inside the room he was given to, thinking of how he would tell the others about what he saw. Even when they had warmed up to each other, there was still a visible barrier that prevented them from fully acting like how they acted before. And he didn't have any strong proof too, adding difficulty to the already hard situation.

With a groan, Elliot took his sword and wore his belt that had his scabbard. It was night and he was in his sleeping clothes, but the feeling of something that Madam Hoot will do something did not let him gave the peace he needed. Underneath her calm and collected demeanor, she was definitely being suspicious.

The way she looked at Lance alone said something different. Like she's planning something under everything.

And that thought did not sit well with Elliot.

He roamed the halls even when everything was dark and he was barely able to see anything. He called Connor beforehand and they all agreed to meet up in his room considering Connor has the worst sense of direction among them. It was better if he stayed inside his room to prevent further complications. They weren't allowed to roam the halls without a guard, after all.

Ed was in front of Connor's door when Elliot arrived. The former took a deep breath before he knocked, preparing himself to face his friend over all the awkwardness that had gotten into them.

"Hey," Elliot called, making Ed jolt slightly before he smiled.

"Hey," Ed replied and looked back at the door, waiting for the ones inside to open it.

The silence had eneveloped them once again. The sheer amount of words they want to say to each other was clogged by more words, making them unable to say anything.

Elliot was about to break the silence when the door flung open, revealing Connor and Hope. Each of them grab the two boys from outside and pulled them in, Connor looking around the hallway first before he slammed the door shut.

"What happened?" Elliot asked. "What's with the aggression?"

"Hope said he heard Madam Hoot talk to someone," Connor replied. "She paid someone to cover something up. And it's not just someone, it's someone that's mysterious and sketchy. A man with a black body suit that fit his body like a second skin."

"W-What? Why?" Elliot turned to the younger boy who was sitting on the bed. "Hope, what is Connor talking about?"

"Mr. Godfather is overreacting, I just heard her say that the man did a good job. It's probably nothing," Hope said, looking confused. "What plan could they have against the king, right?"

"But you were the one who was mostly against Madam Hoot before," Connor pursed his lips. "What happened to your dragon gut? Caught by a giant monitor lizard?"

"I'm not sure about anything anymore, Mr. Godfather," Hope sighed. He took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't want to go away. And if you want that to happen, please give me seven hundred reasons why."

"That's too much, Hope," Ed snickered that earned him an elbow to his stomach by Connor. "Sorry, Hope. Please continue."

"Dad told me that all of you wanted to end the party and I always wonder why," Hope pouted, feeling the years building up in his eyes. "Did I do something bad? Or did I do something that was lacking? I just wonder why."

"Ed said that everything has an end and nothing stays," Elliot said. "Right in my face."

"I never said that," Ed gasped, shaking his head in confusion. "Connor even told me that you all want to go and live in your realms."

"I said that?" Connor scrunched his face, as equally confused. "But it was Elliot who said he'll leave and everyone else will too."

"But how come that would happen?" Elliot asked and gasped. "Mirror magic."

Before they could say anything even more, the door to Connor's room was obliterated by a loud explosion. Everyone turned their heads to the doorway and saw several armed guards coming inside. They got to the boys and tied their hands with a rope and made them wear a magic suppressing necklace. Each guard behind the group kicked the back of their knees, forcing the four to kneel down.

"Elliot, Connor, Hope and Ed," Madam Hoot entered. "I have heard that you're plotting against the kingdom. A plot against the king himself."

"We would never," Elliot argued, trying to break free from the ropes.

"But I am the King's Advisor. It's my word against yours," Madam Hoot laughed devilishly. "Enjoy your stay at the dungeons for the rest of your life. It's a pity you only have twelve hours left."

"Madam Hoot!" Lance ran up to them and got in between the boys and the woman. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Arrest Lance too," Madam Hoor cried, the lies seething through her words. "They paid a man to kill the king so that the Prince could get the crown immediately."

"Impossible!" Lance argued.

"Bring in the informant," Hoot commanded. Two guards dragged a man in a black body suit, his face was bruised and he looked like he was about to faint.

Madam Hoot walked over the man and pulled his hair up, "Point the one who told you to kill the king."

The man in the black body suit coughed blood, slowly raising his hand and pointed it to Lance. "H-Him the prince told me to kill the king in exchange for 500 gold coins."

"And the proof?" Madam Hoot crossed her arms. "This claim is only valid when you have the proof."

"I give tickets to my clients," the man struggled to talk but continued. "I give them a paper that says 'Fiforia', the name of my city."

"And who did you gave that ticket to?" Madam Hoot further asked. 

The man pointed at Hope this time, the woman faked gasped and walked to the dragon boy. She tapped his shoulders, pockets, and all his clothes, trying to find the paper the assassin mentioned.

"Here it is!" Madam Hoot said after taking the paper from her sleeve. "If this paper contains the word 'Fiforia', all five of you will face execution!"

She opened the paper and gasped, letting the captain of the guards to read it. The captain's eyes widened for a moment. He looked at Lance, then at the man, then at the paper.

"Fiforia is written in this paper," the guard sighed. "With a heavy heart, I sentence Prince Lance and his accomplices, treason!"