Solo Player Arvin

At noon.

Guards from the ghost faction had taken their respective position outside the City Watch HQ. Only a few people from the ghost faction were allowed inside the building. That was because the soldiers of Arcane city were in charge of the security inside the HQ. So only a few people of the ghost faction were allowed inside while others were responsible for parameter control.

Terumi and the third elder were inside the City Watch HQ. In a large hall inside the HQ, the main ceremony will be commenced. People on the 1st floor organize this type of event as it was a wedding ceremony. All the parties in the treaty were not allowed to see each other until the ceremony starts. All the guests and representatives who were here to witness this historical document being signed would be waiting in the big hall.

Then at 1 pm exactly, the music will start to play and then both the parties will enter the hall. In the middle of the hall, there was a platform with a table and two chairs on it. When the music will start, both the families will enter from the opposite side of the hall and marched towards the platform. And then the head of each family will read the document in front of them turn by turn and then sign it. After signing the document the head of each family would warn their descendants about the consequences of breaking this treaty. And then the peace treaty would be officially signed.

Arvin found this ceremony very peculiar. But he didn't mind it that much. After all, he was concentrating on the price…

…..

The ceremony was about to commence. But Alman was not present in the ceremony. Only his name for these people to behave. That is why he didn't come. Instead of sitting in his office, he was busy brewing a warm and comforting tea for three of his friends that were sitting in front of him…

  In this study room, a set of mattresses were laid down. For the tea ceremony on the 4th floor, Alman had removed every piece of furniture in the room. And then he laid down 4 mattresses to form a square shape, such that the space in the middle was left empty. In the space, an earthen pot was kept on a metallic black disc. One could see that hot water vapor coming out of the earthen pot.

Park Go Gum and his team when arrived here, they were instantly escorted to this room. They did not have any prior knowledge was about or how things will turn out. So as they arrived in the room, Alman was sitting at the end of the square in the lotus position. He gestured them to sit down in the seats in front of him and started brewing some tea. Since then no one had spoken a word. Everyone is waiting for the other party to make the first move.

Like that 5 mins passed by. All four of them didn't speak a word. As 5 mins pass by the tea also got ready to be served. Alman brought 4 black earthen cups and poured out tea for everyone. Then kept one for himself and gave the other cups to Park Go Gum and his team.

  Finally, after taking a sip of tea, Park Go Gum spoke…

"Master Alman. It is pleasure to be in your presence. This tea that you have brewed is marvelous." He said.

"Thank you for your praise Park Go Gum. Tea brewing is one of my hobbies. If Mister Park Go Gum liked my tea then really means that I have made progress in the tea making." Alman said.

"Now as the pleasantries have been exchanged, Master Alman we would like to start the business talk." Park Shin Hye said as She couldn't hold it any longer. This whole ordeal was getting annoying.

"Oh… So what kind of business would you like to discuss with me?" Alman asked.

"We have a suspicion that you maybe be hiding one of the fugitives of the Aurora clan. We would like to bargain with you his life and belongings." Alice Mark said.

"I am hiding a fugitive? That is just absurd. Why would I hide a fugitive from the infamous Aurora clan? We hold no enmity with each other. Then why would I do that?" Alman asked.

"What my colleague wanted to say is that we just have a suspicion. We are not accusing you of anything Master Alman. We just wanted to know whether this is true or not. We just wanted to know whether you know anything or have any clue about the whereabouts of Lopt." Park Go Gum asked.

"Of Course not," Alman said with a big smile on his face.

As Alman smiled, no one noticed but he secretly put his hands in his pocket. In there was a small stone which had runic formation on it. Still smiling Alman crushed the rune. As soon as he crushed the rune…

BOOOOMMM

The hall in which the ceremony was going on, was blasted off in smithereens. Hearing the blast, all four of them got up on their feet. They all leaped towards the window, to see where was the blast had occurred. Park Go Gum as he reached the window, he flung it open to witness the ceremony hall debris. For a few seconds after the blast, there was total silence in the surrounding area. Then immediately people started shouting and panic was created in the area around the HQ.

While Park Go Gum, Alice, and Alman looking out of the window, Park Shin Hye, the physician of their group, took a black color needle from her storage ring. It was a very small and pointy needle. She took the needle and dipped it into the cup of tea that Alman had served her and her group. As soon as the needle made contact with tea, that black color needle started turning silver.

A physician Park Shin Hye had a very acute sense of mana. And her mana control was also top class. As soon as she took a sip of the tea, she felt that mana in her body became restless for just a millisecond but then it calmed down. If someone else was in her place, he/she would not felt that change. But she felt it. So when they all rushed towards the window, she decided that this was the best time to test her hypothesis. She dipped the needle in the tea and the result was in front of her.

Shocked that she and her group was poisoned, she looked up so that she could signal her friends. But as she looked up she saw that both of her friends were looking out of the window and the devastation caused by a bomb. No one was looking at her. But Alman on the other hand was staring right at her with a very creepy smile on his face. The smug look on his face was proof that he did this deliberately.

Enraged, Park Shin Hye raised her right hand and made a claw. That claw was aimed at Alman. As soon as she raised the claw a red color magic circle manifested itself. It was a simple magic circle with just one rune in the middle of the circle. Park Shin Hye pushed some mana into the circle. As soon as mana passed through the magic circle and large ball fire was fired straight at Alman.

Both Park Go Gum and Alice felt it when the spell was cast. Instinctively they jumped out of harm's way. And thus that fireball hit Alman straight in the chest. With the impact of the fireball, Alman was flung back. He made a hole in the window and crashed on the ground floor.

When Alice Mark and Park Go Gum realized what had happened, they looked at Park Shin Hye for answers…

"Tea was poisoned." She said while showing a silver needle in her hands.

"That bast*rd." Alice cursed.

"What kind of poison did we swallow?" Park Go Gum asked.

"Nothing dangerous… Just a poison from hector.........….." Then Park Shin Hye became quiet.

"Hector grass? That is poisonous but it is not of that level that could harm any of us… Then why did he put that grass in our tea?" Park Go Gum asked.

"He knew that it wouldn't harm us or him. Still, he put it in there… That could only mean one thing… he wanted to provoke us." Park Shin Hye said while sweating.

"He wanted us to attack him…" Alice said as she finally understood Alman's motive.

.....

5 mins earlier.

"Could I ask you a question Terumi?" the third elder asked Terumi. They both right now we're in the ceremony hall.

"Yes," Terumi said.

"We have known each other for a very long time. And I believe that we are sort of like friends. So I may be wrong about this, but could you please confirm it to me one thing…" the third elder asked.

"What?" Terumi asked.

"Can you tell me what is my name? Because if you really are Terumi then you would know my name." The third elder said while glaring at Terumi.