CHAPTER 232: 232: FAMILIAR...?

"That brat..." the priest muttered. "What the hell does he know...?" he wondered as he looked around.

Having cleared his head, he recalled the king’s words to him. Or rather, a threat. So he knew he just couldn’t sit back and let everything play out. He had to do it himself.

The priest got up on his feet, left the table, and made his way out to meet Eden, who was already out of the garden.

******

Eden found Felix waiting for him as soon as he got out. He let out a sigh of relief, having temporarily escaped a trap. And Felix stared at him while he let out a sigh.

"What? What happened? Why are you out so soon? What happened there? Who’s that?" Felix asked, curious.

Eden shook his head. "Nothing much. Just some random political plot to send me out of the palace and kill me or something," he casually said.

Felix blinked. "Huh? Then don’t you think you need to leave here? I mean, if you want we can leave together or something..."

"No," Eden shook his head. "It’s normal at this point so no need to be dramatic about it." He stretched himself out. "I’m tired. Again. So I should head back to my room now." He wanted to meet Lenny and discuss with him.

He had questions to ask regarding what had just happened.

"Are you sure about that?" Felix asked.

"Yeah. Don’t worry. Let’s go," Eden nodded while he led the way. Felix followed behind. But even before they went further, the priest had stepped out through the door.

"You’re still as cocky as always, Lyeian," the priest said as he stared at their backs. Watching Eden slowly turn to stare back at him. "Don’t you think your pride will lead to your downfall sooner or later?"

Eden now turned to stare at him. His expression was casual and cold. And Felix had also turned to stare at the priest.

The atmosphere stiffened.

"If you’re that eager to take me down, then you should try harder," he smiled. But the priest wasn’t staring at him now at all.

The priest’s eyes were fixed on Felix now. And in a way that was rather confusing.

Eden followed his eyes to meet Felix. Felix too was staring at the priest. Their eyes locked as though they had seen ghosts or had seen someone they didn’t expect to see at all.

Eden studied them for a while. Watching as the two of them stared at each other. And he could tell that it was pretty obvious that they knew each other.

They stood like that for a while as the priest slowly took a step forward as though he was approaching Felix. But Felix took a step backwards.

Eden stared at them.

"What are you doing here...?" the priest asked.

But Felix said nothing. He turned to Eden and said to him, "Let’s go."

"Why are you here? And why are you with him?" the priest questioned Felix, but he didn’t say anything. He clearly didn’t wish to speak to the priest nor acknowledge they knew each other.

So he grabbed Eden by the hands and led the way instead. Eden followed him behind, confused. Eden looked back at the priest who stood there watching them leave. And then looked at Felix who had his eyes ahead.

He didn’t speak. No one spoke as they walked through the hallway and they were soon out of sight, branching through the other end of the hallway.

Then Felix let go of Eden’s hands while he walked ahead. Both hands in his pocket and his eyes were ahead. He didn’t look back at Eden; he was quiet. Really quiet.

Eden hesitated for a while, letting the silence sink in for a while. He couldn’t help but think about the stares and the exchange a while ago. And he couldn’t help but come to the conclusion that they somehow knew each other.

"How do you know that priest?" Eden asked after a while of silence, his eyes on Felix.

Felix still had his back against him. Staring into thin air in silence. He obviously didn’t plan on saying anything. And Eden could tell.

"I guess you don’t wish to say," Eden said, staring at him. He didn’t wish to be nosy. He wanted to let him be until he was probably ready to talk. But in a situation where he desperately needed to know who this priest was so he’d know how to act around him, Eden didn’t think he could let him have his private space.

"It’s nothing," Felix finally said as he turned to stare at Eden. Smiling. "I’m fine. It’s nothing."

Eden stared at him. He knew he’d deny it anyway. "No, you’re not. It’s obvious that the two of you know each other somehow."

Felix was quiet. He didn’t know how to answer that. And while he thought of what to say, Eden added, "I would have been the sensible type and let you keep it to yourself until you’re ready to speak...."

"But I don’t know if I can do that," Eden added. "He is after my life and I need to know him and how to take him down. And if you’re really my student as you claimed, I’d appreciate you helping me with at least knowing who he is."

Felix was quiet. Their eyes locked while he thought of what to say. And after a while, he said, "He’s a priest. The great priest of Elzager. That’s something common. Information you should at least know. And that’s all to him..."

Eden could sense his tension as he spoke. As though he was scared of saying something he shouldn’t say. Scared of over speaking.

"The grand priest of Elzager..." Eden repeated, thinking over that fact. "Elzager..." he didn’t know that place. Neither had he heard of a grand priest there.

And he didn’t feel he could ask Felix. He was supposed to know it. But he didn’t. And it’d be suspicious to ask him about such details.

"And how is someone like you related to a grand priest like this?" Eden stared at him. "It just doesn’t make sense, does it?"