Even from a distance, Harthur knew who their approaching guests were. Harthur thought that Matar might be planning to ask for their help, especially since he knew that the Thallerion were currently challenging them. "Those companions of his are disgusting, my love!" Azonia whispered to him. "They look like they have a contagious disease." Azonia said with disgust, and she took a decorative fan to cover her nose.

When Matar's group arrived in front of them, the guards who had escorted them inside Harthur's kingdom stopped them.

"You can only go up to this line!" a guard shouted.

The soldiers entered and went to the front of the king and queen, lining up to face Matar to monitor their every move. Others arrived on each side of the palace, and the last group went behind Matar's group. They were holding bows. Only the ones in front of Matar were holding spears. The proud sages of the Moonatorian also arrived to witness the conversation that was about to take place between the Moonatoria and the Ossibuz.

Once the soldiers were in position, the king of Moonatoria finally spoke. "How are you, Matar?" Harthur greeted. "It seems a bad wind has blown you here to the kingdom." The king said fiercely, and a gray, furry lion, suited for their climate, suddenly stood up and roared as if speaking. This startled Matar's companions, but when the king petted it, it became quiet and sat down while staring at the guests. "What is your purpose for coming here?" the king asked. But he already knew Matar's purpose because he had been informed earlier; he was just pretending to be unaware.

"My dear husband, maybe these people have evil plans against you or against all of us?" Azonia asked the king. Harthur looked at Matar's companions one by one. Afterward, he glanced at Matar again, and that's when Matar began to speak.

"We came from Thallerion," Matar said. He immediately got everyone's attention, and they fell silent. Harthur's face slightly furrowed, and his eyebrows met.

The sages and the people present started murmuring. Many were wondering about what Matar had said.

"Thallerion!"

"The country that once defeated our country!"

"This is not good!"

"My noble king, if you don't mind, this person is from Ossibuz, so why should we believe that they came from Thallerion, which we heard they are currently in a conflict with?" one of the sages there said.

Harthur simply raised his hand, signaling them to stop talking for a moment.

When everyone saw Harthur's signal, they stopped talking, but their speculations and whispers continued. So, when silence was restored, he let Matar continue his story. "However, they punished us for violating the agreement: never to enter the land of Wendlock. We went to their kingdom to talk and ask for help, but they rejected us and punished us. Yes, we have a conflict, but... All we wanted was more food and medicine because famine and disease are rampant among us." Matar's face feigned sadness and he sighed. "They said they would only help us if—" he paused for a moment. "—if we followed one condition, a heavy punishment was given to us, which was to come to your kingdom, Harthur. They have a purpose for us being here now in front of you, and that is because they want to inform you of something, a signal of a challenge!" Everyone was surprised.

"The Thallerion are challenging us?" Azonia said, her joy seemingly fading. The king remained silent, listening.

"I know... you are currently being challenged by the Thallerion. What happened to your dispute with them?" Harthur asked, puzzled.

"Could this be a trap, my noble king?" said a sage there.

"That's what I'm thinking, too." He answered the sage and then looked at Matar. "This event is very impossible. It seems your dispute is just for kids?"

"I knew it, those people are suspicious!" Azonia retorted. "We should not trust those people!"

"So now, explain to me what your true purpose is here in my kingdom?" the king said.

"The truth is, this signal was given to us a week and a half ago. They will invade you, and this is the evidence." Matar looked at Laniro. And Laniro immediately gave him the signal he was holding.

"A signal?" Azonia was astonished. "I-is that the signal?"

"How can you prove that the signal came from them? Or maybe, you just made it up and invented it! I know you're just looking for an opportunity, and maybe you're even spying now, to take advantage of us, am I right?" Harthur's suspicion grew.

"My-my noble king, calm down, because you are mistaken," Matar quickly replied. "Look at this signal and this writing material. Isn't it true that only the Thallerion have this and they are the only ones who can make this kind of writing? Even you don't have this? And one more proof, it was signed by the king of Thallerion." Matar explained. "If you don't believe us, hold it, look at it, and examine it carefully. We are not lying." He pleaded.

"My dear husband, I remember that thing!" Azonia said with a ringing voice. "The writing looks exactly like this when we were once brought a message from the Thallerion, that's what was given to us. No doubt, that thing came from them!" Azonia recalled.

"We also know that thing, my noble king," the sages said.

"It's strange. The Thallerion don't use other guests and especially not enemies! They only order Cathark." Harthur said. Matar was shocked, and Laniro's companions became a little nervous. Harthur stared at Matar, looking for bad reactions and suspicious signs in their movements. The king's eyes were pecking at them. It was nerve-wracking! But Matar and his group held back, so Matar immediately stepped forward to stand his ground and defend his lies.

"King Harthur, if the Thallerion had not ordered us, we would not have been able to give you the signal, would we?" Matar calmly replied. "The truth is, we don't want this. They forced us to come here to deliver what they want to happen." Matar said sadly. "If famine and disease were not widespread in my country, we would not have approached. If there was no sickness and famine in Ossibuz, I would probably be in my kingdom resting and sitting just like you are doing." Matar's words were overly emotional. "Look at my soldiers. They are skinny and getting sick, because there is not enough food for them to become strong and healthy again." Matar pleaded.

The king really took a long, hard look at Matar's companions. He had been hearing the cough that was being forcedly suppressed, but the cough only got worse when suppressed. He also saw a soldier with one eye missing, and two who were extremely thin. And others who were sick and a bit skinny and pale. He only saw one who was healthy and muscular. Azonia did the same, but she seemed to be consumed by pity.

"It seems true, my dear husband," Azonia agreed. "Just look at their faces and skin, they're really so thin. It's pitiful!" Azonia said sympathetically.

"Oh, queen of Moonatoria, you truly have a pure and compassionate heart." Matar complimented her.

"Don't pity them, Azonia!" Harthur said with a scowl. "Because they might be worse than stray tigers!" the king fumed.

"But, can't you see?" the queen said with a shrug. "Suit yourself then!" She rolled her eyes at the king. She became quiet and left.

"Before we came here, King Harthur," Matar said in a booming voice. "Xerxez told us something!" Everyone turned their heads, which meant they wanted to hear what Matar would say.

"What is it?" Harthur's eyes pleaded. "What did Xerxez say?" Matar noticed that everyone's actions seemed to show some dread. King Harthur's gaze was wild.

"If you don't fight them," Matar said seriously. "They will think that the Moonatoria are cowards!" Matar emphasized. "And as proof that you agree to that challenge, you should go to Brollasca this coming Sunday." He goaded him. "And if you don't obey, it's proof that you are cowardly. Furthermore, the reason he defeated your father was because he was better than your father. So, what more of you, you are no different from your father who is weak and dull in war!"

"I think only a child would say something like that. Brollasca is far for such a confrontation. Do you think I'll believe you?" Harthur said angrily, standing up from his seat. "Soldiers, get them out of my sight. I will forgive you for today, but if I find out you are not telling the truth, I myself will declare war on you and your country!"

"Wait a minute, I hope you don't think that our conversation is just a joke and not to make you laugh. Fate will prove it," Matar said.

"Get out of here!" Harthur shouted. "I don't need to trust you!"

"If you don't want to leave, I might change my mind! You might not be able to return!" Harthur said with annoyance.

"My noble king, Matar. Let's go!" Laniro said gently.

"Farewell to you... We will leave now!" Matar said meekly. "Let's go, my companions!" he said.

The king was left with a look of annoyance and frustration on his face. The intensity of his annoyance was surging, but his resolve was firm that he would not easily believe such stories. He knew what kind of country Ossibus was, known by many as cunning and deceptive. Even if this was just a delivery of a message, he had no intention of believing it.

The soldiers still followed Matar's group out of the kingdom and towards the White Wall passage. The same four leaders escorted them out.

"You're really lucky!" Esthanef said.

"Just make sure what you said is true, because if not, we will definitely go to your kingdom and collect!" Wadroth threatened.

"We will kill you, Matar!" Yttmirh said. "And you too, Laniro!"

"Are you making fun of our king?" Laniro retorted.

"Don't come back here, because the next time you return—you'll be dead!" Kinchith said.

"Don't worry because I'm sure you'll be kind to us," Matar said.

"Your face!" Wadroth said with disgust.

"Farewell to you," Gallexe said. Gallexe's companions waved.

"Wait!" Yttmirh called out. Matar's group looked back. Yttmirh threw their weapons wrapped in a yellowish-brown cloth. "You almost forgot them!"

"Thanks for giving them back!" Matar said a bit sarcastically. "I thought you were going to claim our weapons?" Matar mocked. But they laughed.

"We are not poor, and we definitely don't need your rotten weapons. They might bring bad luck and rust here!" Esthanef said.

"They're just trash to us," Kinchith shouted. They laughed at Matar's group. "Get out of here!" they shooed them away.

The four entered, and the passage closed. Matar and his group continued walking back. Matar was successful in his plan and they were not harmed. Laniro's companions were almost jumping for joy, and he, too, breathed a sigh of relief. He had been nervous and scared for several days, so now he would thank the king for their safety. And of course, they also did a great job even though they didn't speak. Their pretense of being weak and pitiful was a big help in convincing and making the Moonatoria believe them. But the king was not convinced by what Matar said. But the truth is, that was just a tactic for him to have a new opportunity.