I entered the place and looked around. It was a large, incredibly luxurious hall with ornate and opulent walls, beautiful and clean furniture, and a golden staircase. I felt like I was in paradise, but it was just the property of a filthy man. What a lavish،
life! Odin looked around, not very impressed. "Hmm, a nice place for a merchant in a poor area. It seems the fact that he's involved in the human trade and colludes with bandits is true."
Just as I was about to reply to Odin, a burly servant approached, his voice as stupid as his face. "You, servant, stop being lazy and start cleaning the hall. Lord Osman wants to hold a dinner party. Now go and earn your wages."
I looked into that wretch's eyes and pretended. "Y-yes, sir. I will clean the hall for the guests arriving for the great Lord Osman." "Hmph." Then the fat servant went to the right.
"I bet you, Odin, that bastard went to the kitchen to eat."
"Pffft. Ahem. Focus on your task."
Then I pretended to clean and explored the palace. It was large and luxurious, as was evident, but no matter how beautiful the palace was, they had made it filthier than a pigsty. Anyway, the palace was large and spacious, so the task was difficult and long, and I noticed that the number of guards had increased significantly, so I didn't venture too far into the palace.
An hour later,
I sighed, "Damn it! The number of guards has increased so much that I can't even move freely around the palace! Damn it!"
Odin tried to calm me down. "Don't worry, Cyrus. Didn't that servant say about an hour ago that there would be a feast? It seems Osman is going to hold a party, and because of this, and with the servants gathering in the great hall to serve the guests, he'll have his guards stationed around the hall. So, the number of guards here will be much lower, and then we can find what we need quickly with less pressure."
I took Odin's advice and continued pretending until Sa'la appeared, followed by a group of people dressed in very luxurious clothes, who seemed to be their expected guests.
"Welcome! Please, we are honored by your presence at my husband Osman's feast."
Then a slightly rough voice came from the top of the stairs, "Welcome to my palace. Please, Sa'la, show the guests to the main hall."
Odin commented on these events sarcastically, "The beginning of the charade of hypocrisy and manipulation for power."
Then the servants began serving the guests, and after half an hour, the hall was full. The hall was filled with laughter, chatter, and flattery.
"Hahaha, Mr. Othman is extremely funny."
"We are honored to attend the party of the honorable merchant Othman."
My ears were about to burst from the stupid talk and petty hypocrisy. I was in the middle of the crowded hall, serving the guests and looking for a chance to disappear into the throng without anyone noticing me.
Odin looked around. "Hmm, a bunch of power-hungry, filthy politicians. Filth exists wherever humans are, and during that time, they kiss each other's behinds for personal gain. What a disgusting way to rise to power!"
I muttered under my breath, "What can we do, Odin? This filth exists in every human society. It doesn't matter what race, gender, country, power, or age they have; they're all the same. They'll kiss your behind for power and authority."
Odin replied contemptuously, "You know, humans have always worn their masks and gone out with them. Few humans show who they really are. They're all hypocrites, not only to each other but even to what they worship. They're ready to do anything to justify their vile and petty goals. They gather around the strong and shun the weak."
After about An hour later, when all the guests had arrived, the hall became even more crowded, and the guards were very few inside. There was a chance when I tried to mingle with the crowd and leave, but someone tapped on his glass, and it was none other than Othman.
"Ladies and gentlemen, lend me your attention for a moment."
He was standing among the crowd, and everyone was focused on him. His wife, Sa'la, was beside him. What a effeminate couple. Osman's hair was slightly long and tied back. He wore a white embroidered suit, and his face had slightly sharp features and narrow eyes. His wife, Sa'la, was rather beautiful, with a slender, full figure. She wore a red dress that subtly accentuated her chest. She was a slave to attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor for me and my beautiful wife, the wealthy and esteemed, to have you attend our modest celebration."
While he spoke, I was intensely focused on finding a way out, as I quickly ignored his words. It was the perfect moment, and I managed to go upstairs unnoticed.
"Good, now let's start searching."
As we walked through the palace corridors, there were no guards or servants. "Good, no one here. We must hurry and find what we need."
After half an hour, I thought, "Damn, there are so many rooms in the palace, and we can't possibly find Osman's office or anything."
"Hmm, I think his office is somewhere upstairs. Let's go there."
"Okay." I went upstairs, where two guards were watching over a room.
The doors of the room were very luxurious and ornate. With gold
Odin looked around analytically and said curiously, "Hmm, it seems that whatever is inside the room, he doesn't want anyone to see it."
"Hmm, yes, it's the biggest door of all the rooms, and especially since it's decorated with gold. Its trivial, plain design made us discover the place much faster."
"So how will we get past the guards?"
Odin looked at him cruelly, his eyes filled with a thirst for blood.
"The element of surprise..."
.......
The guard was extremely bored at his post. "So, Altars, what do you think we're guarding in the room?"
Well, the other guard wasn't much different. "I don't know, and I don't want to know. You know what Lord Osman does to those who know his secrets."
The other guard replied wearily, "Relax. I'm just curious, and I want to go downstairs and see the hall. It's said that there are many beautiful women and nobles down there, and food..."
The other guard replied, "I don't care, and I don't want to see those hypocrites. Now be quiet."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.
"Excuse me, this area is restricted."
"Hmm," the servant said. "I'm Stefanor, one of the palace servants. Lord Osman sent me here." The guard looked at the servant suspiciously.
"You said your name is Stefanor. I haven't seen you before."
The servant approached them, taking only a few steps. The guard looked at him, waiting for an answer. "Answer a question."
He didn't finish his sentence before his head was severed in mid-air.
The other guard looked on, unable to react before he was stabbed in the neck. Blood splattered around him.
The servant's face and clothes were covered in blood. "Damn it, at least the element of surprise worked." He didn't finish his sentence before vomiting,
overwhelmed by the horror of the sight. "Damn you and your ideas, Odin!" he said, wiping his mouth with his palm.
"Hahaha, good, at least the plan worked."
They were talking as if there weren't two dead bodies. Lying on the ground, the corridor stained with blood,
"Damn it, my face and clothes are covered in blood." Cyrus then took off the servant's clothes he was wearing over his black clothes.
"Good, now better."
"Now let's go inside."
I opened the door and it was very luxurious. It was a large room for an office and the table had many papers and seals on it and there were books on the shelf in a strange arrangement.
I looked around the place. "He really likes to show off."
"Yes, all rich people are like that."
After a quarter of an hour of searching, I found nothing.
"I looked around the place and searched everywhere, there is no thing they want."
"So do you know what the thing they want looks like?"
"According to what they said, it seems to be a small wooden box with documents or something, but there is no trace of anything like that."
Odin looked around the place. "I think this room is not as simple as it seems."
"Hmm, what do you mean?"
"Do you see those books? Go and pull out the black book."
I went and pulled out the black book and suddenly there was a creaking sound.
"That wicked one, there is a secret door. Damn it, he shocks me with his wickedness every time."
A large door opened in the wall and the secret door was connected to a large staircase that went down and it was very long.