Lloyd had stretched his arms and wiped crust off his eyes. He opened the blinds of his window..
"Wow! That's too bright…"
He closed the blinds slightly to let some light in. He quickly checked the mirror and looked at it for a few minutes before finally getting ready.
On the other end, Imaez was taking a bath washing his hair and cleaning up.
*Twelve hours until that Ball is hosted, give or take…" He thought while scrubbing his chest.
"Alright, let's get started."
Marie had already been ready for her day. She had taken some paper bills to afford new clothes and presentable wear to Lloyd and Imaez.
Lloyd and Imaez had gotten downstairs to the lobby and seen Marie waiting for them at a table near the far end, straight ahead from the entrance.
"Why are you just waiting here…" Lloyd said with his voice raspy.
Marie smirked—
"TRY THESE CLOTHES ON!" She had pulled out two brief cases, one labeled "For Imaez" and another, "For Lloyd."
"Now shoo! Go try them on and come back to me."
Imaez walked away and thought to himself,
*Unsurprisingly, she came in handy. But paper bills were too valuable to use on outfits… I'll have to go to the bank later.*
Lloyd and Imaez had put on their suits.
"Do we really have to wear such extravagant clothing.. Look at Imaez! Well, nevermind.. he looks good with it on. But me! It's too.." He paused for a moment looking for the correct word usage. "It's too flashy!"
Marie sighed—
"Listen up, we have to play the role of the Janadens now, if you don't like it, well TOO BAD! We'll have to play along."
Imaez agreed — "She's right."
Lloyd looked defeated,
"Alright… let's wait til the Ball starts."
Twelve hours had passed, the group had taken a carriage to the only castle in the city— which they believed had to be the where the Noble Ball was being hosted.
Marie stepped out, her hands had held her dress upwards slightly, making sure it does drag upon the floor.
Imaez and Lloyd wore black suits with such fine fabric. Imaez began walking and adjusting his tie slightly—
*Man, this suit is uncomfortable.*
The group had entered the Castle, and they were the final guests to arrive.
"Hmmm.. seems like the House of Janaden finally shows up, hoho." A noble said with such braggadocio in his tone.
Imaez had sat a seat in a secluded area of this comically large first floor.
Lloyd and Marie were busy playing chit chat with a noble until a conversation topic had arrived.
Nobles, conversed—
"Hmm, which is your favorite slave?"
"I personally enjoy the people of debt, they really work hard."
"Common folk are so lazy, he's right. Debt really gets people working."
"I couldn't agree more. Lord Emperor should make these disgusting creatures grovel for our mercy.."
Lloyd's jaw tightened, his eyes twitched.
His knuckles whitened. Fists so tight his palms began dripping blood.
Imaez looked towards where the Aurel siblings were,
"Shit..! What's going to happen?"
A noble spoke— "Perhaps the Janaden could join the discussion aswel-"
Lloyd's chest tightened. He rose his hands, and flailed it down.
kkkksshhhhhhkk!
…
A bolt of lightning struck through. The noble who dared speak, was burnt to a crisp.
All these pretentious nobles could smell was nothing but char and ash. They watched as Lloyd put his foot on this burnt body and crumbled it into dust. Some nobles had urinated in their pants, some had began silently crying. Some had could not believe their eyes.
Lloyd looked at the rest and his words were cemented in the minds of these nobles—
"Snakes of the Empire… be gone from this world."
He rose his hand once more.