“The Queendom of Lemarin and the Kingdom of Ducaz both worship the same official state patron goddess. The goddess desired for the two kingdoms to start and maintain cordial affairs with you,” The grey haired man spoke loud and clear with his head held high.

I replied, “And who are you that you deign speak for the kingdoms when their representatives are here?”

“My Lord, this man is Master Speardragon. He is a much-admired sage fêted throughout parts of the known world. Many people, commoners and nobility alike, visit him to ask for advice. Indeed, even royalty do so. Master Speardragon has the requisite diplomatic prestige to represent both kingdoms, although to believe in his words and accept that the Goddess seeks friendship with us may be an entirely different matter altogether,” Gajie advised me after a bow towards the grey haired man.   

“I see. But what is such an acclaimed master doing here in my humble abode?” I probed while watching Speardragon bow back at Gajie.

“The falling leaf goes where the wind blows.

Alighting atop a stream, the leaf simply flows.

Since I ended up here, I decided to see with my own two eyes the momentous movement of the world in another Otherworld Dark Lord come to irrevocably change the world once more, just as a thousand years ago,” Speardragon answered.

 “Oh, and have you seen what kind of person I am?” I said.

“I have,” he replied.

“Please, do tell me of what you have learned,” I said.

“You are haunted. By women and by visions. Perhaps your ideal world would be one in which the Emperor gives his blessing to his daughter’s marriage to a commoner, since the opposite begat you much pain in your previous life. The spirits of women trouble you so – from your past and your present, to the future that you have foreseen.”

“…!!”

“Does my answer satisfy?”

I remained speechless for a while longer to gather my thoughts before finally clasping my hands together and raising them before me and saying, “Master Speardragon, your fame is well suited and your claims entirely true… You’ve heard my steward say that all manner of people come to you for advice. I will do the same. How should I dispel what worries me, and deal with what torments me?”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Speardragon acknowledged my query with a nod and then stroked his beard a couple of times before saying, “Lord Reprobate, to avoid is too late, as it has already rained on the palace grounds, and you went out of your way to touch the rays of the sun. Indeed, to avoid would only serve to delay. Even so, I will give you but one suggestion concerning a future death to avoid.

The birds sing and yet this bird does not sing. Listen to the song of the bird that does not sing. His song will be as a fount of life and a hymn of joy.”

“I never really liked dragons, especially since they work in riddles.”

“Hah, then as another wise man who has come with us likes to say: All will be revealed when the time is right, but the time is not right now.”

 “Then I only hope that the riddle is solved before it is too late. I suppose I’ll thank you for the advice,” I replied.

“I apologize to everyone present for airing matters you may rather not have heard,” I said slowly before saying again, “Master Speardragon, My friends from Lemarin and Ducaz, and of course you kindly lot Nordhound, I invite you all to a feast! Let us eat and drink and discuss further details during merriment of otherworldly kind.”

*    *    *

The immense hall had space ample enough for the entire retinue of guests and dungeon personnel. There was even a band of musicians playing out a merry tune, though I could easily tell that they were a hastily improvised group. Whatever the case, the band did their job of setting the mood and for the allowing of more discrete conversations. Long tables had been arrayed in columns with only the head table arranged row-wise at the end of the hall on a raised platform. The feast had been arranged buffet-style.  

At the center of the hall were tables laden full with food of earthly accoutrement. Steak and eggs would be fire grilled for you on the spot. The pasta and spaghetti were arrayed together with a number of different steaming sauces, and the pizza and lasagna were all covered with extra cheese. The burgers and subs came with a variety of fresh toppings, fries with ketchup, barbecue sauce and other condiments. There was cooked ham with pineapples, mashed potatoes and gravy. There was fresh Greek salad and tossed Caesar salad. The soups were aplenty with Pho, Congee, Tom Yum alongside classics such as Minestrone and Cream of Mushroom. There were hard and soft taco shells with fillings and there were beans. There was rice and curry, then there was rice and curry goat. There was sushi and sashimi with wasabi and soy sauce. In short, there were a multitude of multinational dishes that excelled in succulence. I took in the scent of whole tables filled with different styles of chicken. Fried chicken, Roast Chicken, Jerk chicken, Stew chicken, Korean-style chicken. I looked around and found other Korean dishes as well. I smiled as I once again heard Findel’s boisterous laughter as he proclaimed that he would live in this dungeon forever. Unlike him, I hadn’t truly longed for my native cuisine. I had missed it and would indulge in it tonight, but could and had gone without it for a long time.

Hah, there was practically everything, including desserts such as apple pie, chocolate cake, and ice cream. Of course, there were an assortment of carbonated soda pop drinks as well as beer, wine, and liquor.

Truly, a grand feast.  

I quietly made my way to the back of the head table, and walking up to the head seat, softly spoke, “It’s been a while, Ken.”

*    *    *

“It’s been a while, Ken.”

“…!!!”

I froze. This day was one which kept throwing at me one shocking surprise after another. There should be no way for anyone to know my real name here in this world, or so I had believed. Slowly, as if rusty gears were turning, I turned around to face the one who had called me Ken.

“Or should I say, Dark Lord Deprofundis Reprobate?” He continued.

“Daniel Kim!” I said before continuing, “So you were here too; everyone thought you were dead. Shit, this is almost unbelievable… Did the goddess see you too? Hey, let’s go somewhere quiet and talk.”

“I’ll be glad to, but let me have a bite first will you? I’m starved, especially for our kind of food. ”

“Hah… fine,” I sighed in reply.

“Hey, what did you expect? Some kind of emotional embrace between long lost brothers?” Daniel said with a sly smile as he patted me on the shoulder, “But really, it’s great to see you pal.”