Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2357 Injustice-2

Countless years ago—

Bustle Bustle

A small human child stood outside the window of a crowded restaurant, quietly peering through the glass as streams of customers came and went before him, while he slowly licked his lips without taking his eyes off the feast spread beyond the window.

The restaurant was filled with luxurious tables occupied by green-skinned people whose antennae extended from their foreheads. Entire families sat together—parents and children alike—within the elegant establishment, where beautiful musical vibrations drifted gently through the air, while the rich fragrance of expensive perfumes was so overwhelming that it almost completely drowned out the scent of the countless exquisite dishes being served.

The child, meanwhile, appeared to be no older than five or six years old. His wide black eyes overflowed with frightening intelligence and an alertness that did not belong to someone his age... yet his clothes were tattered, his body looked thin and malnourished, and it was obvious at a single glance that he came from no wealthy background and had likely spent far more time searching for food than enjoying it.

The child stared at the food for several long seconds, slowly licked his lips once more, then cautiously glanced around.

”.....”

A broad smile suddenly spread across his face when he noticed a green-skinned child happily skipping nearby, a boy roughly his own age whose expensive clothes immediately caught his attention.

”Young Master,” the human child called as he approached his green-skinned counterpart with a slight respectful bow.

”Hmm?” The child stopped playing and looked at him with clear annoyance. ”What do you want, you filthy human?”

”Your father is looking for you in that alley.” The human boy pointed toward a dark passage beside the restaurant. ”They say he prepared a huge meal for you from that fancy restaurant, and heʼs waiting there so no one disturbs you while you eat!”

”Really?!” The green-skinned childʼs face immediately lit up with excitement before he eagerly dashed toward the alley without the slightest suspicion.

”...”

The human child followed after him with an even wider smile, maintaining just enough distance to avoid drawing attention. Moments later, the two entered the narrow alley together and disappeared completely from everyoneʼs sight.

08:30

”Hmm? Whereʼs my father?” The green-skinned child began looking around in confusion, turning from side to side as he searched the empty passage.

”Take off your clothes.”

”Huh?” The green-skinned child spun around in irritation, only for the annoyance on his face to instantly transform into terror. ”Y-You... You... Do you even know who I am?!”

The human was holding a small broken knife in his hand!

”Quickly!” the little human shouted as he firmly pointed the knife forward.

”...My father will never forgive you!” The green-skinned child began crying as he nervously removed his shirt, then his pants, and finally even his underwear, all while trembling in fear.

”Hehe~” The human boy casually gestured for his counterpart to leave. ”Iʼll be inside that restaurant. If your father is really a man, bring him and come find me!”

”Youʼll regret this!” the child shouted as he ran away completely naked, tears streaming down his face the entire time.

The human boy calmly set the broken knife aside before immediately putting on the luxurious new clothes one piece after another with remarkable care.

Once he had finished dressing, carefully adjusted every article of clothing until it fit him as naturally as possible, and neatly combed his long silky hair to one side, the human child confidently walked toward the restaurant with an air of elegance completely unsuited to his age.

Ring

He calmly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

”Hmmm?” The maître dʼ immediately rose to his feet with a deep frown. ”Pets arenʼt allowed inside this restaurant. Get lost.”

”I am a servant of House Holinehope. Iʼve come to inspect todayʼs dishes,” the child replied with a strange dignity and confidence that made him sound far older than he actually was. ”Would you like me to return and inform them that you turned me away?”

”House Holinehope?” The attendant hesitated for a brief moment, but after noticing the emblem displayed upon the childʼs clothes, he let out a reluctant sigh before opening the inner door with obvious displeasure.

”Hmm.” The human child gave a small nod before walking inside with his head held high, his posture so natural that it seemed as though this restaurant had always been a place where he belonged.

He soon arrived beside the kitchen, where numerous intimidating butchers and cooks busily worked without pause. There he remained standing for several moments, quietly inhaling the delicious aroma drifting from inside.

Grrrr...

He gently rubbed his growling stomach before lowering his voice and whispering to it,

”Not yet.”

After gathering his courage once again, he continued forward until he reached the workersʼ quarters. Upon confirming that no one was inside, he quietly slipped into the room without attracting attention.

There, he searched through the drawers until he found a waiterʼs uniform. He then pulled out the broken knife and began cutting away certain sections while folding others so the uniform would better fit his height. Once he had finished making the necessary adjustments, he carefully checked that his hair was still styled exactly the same way before leaving the room with a pleasant smile, casually carrying a random serving tray he had picked up inside.

With complete composure, he walked past the kitchen once again. Upon reaching the trash bin, he deliberately selected the filthiest leftovers he could find and carefully arranged them upon the serving tray while quietly humming to himself with a cheerful smile. Afterward, he slowly surveyed the entire restaurant, carefully studying every table, every customer, and every corner before deliberately choosing one particular family.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and quietly murmured to himself as though calculating something with great precision. Only then did he approach the selected table wearing a warm, courteous smile.

”Your lunch, everyone.”

”Yuck!”

”Eww!!”

”....?!”

As every member of the small family recoiled in disgust the instant they saw what had been placed before them, the obese father slowly rose to his feet and glared furiously at the little human, his face visibly darkening with rage.

”What is the meaning of this, you insignificant thing? Do you have any idea who I am?!”

”Y-Yes,” the little boy replied while nodding vigorously without allowing his expression to change. ”Arenʼt you from House Alkhamaho? The owner of the restaurant said this level of food is exactly what suits your family.”

”What?” The father threw his head back before bursting into an enraged shout. ”Malan, get over here this instant! Come over here and tell me exactly what you think of House Alkhamaho to our faces!!”

”...?”

The entire restaurant fell silent. Every conversation abruptly came to a halt as both the guests seated at their tables and the staff moving between them instinctively turned toward the furious customer with puzzled expressions, wondering what could have provoked such a commotion.

Bang

One of the inner doors swung open, and a broad-shouldered green-skinned man with an enormous mustache stepped out, his imposing figure immediately drawing everyoneʼs attention.

”Whatʼs going on here?”

”What does House Alkhamaho mean to you, Malan? Are you mocking us?” The obese man pointed accusingly at the restaurant owner without lowering his voice in the slightest. ”If you have something to say, then say it to my face instead of hiding behind your servants!”

”Tsk.” The restaurant owner clicked his tongue and revealed an openly irritated expression. ”A second-rate house with an oversized mouth. Itʼs already a miracle that I even allowed you to eat here today. What do you want? Why are you making such a scene and shouting inside my restaurant?”

”You...!?” The obese guest began trembling from head to toe with rage. ”Have you forgotten the wars between our two houses after all these years? Do you want them to begin again and claim even more blood?”

”You couldnʼt do anything even if you wanted to.” The restaurant owner casually waved his hand dismissively, showing no intention whatsoever of treating the threat seriously.

He then turned toward his side after catching a new scent drifting through the air... the unmistakable scent of a human child standing nearby with a pleasant smile upon his face while wearing one of the restaurantʼs waiter uniforms as though he had always belonged there.

”What exactly are you...?” the restaurant owner muttered beneath his breath, momentarily ignoring the guestʼs continued shouting as his attention shifted entirely toward the unfamiliar child.

The child merely smiled before quietly raising one finger and pointing toward the restaurant entrance.

Baaaaang!!

”Malaaan! Are you sheltering a criminal?!”

At that very moment, a massive man smashed through the restaurant door with a single violent blow, reducing it to splinters before charging straight inside. Beside him stood a small child wrapped in an oversized piece of clothing that barely concealed his body, crying uncontrollably as he clung to the fabric.

The child immediately pointed toward the human boy and shouted at the top of his lungs,

”There! Thatʼs him!!”

”....?!”

The massive man followed the direction of the childʼs finger and immediately spotted the human boy calmly standing beside the restaurant owner while dressed in a waiterʼs uniform as though nothing had happened.

The fury on his face instantly erupted, and his thunderous voice echoed throughout the restaurant.

”Iʼll show you what happens when you insult a military house, Malan!!”

”What is wrong with everyone today?!” The restaurant owner was on the verge of losing his sanity, especially with that giant charging directly toward him without slowing down. ”Just because you belong to a military house, you think you can do whatever you please inside my restaurant?” He immediately pointed toward the charging man and shouted at the top of his lungs, ”Get that man away from me!”

Bang!

The waiters, supervisors, and guards all rushed forward together in an attempt to stop the massive man before he could reach the restaurant owner. Even several cooks stormed out of the kitchen carrying heavy cleavers in their hands. Yet stopping that single individual proved far more difficult than any of them had anticipated. His strength resembled that of a horned bear; with nothing more than a casual swing of his arm, anyone reckless enough to approach him was violently sent flying.

”Donʼt think insulting House Alkhamaho will go unpunished!” the obese man roared before driving his fist directly into the restaurant ownerʼs cheek with all the strength he could muster.

Bang!

”Iʼll kill you!!”

More cooks and delivery workers threw themselves into the fight as it rapidly spiraled out of control. Several other customers who happened to be acquaintances of either Alkhamaho or Malan also rushed into the battle without hesitation, while the remaining diners abandoned their meals entirely and fled the restaurant in complete panic, pushing past one another in their desperate attempts to escape.

Within only a matter of seconds, the once elegant restaurant had transformed into a chaotic battlefield, every corner occupied either by furious combatants exchanging blows or by terrified people scrambling for the exits in fear of being caught in the violence.

And amidst all that confusion, everyone completely forgot about one particular human boy.

He was nowhere to be found among either the fighters or those fleeing for their lives.