"You said you met Noah today." Dylan points out.

"Yeah. He came in the morning wanting to use the washroom. Some kids surrounded him for some autographs and we all were like who is he aye?" the bartender continues, "He is such a smooth talker ya know, we were a bit startled as to a stranger was being so friendly but he made our day."

"He sang songs, danced with us and even promised us that he will bring his friends and he kept his promise aye. Such a good chap." He finishes with a smile.

"You are saying that you met him for the first time in the morning? Today? Not last to last night?" Dylan asks to be completely sure.

"Yeah, man. I told ya. I am the only bartender here and I never saw him here. Here have some more." He refills his drink.

Dylan has a hard time gulping down his drink with this newfound information. So Noah did lie to them! So where was he that night?

There was a huge commotion coming from the bathroom as the locals gathered around it. Even Dylan gets up to see the fuss. He saw Clive and David, who was a bit sober now, and even William rushing towards someone. That, someone, was shouting. That someone in Noah!

"How could you do this to us? Your own team, your own friends?" Noah was screaming at Logan. The crowd had gathered around and was asking questions.

"What's up Noah? Did this guy do something? We can fuck him up if he did aye." Some of the bulky locals were coming towards Logan but Noah stops them.

"No mates, it's okay. He is our friend. It's just our personal matter. Sorry for the disturbance everyone. Please enjoy." He turns towards the bartender, "We will take our leave. It was nice meeting you all."

He drags Logan with him outside, with William following him with his slurred movements, Clive helping David walk and Dylan following them closely. They came out in the open and a few meters away from the pub. After bringing Logan in front of him, holding him by his collar, Noah punched him right across his face. Logan falls down with a thud and Dylan just watches in surprise. He had never seen Noah be violent!

"Hyung! What's wrong with you?" Dylan shouts at Noah and helps Logan stand up.

"Don't take the side of this prick! He was the one who broke into Castle of Nale and stole from the safe!" Noah says and punches him one more time.

Last Night

"You will see it tomorrow. And the plan for Dylan and everyone to trust me again. You have a major part to play in it." Noah points at Logan.

"What do you mean?" Logan looks confused.

"I mean I will use you as bait for our plan to work. You will confess to breaking into the Castle of Nale and stealing valuables. But you saw no crown." Noah speaks in a very calm tone.

"No! I won't lie to anyone! It will be considered a breach in the contract and then....then even jail!" Logan panics. He won't go into this suicide mission.

"Your dad has approved the plan," Noah states, looking straight into his eyes. Funny things about dads, their words are always a line for no one to cross. Another example was our poor James.

Logan sits down, defeated. He can't cross his dad's words!

"And technically, you aren't lying. You did break into the Castle with the help of the cop. You just have to lure him to the pub and leave the rest on me. We are just tweaking the truth a little. And you saw the safe had no crown. Simple!" Noah says it's pretty simple but it looks very complicated to Logan.

"Come on Logan, you can take one for the team, can't you? And don't worry about jail. Your dad has that end secured. You just have to act a little."

"And the pub?" Logan asks. He was shaking with fear.

"I was anyways going to go there to make myself familiar. I lied to everyone about being there so I have to make it the truth. I will suggest everyone go to the pub in the evening and that is when we will act out this plan." Noah says.

"Also, be ready to get hit a little. The acting has to look realistic you know."

The memory ends

"Don't take the side of this prick! He was the one who broke into Castle of Nale and stole from the safe!" Noah says and punches him one more time.

"What? No way!" Clive walks to Logan and helps him get up, handing over David to William. They both were a little drunk but were sober enough to judge the situation.

"Yeah, Noah! Why would Logan do that?" William forms understandable words.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Noah says, looking angrily at Logan's now bloodied face.

"I......I......" Logan starts, "I was in need of money. Our earnings from YouTube were distributed evenly but I became greedy once I saw the riches of this castle. And I thought of having some side income. So I bribed a cop and made a duplicate."

"That's not possible Logan. We know you will never do such a thing!" Dylan says.

"But he did! I heard him talking to his 'cop friend' who was asking his share. I have called in the chief police of this place because I don't trust any of James's cops." Noah spits more poison.

"You know Hyung they aren't James's cops. They are his father's." Dylan states it was funny how Noah relates everything to James without even batting an eyelid.

"But you saw how friendly he was with the cops right? How can you be so sure that he wasn't a partner in crime?" Noah raised his voice again.

"Because he was with me that night in my room!" Dylan raises his voice too.

"STOP IT YOU BOTH! Don't you see the bigger problem here?" It was now William who had raised his voice. It seems he was completely sober now. He walks up to Logan and holds him by his collar,

"Is this true Logan?" William asks with a sense of pity in his voice.

"Ye...yes..." Logan gives a meek reply.

"Sir, I would need you to step aside now." A voice from behind startles them. It was the chief of police. The cop who helped Logan was handcuffed.

"Are you taking him to the police station? What is the proof?" Clive asks.

"Their confessions. If you have any further questions, you can come to the police station." He goes on to handcuff Logan, whose eyes were constantly looking down.

"It all feels like a big lie." Dylan thinks to himself as he watches Logan being taken away. Whenever Logan lies, he always avoids eye contact. And the thing which the bartender said was also revolving in his mind.

"He was here this morning."

Dylan was angry and devastated. All he wished was for James to be here.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Sir, we are ready." The servant bows in front of James.

"Hmm. I am coming." James puts down the photo and gives it one last look. It was his most favorite photo. The photo they had taken when James was in Stepford. He, his mom and his dad had a picnic near the river and it was a peaceful day in his memory.

He descends down the stairs as he watches his dad's coffin being taken away. It was an open coffin. His dad always wanted that. He did not have many friends so there were only a few of them and lots of staff. James had one last look at his father's corpse since he came and he could notice something fishy. He did not want to make a commotion so he silently sobs a little.

Everyone gave James their condolences and he just bowed at them. They were invited for lunch and his house seems to be crowded. And he still felt alone and weird. Did he see it right? His father's corpse?

"Sir, should I serve the food?" the cook wakes up James from his thoughts.

"Huh? What?" James asked groggily. He was tired.

"The food sir. Should I serve you?" He brings the serving cart.

"Uh...no...I am not hungry....I'll just....I'll rest..." He replies looking out of place.

"Okay, sir. I'll send someone to keep a jug of water in your room." He bows.

"No, not my room. I'll be in dad's room." James starts walking upstairs but stops suddenly to ask a question, "Uncle, you were here when I left right?"

"Yes sir, I have always been here."

"Then why do we have so many servants? I don't even know half of them, except for you and a few others."

"It was your dad's orders. He needed more people around him so we hired some more, sir."

"Oh okay...I...I am glad you were here with dad when I couldn't be." James says in a thanking tone.

"I am glad to be here sir. He was peaceful even when he took his last breath. Don't worry sir." He pats his back. If after dad, anyone who cared for James was this cook. He was with them since they left Stepford and settled in the USA.

James hums in response and goes to his dad's room, which smelled like him. He wrapped himself in the blanket which also smelled like him. James had never been a person who would cry easily. This wasn't that day too. He was feeling upset and sad but not to the point to cry. The letter was on the side table, opened and shining in the sunlight. He read it and felt weird.

That's when his phone made a notification sound. He opened to see Dylan's text. That's what he needed now.

"Hey! I hope you are feeling okay. I am so sorry to hear about your dad." Dylan types.

"Thanks, Dylan. I reached an hour ago. Not feeling good though. :(" James replies.

After talking to Dylan, he felt a little light. He did not tell Dylan what he saw in the corpse because it would just worry him. Maybe James was just overthinking. And there was only one way to find out.

He runs down, bowing respectfully to everyone and takes the car keys. He had a friend who was a doctor working in the morgue and knew all about dead bodies.

"I am sorry James." The friend offers his condolences.

"Thanks. But I am not here for that. There is something else..." James starts.

"What is it?" The friend asks.

"When I saw my father's dead body, I knew something was up. But couldn't pin-point what was wrong. I thought you would be the best help right now."

"Do you have any picture or anything? His medical history?" The friend asks.

"I have his medical file here." He hands over the file to his friend, "But no photo as such. But I can describe it to you."

"He was fat....I mean...I don't know...the medical term of fat I guess bloated? It can also be because I saw him after so many days but he looked unusually fat. There was blood-like substance too from his mouth and nose....which was...I guess dried....?" James gives him a questioning look.

"Yes, you have described it enough. This usually happens 3 to 5 days after death. The body starts to bloat, or as you said he seemed fat. And there is blood containing foam that was leaking from the mouth and nose. Due to various gases, the body might double up to size. Were there weird smells?" The friend describes.

"Yeah...like rotten body smell?" James remembers. "But he was in the coffin so it was very faint. Only the people who would go near to him could smell it."

"Yes. The coffin's wood maybe cutting down the odor. After 3 to 5 days, the bacteria and microorganisms produce extremely unpleasant odors that indicate that the person is dead."

"But he died last night." James clarifies.

"No. The symptoms you just described is of stage two of the decomposition of the body. Either you have described it wrong or he really died 3 to 5 days prior." The friend assures.

"No, my description is not wrong. I was a bit taken aback when I saw his state that's why I came to talk to you." James is in thought.

"Are you sure they called you saying he died yesterday night? Cause that is a lie. I can guarantee my medical degree. Fresh dead bodies don't show such symptoms."

"Uh..yeah must be my mistake.....Thanks..." James gets up still in thought.

His dad died but he was called days later. What could be the reason?