"What the hell are you doing at MY spot?!"
"Eating."
"Seat somewhere else, meanie!"
"This is also my favorite spot, so you have no right to kick me out."
"Um Krishna, what are you doing here?" Sephiram asked, hoping to calm Lena down.
Krishna looked at Sephiram and smiled. "I came here to eat some of Granny Miles' dumplings and tea. Didn't expect to see you here."
"Well, I also didn't expect to see you here of all places," Sephiram said. "Is the seat free?"
"Of course."
"I'm NOT sitting with that MEANIE!" Lena wanted to shout at the top of her lungs. Krishna sighed and looked directly at Lena.
"You have no right to shout at me, your superior." Krishna sternly warned with a serious look on his face. "Now sit down or I'll make you."
Lena only pouted and sat opposite him while muttering 'I hate you'. Sephiram and Anissa followed suit.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation, anyway." Says Krishna to Sephiram while looking at him. "I know you have a lot of questions to ask but," he looks at Anissa with a concerned look. "First of all, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. -" Anissa answered but cut off due to her nausea coming back.
"She's from the mainland," Sephiram explained to Krishna. "My brother retrieved her during his time there. She's the only source of information about what is happening there." Sephiram realized that he had given out very sensitive information to Krishna. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have told you-"
"That's fine." Krishna cut him off before he could explain further. "This is one of my clan's concerns right now. According to the report sent to us, the mainland is in utter chaos after the latest raid regarding our fellow demi-humans. Despite the intervention of the military stationed in the mainland as spies, we couldn't help them as they were executed mercilessly by the Vampire God's soldiers."
"Wait, is this regard to the-" Then he realized who he was talking to and looked at the surroundings which were now booming with semi-primal beasts and other races, due to the topic being sensitive to them. "I'm sorry."
Krishna looks at him with a serious look. He knew what Sephiram was talking about. "Is this about them?" the latter nodded in reply. "I see." He leans to the chair while drinking his tea.
Not too long after, a waitress approached them, trays of food in both of her hands. "Here's your order: Our best seller three fresh meat buns with two jasmine teas and one special nausea-induced tea."
"Now that reminds me." Sephiram changed the topic as their orders were put on the table. "Didn't we make an order earlier?"
"Actually," Lena answered. "While you guys talked to granny Miles earlier, I already took an order for the three of us."
"Thanks, Lena. (Looks at the food) Now I know why she said the usual."
"Trust me, Granny Miles' meat buns are the best here," Krishna complained about the food while Anissa took the nausea-induced tea and drank it.
"Too bitter." Anissa stuck her tongue out in disgust.
"Of course, it's medicine, dear sister." Sephiram sighed.
*
"Why are you here in MY house?"
"Ouch. Is that the first thing you say to your dear president?"
"Oh, it's you, Zirconia." Ms. Davis greeted their guest as Zirconia entered the house while smirking at Augustus. "What brings you here to our house?"
"Well, I missed your cooking for a while madam, so I decided to come here. Oh, and I'm here for your son."
"I'm not expecting a guest today. Get out." Augustus says coldly while leaning himself against the wall, arms crossed.
"Sheesh, Augustus." Zirconia was pretending to be hurt. "I'm here for your brother."
"If you're looking for Sephiram, he went to the Western District with Anissa."
Zirconia gives him a sad puppy look. "Don't look at me like that. That doesn't suit you."
"I'm kidding, jeez." Zirconia approached him and rested his hand on Augustus' shoulder. "I'm just teasing you."
"Then go tease your bodyguards, you prick," Augustus said while pinching the hand resting on his shoulder.
"Ouch, ouch!" Zirconia let go of his hand. "That hurts you know!"
"Then behave at your age." Augustus started walking in the living room.
"Oh dear. I'm sorry about Augustus." Ms. Davis apologized. "He's been sleep-deprived lately. With due respect, is this related to the mainland?"
"Yes," Zirconia answered. "The mainland is now in chaos as they hunted down the demi-humans."
"Oh, dear." She shockingly said. "I hope they are okay."
"I hope so." Zirconia sighed then he changed the topic. "So, how's the bodyguards that we sent here?"
"Oh, they are a nice bunch." She replied. "They also helped out the household chores and making medicines."
"At least they can keep you company." As he said that, two bodyguards emerged from the kitchen, and they saluted upon seeing the president. Zirconia waved his hand at them and they resumed their usual work. "Is there any suspicious activity around your house lately?"
"Well, none so far except for my regular clients." Ms. Davis answered then she asked. "Can you stay over here for dinner? You can wait for Sephiram and Anissa here."
"With pleasure."
*
"Here we are," Krishna announced as they reached their destination. Krishna offered the three to ride a bus but insisted on walking for three hours instead due to Anissa's condition. "Welcome to my home."
"It's huge," Sephiram said in awe.
Krishna's home is a huge mansion with a huge fountain in front; surrounded by layers of bushes of roses. The gate is coated in gold that glimmers in the sun and its abstract rose-like designs are pleasing to the eye.
This is the first time Sephiram has seen a beautiful mansion. He only sees this on TV or in pictures. Never thought that he would see this in the Western District of all places, even though his first impression of the district is more on the Oriental designs.
The guard who is on duty notices his young lord standing outside the gate with some guests. "Welcome back, young lord!" He greeted me with a smile.
Krishna nodded in response. "Can you inform Father that we have guests coming over?"
"Yes, my lord." He turned on his comms which are located at his ear. "Sir, the young lord has returned. He brought some guests. Yes. Over." He turned off the comms and turned to them. "The duke informs that you will take the guests directly to his office. Hang on a minute, I will open the gate now." As he finished speaking, the golden gate opened.
"Shall we go, my dear guest?"
*
A middle-aged man who looks like an older Krishna is looking towards the large window of his office, looking below as his son guides the guests inside the mansion.
The door behind him suddenly opened and an anthropomorphic deer wearing a suit entered the room, files in hand. "Sir, here are the files you were looking for."
"Thank you, Hans." The man said then turned his head to him. "Have you also received the copy of the report from the main office?"
"Yes sir. This is regarding the activities in the mines outside the city. The president suspects that the vampires from the mainland are the ones responsible."
"I see." The man walks towards one of the many bookshelves lined up and stopped at in between the two bookshelves. In the middle of it is a design that resembles the lily flower, which at its center has a small hole carved into it, like it can be fit with a key. He took out a golden lily-shaped key that was worn and hidden around his neck, taking it off his neck.
"Hans," he asked his secretary while inserting the key into the hole and turning it. "You know about the man with the mark of the lilies, right?"
"Yes sir." The secretary replied. "For generations, the Vampire God has been searching for him, but it was futile as he was always dead by the time he reached him."
"If Krishna's description of Sephiram Davis is accurate and his suspicions about him are correct," a click was heard from the keyhole and the two bookshelves began to slowly separate from each other. "It's about time for us, the Sliversnow clan to fulfill the promise that our ancestors made to the Crown Prince four hundred years ago."