Germany. A Castle Somewhere.
Dust motes danced in the single beam of weak sunlight that cut through the gloom of the great hall. It illuminated a faded tapestry depicting a long-forgotten battle and, below it, an old but ornate bucket.
Plink... plink... plink...
The sound of water dripping from the high, vaulted ceiling was the only noise, a steady rhythm marking the passage of time in a place that time had mostly forgotten. Beside a large, open suitcase on the floor, a man with silver-white hair was carefully folding a plain, dark jacket.
A younger man stepped into the hall from a shadowed doorway, his modern sneakers silent on the old floor. He watched him for a moment before speaking, his voice echoing slightly.
"Father."
The man folding the jacket didn't look up. "Klaus."
"Are you really serious about this? You're just leaving? What about being the Vampire Lord? You've held that title for three hundred years." Klaus asked, his voice tight with disbelief.
Finally, the jacket was placed neatly in the suitcase. The Vampire Lord straightened up and sighed, a sound filled with a weariness that went far beyond his youthful appearance.
"Lord of what, exactly? There's nothing here anymore. No human believes in vampires. They think we are fantasy."
He gestured dismissively at the grand, empty hall. "You want it? You can have it. You're my son. You can take care of this castle."
He nudged the nearby water-filled bucket with his foot. "Make sure to repair all the stuff. Ah, also the roof. There's a leak when it rains."
Klaus's expression soured. "I know about the roof. But... why Japan all of a sudden?"
"I'm not going to be a politician again," the Vampire Lord replied, turning to look for a pair of socks. "The German government doesn't believe in us, so there are no secret councils to attend, no territories to manage. Being a lord nowadays is just… unpaid property management. There's nothing unique about it anymore. I want to be a Japanese boy."
Klaus just stared at him, dumbfounded, as the Vampire Lord continued to put some of his things into the suitcase.
Suddenly, the packing stopped. The Vampire Lord stood up and walked directly to his son, his expression unreadable. He put a heavy hand on Klaus's shoulder.
"You are now the owner of this castle."
As he spoke the words, Klaus felt a sudden, crushing weight settle upon him. A immense power that flowed from his touch, sinking deep into his bones. His legs gave out from the pressure, and he dropped to one knee on the cold stone, gasping.
The Vampire Lord looked down at him, his face impassive. "Good luck with the taxes."
Just that he leave the room while holding his belonging and says, "Sayonara!"
To Be Continued.