Episode XII
1892 Words
An hour before midnight, September 12, 20 A.P.W.
A black limousine car arrived at La Anjou Famille Academy, it stopped at the entrance of the main school building.
“Have a safe trip Lady Tachibana.” a female school administration assistant bowed to Sayaka as she entered the car.
“Thank you Cécile.”
“Konbanwa Ojou-sama.” the driver greeted.
“Arigatou gozaimasu Taki-san.” Sayaka responded. “Are you alone Taki-san?”
“Yes Ojou-sama.”
Sayaka was puzzled. Her Father only sent a driver to fetch her in school. Doesn’t he care that she’ll get kidn*pped en route? Again, she can’t follow her Father’s thoughts. Somehow, she feels that she is not a part of the Family. More than a year ago, her Father had stopped communicating to her. She was also somewhat forced to live in the dormitory in her final year in the school. All without any reason or explanation. She’s also at the age where her Family should already announce a fiancé for her.
She folded her hands and began to feel gloomy.
“What’s that face Sayaka?” Cloud said to Sayaka.
“Uh, you are so good in hiding that I almost forgot about you.”
“Hahaha...” Cloud laughed. “Aren’t you happy that I am meeting your Father?”
“Why would I be?”
“Isn’t this that human tradition where the fiancé meets the Family of his fiancée?”
“Ha?!!!” Sayaka asked in outburst. “Don’t be ridiculous! My Father won’t allow such thing!”
“Hahaha…” Cloud just continued laughing.
Ha…I am stuck with this egoistic vampire for about an hour. I hope he behaves in front of Father. What he said earlier actually made my heart skip a beat... Haa??? What am I even thinking? We are not even in a relationship! Hilarious! Uhh, scratch being a relationship, we can never be together. He is a vampire, an ancient one on top of it. But my heart won’t stop beating fast. I hope he doesn’t notice. Silly, how could he not? He could hear my heartbeat a mile away.
Sayaka looked out the window. There’s nothing much to be seen under the moonlight when the side of the road are filled with tall trees. She began to think of how her relationship with Cloud have become. She knows that they’ve been together for a while now. He has been taking care of him since middle school as she is a representative of the world government. He needs to protect her as part of the agreement of allowing the school to operate and allow co-existence of humans and vampires. He was always protective of her. He was kind to her and have been treating her well since then.
“Cloud, how old are you again?”
“Hmmm? Why do you ask?”
“I’m just curious. I’ve never heard you say your age.”
“Old enough to make the young ones cry.” He chuckled.
“At what age can a vampire be called an Ancient One?”
“I’m older than Henri.”
“Can you just answer me straight?”
“Hmmm…I won’t mind if you kiss me.”
Sayaka peaked at Taki in horror. She’s been whispering and Cloud is using telepathy to talk to her but she is embarrassed of what he asked of her.
“Excluding the Vampire Royalty, there’s only a handful of vampire over 500 years old. They are that old but still they aren’t called an Ancient One.”
Cloud just kept quiet even though Sayaka thought he will somehow respond.
“Isn’t a 500 year old vampire should be called an Ancient One? However, one that I know is from the vampire court and he is called an elder instead. His name is Elder Isaac.”
“Hmmpf.” Cloud snickered.
“Aren’t you too cautious of your age?”
“I know what would be your reaction already so I won’t say it.”
“How come?”
“I have told you before.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Haa…I think I will just ask Henri when we get back.” She said irritated.
“I’m over 1,000 years old.”
Sayaka eyes grew big and her mouth was opened wide.
“Ahh!!! That’s why I don’t want to say it. You look so unlady like with that face!”
“Hey! That is so rude!”
“Aren’t you the one being rude to an elderly like me?”
“So now what? Should I call you great great great great granpa? Hahahaha!!!”
“When you look at me, you can never say that.”
“Well, yes. You don’t look like you’re a few hundred years older than the Magistrate. Even far from your court Elder Isaac.”
“I won’t spill the secret of my ethereal beauty.”
“Crazy.”
“Are we near yet?”
“Are you already bored? An hour is surely nothing to someone who have lived for a thousand year.”
“Aren’t you getting too comfortable with me acting as your shadow Sayaka? I don’t really mind being this close to you for a lifetime.”
Sayaka closed her eyes and bit her lip. She kept quiet never talked to Cloud again until they reached the Tachibana Manor.
Sayaka get off the car and Cloud finally revealed himself from her shadow. No guards or housemaid greeted them at the entrance.
“Ojou-sama, Shujin is in the study.” Taki said as he bowed.
“Where is Okaa-san and my kyodai?”
“They were not informed of your arrival Ojou-sama.”
“Ahhh…I see.” She said with a sad look. She thought she could meet her mother and siblings. Maybe her Father thought that it is best not to expose them to Cloud.
“Hmm… as expected of a Founding Family household, there’s a lot of spell stones protecting this area.”
“You seem okay though.” Sayaka sighed.
“Well.” Cloud said smirking.
Sayaka just shook her head and lead the way to the study room.
Cloud just followed her quietly, looking around the huge paintings hanged on the walls.
“Otou-sama, this is Sayaka. I am with Cloud, may we come in?” she said after knocking on the door.
“Yes, come in.” a deep voice from the room answered.
Sayaka entered the room and Cloud followed after her. She approached her Father meaning to hug him but he gestured for her to sit on the couch facing his desk. Cloud just sat on the couch casually and crossed his legs. He looked at Sayaka’s father and greeted him. “Good evening, Yuji-san.”
“Hmm.” Yuji scoffed. “Good evening Mr. Ehrensvard. Should I say thank you for making an effort of going into our manor?”
“No, no. It was rather an enjoyable stroll.” Cloud laugh.
Sayaka is just sitting down quietly, making glances to Cloud and her Father as they speak.
“Let us not waste time, as you know we humans have only limited time to spare. I have read your letter, I should I say I am afraid that what I have thought all along is true.”
“Indeed.”
“Sayaka, where is your protective charm?”
“Here Father.” Sayaka said as she approached him again to hand the bangle.
“No, you don’t have to. Just take a seat.” He said as he stopped Sayaka from approaching him. “But that’s the same charm that we issued to her..”
Cloud snapped his fingers and the illusion magic wear off, revealing the gold bangle.
Yuji stand from sitting in surprise. He took off his glasses and wear it again. His glasses have magic stones that should have recognized the illusion but it didn’t.
Cloud just looked at him smiling, looking very pleased.
“That charm, do you own it?”
“No, it is my Master’s.”
“I would like to speak to your Master.”
“I believe, that is impossible.”
Sayaka looked at Cloud. “I don’t think that Henri would mind, Cloud.”
Cloud looked at Sayaka and sighed. “Do you remember when you asked Henri whose blood is inside that charm?”
“Yes, so what of it?”
“Do you remember why the charm was created?”
Sayaka is silent for a while and finally made the connection with what Cloud is trying to say.
“But, Henri is your Master right?”
“He is my Young Master.”
Sayaka looked puzzled.
“You asked me how old I am earlier; then, do you know how old is Henri?”
“He is over 200 years old…” Sayaka mum and now she looked more confused. All this time, she thought that Henri is Cloud’s Master.
“I am serving Henri, but he is not my Master.”
“Then what is Henri, why are you serving him?”
“Weren’t you listening Yuji-san? I said, he is my Young Master.”
Yuji creased his eyebrows looking annoyed on how Cloud is treating him.
“Sayaka, tell me, who did they say the owner of that charm?”
“Father, Henri only mentioned that the blood is from a family.”
“Aren’t you his uncle Mr. Ehrensvard?”
“Yes, I am.”
Sayaka turned to Cloud in surprise but he just smiled to her.
“Then whose blood would it be if it weren’t his or yours? There’s no other pureblood in the country aside from him, and you an Ancient One who have lived for too long could the only one rival this absurdity.”
“The thing that you should worry about Yuji-san is the fact that what you know about the weaknesses of high-ranked noble vampires might not be true or the magic stones or spells you know might not be truly effective against them and you’ve just been played all this time.” Cloud stand up and approached Yuji; Sayaka run in front of Cloud hysterically. He touched Sayaka’s shoulder and moved her to his side embracing her. “We are only concerned in keeping Sayaka safe, and as a gift to her, we are willing to give you the same protection.”
“Sayaka, leave us for a moment.” Yuji said as he sit back on his chair.
“But Father…”
“There’s nothing to worry about Sayaka.” Cloud said reassuring her. “I promise.”
- Writer
