The Chinese Prince or Something

As Ru closed the door behind him, the shadow of the umbrella man on the study wall seemed to ripple and flow to the floor, solidifying into a three-dimensional figure. Heise revealed himself to Dekaris. He stood calmly, his bamboo umbrella resting lightly against his shoulder.

"May I ask what you're trying to accomplish, my lord?" Heise inquired; his tone was unclear, as usual.

Dekaris didn't look up, his gaze fixed on the desk in front of him. "I don't know how much of what happened you've seen, and frankly, I'm not interested in it. Leave me alone," he said, his voice cold and dismissive.

Heise sighed softly, closing his bamboo umbrella with a quiet snap. "I believed I could stop you by imitating Almighty Ru. But you kept going, and... I had no choice but to reveal myself. If I hadn't intervened, you would have—"

"Did anyone ask for your explanation?" Dekaris snapped, slamming his fist on the desk. The sound echoed through the room, sharp and final.

Heise was like still water, but his temperature is uncertain. "All you had to do was show Ru his friends. Then draw his blood for your sister. But you failed."

Dekaris' jaw tightening. For a moment, he was silent, his fist still clenched on the desk. Then, slowly, he raised his head, his glowing red eyes locking onto Heise's. "Heise..." he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "You are a smart man... Even though I don't know exactly who you are..." He paused, his gaze piercing. "I'm almost certain you'll trap me."

Heise's expression remained neutral, though a faint sigh escaped him. "It would have been more logical for you to suspect Ru before me, my lord." He stepped past Dekaris's desk, his movements graceful and deliberate. As he reached the door, he paused, his hand resting on the handle. Without turning, he added, "With your permission, I'll set things right for you."

Dekaris said nothing, his silence heavy and loaded. Heise didn't wait for a response. He opened the door and stepped out, leaving the vampire lord alone in the dimly lit study.

Meanwhile—

Ru, his pride shattered at the hands of the vampire lord, rushed out of the study, clenching his teeth to keep from screaming. He felt used and humiliated—moreover, his anger had rendered him powerless to help his friends. Now he was left alone in the twilight outside the door, in a corridor he did not know, with the parchment in his hand.

He walked briskly, glancing at the shadows, particularly his own. The manor's silence bothered him, making him feel more frustrated. Ru tried to call out to Almighty Ru within his mind, but there was no response—no sense of connection.

"This place must be under some kind of magical protection," he thought, slowing his pace as he approached the end of the corridor.

Before him, a small alcove came into view, dimly lit. At his location, the corridor branched off, leading into the pitch black. Three ways each one seems darker than the last, and Ru wasn't sure which way to go.

As he removed his hat and scratched his head, he noticed a warm, familiar scent—chocolate sauce. He frowned, confused by the unexpected sensation. Finally, his growling stomach made the decision. His feet took him towards the source of the comforting aroma.

Finally, Ru found himself stepping into a large area that could only be described as a grand lobby. A fireplace crackled softly in the corner, its warm glow casting flickering light across the room.

There, by the fire, reclining comfortably on a velvet sofa, was a figure—the very same mystical shadow Ru had glimpsed earlier. The man was striking, his long, silken hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall of ink. He was dressed in traditional Chinese robes, the intricate embroidery catching the firelight and shimmering with every subtle movement. His presence was regal—may be he was a prince or...

Ru's breath caught as he met the man's gaze. His eyes—were they blue, green, or turquoise?—seemed to shimmer with an inner light, their expression soft and welcoming, as though they were smiling. Perhaps he was pleased to see Ru; it was impossible to tell.

"Good evening," the man said and gestured toward an empty chair across from him. "Be my guest."

With cautious steps, Ru approached the man. He was already bewildered and hungry, and the sight of the coffee table piled high with pastries and fruits just made matters worse.

"Who are you?" Ru inquired, seeking to hide his feelings, but the growl from his stomach revealed his hunger and impatience.

The man smiled knowingly. "Oh, you can't have forgotten me, Lirui."

"What? How?" Ru muttered, though his thoughts were already drifting toward the sweets. "I could use some sugar right now. I'm starving. I could eat."

The man adjusted his posture, extending a hand toward the coffee table. His tone was calm and reassuring. "Lirui, sit down and enjoy. There's no need to rush—I'm no witch."

Ru patted his stomach, trying to soothe the loud hunger pangs. Once he'd regained some composure, he straightened and asked, "Are you a sorcerer?"

The man, Heise, chuckled softly. "Am I a sorcerer?"

Ru's eyes, taking in the tempting sweets on display, quickly shifted to the sword resting on the sofa. His brows shot up in surprise. "Are you a warrior?"

"I'm both." Heise approached Ru, demonstrating his height with beautiful movements. "A swordsman whose spells are more powerful than you'd believe."

"Are you a Chinese prince or something?" Ru asked, standing on tiptoe in response.

Heise chuckled, pulling a large folding silk fan from his belt and opening it with a flourish. "I'm surprised you don't remember me. I'm the sorcerer you've been searching for."

As Heise lifted the folding fan from his face, his expression faltered—Ru had vanished. He peeked over his shoulder and saw the young man eating the cake.

"Of course," Heise sighed with a smile.

Then, with an air of nobility, Heise took the sword, fastening it to his waist, and sat in the chair he had initially offered Ru. "I'm not a prince. I'm the one who stopped Jasper from drinking your blood. And I've stopped the vampire lord who fell for your charm."

Ru still focused on eating and pointed to the pot of chocolate sauce by the fire, his mouth full. "Can I get some of that?"

Moving with Heise's magic and the direction of his fan, the ladle emerged from the pot and delicately poured the chocolate sauce onto Ru's fruit plate.

"Wow! Thanks," Ru said, eyes wide with excitement as he continued to eat.

Heise smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. "That vampire Lord didn't play with you. And he didn't reject you. In fact, he was completely fascinated."

"Thanks, but I don't care." Ru wiped his mouth with a napkin, trying to appear polite despite his ravenous appetite. "What was your name?"

Heise crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Ru arrogantly. "I'm Heise."

Ru hesitated, momentarily taken aback. He glanced up at Heise, a flicker of recognition crossing his mind, but he still felt uncertainty. "Heise... I understand," he murmured, taking another bite of cake.

"For the twelfth time, nice to meet you too, dear Liru Xiaolian," Heise said with a thin smile.

"Twelfth time?" Ru asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Oh yes, overall you are a failure," Heise said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not responsible for the other twelve Rui's failures," Ru said as he poured tea into the cup.

"You are so successful that you were about to make a deal without knowing what the outcome would be," Heise said sarcastically, taking the teacup Ru had filled.

"That tea was mine," Ru said. While pouring tea into the other cup, he continued, "I may sacrifice anything to save my friends."

"So you're saying you got used to being a slave at some point. That's interesting," Heise said, taking a sip of tea.

"Slave? Where did you get that idea?" Ru asked, looking annoyed at him.

"After all, I'm the sorcerer who wants the seal of the djinn sultan. I've got to know something," Heise said, over with a narrowed gaze.

Ru slammed his teacup on the coffee table and turned directly to Heise. "I'm not concerned with the past. If you want the djinn sultan, have Anaxarete bring him in."

Heise placed the teacup on the coffee table. Then he looked into Ru's eyes and said solemnly, "You're the only one who knows the sultan's name; moreover, you've got his seal on you. If you help me out here, I'll save you from genies and give you the edge in the game."

"You sent a psycho to stalk me, despite your kindness," Ru criticized.

"I thought your artistic personalities would match. Couldn't I be wrong?" Heise said.

With a confident expression on his face, Ru made his decision. "The vampire Lord is a joke compared to you," he stated. "You're so fancy and cunning that I'll believe you, no question, even if I'm not a fool."

"I'm glad you like the joker class. You should know that the Marionette of Dream card is quite advantageous," Heise stated, taking the teacup and sipping it.

"Jester class. I'd like to know when we came to this topic," Ru stated, taking the roll of parchment from the coffee table and opening it.

"The Joker is more modern, so I updated the Jester to the Joker," Heise said.

"So, your subliminal message is that 'I can game the system'?" Ru said, glancing at his card and seeing the change.

"It's easy for me," Heise stated, placing his wine glass on the coffee table.

"You were drinking tea just now," Ru said in surprise.

"I drink wine now," Heise replied.

Ru was shocked when he looked at the coffee table again. Instead of sweets, he saw all kinds of cheeses there. "Are you playing with reality or my mind?" he asked.

"I can play with minds, but I can also play with spaces. Maybe with a little time, too," Heise said pleasantly.

"Can you impress me some more?" Ru asked eagerly.

"Sure," Heise said.

From that moment on, Ru witnessed their area slowly transform.

"Woah!"

Everything was slowly being enveloped in a thin layer of ice. But the temperature did not change at all. From moment to moment, beautiful decorations were being drawn on the ice. A warm breeze carried the scent of flowers.