Chapter 1: Enigma in the Shadows (Part 2)

Episode 02

(In Face Of Seduction) 

"Do you know? The one you will fall in love with… It is said you can smell their blood from miles away… Because it's destiny that pulls you closer. I think it was like that with her. It was… Destiny…"

As he leaned back on the red wingback chair, drowning in memories of Raeliana, the woman who had captured his heart, Alex spoke with a passion and desire that was palpable.

Engulfed in thoughts of his beloved, Alex's gaze drifted away, his eyes slowly closing as he retreated into silence. Just then, a server, clad in a scarlet gown that left little to the imagination, sauntered into the private lounge with a decanter of crimson liquor. Her seductive smile and slow, deliberate movements revealed her to be a skilled seductress, and she wasted no time in making her way over to Julius and perching on the armrest of his ornate chair. The vibrant red hues of the enchanted lanterns and the sultry notes of trumpet jazz that filled the air only served to enhance her seductive intentions.

"Why not allow me the honor of a pour, My lord?"

She purred, her voice dripping with honeyed tones. Without waiting for Julius' permission, she leaned in front of him and poured the red liquor into his goblet. 

Julius, however, remained utterly unaffected. Forget about taking a sip of the liquor she poured, Julius didn't even bother to bat an eye at the server, completely disregarding her flirtatious advances. His icy demeanor left her visibly unsettled—clearly, she was unaccustomed to such disregard from any man.

Despite this, her initial dismay quickly gave way to something else entirely. Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade as a lustful grin curled her lips. Her pupils quivered uncontrollably, ablaze with unbridled lust. She breathed unevenly, her chest rising and falling with barely controlled excitement. Attempting to conceal her fervor, she dipped her head and covered her mouth with her hand, but the pull of her attraction was too potent to resist. Her fascination with Julius, so cold and detached, only intensified her desire, driving her to the edge of restraint.

Rising from the armrest of Julius' ornate chair, the server leaned toward him, deliberately showcasing her curves. With a coquettish smile, she swept her hair off her shoulder, revealing her pale collarbone and slender neck. In a swift, tantalizing gesture, she slit her neck with her long, sharp fingernail, causing blood to well up and trickle down her skin in a crimson stream.

"If not that, perhaps you would prefer this, My lord?"

She proposed, her voice thick with desire, her eyes alight with a wild longing.

This time, Julius allowed his gaze to linger momentarily on the woman, his expression unreadable. As his focus shifted, his hand relaxed, and the crystal vessel slipped from his grasp, shattering upon the stone floor, its contents spilling out like blood from a wound. His cold detachment remained unbroken, a stark contrast to the server's heated advances.

With a swift movement, he grasped her neck, drawing his face close to the self-inflicted wound on her neck. Her smile twisted grotesquely as her breathing grew heavier, anticipating his next move.

Yet instead of satisfying her dark desires, Julius leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper in her ear, "Disappear, you disgusting pest."

Her eyes widened, a mix of shock and humiliation flashing across her face at his biting rebuke. Before she could comprehend the rejection, Julius' hand thrust her back and immediately she collided with the wall of the dimly lit lounge. As she slumped to the ground, blood began to trickle from a gash on her forehead, her form crumpled and degraded against the stark stone, a stark testament to her disgrace.

"Seriously?! Must you shatter my solitude with such vulgar interruptions?" 

Alex, previously silent and brooding, burst forth from the chair, his anger palpable. He cast a disdainful glare at the server, regarding her as one might a particularly repugnant vermin.

He stalked over to her, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator cornering its prey. Crouching to confront her at eye level, his voice was low and laced with menace.

"Who requested your foul presence? Especially one reeking of blood so vile it offends the senses. Get the f*ck out of here before I decide to end your miserable existence."

Alex demanded in a menacing tone, his glare seething with barely contained wrath.

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It's pouring outside, with the rain coming down in sheets, cloaking the ancient cobblestone streets in a veil of melancholy mystery. The weather has been dreary like that for several days now. Well, it's the rainy season after all. 

If it wasn't for Alex's persistent begging, Julius would've never left his territory to meet him. At first, he didn't think much about it. To be perfectly honest, he had been in a foul mood for the past few days. Right… He never liked the Rain, to begin with. 

So, he just agreed to catch up with Alex, thinking that his mood couldn't possibly get any worse. In fact, he might feel better after seeing an old friend after a few decades.

Unfortunately for him, he was mistaken. He now regrets coming to this place and wishes he had never agreed to meet Alex. Had he known that he would encounter such lowlifes, he would have never agreed to come here. He wants to resent Alex for bringing him here. But remembering Alex's tantrum before they parted ways, he can't even do that. 

<

"I'm sorry, Julius. I never thought this tavern would be so terrible. Wahh~ You can't hate me~" 

Alex pleaded while clinging to Julius's knees.

"Alright. Don't worry about it."

Julius muttered with a heavy sigh.

>

Right. If he hadn't said that, Alex would have continued to pester him, and he would have never been able to leave that nauseating place.

"Master Julius."

As Julius stepped from the dimly lit confines of the tavern, a secretive place alive with whispered enchantments and the delicate chime of vials, he was greeted by his loyal butler, Elden, who stood under the protection of a large umbrella, a silent sentinel in the shadowy night.

Above them, the flickering light of lanterns cast eerie shadows upon the fog-enshrouded walls, making it seem as if the very darkness itself was watching. The damp air carried a musty scent of decay while the eerie howls of distant wolves wove through the night, adding layers to the mysterious ambiance.

Just then, a peasant boy from the tavern appeared, a lantern in one hand and an umbrella in the other, casting ghostly shadows that danced around them. As Julius strode towards the Moonrunner Carriage*, its dark, majestic form waiting like a phantom in the night, the servant's ghostly shadows danced around him, shielding him from the torrential rain. Elden trailed just a whisper away, his presence as silent as the grave.

As they approached the carriage, Elden deftly swung open the door. Julius, with a look of disdain, flung his leather gloves into the murky puddle below, as if casting away something tainted by foul magic, before stepping into the shadowy yet inviting interior of the carriage.

"Let's go." 

Julius commanded, his tone cold and detached.

"Of course, Master." 

Elden replied, his voice steady in the cool air, taking his place behind the wheels. Soon, with a low, mysterious hum, the Moonrunner came to life, poised to slip silently into the enshrouded darkness of the night.

*

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Tap* Tap* Tap*

The rhythmic beat of raindrops against the carriage window was the only sound that pierced the oppressive silence, like the slow ticking of a dark clock.

It has been half an hour since he left the tavern. Finally, after passing the cobbled streets, lit by the dim sway of iron lanterns, he has now entered his territory, his carriage rolled quietly along a road swallowed by the thick, dark embrace of the forest.

At his instruction, the carriage's headlights had been turned off. He never liked those things, to begin with. Right now, he is enjoying the soft strains of a violin serenade playing on the carriage's music player while gazing upon the depressing view outside.

The all-encompassing darkness outside was palpable. It was the dead of night, after all. For some reason, Julius felt suffocated.

~ Episode Extra ~

— The Moonrunner Carriage —

Imagine a carriage like no other, crafted by the brilliant yet eccentric, Mad Mage. This isn't your everyday horse-drawn cart. Instead, picture a carriage as sleek as the fanciest modern car, however—instead of running on your everyday fuel, it's powered by a rare luminescent moonstone. The whole thing is decked out in an elegant, pitch-black finish that seems to absorb light rather than reflect it.

Inside, it feels just like sitting in a high-end car, complete with all the typical features. But the real magic? It runs entirely on enchantments. 

And there's more—this carriage is protected by magical spells that activate on their own. Whenever it senses extreme danger nearby, these spells spring into action, guarding against any harm, be it mundane or magical.

~ End of Extra ~