Chapter 4: A New Journey

"Welcome.", A deep voice coming from the altar. That man sits on his glimmering silver throne, waiting for their arrival.

"Praise be to my Lord.", Hei She said, and both of them are bowing to that man. Now, the altar that was closed with layers of red thin cloth, opened widely. The cloth are being tied to the sides of the altar. Ai Lie can see that man's face clearer than before. He really is handsome.

He raises from his throne, and walks down to the point where Ai Lie stands. He is standing in front of her. Ai Lie raises her head, looking at his eyes straight forward. 'he is very tall!', she is secretly admiring this man. He is the tallest man Ai Lie has ever met. Because their height's gap is far, the man lowers his upper body, and their faces are become closer than before. Ai Lie become a bit nervous.

"You're back sooner than I thought. You only took 4 hours. How was your day?", that man smirks to her.

"Um... Everything is fine. I have completed my tasks, and that is all thanks to you, Your Majesty. And..."

"And?", that smirks become wider, like he is hiding an evil intention.

"The gold bars that you gave me, each bar worth more than my family's debt. But I sell all of them. So.... I give this back to you.", Ai Lie takes all of the money from her bag, and hands it over to that man in front of her. she doesn't dare to look into his face so she lowers her head.

"This... I actually took more for my family savings. I gave them as much as one gold bar price. I'm really sorry, Your Majesty, for being presumptous."

"Hmm... Good girl. Very good girl. Then, I'll take those back.", He is smiling evilly. 'Swoosh!' suddenly, all those money disappear from Ai Lie's hands.

"How about your belongings, have you bring them here?"

"Yes, I put them in my bag.", Her belongings are very few. She only brought 2 shirts, her private clothings, a long jogger pants, an old worn pajamas and the rests are just a book and pencilcase. Her school bag is big enough, fit for her belongings and that large amount of money.

He pats her head a few times, "Good girl. Now, Jiu Lan, take her to her room."

The young woman that wears half cat shaped mask approaches them, "Yes, Your Highness. Please, follow me."

Ai Lie is following Jiu Lan's direction, but suddenly that man stops them, "Wait, we haven't know your name yet. What's your name, little girl?"

She turns her body around to that man, "Ai Lie, Your Majesty. My name is Ai Lie."

"Ai Lie?", He chuckles, "Hmm.. Ai, huh? What a lovely name. You may leave. And the rest, you all are dismissed."

"Yes, Your Majesty.", All of the ghosts in that hall starting to back to their own business, leaving that man and his guard alone in that hall.

They are continuing their way to the 'her room'. They are passing through a big golden door on the left side of the main hall. There are many rooms and ornaments along the way. Maybe, those rooms belong to the ghosts she saw in the main hall.

On their way, Ai Lie was thinking about what will that man do to her. 'Is he going to kill me after this? But that snake said that it depends on his mood.' Then, she started to fantazise horror scenes in her mind. 'Is the room that we are going to is where he is going to kill me? Is he going to eat me there? Or am I going to be sacrificed in some kind of ritual? Or...'

"We are here.", Jiu Lan said.

"E-eh?", Ai Lie jolted. She was too busy with her mind until she didn't know that they have arrived to that room.

The room is still close to the main hall, a few steps from that main hall. The room has a crimson wooden door. When they entered the room, Ai Lie is amazed. This bedroom is even bigger than her whole house. On the right corner of the room, there is a fancy wooden divan with soft queen size bed on it. Beside the bed, is a small table, and a very large wooden wardrobe that facing the entrance door. On the left side, there is an indoor bathroom.

There are also 3 chairs, and a big table in the middle of them, arranged in the middle of the room, as if she will have some guests and having chat there. The decorations in that room are fancy. But the only thing that is lack in this room is the lighting. The lamp is using an old traditional oil lamp, and there is only one lamp, placed on a small wooden table next to the bed. The ghosts must be loving the dark so much.

"This room, is beautiful... It's like a hotel! They even have an indoor bathroom here!", Ai Lie admirers every side of the room.

"This room is yours now. His Majesty has given this to you.", Jiu Lan said.

"Thank you, Jie Jie, for delivering me here. I will thank His Majesty by myself later when I meet him."

"Do you think the decoration is nice?"

"Of course it is!"

"*Cough* *Cough* I was the one who decorated this room." , Jiu Lan said, as if she is looking for praise from Ai Lie's mouth.

But Ai Lie understands that. Eventhough it's a bit awkward for an older woman looking a compliment from the younger one, she said, "Good job, Jie Jie, you are doing the best! I'm certainly in love with your works!", She gives her thumbs up. Her compliment is a bit lame actually. She never praise someone before.

Jiu Lan doesn't understand Ai Lie's body languange. She tries to copy her thumbs up, "What is the meaning of this?"

"It means... Umm... G-good job!", awkwardly Ai Lie replies her questions.

"Ah, thank you, you are making me embarrased.", Her cheeks slightly turning red.

"Ahahaha...", Ai Lie awkwardly chuckles. She is confused how to replying this conversations properlu. This is why she could never make friends in her school.

"Take some rest, Xiao Mei.", Jiu Lan said, as she walks out from her room.

Ai Lie puts her bag on the chair. She sits on the side of that soft bed. Because the bed is too comfortable, she lays her upper body. She is tired. Just in one day, there are too many events that happened in her life. She closes her eyes, and in a short time, she falls asleep. She already forgets her horror thoughts in her mind and fall into that lovely room that His Majesty gave her.

"Little girl, can I come in?", It's that man's voice, coming from outside of the door. But no one replies him.

"Hey, Ai.", Still no one replies.

Frustrated, he enters the room forcely. He finds Ai Lie fell asleep, but not her whole body is laid on the bed. Her feet are still touching the ground. He removes her shoes from her feet, put one his hand below her head and the other one is below her legs. He lifts her whole body, and lays her on the bed properly. She didn't awake at all.

He brushes her cheek softly. He sits on her right side, and lowering his head near to her face. His eyes are glowing red. He is casting a spell on her, but what kind of spell that he puts on her is unknown. After staring on her face for a long time, the glow in his eyes are fading away. He lets out a long breath.

He pokes her cheek with his finger, but his long black polished nail is a bit scratching her skin. Her eyebrows flinches, and she starts to let out a small voice. 'Oh, no!', He is silently in panic.

"hmm..", She opens her eyes slowly.

"Oh, I fell asleep?", She gets up from bed, and yawning.

"Ah, how could I sleep when the sun is still up there?", She takes her bag from the chair, starting to unpack her few belongings.

"Wait a minute. I'm not in that world anymore. There is no sun here. Oh right, maybe I should meet him after this. I want to know what's his plan on my life. And I should say thank you for letting me stay in this room for a while.", She is talking alone.

She puts in her worn out clothes in that very large wardrobe.Then, she feels ashamed of that wardrobe, there is still too much empty space. Why would someone uses a large wardrobe for keeping only 2 shirts, a jogger pants, and old worn pajamas? She feels her pride hurt, thinking about how poor she is.

She takes a bath, and change her clothes. After that, she goes out from her room, and wandering around.

"Hmm.. where should I go? I don't know much of this place yet. If I open a wrong room, I'm afraid someone will be angry to me. Or... Should I go to this room?", Her right hand is approaching to a random door, readily to open it.

"You don't have to.", A deep voice, coming behind her. He holds her wrist tightly, as if he tries to stop her from doing wrong things.

"Y-Your Majesty!", Ai Lie was shocked.

"What business do you have with me?", He pulls her hand, taking her away from that door, and they both are walking back to her front door.

"Uh.. Uh... I-I just wanna say thank you for letting me stay in that fancy room...", He is still holding her wrist tightly.

"...", He stares at Ai Lie's eyes sharply, making her nervous.

"A-and I want to ask... about my future here..."

"It depends on my mood. You don't have the rights to know about my actions."

'This man is angry to me!', Ai Lie's internally crying, terrified with the man that standing in front of her. His height makes him more intimidating.

"Now, go back to your room. If you still want to live, don't wandering inside the demon's lair unless there's someone who accompanies you.", as he finally let go of his grip.

That means there are so many dangerous rooms inside this building. Ai Lie should have known about that, but her curiosity was too great until she almost entered a random door.

Ai Lie nodded a few times, "Y-yes, Your Highness, I-I'm terribly sorry!"

"...", He still doesn't want to reply her.

He is approaching her closer than before. Ai Lie become more nervous as he walks closer and closer to her, she internally screams, 'Stop! You're too close!'. Then he whispers to her ears, "Good night.", And suddenly Ai Lie losing her consciousness. That man caught her body from falling. He carries her back to her bed. He stares at her before leaving the room.

"Sweet dreams.", He brushes her cheek once more, and soon after that, he leaves her room.