Allies 12

Susa stood up with an air of elegance and closed the store's entrance. After she locked it, she took off her apron and sat back at the table.

"I wasn't trying to hide it. I had the vague hunch but wasn't sure either," Susa gave them an apologetic smile.

"Then you're the I family?" Mika briefly looked at Susa before sipping on his drink.

"Yes," Susa's eyes lit up even more.

"You're really perceptive," Lia tilted her head and observed Susa. Susa seemed harmless but Lia still couldn't trust her, despite her being from a hidden family.

"No, no, you're the perceptive one," Susa's smile really made one more comfortable, "How did you notice?"

"It wasn't hard and you weren't trying to hide it, anyone could've guessed," this 'anyone' made Mika choke on his drink who then tried to play it off cool.

"A few reasons only. It was also simply a guess. First, you didn't hesitate at all when you approached us and invited us to your store. Most people would get suspicious or curious but stay away, especially if they see a group of people strolling around casually when no one else is out. You neither questioned us nor showed it was out of the ordinary," each of Susa's expressions was engraved in Lia's mind.

Susa was calm and friendly-looking.

"The other reason is that you didn't question her calling this little boy young master. Most people would find it strange and can't help but ask."

Lily and Xavi looked at each other before Xavi averted his gaze, "Young Master! I-I'm sorry!"

Lia continued, "My last guess is because you offered us refreshments, asking us if we had something to eat yet as if you knew we've travelled for a while and came from a far place."

"And," Lia concluded, "You looked at Mika a few times too often."

Mika choked again and Susa quickly offered him a tissue, "Mika is your name?"

Mika grabbed the tissue and only nodded. Smiling Susa turned to Lia, "You're really perceptive unlike me. I was only guessing based on my intuition and not observation."

"Based on your intuition?" Xavi thought, "Have your parents told you anything about the I family's power?"

Susa shook her head.

"You know?" Lia questioned Xavi.

"Yep," Xavi nodded and Susa stood up, "Shall we go to my house? It's better than discussing it in a store."

With that, Susa guided them through the back of the store into a hallway that led to the house the I family lived in.

Unlike the A or D family, the I family had no attendants nor servants. The house seemed warm and cosy but void of any presence.

"Where are your parents?" Lily asked Susa.

"They're buying wares for our shop, they'll be back in the evening."

"Are you really one of the hidden families?" Mika couldn't believe that one of the prestigious families ended up like this.

Even though Lia wasn't sure if she should trust Susa. The place the I family lived in, compared to Mika's or even Xavi's mansion, seemed almost ridiculous.

It was only a normal family's house.

"Yes," Susa said and brought them to the living room, "I'm sorry, it's nothing fancy but my family has long stopped regarding themselves as a hidden family. They just want to live a normal life but,"

She beckoned them to sit on the sofa, "This doesn't mean we won't help or support other hidden families. As you can see we can't provide much but we'll do our best."

Susa's earnestness and genuineness seeped into everyone and it was a little sad to see her talk like this, willing to give her all despite not having much.

"It's fine, you are more than enough," Lia's words made Susa happy and Lia wasn't lying. The I family couldn't provide much support but as long as Lia had Susa as her trusted ally and power, it was indeed more than enough.

"Thank you. Although I know you're from the hidden families, can you tell me what your plans are? It seems like you're seeking to get all the hidden families together," Susa sat opposite to them on a chair and looked at each of them.

Xavi introduced everyone, detailing their plan, goals and future aspirations.

After he finished explaining, Susa reacted differently than Lia would ever imagine.

Susa got up, approached Lia and then with grace knelt in front of her. Then she took Lia's hand and kissed the back of it, "As the Immortal King and my master, I swear to loyally and faithfully serve and protect you."

Susa stunned everyone, especially Lia had no idea how to act and her cold face melted into slight embarrassment. Susa at this moment was truly like a knight vowing to forever protect its master.

It took a while before everyone recovered. Susa already let go of Lia's hand but continued to kneel in front of her with an admiring look.

"I promise I will do my utmost to defeat the Ghost King."

Gentle like a breeze, sunny like a beautiful flower and diligent like a fairy guardian, Susa with no hesitation accepted Lia as the immortal King and the person she would gladly lay her life down for.

"Why?" was all that Lia could ask.

Susa earnestly looked at Lia and said, "Because I'm convinced there's no one more suitable than you to be the Immortal King. No one more suitable than you to trust my life with."

"It's your intuition?"

"No, it's because I can see it. I can't explain it but it's a feeling I can see it."

Everyone was perplexed except for Xavi. Mika on the other side couldn't accept it, "You think someone like her is fit?"

Susa told Mika, "I do."

Mika sneered, "You haven't personally known her, so how can you-"

"Because I can see it. I always had some faint perception about things, and the moment I heard Lia is the Immortal King, I could see it."

Lia met Susa's gaze and felt weird inside. It wasn't uncomfortable, more like unnecessary warm and fuzziness. This was the first time someone, not even to mention a stranger, trusted and believed her, had so much faith in her despite knowing what she's done and caused.

It was a new experience Lia would come to treasure.

"It's because of the I family's power," Xavi explained, "Even though you're deprived of it, you still have some of it in you. It's natural I guess, the mortals believe it's a psychic power, that's why you could develop it."

"What's her power?" Mika wanted to know what kind of power Susa had to be so confident in Lia. Was it deception? Illusion? Misseeing things? Misinterpretation? Predicting the future? Or X-Ray vision?

"Clairvoyance."

Mika coughed lightly.

"Really?" even Susa was surprised but then she turned to Lia again, "Yes, I can see that Lia is a good person."

This kind of flattery suffocated both Lia and Mika. Lia in a good way and Mika in a bad way that left a sour aftertaste.