Chapter 20

A man walked through the city streets during a starry night. He held an umbrella, shielding him from the rain. As he arrived at his destination, he rang the doorbell. After some time, a maid opens the door and lets him In. Inside he closes his umbrella and takes off his jacket and shoes.

When he looked at the woman, she pointed in a certain direction. "He's waiting in the room on the left down the hallway." With a nod, he smiles at her and she reciprocates this.

He firmly grasps the door handle and pushes it open, inside sat a man with ginger hair and a thick beard, who wore a loose white and gold robe. the ginger-haired man looked at him with a smile on his face. "It's an honor to meet the berserker of clockwork."

Daniel didn't like the name he had just spoken, but didn't show this sentiment in his expression. "Same goes to you Lorick, paladin of Infinity."

Lorick pointed at the sofa in front of him and Daniel accepted his offer. "Well, I would have enjoyed meeting someone such as yourself during different circumstances." Daniel agreed with him, by nodding as he sat down across him.

Seated Daniel picks up a notebook with one hand and holds a quill in the other. "Tell me everything you know about what happened during the attack I want to know every detail."

"Don't you already have all my recounts of what took place that day?" Daniel glared at Lorick, he wasn't in the mood for any of this. "I want to hear it personally. Is there a problem with that?"

Lorick noticed the irritation in Daniel's voice, which was kind of a surprise to him. "Not at all, I'll begin then." Before starting, Lorick clears his throat. "You must know what had happened all over Morgeura, after around a decade the goddess of innovation had relayed her prophet a new revelation, but this wasn't only in Pilantrop almost every major god had made their presence known once more. Sensing that change was coming the pope had sent us to every capital to converse with the prophets about these outworlders that were to come and how they could change the world we know-"

Intently listening Daniel raised his eyebrow when he heard Lorick speak of the outworlders. "Do you dislike the outworlders?"

Confused why Daniel would ask this he stopped his explanation and thought about his words. "I do not, I believe that anyone deserves a second, why do you ask?"

"Nothing important, just a simple curiosity of mine. I am sorry about disturbing your explanation, you may continue if you so please."

Lorick nodded his head and tried to remember where he was. "I think we were about an hour away from Pilantrop when it all transpired." Daniel wrote rapidly, not wanting to miss anything he would be saying in the coming moments. 

"Hearing a strange whistling sound, I observed my surroundings to understand what it might have been, but not long later the screams of my men clogged my ears. I turned around to help them deal with the aggressors, but I felt my body freeze up as I witnessed this horror take place." Daniel stared at Lorick and could see him shaking. "Their blood splashed through the air as their weapons struck each other. Afraid of the future mayhem that might come, I dashed forward and wielded my mace. I don't know how many of my innocent men I slaughtered, I couldn't tell friend or foe, so I could only rely on instinct and if they responded to my words. With my own hands, I struck down the people I had traveled with for years, we would sit by the campfire and laugh while our food was cooking. We could go through our hardships together with smiles on our faces. They joined me through my own journey as small farm boys, trained to be knights, and later becoming paladins in training. I even met their families as our bonds grew closer, some of them even had a wife and kids."

Lorick shot up off the couch and grabbed Daniel by the collar. "I am their butcherer when their blood covered my clothes and only seven of us were left. I swore I would rip out the heart of the bastard that did this, and what have you people done for me let me wallow in misery as you can't even come to terms with who did this."

Daniel Pulled Lorick's hands off him and glared at him. "And you suspect the vampires to be behind this."

"Who else could have done this, those filthy creatures should have been wiped out seven hundred years ago." Daniel's pressure surrounded Lorick cooling him down. "I am sorry for my action I'm somewhat on edge."

"There's not a single problem with that, but you should be able to control that rage instead of directing that at a person who wants to help you."

"You're right again I'm sorry for my outburst." When Lorick bowed towards him, Daniel closed the notebook he had brought. "I'll be taking my leave then if that was all."

As he walked away, Lorick dug deep inside of his mind. Daniel grabbed the handle and started to open the door. "Wait, wait, I might have something you might want to know."

Daniel turned his head and stared at him. "Go on then." Lorick tried to comprehend the fragmented memories he had of the whole situation. "I'm certain someone was watching us from a distance. I couldn't get a good look at them, but I'm certain they had long black hair and blood-red eyes."

Daniel wrote the description down on another page before putting the notebook away again. "Thank you for all the information you could give me. I'll make sure to find the ones behind this incident as fast as I can." With that, Daniel left the room.

Lorick Watched him leave, causing him to curse under his breath.

When Daniel finished putting everything back on, he picked up his umbrella. He glanced behind him once more and saw a younger man with green eyes standing at the top of the stairs. "It's an honor to meet you, sir."

"You must be one of Lorick's men."

"That's right. I'm the vice captain of his division."

"You are quite young for the vice-captain position, impressive. Well, I'll be on my way then."

Right as he was about to leave, the young man's words stopped him. "Why do you look disappointed?" Daniels's eyes glared at him. "Did you not hear what you wanted?"

Daniel shook his head and paid no mind to the foolish young man's words. "No, I heard exactly what I wanted." After Closing the door behind him, Daniel opened his umbrella.

the vice-captain ran down the stairs and appeared in front of Lorick. "How did it go?"

"The same as with Natasha. They don't want to believe us."

"What a pity. What are you going to do then?"

"If Clockwork doesn't want to take action. We'll have to do it ourselves."

With the sound of a woman's voice and the creaking of the bed inside my head, I woke up. I still felt delirious and when I saw my surroundings, I noticed I was certainly not in my bed. The mattress I was lying on felt a lot softer and of better quality, and around the bed was a veil. While rubbing my eyes, I sat upright on the bed.

"You're awake." My heart stopped when I felt the skin of someone against me. I turned my head towards the familiar voice next to me and almost stumbled out of bed. My cheeks became unbearably red as I stared at Valentine who was lying next to me.

When she saw my flustered reaction, she got upright in bed. She held the blankets around her body, but I could still clearly see her seductive figure. From the look on her face, I could tell she knew what she was doing. When she got up, her naked body disappeared behind the veil. With the clap of her hands, two maids entered the room.

The maids still saw a figure in her bed making them turn to Valentine, but she didn't say anything or bother to explain. 

Valentine walked behind a divider and her maids followed her.

Just when I got some time to breathe the doors flew open once more. "Valentine!"

"Yes, Drekem?" When he heard her from behind the divider, he breathed in and out. "What did you do when I was gone!?"

She acted oblivious to his words and spoke with an innocent tone. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

With a sour look on his face, he walked towards the bed and opened the veil. "Why is he in your room?"

"Why don't you wait with the interrogation for after I'm dressed, alright." Anger reappeared in Valentine's voice as she listened to him.

Annoyed by the situation, Drekem walked back to the door and bowed in her direction. "I'll take my leave then."

"That would be nice." After Valentine's words, he glared at me one more time before slamming the door close behind him.

When Valentine finished being dressed, she walked towards me and kissed my forehead. "You did great, I'll see you later then." With that, she goes through the doors and disappears from my sight.

As I fall on my back, I rub my hands over my face. "What happened yesterday."

Two days before.

"Miss, I'll be leaving for the city tomorrow." Drekem stood inside a study in front of Valentine who was formally clothed and seated on the chair behind her bureau.

"Are you going to see father?"

"I am, miss."

"Why did he call you this time?"

He stood there, gulping nervously, struggling to find the right words. "it's for your future."

"Oh, is that all?"

"Yes, miss. I do have something else I would like to ask of you."

Valentine placed the quill in her hand to the side and looked up at him with her blood-red eyes. "What could that be?"

"I know you didn't take him in just because of the kindness in your heart. I just want you to do nothing rash while I'm gone."

She raised an eyebrow as she heard his words. With her arms crossed she leans into her chair and glares at him. "Oh, I didn't know my butlers had any say in deciding what I can or can't do."

"Miss, as your personal aid I just want the best for you." His every word seemed full of anxiety to Valentine.

"I understand now leave." Drekem felt the rage in her voice. While he walked away, he wanted to turn around but knew he would just make her angrier. With a weak grip, he grabbed the door handle and stopped for a second, but didn't look back at her. "Please rethink what I just said." he pulled open the door, but was stopped by her next sentence.

"Drekem you have served me for many years even sworn an oath to me do you still hold yourself to those words?" Drekem's body froze on the spot, he thought about what to say while his body shivered and his teeth were clenched together. "Of course, miss."

When Valentine stepped into a room, she could see Drekem walking in circles. "You wanted to speak?" Valentine was dry and cold while she spoke to him.

"Miss, how could you do something like that with a half-breed such as him."

Valentine noticed his aggressive behavior causing her to glare at him. "Are you presuming things you do not know?"

Drekem got a hold of himself, knowing well he was going about it in the wrong way. "Did you do it with him?"

"Is that something I have to tell you?" While Valentine spoke, her right hand moved towards her stomach.

Nervously Shaking Drekem said down across her. "Can you at least tell me what you sacrificed?"

"I don't see a reason for you to know that."

"Miss, you know whose daughter you are. You can't act like this just on a whim." 

When she hears him, Valentine frowns. "Let's stop, I'm not in the mood to talk anymore." She stands up and grabs the handle to leave.

"Miss-" She cut between his words, making her feelings very clear to him. "I'll ask again, whose best interest cling to your mind, mine or someone else's?" Not wanting to hear his answer, she slams the door close behind her.

Days pass by and the relationship between Valentine and her head butler didn't get any better. Even though she refused to see him face to face again, he still had to do that large administrative task around the house. While I followed Valentine from room to room to take care of her every need.

As I walked into her study, I could see her doing paperwork. "I have brought all the letters that have arrived for you."

"Thank you, you can put them there." I Placed them on a corner of her bureau and walked to the side, standing as still as a statue.

Unlike her usual attire, she had put on a shirt that was tucked in the pants she wore and had glasses on. The difference in clothing style made her look more authoritative than in the dresses she normally wears.

From time to time, we would have a casual conversation, and she would tease me occasionally, but I couldn't say I didn't enjoy all the time I had spent with her. 

I turned my head when I heard someone knocking on the door, but Valentine didn't even glance at it. "Yes?"

"Miss." When she heard Drekem's voice, Valentine's previously cheerful demeanor turned cold. "The young master has come by to see you."

With a sigh, she stands up from her chair. I followed behind her, but she stopped me while turning to me. "You stay here, it won't take long."

"Okay." Before leaving the study, she smiled at me.

Inside a waiting room sat a young man. When the door opened, his blood-red eyes stared at his sister who came through.

"It's been a while, brother." 

"It's good to see you as well little sister."

Seated across from him, Valentine directed her gaze towards him. "Why have you come here?"

"Is there something wrong with me wanting to come and see my sister?" She knew her brother well enough causing her to turn to Drekem and glare.

"Quick-witted aren't you, but you know I would have found out about that new little pet of yours, but Valentine, if what I have been told is indeed correct you know what that means, right."

"He's not a pet and why can't I choose to do what I want, isn't it my life in the end."

"Sis, you know how things like these go, your actions reflect all of us if you want to justify them you have to prove your resolve." 

Valentine couldn't help but gaze directly at her brother due to a mix of intrigue and wariness. "What are you trying to get at Viktor."

"Are you sure you want to keep this facade up?" Valentine didn't say anything to what he said. "You can glare at me all you want, but I know what kind of person you are."

"Really now, I thought you hated me?"

Viktor laughed at her words, but his eyes showed no emotions. "I guess that's what you can believe. Now then, if this is truly what you want, I'll have a word with Father about it."

"What, bu-" Drekem walked out of his spot and wanted to say something, but Viktor's voice went over his. "Shut up, Drekem!" Viktor's red eyes were slightly covered by his black hair, but Drekem clearly saw the fury in them.

"Why are you doing this?" Viktor could hear the doubt in his sister's words, making him give her a kind look. "Why? Can't an older brother do a favor for his little sister anymore."

Viktor's last sentence stuck with Valentine and she didn't know how to feel about it. "Whatever. Was that all, or anything else?"

"Of course, I wanted to see you again before leaving for Pilantrop." Valentine stared at him in disbelief making Viktor laugh. "What didn't like my honest answer."

"Shut up, I'm leaving." She stood up and pulled open the door. "Valentine was any of this planned by you?" This made Valentine stop and stare at him. "No, it was all a coincidence." With that, she slams the door close.

When Valentine walked back into her study, she could see me in the corner of her eye. "Did everything go well?" As she turned to me, her annoyed expression disappeared, and she smiled at me. "Yeah."

Back behind her bureau she picked up the first letter at the top of the stack and began going through them. After some time, she looked at an envelope for a few seconds, grabbed it with both her hands, and ripped it into pieces. "Samuel, are you hungry?"

Fluster by her actions, her words struck me out of my daze, and I looked at the clock. A few hours had already passed, but it was still some time until she would normally have lunch. "M-" Not giving me time to say anything she walked past me and stopped at the door. "Are you coming or not?"

I sighed knowing I couldn't change her mind. Valentine got ahold of my hand and pulled me through the halls of the mansion.

In the dining hall, she tapped her finger on the table as she waited for her food. When she turned her head, all the servants in the room straightened their backs and sweat dripped down their foreheads.

"I don't think I should be sitting-" While I stumbled over my words Valentine stopped me, she seemed somewhat disappointed. "And who's going to stop you?."

The atmosphere in the room felt strange while I sat next to Valentine at the dining table, but that ended when the door to the hall slammed open and a man huffing and puffing ran in. "Miss, your brother's carriage has been attacked!"