The meeting is set & Information about mother

Peter leaving the office, Vlad walked to Sofiya, who was still tearing up while holding the paint of the blonde-haired woman and asked in a calm and warm tone.

"Just cry if you want to cry, no one will see your weak side, but me."

Sofiya, hearing his voice, sniffed a bit while tearing up and said to him in a sobbing tone.

"She is my mother. My mother I have never met, the one who gave birth to me. This is the first time I see her face."

While walking to her, sitting next to her, holding her in his embrace, he said while also thinking.

"She sure would be a good mother. I also thank her from where she's watching you right now in Heaven, for giving such a flower to take care of. Come, don't be sad."

'Don't tell that that old piece of shit really didn't let her know about her mother? Are you really that manipulative and egoist, to hold this girl away from the knowledge of her maternal side?'

'Tsk, I knew he looked like the typical boyar or dukes of other major countries who are focusing more on their own gains until they die but to be such a petty person.'

Sofiya held on to his hand while she began calming herself after some good minutes of crying.

'I will need to have a talk with that scheming old man, see the reason of not telling Sofi about her mother. Was she someone he didn't want his son to marry, yet his son insisted.'

'Ahh, yes, that old tailoress, she said something about the fact that he wanted to keep it a secret and even rushed out from the shop without even visiting to check on the progress. Did the woman he chose be of a low birth that conflicted with the aspiration of the old man?'

--" That really quite the accurate guessing master. I also felt that the old man was someone with hidden agendas."--

'Maybe? I will take Sofi with me, let her know the history of her family properly.'

As he held Sofiya in his embrace, the young woman who managed to recover from her initial shock and tear rush said to Vlad in a warm and sweet tone.

"Thank you, dear."

"For what?"

"Always standing next to me in these moments and supporting me in my rough days." said Sofiya while placing her head on his chest.

Vlad just warmly smiled at her and wiped some tears on her face while adding in the cuddle. (A/N: Who wants a cuddle? Tell me which one of the girls from my roaster would you like?)

"That's my responsibility, my love. I will be there for you, whenever you need me, as you stood behind me in my nightless days when I had to plan for the city expansion and establish connections with the other noble houses."

"Dear, tell me. Should I confront my grandfather in order to find everything he knows about my mother?"

"You should, or if you want I can do this in your place and tell you back what I found. However, probably I will rough the old man a bit."

"No need for you to interfere, it's my own responsibility to finally confront grandfather on what happened with my mother and why father behaved weirdly when I was little."

"Okay, if this is what you desire. I will just be watching behind your back."

Ending saying that Vlad stood there for Sofiya in silence while she embraced him. Only after some time of silence, he asked her.

"What about the dress, aren't you curious to see it and dress in it?"

"No, I will look at it by myself. Who knows, what surprise this will hold for you."

"Hmmm, surprises? Sure, I will wait for it then."

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Finally, after staying with Sofiya for almost 30 minutes, he said, looking into her emerald eyes and beautiful face.

"Sofi, I will go out for a bit and check on what that Kirin guy wants from me, until then. Go play around the casino, here take the rest of the money."

"It's already that time? Don't worry about me, you can go meet that marine officer, but remember. Be careful. As for those games, I will have Peter teach me."

"I will, my dear anemone. Also, take it lightly with the games, don't throw a tantrum if you lose to the other nobles or some idiot. It's just a game at the end of the day."

Saying that he saw Sofiya chuckle a bit, making him give her a kiss on her lips before raising to walk out of the office.

Walking out of the office, Vlad was met with Peter, who was seated on a small couch, smoking from a pipe.

"My lord, did you calm down the mistress? Now, are you going to meet that Kirin guy?"

"Indeed, Peter, but don't worry it's not like those marines here can even do a thing to me. Right, take Sofiya around the casino and place her in the games suited for ladies, the roulette thing or maybe the card game, poker."

"Can she even play poker, my lord? That's game needs some time to be able to win some money."

"Peter, don't look down on her. She's so smart, so much that she will pick things up from the fly, only showing her as an example. How did the old masters in the books I've read said it was called, yea Photographic Memory."

"Worry not, my lord. I haven't looked down on Lady Sofiya since I met her in Sagletius."

Vlad nodded his head and patted Peter's shoulder while also looking at the smoking pipe.

"Also, drop smoking those tobacco stuff. From my research, it creates a particular substance in the brain that makes your brain crave for more. That's the adrenaline rush.

Checking the effects of the smoke on my body, I can tell you it is harmful. The blood pressure increases, heart rate accelerates. Your blood ability to carry oxygen to your organs and body is denied by something nasty I have no clue about. (A/N: That's Carbon Monoxide buddy, but obviously you will not know about it)

However, keep another thing in mind. While doing this so-called "smoking" once in a while can't be too harmful, if you are doing it too often, your lungs, the things inside your chest that help you breath will accumulate a dirty substance like mud."

"Aren't you exaggerating my lord, this is just a minor thing that helps me calm down. I feel just fine, after smoking, so it shouldn't be that bad."

Vlad, hearing that denying answer, looked a bit angry at Peter and extended his hand. Blood began to flow in his hand and started morphing in the shape of lungs, to Peter's surprise.

"This is the organ that helps you breathe and also keep the blood cycle steady. Here let me show you where this cursed substance would start popping and how it looks from the inside."

Saying that with only a twitch of his eyebrow, the lung got split in two to let Peter see how it was inside. Then to create a more accurate depiction of what he analyses using his blood powers while smoking some cigars and cigarettes, he added some dark power flowing toward the lung and beginning to spread around, like dark ash.

After some more seconds, it took the dark energy to settle on the lung. Peter slowly lowered the pipe from his mouth and stared with big eyes at Vlad.

"Lord, what is that thing? Does this happen already happened to me?"

"Not yet, you moron. But if you are still sucking on that pipe like it's your woman's vagina or breast, you will for sure turn like this. Don't doubt me, while this is an accurate estimation of how the lungs of people who did it for a long period of time, your body is able to heal back, by itself."

Peter put off the fire on the pipe, lowered it down, and bowed his head at Vlad while still looking shocked at what he just saw.

"Boss, this devil's power of yours is really crazy. You can even look inside of your body and see those small changes that would prove dangerous. Now that I think about it, I knew some guys who died for some weird reason, who coughed hard and even spit some darkish blood. Was it because of that?"

"I can't say for sure, the symptoms since my body automatically recovers. However, this matter requires more research."

Saying that he canceled his blood manipulation ability, drew back his blood, and began walking out of the casino while leaving a Peter who looked coldly at the pipe he just smoked.

Moving toward the streets of Valent city, Vlad thought about this minor incident with Peter, who he saw smoking, and remembered Nius, who he saw smoking those cigars since he was a 10 year old.

'Ahh, old man, what should I do with you? You probably are sick by that black ash substance and your blood vessels are also damaged. You are also a headstrong, old fool who didn't want to listen to me and stop smoking those things.'

He walked on the streets like a casual person and finally stopped in front of the marine base building guarded by some marine guards.

"Sir, this area is prohibited for the citizens. Do you have any appointment with an officer?"

"Not really, but I hold some information that might interest Commodore Kirin, since I've heard he's looking for a person."

"Ohhh, you know about Sir Blood? Come, let me lead you to Sir Kirin's office. He shouldn't be occupied with appointments or meetings with the nobles."

Saying that, the marine guard who offered to take Vlad inside the marine base signaled the other guards that it was fine to open the large door of the building.

Walking inside, Vlad could see the order the things were arranged inside this building. It felt spacious, like a noble mansion.

"Follow me, sir. Don't wander aimless or I will be scolded by the superiors." added the young marine who saw Vlad space out a bit to take in the new environment he was in.

"Ahh, yes. Let's move on." added Vlad while recovering from his blank state while thinking in his mind.

'This place isn't half-bad. Hmm, this Kirin guy should be on the 3rd floor of the building since I remember seeing him the time I tossed that pirate parasite head to him. He's owning me, 75.000.000 bellies so to speak.'

--" Master are you kidding? No one will give you any money for doing a free service."--

'Hmm, right. Do you want something from me this time?'

The dark entity in his mind turned silent with this comment, and Vlad began walking the stairs following the lead of the marine seaman and could also see people walking down the stairs.

As he was going up to the 3rd floor, the seaman walked to a room that was relatively the last one on the entire row of rooms. He walked to that door while Vlad was behind him and knocked it.

Inside the room, a middle-aged man who seemed to be around 1,93 meters and wearing a clean purple suit that he matched well with his marine coat that had the stripes of a Commodore heard the knock on the door.

The middle-aged man, who had dark hair and a pair of brown eyes, stopped reading some reports that contained some information about two names, Kipset and Inorra.

Thinking that the chore boys he asked to make him some coffee already came back, he said while holding a bit of surprise.

"Ohh, my coffee is already up? Enter."

But then, the voice that dropped his surprise came, but which later picked up his emotion again.

"It's not the coffee sir. I brought a person who knows some information about that person you asked." added the seaman when entering inside and leaving Vlad outside, waiting at the door.

'What? Who could be having information inside Valent about Blood? Could it be, a noble?'

Staring at the young seaman, he said to him, holding a slight smile.

"Thanks for bringing this important guest, recruit. Now you can retreat."

"I understand sir. Then, if I may."

Ended the seaman while leaving the office and nodding at Vlad, who simply walked inside and closed the door.

Kirin stared at Vlad, and while maintaining a casual face, he quickly thought to himself when seeing how casual his guest was.

'This person doesn't seem noble, his attire seems too simple to enter the eyes of those pigs. Who is he? I've never seen a picture of this guy circulating in my hands from Lacilet.'

'Damn it. I hope he doesn't ask for much.'

"Who could you be, sir, and what information do you know about the criminal Blood?

Seeing Vlad walk forward and looking at him calmly while he was beside the desk, suddenly got up and said to Vlad.

"Before we talk, you're more than welcome to sit down, sir."

Vlad still kept his silence and moved toward the luxurious chair on his side of the desk, making Kirin feel even more awkward. Then as he walked and finally got seated, Kirin felt the atmosphere around him change when he noticed Vlad's green-colored eyes shift to crimson.

'Could it be? Crimson eyes? Jet-black hair, short here, but in the descriptions it's long. This guy is Blood? But isn't this fast? How did he found out that I wanted to meet him if he is supposed to be in Sagletius.'

Seeing Kirin's expression also turn a bit more severe, Vlad responded to the marine officer in a calm and straightforward way.

"Marine Officer, you want to meet that criminal, correct? I will cut your waiting time, and reveal myself. I am Blood." (A/N: Someone inserts Light, I am Kira gif)

Kirin looked surprised and thought that this could be simply a bad taste joke and asked again.

"Sir, do you even know what happens to people lying to marine officers while inside my territory?"

In response, Vlad, who starred with his crimson eyes at Kirin, tapped for two times with his feet on the floor, sending two serpents to move under the desk toward Kirin in a quick fashion.

'Hmm, what's this feeling I get. Down!?' thought out Kirin to himself after sensing something moving toward him before acting by tensing up his finger and releasing two attacks toward the moving serpents.

"Fire Gun"

Blood splashed on the floor who now had a small bullet mark on it, yet the blood regrouped itself and morphed back in the snake shape.

However, this time Vlad took back his blood creations and stare calmly at Kirin before saying to him.

"Interesting attack. Is that by chance the specialty of the marines?"

"No comment. So the rumors that Blood actually has a weird devil fruit that confers his ability over blood is true. What a befitting name." commented Kirin while getting back on his seat and observing Vlad and the snakes that were moving around his body.

"Indeed, my two little brothers also said the same thing. That it will scare criminals and wrongdoers even thinking about my name. Yet what fate befit me, to be turned into a criminal.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. The irony. I am right, Kirin?"

"That's indeed unfortunate when I got to know more about you and how you transformed the forsaken district into a prosperous city. Sol, was it called? Ahh, yes, that was the name you guys choose.

"Well, it doesn't matter to me that much, you guys can do whatever with that wanted poster. Still, I have to add something about that poster. Whoever drew that poster, get me his contacts, I want to hire him to work for me."

Meanwhile, Kirin had his own thoughts running at full speed while observing the serpents around Vlad, who seemed to hiss at him angrily.

'The fuck? Is this guy crazy, doesn't he know that he is in the enemy base and acts like it is nothing much? Fuck. Why didn't I enforce my room with Sea Prison stones? Damn it, you stupid mutt. Now what? What if he kills me.'

"This should be a problem. The one in charge of the photos and draws is an artist from the city."

Vlad nodded his head and asked Kirin the pressing question for the marine officer.

"Don't take yourself serious, commodore, I just asked some curiosities of mine. Right, back to business. Why did you want to meet me? Did your relation with Lacilet fell down?"

'He knows about my cooperation with Lacilet? Who is this guy actually, besides the criminal Blood?'

"You can't draw the connection of my interaction with Duke Lacilet as such. My posture as Commander of this marine base and status as a marine officer doesn't give me such privileges."

"Ohh, really? But you are trying to get something from me, so technically you're abusing your power. Tsk, tsk, did you teach this to Inorra and Kipset while they were here?"

"Wait what? You know those two brats?" asked Kirin when hearing Vlad say those two names.

"My two little brothers decided to become marines, that's something I should at least know, right?"

'This guy. What were the two kids said their big brother who taught them their sword was called? Vlad. That's right, that was the name the two kids were boasting, he could easily take down Vebros and Legos.'

"You are that Vlad those two brats were boasting around to the skies? Well, it was mostly the sneaky little one."

When Kirin said about Kipset and Inorra, he remembered their young faces and how Inorra liked to boast around the Chaotic zone to the older kids that he would come and beat them if they picked on him. This made him instantly release a hearty laugh.

"Hah, forget it. My initial speculations about you are shattered. You don't seem like a bad guy, maybe a bit greedy for some easy profits, but who in his life wasn't tempted by something? Go on, speak freely, I will not attack you or any crazy stuff."

'This guy. What are you saying?'

"Sigh, before I start talking, can you at least tell me who you are? Your real identity, not just Vlad or Blood. I'm not stupid, especially after interacting for two years with those two brats."

"Are you allied with Lacilet or any noble faction?"

"No. Does that bastard think he can order me around to risk the lives of my people? I've might have overlooked the situation inside Kaysang and how bad it was, but after finding about those guys. Now even I care a bit about my safety."

"Hmm, so you've encountered those Dark Union rats. Fine, one more ally makes it safer for me. However, this remains between us. You tell no one about this information."

As he said that, from Vlad's feet, more blood began to disperse around the room, enveloping the entire room and turning it into a blood world.

"You know my name, Vlad, you might at first glance think I'm some merchant or normal guy, but in fact, I'm the prince of this country. Vermilion Zagreus Vlad. This is my full name, commodore."

"You are that guy son? Lucius, son? I see, so this is why the nobles were so panicked and even tried to force the old commodore to act and sent us to search for a woman called Maria."

The temperature inside this blood world dropped slightly, and while breathing out to calm himself, Vlad asked.

"Do you by chance still have some documents, leads about this woman called Maria?"

"No, man. I myself was just a lieutenant at that time, a small one. So I didn't receive anything. The old commodore who retired 13 years ago might know something or still have that picture somewhere."

"Where and who?" asked Vlad coldly, which made Kirin surprised by this change in states.

"He said he is from some kingdom from the grand line, Antulum. As for his name, I still vividly know it, he is Damon Adkins. More details, I don't have any."

'Antulum, Damon Adkins. Sigh, little Robert, it seems I will have to take you home faster than I wanted.'

"I understand. Thanks for this information. Now let's discuss the other side of the business. Do you want my word that I will not do something to this marine branch? Or is something else?"

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A/N: Late chapter extravagance. Well had to do some thinking for this one and carefully set the following set of actions that will commence inside the story, especially moving the chess pieces for Antulum, along with revealing some more information about both of mothers, respectively Vlad's and Sofiya's.

So, what are your thoughts on this chapter? How does Commodore Kirin character feel like?

Also, don't forget about the paragraph question. (Who wants a cuddle? Tell me which one of the girls from my roaster would you like? or guy? Not going to judge)

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Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed the story. It's support coming from you and also a reward for me, for delivering quality content.

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