Chinese Prince or Something

Ru was angry at being harassed. He stormed out of the study, his teeth clenched to keep from yelling. The roll of parchment felt heavy in his hand as he found himself at the entrance of a colorless corridor. The dim lighting cast long, eerie shadows. Amunet was nowhere to be seen, so he had to navigate the sinister mansion's labyrinthine halls alone.

He walked briskly, glancing at the shadows, particularly his own. The mansion's silence bothered him, making him feel more frustrated. Ru tried to call out to Almighty Ru within his mind, but there was no response—no sense of connection.

"This place must be under some kind of magical protection," he thought, slowing his pace as he approached the end of the corridor.

Before him, a small alcove came into view, dimly lit. At his location the corridor branched off, leading into the pitch black. Three ways each one seems darker than the last, and Ru wasn't sure which way to go.

As he removed his hat and scratched his head, he noticed a warm, familiar scent—chocolate sauce. He frowned, confused by the unexpected sensation. Finally, his growling stomach made the decision. His feet took him towards the source of the comforting aroma.

The scent led him to a large, open area, like a lobby. There was a fireplace crackling softly and providing warmth. There, by the fire was a figure on a velvet sofa, reclining comfortably with a sense of calm authority.

It was him— that sparkling silhouette he'd seen. The guy had long hair, dressed in traditional Chinese clothes. He looked pretty impressive like he could be a prince. He had a calm but intense look in his eyes.

The man looked up at Ru with calm, intense eyes. "Good evening," he said, his voice deep and smooth, carrying a hint of amusement. He gestured toward an empty chair across from him. "I've been expecting you."

Ru was still trying to figure out why the scent was so intriguing as he approached the man, a mix of curiosity and caution in his step. The sight of hot chocolate bubbling by the fireplace, along with cakes and fruits neatly arranged on the coffee table, only added to the confusion he was already feeling and made him even more hungry.

"Who are you?" Ru asked, attempting to mask his frustration, though the growl from his stomach betrayed his hunger and impatience.

The man smiled knowingly. "Oh, you can't have forgotten me, Lirui."

"What? How?" Ru muttered, though his thoughts were already drifting toward the tempting food. "I could use some sugar right now. I'm starving... I could eat."

The man adjusted his posture, extending a hand toward the coffee table. His tone was calm and reassuring. "Lirui, sit down and enjoy. There's no need to rush—I'm no witch."

Ru patted his stomach, trying to soothe the loud hunger pangs. Once he'd regained some composure, he straightened and asked, "Are you a sorcerer?"

The man chuckled softly. "Am I a sorcerer?" His tone was playful, yet his eyes hinted at something deeper.

Ru's eyes, taking in the tempting food on display, quickly shifted to the sword resting on the sofa. His brows shot up in surprise. "Are you a warrior?"

The man got up with quiet confidence and walked over to Ru. "I'm both. A swordsman whose spells are more powerful than you'd believe."

Even though the man was taller than him, Ru couldn't resist asking, "So, who are you? Are you a Chinese prince or something?"

The man chuckled, pulling a large folding silk fan from his belt and opening it with a flourish. "I'm surprised you don't remember me. I'm the sorcerer you've been searching for."

As he lowered the folding fan from his face, his expression faltered—Ru was gone. He glanced over his shoulder and spotted him at the coffee table, devouring the cake without a second thought.

"Of course," the man sighed with a smile, shaking his head in amused resignation.

Then, with an air of nobility, the man took his sword, fastening it to his waist, and sat in the chair he had initially offered Ru. He looked every bit the aristocrat, his presence commanding and impressive. "I'm not a prince. I'm the one who stopped Jasper from drinking your blood. I'm the one who pulled you out of the pool you almost drowned in."

Ru still focused on the food, pointed to the pot of chocolate sauce by the fire, his mouth full. "Can I get some of that?"

With a flick of his folding fan, the man knocked the scoop into the pot, causing the chocolate sauce to spill neatly over Ru's fruit plate.

"Wow! Thanks," Ru said, eyes wide with excitement as he continued to eat.

The man smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. "And if you're wondering, the kiss of life you received—was mine too."

Ru wiped his mouth with a napkin, trying to appear polite despite his ravenous appetite. "Thanks. So, what was your name?"

The man crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Ru arrogantly. "I'm Heise."

Ru paused, momentarily caught off guard. He glanced up at Heise, a flicker of recognition crossing his mind, but he still felt uncertainty. "Heise... got it," he mumbled, taking another bite of cake.

"For the twelfth time, nice to meet you too, dear Liru Xiaolian," Heise said with a thin smile.

"Twelfth time?" Ru asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Oh yes, overall you are a failure," Heise said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not responsible for the other twelve Rui's failures," Ru said as he poured tea into the cup.

"You are so successful that you were about to make a deal without knowing what the outcome would be," Heise said sarcastically, taking the teacup Ru had filled.

"That tea was mine," Ru said. While pouring tea into the other cup, he continued, "I may sacrifice anything to save my friends. That vampire lord just asked me for a bottle of blood. What would I stand to lose if I gave it to him?"

"So you're saying you got used to being a slave at some point. That's interesting," Heise said, taking a sip of tea.

"What the slave? Where did you get that idea?" Ru asked, looking annoyed at him.

"After all, I'm the sorcerer who wants the seal of the djinn sultan. I've got to know something," Heise said, over with a narrowed gaze.

Ru slammed his teacup on the coffee table and turned directly to Heise. "I'm not concerned with the past. If you want the djinn sultan, have Anaxarete bring him in."

Heise, a sipping politely placed the teacup on the coffee table. Then he looked into Ru's eyes and said solemnly: "You're the only one who knows the sultan's name, moreover, you've got his seal on you. If you help me out here, I'll save you from genies and give you the edge in the game."

"You sent a psycho-maniac to stalk me, despite your kindness?" Ru asked.

"I thought your artistic personalities would match. Couldn't I be wrong," Heise said.

Ru made his decision and looked him up and down with a look of confidence on his face. "The vampire lord is a joke compared to you," he stated. "You're so fancy and cunning that I'll believe you, no question, even if I'm not a fool."

"I'm glad you like the joker class. You should know that the Marionette of Dream card is quite advantageous," Heise stated, taking the teacup and sipping it.

"Jester class. I'd like to know when we came to this topic," Ru stated, taking the roll of parchment from the coffee table and opening it.

"The Joker is more modern, so I updated the Jester to the Joker," Heise said.

"So, your subliminal message is that 'I can game the system'?" Ru said, glancing at his card and seeing the change.

"It's easy for me," Heise stated, placing his wine glass on the coffee table.

"You were drinking tea just now," Ru said in surprise.

"I drink wine now," Heise replied.

Ru was shocked when he looked at the coffee table again. Instead of sweets, he saw all kinds of cheeses there. "Are you playing with reality or my mind?" he asked.

"I can play with minds, but I can also play with spaces. Maybe with a little time, too," Heise said pleasantly.

"Can you impress me some more?" Ru asked eagerly.

"Sure," Heise said.

From that moment on, Ru witnessed their area slowly transform.

"Woah!"

Everything was slowly being enveloped in a thin layer of ice. But the temperature did not change at all. From moment to moment, beautiful decorations were being drawn on the ice. A warm breeze carried the scent of flowers.