Audition (1)

Aerine stuffed the documents again in the drawer; she had already memorized all the details, but she planned on reading them again, fearing that she might forget some things in a critical moment. 

One thing that was commendable about her, aside from her ability to learn and adapt, was her willingness to do so. Her dedication to something, once she set her mind to it, really set her apart from others. 

Aerine wasn't extremely smart, but she was hardworking, so she could compensate for that. 

After her initial 'exploration' of the room, Aerine slowly peeked outside and decided to also look further into the area. She was also hungry, so she thought of finding the kitchen. 

Aerine was embarrassed to raise the question to Elise, who looked noble and elegant, and she also didn't want to be a bother to others. She was more inclined to find the means herself if she could. 

Outside of her room, Aerine had looked around first and also discovered that she was in the second room. The place seemed not to be that big, but it still looked spacious and rather sophisticated. 

Coming downstairs, her footsteps halted as she caught sight of someone. She seemed to also intend to come up; her formal attire, albeit far more revealing than usual, yet strangely enough, it really did complement her well, with her body being well proportioned, caught Aerine's attention.

She was also beautiful on her own, with curly blond hair that reached her shoulders.

Aerine observed the newcomer for a bit before she averted her eyes, thinking it was rude to do so. She scooted a bit to the side, giving the impression of giving way to the woman, even if the space on the stairs was enough for even three people to walk side by side. 

As she was intending to continue, the woman spoke and approached Aerine. 

"Ms. Aerine?" She asked; her speaking tone had an enchanting nature. 

Aerine had also caught a distinct scent that was almost similar to that of the devil's but slightly different. She wasn't sure of what it was, as she had never met one that had a similar scent before. 

She quickly looked at her and responded to her. Although she didn't know the woman, she wasn't confused about the reason the woman knew her. This place was Mr. Devil's turf, so it also made sense for his subordinates to become aware of her existence. 

After all, Elise called Mr. Devil, 'Master', which only proved his status was higher than theirs.

Aerine gives a polite smile. "Yes, I'm Aerine." 

The woman looked relieved and then looked at Aerine; after a while, she gave a satisfied smile. 

"Aerine, you exceeded my expectations." The woman laughed and held Aerine's hands, shaking them. "My name is Millicent, but you can call me Mils! Ah, Elise has already briefed me about everything. We'll be together more in the future." 

She seemed truly approachable, which eased Aerine immediately. And the name Millicent rang a bell in her mind. A section of the document replayed in her mind. 

"Ah! You'll be my manager." Aerine's realization made her exclaim. There was also this part where it mentioned her manager, Millicent, who will also become her personal assistant for the time being. 

As Elise said, everything was already prepared. All Aerine needed to do was win the audition and become part of the competition. 

Her smile broadened, and she shook Millicent's hands enthusiastically. After a few initial greetings, Aerine was really hungry, so she informed Millicent, and she had already begun to call Mils for more familiarity as to how they would really work together from now on. 

Mils also guided her kindly to the kitchen and took the initiative to tell the staff there. Aerine also didn't complain and waited; it also didn't take too long, and the dishes were already in front of her. 

They also talked while she was eating, with Mils informing her of some things that she might need.

"Aerine," Mils had also called her by her first name alone; they decided to start and get used to the first name basis. "The audition is next week, but maybe tomorrow, at the latest, we'll be flying to the city and preparing you for the audition." 

During the conversation, Aerine was informed that she was still on the medium-sized island where she met Mr. Devil and collapsed and that this island was a private island owned by him. 

There were only close personnel and subordinates on the island, including them. 

Swallowing her food, at times, she thought it would be inappropriate to talk to someone while she was eating, but Mils didn't mind it, so she continued. 

"The city? Where?" 

Aerine might be living on a faraway island, but she was still knowledgeable about the information in the world. Still, she wanted to know exactly where on the mainland. 

Mils still patiently answered Aerine's every question, knowing that the latter lived far away from civilization. She smiled and winked, "The City of Wonders, New Vegas City." 

The central hub of entertainment in the world. 

Aerine's eyes widened slightly, and excitement immediately filled her face. Mils only laughed at her expression, but it was not mocking her; it was more like it wasn't surprising. 

If one admired any superstars that were famous in the whole world, New Vegas was truly one that people wanted to visit. Even in the entertainment scene of every country, no one would deny the influence of this city, which was deserving of its name. 

Aerine also dreamed of visiting this city before, but she and her mother only visited the city that was near the coastal areas, and New Vegas was far from where they were.

"Now, I know you're excited, but unfortunately to ruin for you, Aerine, you will still need to attend some classes that give you a basic idea of living in a big city and, of course, the world that you will be entering." Mils' tone slightly became serious, but she was also obviously comforting Aerine. 

"Don't worry, though; I'll make sure before the audition to tour you in some places. It'll be my treat, too!" This was also her way to relax Aerine for the audition. 

Although Aerine's singing talent was a given, Siren's voice didn't need to be doubted, but singing in front of others, especially in a place she wasn't accustomed to, was still quite nerve-wracking. Aerine would need time to get used to it. 

Aerine understood it, and she was truly grateful. She became even more determined to ace her performance. 

Once she was done eating, Aerine also walked around the villa with Mils as they talked about things, not only related to business but also things that made them more familiar with each other.

While she didn't describe the tragic experience that she buried for a moment to focus on her present, Aerine shared some of her experiences living on an island and how she grew up. 

It was not too eventful, but Mils listened carefully, even commenting during her story. Aerine also became informed that Mils was a succubus, a subrace of devils. She said though that succubus were more like a completely different race from devils but shared the same origin, which was Hell. 

She also lamented some misconceptions about them, such as that they only needed men's essence to survive, which wasn't true according to her. Men's essence was, in fact, only a supplement, not entirely necessary for them to live. 

Overall, it was a nice conversation that completely relaxed Aerine's mind after all that happened. It helped that she was in a new environment that was entirely new to her. 

At some point, Aerine became curious and asked, leading to a strange and even slightly eerie silence.

"By the way, Mils, uh, is Mr. Devil still here on the island?"