After arriving in front of the opulent cafe, we stepped in through its ornate doorway.
What greeted us was the soft melody of a piano playing in the background and cold yet pleasant air mixed with a soft touch of lavender scent.
Along with it was the lingering aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sweet, delicate pastries, enticing our senses.
Amelia's eyes lit up with a mixture of curiosity and delight as she took in the charming scene before us.
The cafe was adorned with little intricate details – from the designer patterns on the wallpaper to the carefully arranged bouquets of flowers on each table.
Softly glowing aesthetic light bulbs lit up the interior, casting a gentle golden glow throughout the cafe, while a number of exquisite wooden furniture adorned the entirety of the space inside.
We chose a corner table, its white tablecloth impeccably clean, and took our seats on the plush cushioned chairs.
Amelia looked around curiously before opening her smart bracelet and typing a text in it.
Almost instantly after she sent it, my smart bracelet buzzed before a text notification popped up on its screen.
–[Are you sure there's a vampire here? Not to doubt you but why would a vampire choose to hide here?]
I let out a sigh. Hiding in plain sight is like the oldest trick in the book.
As for why a vampire would risk it? Well, if it is capable of putting a mind hex on such a large number of people all at once, then it really isn't risking anything.
However, instead of telling all this to her, I merely typed Amelia a simple text.
[Shut up and believe me, will ya!!]
–[Tsk, at least tell me something about this bloodsucker!]
[It is a female and she can use a deadly crowd control spell. Once she takes control of your mind, you're done for.]
–[So, like the one we fought in Silveserine?]
[Yes, only this one's mind control is absolute and can't be broken. So, don't look into her eyes, don't let her touch you, and don't step near her.]
–[How in the hell are we supposed to fight her then?!]
[Not us, I. You will hold all these customers back and I will fight her on my own.]
–[What do you mean… all these people?]
As soon as Amelia sent me that text, she raised her head and looked around with a cautious gaze.
Finally, she noticed it.
The people sitting here all around us weren't eating the food served to them. They were merely sitting there with gaped mouths and a lost look on their faces.
The spark of light was almost snuffed out of their eyes. They were talking, but most of them were just incoherently mumbling.
One wouldn't notice this huge detail unless one would know what to look for in these people.
It was almost like it was all there yet not there at the same time… as if our brains were refusing to pay attention to these details until we forced them to.
That was also one of the aspects of the mind hex that the vampire had cast on the very premises of this cafe.
Anyone who stepped through this cafe would be unable to notice the unusualities here unless they knew exactly what to look for.
It was kind of a strange feeling.
Amelia's eyes widened in horror upon seeing all this. She waited for a few seconds before typing me another text.
–[Are all of them under a mind control spell? Are we safe?]
[We are safe for now. You just didn't notice all this because it's part of this mind hex's charm.]
–[Can't we just inform the military police about all this and leave this place?]
[Don't you think if that was an option I would've done so already. We can't do that. I need the relic the vampire is using to put these people under her mind control.]
–[So she's using a relic… But is this relic worth risking our and these people's lives over?]
I lingered for a few seconds before nodding in affirmation. It looked like Amelia wanted to say something but soon a waiter approached dressed in a crisp black uniform.
"Greetings, sir and mam. What would you both like to order?" The waiter asked us.
Amelia looked at me and I gestured to her, signaling her that the food was indeed safe to eat.
She then looked at the waiter, who was smiling at us with the same lost look in his eyes as the rest of the people here.
He was also bewitched. Since his eyes were hollow, devoid of any light, his supposedly warm smile only looked eerie.
Since Amelia seemed to be hesitating, I chuckled and ordered first. "Just an affogato for me, please."
After a few more moments of hesitation, Amelia finally said, "Three cheese and two double patty fried chicken burgers for me."
I arched an eyebrow but Amelia shot me a glare. Squinting her eyes, she said, "Yeah, I love burgers, so what?"
I raised my hands defensively, "Nothing at all."
"Sure thing," the waiter replied in a creepy monotonous voice. "Please wait for a bit, your order will be ready shortly."
"So what's the plan?" Amelia whispered as soon as the waiter left our table. "What are your instructions, where are all your traps, and when are you telling me your brilliant strategy?"
I stifled a chuckle and replied, "Haha, there are no plans, no traps, and no strategy. As for my instructions… Well, try to cover me, and don't kill anyone here if you can help it."
"Wait… what do you mean you have no plan?" Amelia gave me a dubious look.
I shrugged, "Sometimes you don't need a plan to succeed, you know? I'm confident in taking her head-on and winning."
Amelia continued to give me a doubtful look. I frowned slightly, "What?! You don't believe in my strength, huh?"
Before I could get my answer from her, however, the door of the cafe swung open and the metal bell hanging over its frame rang melodically.
In the next moment, a stunning woman with long, flowing red hair entered the cafe.
She was adorned in a form-fitting red dress that accentuated her graceful curves, creating an air of both refinement and allure around her.
With almost indifferent, otherworldly grace, the woman walked over to the seat in front of us and ordered something from the menu.
This was her.
A smile tugged on my lips as I signaled to Amelia and said, "Shall we start the show?"
"Aww, but I didn't even get to eat my burgers," Amelia sighed.
I gave her a deadpan look before shaking my head.
"In three," I said. "Two…"
The air hung heavy with crackling intensity as the black-haired archeress before me waited for my command.
In the very next instance, I let out a loud roar, and all hell broke loose.
"One! Phoenix's Embrace!"
