'Now that was some intense time,'
I thought as I arrived back in the real world, returning to the exact place I had left from. Perhaps only a few minutes had passed since I left, but boy, did I go through a lot in that time. It was a time filled with Orpheus spoiling me rotten and me spoiling her back. It was fun and relaxing, to say the least. But now that I am back, it's time to get serious about the future.
With light steps, I walked out of the building, my mind filled with several thoughts as I reached a calm yet well-built cafe.
'What's with this world and cafes?'
Musing to my thoughts, I entered the cafe. By now, I had placed a light disguise around me to keep attention at bay. Of course, the disguise I wore isn't enough to fool the eyes of the person I came here to meet. Finding the said person leaning against the wall of a booth while sipping coffee, I walked towards it. But just as I did, a worker stopped me.
"Sir, that is a private area, and you can't enter inside."
But just as he said so, the girl in the booth replied,
"It's fine, let him in."
After getting the affirmation, the man stepped away as I entered the booth. My lips flashed a smile to the girl who looked common in every form as I spoke.
"Fancy meeting you here, Princess Isabella."
Yup, the one in front of me is Isabella Belphegor. The one I didn't want to deal with until reaching her arc or even activating her path. But things won't always go as I want, and right now, I need to make contact with this woman and settle some things.
"Indeed, it's quite the coincidence, Sir Austin."
Isabella replied in her inherently emotionless voice. Her dark red, void-like eyes focused on me, no doubt trying to find out more about me from my actions and movements. But I didn't give her a hint of what she wanted as I leaned back into the booth. The smile on my face receded as I spoke.
"Let's cut to the chase. I came here to discuss some important topics."
Hearing my words, Isabella raised her eyebrows in surprise for a moment, after which she fixed her seating. Her expression still remained expressionless as she asked.
"Why didn't you contact me through an official meeting?"
"You know why."
I replied.
"You wish to keep this under wraps?"
She asked.
"Yes."
And I replied as I took out some documents and passed them to Isabella. She took them in stride as she started to read through them. And when she did, I could see her expression turning taut, a frown filling her beautiful face. Finally, she asked me after reading through the documents.
"How did you know?"
"I think the more important question should be what I will do with this information."
My reply soon made the atmosphere in the booth cold. Outside, all the customers who existed were now thrown out, while all the workers now surrounded the booth, staying both as protection and as a sign of warning.
"These are classified documents of my Arian Kingdom, and you have them. Hence, don't take it as a joke when I ask you how you know."
Isabella spoke, her voice turning much colder than before.
"Do you think all these threats work on me? Don't you know who I am?"
I asked with an authoritative voice, a smirk filling my face as I took a grape from the table and savored it. The killing intent surrounding me didn't affect me at all. The cafe I am sitting in actually belongs to Isabella, or it's more appropriate to say that it belongs to her kingdom. It's just one among the 'small' settlements they hold.
"You think nothing will happen?"
She asked the mana around her trembling all around. And I have to say, her mana control is beautiful and precise. No wonder she is trying her best to be my aunt's disciple. Her main aim is to become the head of the Mage Tower, which really won't happen, cause my aunt isn't giving such positional power over to a kingdom, not even one that worships magic.
"Yes, nothing will happen, cause you are too smart to let emotions cloud you."
A moment of heavy silence fell within the whole place, the killing intent everywhere increasing. I could even see the workers preparing for battle, till Isabella raised her hand and spoke.
"Leave us."
Just as she muttered so, the workers disappeared from where they stood. Seeing so, I nodded my head.
"Good, now we can talk business."
As I said so, Isabella asked back.
"Business?"
"Indeed, did you really think I will let you swallow it all whole?"
My smile, which could get anyone riled up, only brought a silent cold look from Isabella. The truth is that the information in the documents pointed towards the Arian kingdom discovering a secret realm. One that holds treasures and powers from times back into the ancient wars. And right now, they are trying their best to crack the code to enter the realm.
And as everyone can guess, that's where Isabella's arc takes place. After concerted efforts and tries, they gained entry into the place. But it exists with several restrictions on power and age. Seeing so, in the game, Isabella asks the main character to go with her as a hired mercenary. She also planned to gain his loyalty or love during that time.
Its where us the players get to play our magic or in tbis case Leonardo And, you know me, I can't let that happen, can I?
That realm itself holds untold lost history about magic and power. If such news were to spread, then several powers would pressure the Arian kingdom. After all, it's an untold tradition for such realms to be open to all. And once the news breaks, every kingdom, and the two Empires will pressure the Arain kingdom to open the realm to all. Thus making them lose the piece they so lovingly coveted.
"Is this a move of the Empire?"
Isabella asked.
"Nope."
"The Lionheart Duchy?"
"None."
I replied again, giving a smile. My eyes focused on Isabella's as I spoke.
"This is the move of Austin Lionheart and no one else."
My words earned a moment of silence, till Isabella asked.
"And you expect me to believe that you on your own got hold of one of the most classified pieces of information about my kingdom?"
Her expression and her voice were emotionless, yet I still detected her disdain toward my words. To which I just shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't care what you think, but that's the truth. The deal right now is between me and the Arian Kingdom."
While I said so, the expression on Isabella's face subtly changed, showing her interest in me finally being sparked. One showing her innate desire to control me being birthed within her. One that I wanted to avoid for some more time. But time is of the essence, and fate doesn't seem to be siding with me.
"Other than the threat of you leaking this, what else do you hold?"
Isabella asked. To which I once again moved toward the fruit plate, taking a grape and enjoying it for a moment before speaking.
"Let's just say I know how to get that realm of yours open, and I know about the spies that your uncle has placed within your faction."
Now, the result of my words was astounding. Finally, a significant change took place in Isabella's face.
'Now let's begin the realm negotiation…'
