Sirius had passed by an actual meeting room on his initial tour of the house, so why are we in the dining room?? Sirius sits at the end of a large dining table that is surprisingly humble for the house it is in. Three seats on each side and one other chair occupies the opposite end. Almost every seat is filled with an inhabitant of the mansion.

Aureole sits to his left; her demeanor is prim and refined. To her left is the short girl who smacked Korlin before, she is slouching. To her left is the mysterious girl with purple hair, she sits relaxed and contained.

To Sirius' right is Korlin, who can't seem to sit still. To his right is an empty seat, followed by Wilphrey near the end of the table. The old man's eyes are shut in concentration resembling meditation.

The remaining end seat is vacant, likely reserved for the lord. Anxiety stirs within the depths of the boy.

"Should I be worried?" Sirius leans over and whispers to Aureole. Her pointed ears almost poke him in the eye.

"You'll be fine," she returns a whisper. Her voice is nothing but tranquility.

"Aure," the petite, golden-haired girl butts in. "Do you know these guys?" Due to their previous encounter, the girl seems to hold a bit of bitterness for both of the boys.

"Yes," Aureole responds gleefully, not a hint of hesitation. Joyously, she announces her role in their arrival. "I brought them here after all."

"Why?" It is the purple-haired girl who questions it. She sounds severely disappointed, her voice soft-spoken, like a mix between aloof and childish curiosity.

"Well-"

"I can maybe see why you brought him," the tiny girl points at Sirius. "But that one has no reason to be here." Her finger directs itself to the other boy.

"Rude. That wounds my maidenly heart," Korlin grabs his chest like it's in pain.

Purple hair appears slightly offended and lowly voices her confusion, "Maidenly?"

"Are you two not on good terms?" Aureole queries.

Sirius leans in but doesn't whisper, "He called her short."

The boy with honey eyes throws himself forward, directing the tip of his finger at the girl. "And then she slapped me across the hallway! She left a handprint on my face!"

"Pholy," purple hair bares a smug smile. "You are short. Just accept it, it makes you cuter."

"That's what I said!"

The tiny girl's cheeks blush a bright red.

"Still... he also called me so flat I could slide under a door," her speech is jumbled in embarrassment.

Both Aureole and the girl with purple hair hold in a laugh.

"Why are you about to laugh?!"

Korlin folds his hands together and rests his elbows on the table, positioning himself in a professional manner. Looking directly into her eyes, he speaks from the heart:

"I also said you are the cutest girl I've ever seen."

A vibrant pinkish-red flushes out her pale skin. A small plume of smoke rises from her head.

As if on fire, a literal trail of steam emits from the embarrassed girl.

"No way..." Korlin is dumbfounded. "You're like a cartoon character!" The boy's hand crashes down on top of the table as he shoots out of his seat. "Sirius, are you seeing this?! There is actual smoke coming from her head!"

"I see it..."

The other two girls tease the shorter one.

"Pholy, someone has a crush on you!" Purple hair nudges her.

"Pholy," Aureole sings out, swaying the small girl. "This is your chance!"

"Pholy..." Korlin repeats the name to himself. "That's a pretty name!!"

The trail of smoke expands, even coming out of her ears. Her irises glow as if a light switch was flipped on. Embarrassment envelops her entire being, she trembles with it.

The girl, Pholy, raises her fist. In the air, her hand ignites into a pink flame. The ends of her hair stand up and singe with magenta fervor. The fireball that is her fist matches color with her burning eyes.

The table erupts into panic. Aureole quickly grabs Pholy's wrist to restrain her.

"Wait! You can't use that here!"

"Calm down..." the purple-haired girl strokes Pholy's back, soothing her. "Calm down..."

Scrunching her nose, Pholy sighs heavily and un-balls her fist. The pink flame fizzles out into rising steam. Relaxing her face, the inferno in her eyes dies out and her hair is restored to its former glory.

Pholy crosses her arms and sulks in her chair.

Korlin is utterly captivated by the scene, his eyes wide him admiration. "That was so cool..."

She snickers, getting even more embarrassed.

"Sorry about that, she's not the best with teasing," Aureole hugs the girl and pats her head like a kitten. "You'll have to go easy on her."

"I understand," Korlin's voice drops into a mature, deep tone. "I will only tease her tenfold from here on out."

"YOU-"

The embarrassed girl is interrupted by the entrance of a new man.

"My, my, we have quite the commotion in here."

Walking around the corner is a tall, young man. He dons a black suit, not as fancy as Wilphrey's, but definitely more exotic.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Teal hair, matching Aureole's color, is cut to eye level. On top of his head sits a tiny top hat the same color as his suit. In most cases, a hat such as this would look ridiculous, but it oddly suits the man.

However, the most prominent features of his appearance are his eyes and ears.

His ears in question, are half missing. Cut in half horizontally so only the earlobe and part of the main structure remain. The skin seems to have healed itself over, but the ear itself fails to regrow.

The man's eyes are concealed with a large blindfold. A black blindfold spanning from his hairline to just above his nostrils. The cloth ties itself around the head underneath the teal hair in a tiny knot.

A tiny top hat, ears cut in half, and a blindfold...

-Who is this guy? What happened to him?

His hair makes it seem like he could be related to Aureole. But no wings appear to be jutting out his back.

"Master Rawlin, welcome."

Wilphrey breaks his silence and bows to the entering lord.

-That's him?!

"Oh my god he's also hot," Korlin's head hits the table.

Despite half his face being concealed, his facial structure is top-notch. A chiseled jawline and a perfect nose. The man is handsome.

No one other than Wilphrey seems to pay him any respect. Pholy and the purple-haired girl remain relaxed. Aureole adjusts her posture and folds her hands in her lap.

"I take it you two are the boys of the hour." The lord seats himself in the chair at the end of the table, directly across from Sirius.

Sirius and Korlin adjust themselves in their seats in perfect synch. Korlin's lips are sealed tight.

"I think so," Sirius starts. "My name is Sirius, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," the man smiles. He wears a strange sense of charisma, almost ominous. Without seeing his eye movements, it's hard to tell what he's thinking.

"Name's Korlin."

The lord bows, "Have you all been acquainted with each other?"

"Somewhat..."

Rawlin scans the expressions of everyone in the room.

"Did you meet the Loli?" he says in a jokingly manner.

"You know what a Loli is too?!" Korlin jumps out of his seat.

"Of course."

"You're so cool..."

Korlin looks as if he could faint. Pholy does as well but for a different reason.

"What does that even mean?" she pouts.

"Will Cilas be in attendance?" the lord asks Wilphrey.

"I don't believe so, my lord."

"Who is that?" Sirius whispers to Aureole.

"He's like our butler," she quietly responds.

"Well then," Rawlin folds his hands together atop the table. "Let us begin, shall we?" Despite the blindfold, he stares directly into Sirius' eyes. Is this guy blind or...? "I heard it briefly from Wilphrey, but would you mind telling me what transpired?"

Aureole clears her throat.

She relays the events leading up to Sirius' arrival. She does not include the part of him crying.

"I see..." the lord is lost in thought. "I thank you, Sirius. Without that wristlet, Aureole would have lost her qualification as a candidate."

"If you don't mind me asking, what is she a candidate for?"

"...You mean you don't know?"

"No..."

"Interesting..." his expression stiffens but swiftly returns friendly. "Aureole is one of two candidates eligible for the throne of Lunalir."

Sirius' mind is wiped blank for a moment.

"..." He can't believe it. "Are you serious?"

The lord nods. Aureole smiles embarrassed.

-Wow. What did I get myself involved in?

"More importantly," the lord switches tones with haste. "I am more concerned about the wailian."

"Concerned?"

"Indeed. You have just arrived in this kingdom, yes? I suppose you wouldn't know much about the creature's importance."

"Is it endangered or something? Sorry, I kind of ripped off its wing."

"They are threatened, but that is beside the point. No one would dare poach the symbol of our land."

"...Symbol...?"

"The wailian is a divine creature, representing the prosperity and wealth our kingdom brings. Wailians are worshipped in this land, and the symbol of royalty here in Lunalir."

Rawlin stalks Sirius and his facial movements.

-That thing represents royalty? It was savage...

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" The edges of the lord's mouth depress.

"She is a royal candidate..."

"Precisely. The holy symbol of our land descends and attacks a royal candidate. If word gets out... there will be no need for an election."

Aureole sinks in her seat, fiddling with her wristlet. An anxious air coddles her sulking self.

"Why would a wailian attack her?" the purple-haired girl asks.

"That's something we must figure out. Taking in the sheer brutality of the attack, I suspect it was a devised assault. Not to mention its goal was to steal the qualification..." The man toys with his nubbed ears. "Boy..."

"Yes?"

The man leans on his palm, fixating on Sirius.

"Do you have any ideas?" He bears a sinister aura. "Any leads as to who would have sent it?"

"No... I just happened to be-"

"Just happened to be there, yes?" A malicious smile spreads wide, baring his perfect teeth. "Someone like you, in this land where your kind has a history of mistreatment, just happened to show up at the right moment..."

"Rawlin," Aureole raises her voice for the first time. "Stop it he-"

"Quiet," he doesn't take his blindfolded eyes off the boy. "How can we be sure this isn't all a part of his plan?"

"What...?"

"Retrieving your qualification, gaining your trust, acting desperate and in need of help, being offered a place to stay... close to you. Close to the throne."

"No," Korlin steps into the battlefield. "Both of us only got here on the same-" Only to be shot down.

"Perhaps you heard I've been searching for those like you. For your kind. You saw this as an easy way in and sit here now."

"No," Sirius tries to maintain his polite demeanor. "I swear I knew nothing about all this." The boy can't help but sound stressed. Even while not guilty, he comes off as he is.

"I wonder," he strokes his chin. "What are you truly after?"

...

A long pause of strained silence is interrupted by the old man.

"Lord Rawlin, I am inclined to believe the two boys."

"Is that so, Wilphrey?"

"I ran into the boy beside me on the day of the incident. He was curious and confused on even the most basic principles."

"Ouch," Korlin pouts.

"Even seeing them now, I sense no ulterior motives or hostility. I think not they are here to obstruct us."

"I agree!" Aureole suddenly shouts. "The next time I met Sirius he was..." she thinks very carefully of how to continue. "He was in a vulnerable spot. There's no world where that was a lie."

Aureole offers her signature warm smile to the boy; he returns with one of his own.

"I see..." the lord sinks back into his seat, twiddling his fingers. "What of you two?" He searches for the remaining girls' responses.

Sirius connects a gaze with the purple-eyed girl.

-Should I bring up the bookstore? Actually, that'd probably make me look more suspicious. If I came into contact with someone else here, it's sure to look uncoincidental.

"I trust them..." Pholy utters hardly louder than a whisper.

"YOU DO?" Korlin practically bursts with joy. "You're the best!"

"SHUT UP! I changed my mind, let's throw them in jail."

"You're so cruel..."

"Hyacinth?" The lord directs his attention to the purple-haired girl. "Do you trust them?"

-Hyacinth...

The girl ponders with her eyes venturing far off.

"Sure, I don't see why not."

Sirius and the girl lock eyes once more. The boy gives her a gentle smile.

She gives him a tiny one in return.

The lord sighs and composes himself along with his posture.

"Alright then, that settles that." A strange, almost thankful look washes over the lord. "Welcome to the house you two."

A tidal wave of relief rushes over the two boys.

Korlin plants his forehead on the table and sighs deeply.

"I felt like I was going to die... again..."

"Don't be so dramatic," Pholy scolds. "You were hardly even the one being questioned."

"Still... if it weren't for you," Korlin smugly places his chin in his palm. "We would have been outcasted, you have my tallest regards."

"You little..."

"Little?"

"You-!"

Amidst the two's squabbling, Aureole nudges Sirius.

"See, I told you he'd welcome you."

"It was more stressful than I thought it would be..."

The lord clears his throat, silencing the table.

"Now then, onto the details of your stay." He interlinks his fingers together. "You both are free to stay here as long as you'd like. But you must make yourselves useful."

"You want us to work for you?" Sirius questions.

"That is part of it. You will work at this mansion to keep it tidy. Pholy, Hyacinth, I expect you two to teach them the ropes."

"Seriously?" Pholy sighs.

Hyacinth doesn't react.

"As for the other part?" Korlin asks.

"..." Rawlin looks hesitant. "Perhaps that is enough for today. I'm sure you both are overwhelmed as is." For some reason, those words come across in an odd manner.

"..."

"For tonight, make yourselves at home. After your initial house training, I will call you to my study. I will explain more then. I'm sure you both are curious about some subjects."

The lord stands as his chair screeches loudly across the wooden floor.

Wilphrey stands as well but in a more refined and polite way.

"Wilphrey," the lord begins walking out of the room. "Show them to their rooms."

With a final grin, the lord disappears behind the corner.