In the Zukvar Estate which was located in the Sawyer district of the city of Drevon - Capital of the Duchy of Zukvar,
Five maids were tending to a girl in one of the bedrooms who was staring at her reflection in the mirror in front of her. She had silver hair and eyes, small nose and cherry red lips. She also, had unblemished pale skin. The maids were helping her wear a beautiful, one-piece dress made from the finest silks, in a beautiful red and gold. The dress also featured a lace front. She wore a pair of knee high stockings, with matching garter belt, and a pair of heels.
A maid held a jewelry box in front of the girl, who opened it and started picking out a few pieces, then began putting them on. The jewelry was simple yet elegant - a few pendants, rings and earrings, a couple of bracelets. She had her long silver hair tied into a ponytail, which flowed all the way down to her back, and a single, thin braid that ran through her hair on her left temple.
As the girl looked at her reflection in the mirror, the maids began applying makeup to her. It was a light touch, and seemed to make her look even more beautiful than she already did.
While this was happening, suddenly, somebody knocked on the door.
* KNOCK *
* KNOCK *
* KNOCK *
The girl ordered the maid to her right, "Open the door and let them in!"
The girl turned around and saw the maid who opened the door and beckoned whoever was outside to come in.
A woman with long greyish black hair, wearing a different maid uniform walked inside. She approached the girl and bowed. With utmost respect in her voice, she said, "Esther Azorn, Chief Stewardess of the Zukvar Household greets Lady Emma Zukvar, daughter of Duke Zukvar and heir to the Zukvar Estate."
"Please raise your head, Esther Azorn," Emma ordered.
Esther raised her head and looked at the girl. She got a good look of the girl's face and she was surprised by her beauty. She smiled and slight wrinkles formed around her mouth as she thought, 'No matter how many times I look at her, she always looks beautiful. It's hard to think how the rowdy little girl I nursed grew up to be a such a fine beauty.'
Emma smiled at Esther and said, "Welcome back, Esther! I hope you brought me good news."
As soon as Emma mentioned 'good news', Esther's smile disappeared and a sad expression formed on her face.
'She must know about it,' she thought to herself. 'She has a keen mind after all.'
Esther began talking with a tone of fear and uncertainty in her voice, "My Lady, I regret to inform you, that..."
Emma cut her off as she looked back at the mirror, "He isn't coming?"
Esther paused, then said, "I'm sorry to say... he is not coming."
The expression on Emma's face did not change. It was as though she knew this would happen. However, Esther could see that she had clenched her fists.
Emma sighed deeply and murmured, "Ever since mother passed away, he's been like this. Excuses. Excuses. Excuses. Every. Single. Time. I... am always left alone. This... estate feels dead. He's... meant to be my father. He was the perfect father but after mother passed away, it seems that he forgot he even had a child."
Esther had known about the relationship between Emma and her father and how he had neglected his duty as a father to Emma and she sympathized with her. However, it was also true that her father, Duke Zukvar, had never been the same after his wife's death. And now, his indifference towards his daughter was truly a matter of concern for Esther.
Emma sighed again and asked Esther, "What was his excuse for not coming with me to the banquet? What was it, this time?"
"My Lady," Esther said with an expression that was both angry and sad, "He claimed that he was unable to come because he had a very important mission in the west. That was what he said."
"Hah!", Emma laughed mockingly, "An important mission in the west, he says. What a fuc–," she stopped herself and took a deep breath.
She turned around and ordered her, "It doesn't really matter, anyways. We need to attend the banquet. Make sure everything is ready."
Esther bowed as she said, "Very well, My Lady."
Emma watched her leave and gazed back at the reflection while thinking, 'What's going on with you, father? What is the real reason? If you won't tell me, I will find out myself.'
. . .
At the main hall of the Telemark mansion which was located in the HighVrow district of the city of Ateira – Capital of the County of Telemark,
A boy and a girl were standing together in front of two people who were laughing and teasing them. The boy had pale, unblemished skin and cyan eyes. He was about eighteen years old and stood just above six feet four inches. His hair was dark brown and had a slight curl in it and fell all the way to his shoulders. He was ready for the banquet as he wearing a suit of white and purple. He also, had worn a purple and white coat over his shoulders which was golden embroidered with a design which was similar to the mark of the Viscount Narva family.
The girl had pale skin, blue eyes and long, blue hair. She was also eighteen years old and was around six feet two inches tall. She was wearing a beautiful dress. The dress was white and had a lace front. It also had a skirt that was pleated at the end which fell down to her ankles. The dress also had two sleeves that reached past the elbows. She was wearing a pair of heels and she had a few pendants around her neck and bracelets on her wrists.
The boy and the girl were being teased by a man with pale skin, short, light brown hair and eyes that were slightly darker. He had a thick mustache, with two distinct twists on each side of it, and wore a black, military uniform and a woman with pale skin, short, blue hair and blue eyes similar to the girl, who was standing beside him wearing a purple dress.
"Hahaha!", The man laughed as he said, "You two look very cute, whenever we tease you."
The woman laughed as well and added, "Especially the way you both blush."
The girl said with an angry voice, "We aren't blushing."
"Yes, you are, Ariel," The woman said as she shook her head and added, "It's so adorable."
Ariel looked at the woman said, "This is why I wanted to hurry off to the banquet. I knew you were going to tease us, Mom. And...," she looked at the man beside her and continued, "You roped in Dad this time too."
The man chuckled and said, "Hahaha! Sorry Ariel, but I really had to."
Ariel shook her head and sighed. The boy spoke up, "Sir Kyle? Lady Vera? Is there a reason for this? We should get going."
"Of course there is, Eric," Kyle said as he grinned. He continued, "We're teasing you both, because we like you both very much. And we're happy that you have each other."
Ariel's and Kyle's faces began to redden as they were being teased. The couple's cheeks puffed as they tried to stop themselves from laughing out loud.
After a few moments, Eric and Ariel stopped blushing, and started to chuckle, which soon turned into laughter.
Ariel smiled at her parents and said, "Alright. Alright. Enough."
Kyle and Vera smiled at the couple as they said, "We'll see you later."
"And you too, Mom, Dad." Ariel added as she smiled.
Eric and Ariel turned around and left the mansion. Kyle and Vera waved to them as they left. They watched as the couple walked out of the gate of the mansion and sit inside the carriage. They watched the carriage till it was out of sight.
"Vera." Kyle murmured as he turned his head to look at Vera.
She raised her eyebrows as she looked back at him, "What is it?"
Kyle replied, "Let's go. It's almost time for the meeting to start."
Vera smiled at him and nodded, "Alright. Let's go."
"It's a shame, we won't be seeing Ralph and Isabella at the banquet." Vera said.
Kyle nodded as he said, "It's a pity. It's been such a long time since we were together. All of us."
"Yeah... ", Vera sadly nodded but her face became serious as she said, "But, they would understand. We've already sent them information on the events occurring in the kingdom bordering our territory - The Tralwyn Kingdom."
"Yes..", Kyle sighed.
Vera patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay."
"I hope so...", Kyle said.
Vera put her arm through Kyle's and he held her hand in return as they walked to the audience chamber of the mansion.
. . .
In the Rogers' Mansion,
Darell tiptoed down the hallway, careful not to make any noise. His clothes were torn and his armor was covered in dirt, but he managed to sneak back into his room unnoticed.
He sighed in relief when he did so. He removed the dirty clothes and the armor and tossed them into a basket. After that, he took off his shoes and placed them in the basket as well. Then, he hurriedly entered the bathroom.
After taking a quick shower and cleaning his teeth, he walked out of the bathroom and opened his wardrobe. Changing into his normal clothes, he slumped on his bed with a wide smile on his face while thinking, 'Phew! That was close!'
He glanced at the clock on the wall and thought, 'It's only 9 in the morning. I have time to attend breakfast.'
So, he got up from the bed, styled his hair, fixed his appearance and walked out of the room. After reaching the dining hall, Darell's stomach began to grumble as he realized he was quite hungry.
'Oh, boy. I'm starving!' He thought to himself.
He entered the dining hall and saw Ralph and Isabella already sitting at the table. Ralph was reading a few parchments while Isabella was issuing orders to the servants and maids.
"Morning, Dad! Mom!", He greeted them and sat in his chair at the table.
"Hmm!", Ralph groaned in response since he was busy reading whatever was written in the parchments.
Isabella smiled at her son as she said, "Morning, darling! Are you alright? I hope you aren't exhausted today as well."
"I'm perfectly fine, Mom. No exhaustion today," Darell said with a smile on his face.
Ralph looked up from the parchment and said, "Sometimes, people who awaken their innate ability experience exhaustion and pain in their body. It usually goes away in a few days time."
Lilith entered the dining hall at that moment and greeted, "Morning, Dad! Mom! Darell!"
"Morning, Lilith," Ralph replied.
"Good morning, Lilith," Isabella added.
Lilith took a seat at the table and asked, "What are you talking about?"
Darell smiled and said, "We were talking about the exhaustion I was feeling yesterday."
"So, you're fine, now?", Lilith asked.
"Yup! Perfectly fine!", Darell replied.
The maids began to serve breakfast at that point and they all started eating their breakfast. Ralph and Isabella began talking about the recent events.
After finishing his breakfast, Ralph said, "Well, I'm off to the merchant's guild. I need to collect their tax and hopefully, work out a deal between us. Phew! A lot of work to do."
Isabella nodded as she said, "Yes. I also, need to hurry before the people at the Mandrezool School get the news that I'll be doing a surprise inspection today."
Ralph and Isabella left the dining hall after saying goodbye to Darell and Lilith.
Lilith turned to Darell and stared at his face for a few seconds. She smiled and said, "Hmm! You look very different today."
Darell gulped down his food and asked, "Different? As in?"
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"Different in the sense that you look more handsome than you usually do," Lilith answered as she giggled.
"Really? Maybe it's because I awakened my innate ability and unlocked mana in my body.", Darell said.
"Mm! Yeah... That must have done something," Lilith replied.
They continued chatting for some time while eating.
Later that evening, Darell was sitting on the bench in the garden of the mansion. The sounds of the nearby fountains and the gentle rustle of the leaves in the trees above him was soothing to him. The sky was a clear shade of orange and red.
Darell was looking up at the sky as he thought, 'I've been waiting for this day for so long. I can't believe that I finally awakened my innate ability. And now, I can finally make the necessary preparations for my journey to the academy. It's time for me to begin my new life.'
He heard footsteps coming from behind him and turned his head to see Lilith coming to the bench. He smiled as she took a seat beside him and both of them looked at the bustling courtyard in the distance where the maids and servants were hard at work, preparing for the grand banquet that was about to be held.
He took another deep breath and he smelled the aroma of exotic spices and sweet pastries. A few maids and servants noticed the siblings looking at them from the garden and they politely bowed as they greeted him. They returned their greeting with a warm smile, pleased to have their attention.
Darell noticed some of the younger maids looking at him and he couldn't help but feel a sense of fondness for their innocence. He noticed them waving excitedly at him and he waved back, his smile growing wider at their playful enthusiasm. They then, hurriedly resumed their work when the older maids glared at them for being distracted during work.
It was moments like these that made him appreciate the small community that existed within the walls. Growing up, he was raised with a deep sense of respect and compassion for all members of their household, including the maids and servants. In their family, discrimination or violence against anyone, regardless of their status, was not tolerated. He and his sister had enjoyed playing with the children of the maids and servants, who were welcomed as part of the extended family.
It was during one of these moments that he overheard a maid whispering to her friend about the difference in treatment between other noble houses and theirs. However, they were grateful to work for his family, knowing that they were treated with kindness and fairness. This knowledge filled him with a sense of pride, knowing that the helpers worked for them not out of obligation, but rather because they genuinely enjoyed working alongside his family.
Lilith suddenly nudged Darell, breaking him out of his thoughts, and pointed at Isabella who was waving at them from the window. She said, "Let's go! It's time for the banquet."
Darell stood up from the bench and nodded at her as he said, "Sure. Let's go."
Lilith stood up as well and the siblings started walking to the entrance of the mansion. They passed through the grand foyer and stopped when they reached the main hall, where Isabella was waiting for them.
Isabella greeted them as she said, "Hey! You two, get changed for the banquet, quickly!"
She snapped her fingers and a three maids dragged Darell to his room while three others dragged Lilith to hers.
Darell's maids stripped him out of his clothes and then, helped him wear a clean, new set of clothes. The clothes he was wearing were of white, with a black shirt with a golden crest on his chest which was the symbol of the Rogers' family. He also wore a golden waist belt with a golden pendant with a gem.
He put on the golden, embroidered coat which was similar to his old one, over his shoulders. The coat fell down to his waist and he buttoned it up. His hair was tied into a ponytail that fell down his back. He wore a pair of white pants that reached below his ankles and a pair of boots that reached above his knees. His maids combed his hair and then, began fixing his appearance. After his maids were done helping him dress, he thanked them and they bowed before leaving.
Darell looked in the mirror and smiled as he said to himself, "Yes. I like the way this looks. The clothes really suit me."
Meanwhile, Lilith's maids were busy combing her hair and applying her makeup.
Lilith said to the maids who were combing her hair, "My hair doesn't have much volume to it so you don't have to worry about that. Just tie it up, please."
"Yes, milady." The maid replied as she quickly tied up her long light brown hair with a white ribbon and fixed her appearance.
Lilith's maids were wearing a light pink, short sleeve blouse with a light pink petticoat that reached up to their knees and a black and white, corset-like bodice. Their hair was tied up into a ponytail, with a light pink bow at the end, and they had a pair of light pink heels.
"Okay, you're done, milady," The maid said.
"Thanks!" Lilith replied as she turned around and walked out of the room.
The maids smiled and bowed before following after her.
Meanwhile, in Isabella's room, a few maids were busy fixing her appearance.
Isabella's maids were wearing light blue dresses that reached her feet, with a silver lining on the edges of the skirt. Their hair was tied up into ponytails. Isabella wore a silver dress which was long, and it reached below her feet. The dress also featured a lace front, which reached to her chest. She wore a silver choker with a silver necklace which was engraved with her family crest. She also wore a pair of silver earrings and a silver bracelet on her right arm.
Isabella looked at her reflection in the mirror and said to herself, "Yes. It's perfect."
Meanwhile, at the grand foyer, Ralph was already waiting for the others.
Ralph wore a suit that was black, with a white shirt and a black tie. He had combed his hair to the side and wore a black coat with a golden crest of the Rogers' family over his shoulders.
. . .
The servants opened the gates of the mansion and the guests began pouring in. The servants led them to the banquet hall. One by one, they filed into the banquet hall and took their seats. The guests were nobles from surrounding territories, high ranked adventurers, guild masters of various guilds, merchants and aristocrats.
The guests took their seats, but it wasn't long before some started talking with each other. After a while, some started talking with the servants and maids that were standing at the sides of the room.
However, when they heard the sound of a gong, they all turned to look towards the head of the hall where Isabella and Ralph were standing at. The servants rushed to their side and led them to their seats. After Isabella and Ralph took their seats, Ralph raised his hand to signal everyone to take their seats.
The banquet hall fell silent as everybody looked at Ralph. He cleared his throat and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to our family banquet."
Ralph nodded at them before continuing, "We have had some important matters to discuss today, so I'm sorry for the lack of entertainment. You can talk freely during the banquet, as long as it doesn't disturb others."
A few of the guests nodded while some were smirking.
Ralph continued, "First of all, I'd like to thank you all for attending our family banquet. Secondly, I'd like to welcome our guests. It is our pleasure to have all of you in our home."
Some of the guests like the adventurers, merchants or guild masters stood up from their seats and bowed, "Thank you for having us here. It's an honor."
Ralph raised his hands to signal them to take their seats. After they did, he looked around the room as he said, "Now that we have welcomed all the guests, I'd like to call my son, Darell Rogers to the podium. Everybody, please welcome today's star who's birthday we are celebrating today and who has awakened his innate ability."
Everyone in the hall clapped and cheered as Darell rose from his chair and walked to the podium.
He cleared his throat and smiled at the guests as he said, "Hello. Thank you for the applause. I know most of you might be wondering what innate ability I awakened, right? Well, my innate ability is...", Darell said as he stopped and looked around the room.
He began saying in a lower voice, "My innate ability is... Space."
The guests stared at him, completely in shock, when suddenly, one of the higher nobles was spoke up, "Sir Rogers, this is quite unexpected. I can't believe this. But you must know, we'll need time to verify this. I hope you understand."
Ralph nodded with a smile and said, "Of course, I understand."
He looked at Darell and said, "Show them!"
Darell nodded and put his hand at the table near him and it disappeared. The table reappeared with a wave of his hand and he said, "That... was my innate skill – Space Arsenal."
The guests were shocked by the unexpected appearance of the table. Some of the merchants were rubbing their eyes, trying to convince themselves that they were actually seeing what they were seeing, and a few adventurers were just staring at the table in silence. The nobles were staring at Darell with wide eyes while thinking, 'He has the Space ability!!! The ability that was lost for 10,000 years!!! How is this possible?!'
Some of them stared at him in disbelief, as they were completely shocked by the revelation while some began murmuring to themselves about what they had just witnessed and what that meant for the Rogers family.
Darell looked around and spoke up, garnering their attention, "I have another announcement to make. My little sister, Lilith," he pointed at her and said, "Has awakened her innate ability as well. I know it's a strange thing to hear since she's seventeen but after checking it with an Insight Orb, we found out that it was true. She had awakened at innate ability at seventeen. It's also a good thing, since this will allow her to enter the academy without issue, while still being underage."
The guests began to murmur at the revelation, which Darell found amusing and he said, "Well.. her innate ability is... Mist!"
"What?"
"An Acquired as Innate?!"
"How is this possible?!"
"Interesting! Very interesting!"
"I can't believe this!"
The guests were surprised by Darell's revelation. The merchants were rubbing their temples in annoyance, some of the adventurers were muttering to themselves in surprise and the nobles were all murmuring amongst each other.
"To prove that we're not making this up, we have brought a high-grade Insight Orb for this special occasion," Darell said and a few servants carried a small table upon which a huge crystal ball toward Lilith.
Lilith took a deep breath and channeled her mana into the orb. Everybody in the hall stared intently at the orb and after a few seconds, it began to glow with a light blue hue.
The guests looked at the orb and gasped when they saw the light blue hue. After a few minutes, the orb began to dim when Lilith stopped channeling her mana into it. She nodded at the guests who then began to talk amongst themselves again. This time, with more serious expressions on their faces.
Darell smiled at them and continued, "That's the end of the announcement, gentlemen. Enjoy the rest of the night."
He got down from the podium and he was instantly swarmed by eager noble girls who wanted to talk to him. He hurriedly approached Lilith and pulled her away from the boys surrounding her.
"Thanks!" Lilith said and patted his arm as they walked to a corner of the hall where some of their friends were waiting for them.
Darell and Lilith arrived at the corner and said, "Phew! This is double the attention I received during our preliminary test."
"Yes...", Emma approached Darell and stood at an arm's length away from him.
Darell's eyes widened when he looked at her and couldn't help but exclaim, "Damn!"
Ariel and Lilith behind Emma couldn't help but laugh as Darell quickly corrected himself and said, "My Lady", as he kneeled in front of her while she brought her hand forward.
He kissed her hand, and she nodded, pleased. But, before she could take it back, Darell grabbed it and pulled her toward him.
Emma didn't try to escape his grip and he leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her lips which she reciprocated.
After he broke the kiss, Darell stared into Emma's eyes as he murmured, "You look very beautiful, Emma."
"You've been saying that since forever but still, thank you.", Emma said with a smile.
Darell let go of Emma who hugged his arm and said, "Happy birthday, Darell!"
Ariel smiled and said, "Yes! Happy birthday!!"
Eric repeated with a smile. "Happy birthday, man!!"
"Thank you! Thank you!", Darell said.
Ariel turned to Lilith and said, "Mist? I never expected that."
"Me too. But, congratulations for it, anyway," Eric said.
Lilith nodded and replied, "Thank you! Now, I can attend the academy with all of you and we would be together."
"Yes. This is really exciting!" Ariel exclaimed.
"Yeah. It is..." Eric said as he looked around the hall.
As they continued chatting with each other, they suddenly heard the sound of gong being struck and they all turned to look towards the podium, where Isabella and Ralph were standing at and announced, "It's time for dinner. I hope you all enjoy the feast!"
As soon as she finished talking, the doors to the banquet hall were opened by the servants and the servants and the maids began serving food.
As the guests sat down at the tables and started eating their meal, Darell turned to his friends and said, "Let's go! It's time to eat!"
"Yay!" Emma cheered.
They all hurried to the table and took a seat. They looked at the dishes that were placed in front of them, which were beautifully served, and began to dig in.
Darell, Lilith, Eric, Ariel and Emma were all from different noble families. Everybody's place in the noble hierarchy was different. Higher noble children rarely, became friends with lower ones. If they became friends, it usually had a hidden motive. It was never a genuine one. However, Darell, Lilith, Eric and Ariel had become friends because they genuinely wanted to. Their friendship was strong and it lasted more than 10 years and it was still ongoing. And, many wondered how it was possible for a daughter of a Duke to be romantically involved with a Baron's son and be friends with a Count's daughter or a Viscount's son.
The answer, however, was quite simple.
Their parents had attended the same academy and were comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side in many battles. This created a strong bond between them, and they remained friends even after leaving the academy. They would bring their children along with them to several banquets or events and all five of them met each other several times. Over time, this led to the formation of a genuine friendship.
"This tastes delicious!" Eric exclaimed as he stuffed a piece of food into his mouth.
Ariel looked at him and realized that a piece of food was on his cheeks so she giggled as she said, "Eric, your cheeks look so cute with food in them. Here, let me take it for you."
"Huh?" Eric stared at Ariel and didn't understand what she said until she leaned in and licked the food from his cheek.
Eric began to blush furiously and turned his head as far as he could as Ariel smiled seeing him like that.
"That was a great tease!" Darell said as he laughed along with Emma and Lilith.
It was later in the evening when Isabella raised her glass of wine and said, "Before I forget, let's raise a toast to Darell's eighteenth birthday and to him, and, Lilith, for awakening their innate abilities! Congratulations, you two!"
All of them raised their glasses and said, "Cheers!", before they took a sip.
After dinner, they had the cake which was served with wine. It was a dark chocolate cake, served with red wine. The cake was delicious and everybody enjoyed eating it. They then, had some music played and they danced until they got tired.
The guests all left the mansion around midnight and the Rogers family began to clean up after the banquet.
Darell helped Emma to her carriage. He looked at her lovingly and said, "I'll see you in a month at the academy, Emma."
"Yes, you will. Take care and don't be late. I can't wait to see you there.", Emma said and smiled.
"I won't. I promise," Darell said.
She leaned in and both of them kissed again before she entered the carriage and the guards closed the door.
Darell watched the carriage as it disappeared into the distance, then turned around and began walking to his room while thinking, 'A whole month of not seeing Emma. This is going to be rough!'
He walked to his room and entered. He stopped in front of the wardrobe and began changing into his normal clothes before lying down on his bed. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he thought, 'It's time to sleep now. I have to do a lot of work before entering the academy in a month.'
. . .
It was a cold night in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Gavaria – Varona , and everybody was in bed. The stars in the sky were shining brightly, the wind was howling and the sound of the crickets could be heard all over the city. However, one man was still awake. He was in a large, empty room. The room was filled with books, maps, parchments and all kinds of items that were used to create the items and artifacts which could be used in war.
The man was dressed in black from top to bottom. He was wearing a black shirt and a black jacket, and was also wearing black pants with a black belt with a silver buckle. On his neck was a silver pendant with the emblem of the royal family. In his hands was a small book. He was looking through the pages, trying to decipher something. He took a deep breath and murmured, "Is this it? Is this what happened?"
The man raised his head to look at the large map that was placed on the wall. It was a detailed map of the western part of the continent and it showed all of the major cities and towns. There were many markings on the map. The markings indicated where important buildings were located and the names of some of the most influential people in the world.
The man looked at the map and stared at one specific marking. The marking had a label which said 'Kingdom Of Gorka'. The man raised the book and placed it on the table in front of him and murmured, "The Kingdom Of Gorka. That's where the problem began. It's slowly spreading. First, it spread to The Hieros Confederacy, then The Mandol Theocracy. It doesn't seem to stop."
The man thought for a moment and began reading the book again. He stopped when he reached a specific page. He flipped through the pages and reached the page he was looking for.
He stared intently at the page and mumbled to himself, "Is that really all there is to this?"
The man kept flipping through the pages of the book and reached the final page, but he couldn't find what he was looking for.
The man growled in frustration, "Where is it? Where's the last page? Dammit!", he said as he slammed the book onto the table.
After a few moments, he stopped breathing heavily as he leaned forward. He raised the book and looked at the back cover of it and realized that there was a false back. He took out a sharp dagger and began cutting the book in half, revealing another book which was hidden behind it.
The man picked up the book and opened it, revealing a book which was filled with various sketches and notes.
He began reading the book and suddenly, a large smile appeared on his face.
"Yes! I have it! Finally, I have it!" He said as he closed the book.
The man raised his hands into the air and pumped them as he yelled, "Hahaha! Yes! This is the information I was looking for!"
He stopped pumping his hands into the air and he began rubbing them in anticipation of what was about to happen.
"It's finally time. It's finally time!"
"The Vampire King Shall Rise Again!"