亚洲综合中美

“Lady Yuki, why don’t you say anything?” Emma pleaded to have justice, yet, the majority of the staff stared emotionlessly. The shock of the incident had differing reactions. Increased heart rate, unsteady breathing, or quietness, they were all contemplating what would happen.

“What of the ambulance?”

“I’ve called them, ma’am,” said Igona with irregular breaths.

‘How am I going to make up to Leko,’ wondered Yuki stuck in a place of no return, ‘-I took responsibility for the boy, and now he’s gone. Joe overworked him, I should have noticed – I added more onto his mind, a youngling can’t possibly deal with such harshness. In trying to sculpt a gem, the stone broke, what a shame...”

*Cough,* the paleness of the skin regained a flicker of color. The flowing blood froze instantly as if ice all the way up to Lady Yuki’s clothes.

“Stand back,” yelled Emma pushing the others back.

.....

“Lady Yuki, whatever you do, don’t dare move!” added Emmy frightfully.

“What’s up with you two?” wondered a perplexed Joe.

“Don’t make noise nor say anything.”

The frozen life-essence formed a chain around the open wound, the forehead healed slowly leaving no scars. The knife inside the stomach broke into pieces as a crystal-like substance returned, the injury closed on itself.

“I fell,” said he sitting upright, “-Lady Yuki, why are your clothes burnt?” scanning around, “-is something wrong?”

“Who are you...” wondered the manager shaking to her knees.

“Lyoko Igna,” he shrugged, “-did I cause trouble?”

“Yes,” sighed Lady Lordon, “-I supposed you’re not human?”

“Why would you say that?” he slid back in refusal, “-I look human, don’t I?” quick to cover his mouth, ‘-my canines aren’t sharpened, how do they know?’

“Igna,” chuckled Joe, “-the lady means it as you were extraordinary during today’s service. Congratulations on keeping up with our pace.”

“Yeah,” the others soon lied about what was seen.

“Lyoko,” smiled lady Yuki, “-we still have to decide the place of residence.” On that, she walked out the back with him in tow, “-bring the bicycle. Joe, you’ll close the restaurant,” the duo vanished into the crimson night of misunderstanding.

“Emma, Emmy,” stood around the main cooking station, “-can you explain more on what we saw?”

“Well, Igna’s not human. The body regenerated itself, the crystal blood is the main culprit. He’s from the clan of Nightwalker,” the power of said name sufficed to turn a lively place to a grave.

“I’ve only heard of them in legend, they exist in the shadows of Arda...”

“That’s right, lady Jola, they are powerful and fearsome. I’ve heard ten of them could take on an entire platoon of well-trained soldiers.”

“How do you know so much?” wondered Joe.

“Emmy and I were adventurers and members of Kniq. Our Guild master was someone powerful,”

“-no,” interjected Emmy, “-powerful can’t begin to describe him, a vampiric-king with the powers of gods. Tis the nonexaggerated words my mind thought.”

“Not the issue here,” voiced Jola, “-is Igna dangerous to us?”

“I don’t think so,” refuted Emma, “-he tried to hide his identity. It’s best we leave him to it. He didn’t seem bothered with the sun or the human way of living,” glancing at Emmy, she followed with, “-we know very little. Still, Igna isn’t a normal vampire either. He’s a noble, the more powerful of their rank.”

“Put into perspective how powerful a noble is?” requested Igona.

“A noble above the rank of Baron is equal to Tier-3 Silver for our adventurers,” said she with fear.

“Sister, I think it’s best for us to not go over this topic again,” added Emmy, “-don’t treat him differently. The boy came to learn. We don’t have the right to force our thoughts onto him. There are plenty of non-humans roaming Rosespire and he’s no different. We’re all children of Hidros.”

“I agree with Emmy,” nodded Joe with arms crossed, “-I like Igna, he’s serious and determined to get better. I’m not going to change the way I treat him.”

“The decision is up to lady Yuki,” mumbled Jola, “-let’s get to cleaning for tomorrow.”

Amber lights off the lamps were warm and peaceful, or so was the impression given by the clear starry night. Lady Yuki walked closely to Igna who pulled the cycle slowly. Her eyes would often stray to glance, when the sights met, she’d look away as if nothing happened.

“Lady Yuki,” stopped at an intersection leading outwards of the town square, “-I died earlier, didn’t I,” the voice came across cold and doubtful.

“Yeah,” she turned without much say, “-I know you’re a vampire. Now what?”

“Nothing really,” he leaned onto the handle, “-vampire or not, I came to be your apprentice. Can I still consider you my teacher? If there are doubts, I’d rather leave this instant.”

“You don’t understand,” her cheeks flushed, “-I have a thing for the supernatural,” she walked closer, “-romantic novels with vampires are my bread and butter, I love them so much,” her usual dignified aura mellowed into the whims of a child, “-are you really a vampire,” she clasped his palms together.

“My lady,” quick to jump back, “-it’s inappropriate. I’m a lowly boy who came to learn, not a gallant with amazing charm and visage. You’d be disappointed, please, don’t ruin the fantasy of the idyllic loving vampires for my sake.”

“Man,” she laughed, “-I’m glad,” the craziness in her face diminished.

“Excuse me?”

“I refused to cook until I tasted what you made with Chef Leko. It spurred me to try and return to where I belong, in that aspect, you’ve saved the Medusa of Cooking,” she walked to give a motherly embrace, “-I promise to help you in any way I can,” her silent panting felt uncomfortable. The lonesome lamp onto the deserted crossway felt as if a movie, the parting scene of a lover. Sprinkle rain and strong gust and one would have a cliché love story.

“Thanks,” they parted with her slowly pulling down her collar.

“What are you doing?” he asked with narrowed eyes.

“Don’t vampires need blood, I’m offering mine.”

“No, my lady,” he refused wholeheartedly, “-I’ll lose control and do unspeakable things resulting in death. Let’s drop the topic of my origin since I don’t know myself. About the situation of residence, where am I sleeping?”

“At our mansion,” *clap,* a car summoned from the darkness, “-the outhouse to be precise. My husband’s personal chefs and servants live there; should be a great experience.”

“I suppose,” he stared the cycle, “-can I have-”

“No,” said she adamantly, “-another will bring it to the noble district.”

The drive took to the north-east where a massive castle stood overlooking the capital. The noble district changed with bigger and better manors. Roads were cleaner, a visible difference in maintenance.

‘Lordon’s Manor,’ the car pulled into a long ever twisting driveway. Soon a garage with multiples of vehicles passed them by until an enormous resplendent manor. Countless windows went from left to right, there were no special features, no slated roofs nothing, only decorated support pillars. Counting from the ground floor, there were three with each adorned with immaculate carvings and paints.

“We’re here,” said she with servants opening the door, “-come, don’t be shy.”

‘Obnoxious,’ standing in the less than presentable outfit felt embarrassing. The retainers gave side-eyes at the newbie. ‘How big does a house have to be?’

“Madia, give him a room and explain what is supposed to be done around here.”

“As you wish, lady Yuki.”

“Before you go,” added the lady, “-make sure to learn from the cooks, they are experienced,” she soon crossed the portal into a life he couldn’t imagine.

The maid kindly gave a tour of the outhouse. “You’ll sleep here from now on. The kitchen is down the hall if you ever need something to eat or want to cook. The chefs usually come here in the morning.”

“Don’t they sleep here?”

“No, they work nightshifts at another restaurant. Don’t worry, it’ll get easier with time.”

A simple room with a warm bed, a single table, and a view onto manor. The gentle breeze inside was refreshment beyond the mortal realm. The body slipped into sleep without realizing it.

‘Don’t, please, don’t kill her,’ the sleep broke after a nightmare. The latter had him shaking to the point of hysteria, vertigo and lightheadedness grew into nausea. ‘Calm down.’ Time showed 04:00, going to sleep would be a losing fight. ‘I’ll go mess around,’ he shuffled along the wooden floor into the ominous kitchen. A flick flared the light across the utensils and marbled floor. ‘Looks exactly like the one at Loron.’ Fruits and vegetables were placed into baskets, the fridges and cupboards held jars of spices and garnish. ‘I can make a feast with this,’ quick to tie the apron, the cooking began.

*Screech,* ‘-someone’s trying to sneak in,’ the heightened hearing locked onto a window in the hallway. A twist lowered the sizzling stove to aid and give a clear image. ‘He’s trying to open from the outside,’ he leaped to the door with a wooden spoon.

“Who’s there,” he barged into the hall menacingly.

“OUCH!” the intruder hit its head onto the frame, “-keep it quiet!” the moon shone onto the figure, a girl with hair tied in twin-tails had her dress stuck onto a nail.

“Who are you?”

“Syndra Lordon, come on, help me, I’m stuck,” the attitude came across as pretentious.

‘Lordon,’ he paused, “-aren’t you supposed to be at that mansion over there?” gently pulling out the phone, “-I wonder what lady Yuki might think of this,” the flash blinded her eyes.

“Please, help me,” it lessened into politeness.

“Fine.”

“At last,” she made for the kitchen.

“DON’T RUN AWAY!”

Not apparent at first, the girl was around the same age as him, the night’s veil made her seem younger. She towered before the stove with a look of dejection, “-what are you making?”

“Don’t know,” replied he returning to the stove, “-whatever comes to mind. More importantly, who are you exactly?”

“Forgot to introduce myself,” she curtsied, “-the only daughter of the Lordon’s. Is that sufficient?”

“Impressive,” said he ignoring her presence, “-lady Yuki has a daughter.”

“Why is that impressive?” asked she sat on the counter.

“She doesn’t look like a mother,” he shrugged, “-what would an orphan know anyway.”

“You say something?”

“No,” the attention turned to prepping the other batch of ingredients, “-are you an aspiring chef too?”

.....

“No, I’m more interested in music. I do cook from time to time, mother sort of forces me to do it. What of you, I’ve not seen you here before?”

“Lyoko Igna, Lady Yuki randomly said I was to become her apprentice, and here I am.”

“Oh, the boy I saw on the video,” she took out her phone and showed the clip, “-look, it’s gotten a lot of views.”

“Oh, that’s what Joe referred to. On that topic, why did you sneak into the outhouse, surely there’s nothing of interest here.”

“On the contrary,” she pulled onto a cupboard, “-this here is my secret stash of snacks. I got hungry. Don’t tell mother else I’ll lie about you being inappropriate towards a young lady.”

“I do have photos of you sneaking into the outhouse... I wonder which one will cause more damage, proof, or fiction?”

“Whatever,” she pouted.

“Miss Lordon, would you like to have a taste?”

“Please, let me taste the talent of which mother kept on rambling about for the past few days.”

One bite turned into two, then three, four, five, her hands moved without the mind’s intervention. The deliciousness had her giggling as if a child. “How did you get such a texture?”

“Here,” he wrote the thought process behind the snack, “-I want to experiment with a few exotic ingredients – they might add more flavor.”

“What more flavor?” spoke she gracefully wiping her lips, “-it’s already delicious.”

“I want it to explode on the first bite,” said he staring at the ceiling in search of answers.

“Just ask mother, she’ll get the items for you.”

“No, not that, the items I need can only be found in the dungeon.”