PhantomInspector: I have a scanned picture of him from the novels (had two, but the second one got lost when my HDD died). Helga is... a headache, really. I won't mention her race, but I will have her refer to the two races as 'terrans' and 'vampires'. Caterina is Caterina. She'll play on more fields at once.

I do not own Trinity Blood

-3-

The new day greatly contrasted the previous night in that it was sunny and warm. The townsfolk were already out on the fields or working hard on further preparing their town for their king. Isaak was up as well, dressed in one of his black suits, cigarillo lit as he gazed at the small colored dots that moved between the grape rows.

It was not the same for Dietrich, though. He was sitting up in his bed, trying hard not to glare at the petite woman that was busying herself with opening his windows and chatting happily that his older brother -the 'distinguished young lord' as she had called him- had sent her to wake him up and remind him that they were supposed to have breakfast with the mayor.

"He did, did he?" Dietrich grumbled to himself, turning his head to the right and glaring at the wall he knew Isaak's room was. But his glare was present for a moment and then he offered the woman a big smile and slowly started to get out of bed. "That was very thoughtful of my brother, although people of his age usually forget things. Please inform my dearest older brother that I will meet him in the car in a few minutes." He winked at the woman, making her blush and giggle, his hands already on her back, pushing her out of his room.

Once the woman was out, he stopped to glare at the wall again, arms crossed over his chest. A mission with him proved to be very tiring and boring, noting to himself that it was much more pleasant when Esther sneaked in his room and gently shook him awake.

As was his habit, Dietrich made sure to keep Isaak waiting for at least a quarter of an hour before he waltzed out of the hotel, the girl he had pointed out to Isaak as being the mayor's bastard daughter hanging from his arm. He whispered something in her ear and then kissed her hand, the blond driver -who was none other than Isaak's trusted bodyguard, Guderian- opening the car door for him.

The Puppet Master started to cough and covered his mouth and nose, pushing a button to open the windows and let out all of the smoke that had gathered in there.

"Tch, must you smoke when you know that I'll drive with you?"

"Must you be so stubborn and insist on making me wait?" Isaak said, exhaling more smoke towards Dietrich, amusing himself with his overreactions.

It was, lucky, a short drive and Dietrich got out of the car even before Guderian did, a sour look on his face. The mayor -a fat little bald man that dabbed a napkin on his forehead- greeted the two with opened arms, pushing the servants and snapping his fingers at them to open the door to the restaurant faster and to take the guests' coats.

"Ah, please excuse me for not being able to properly greet you last night!" The man said fast, forcing himself to laugh as he wiped some sweat off of his neck. "A very pressing matter kept me in Teufel. It was very rude of me, I know, but I simply could not leave without attending to it first," he went on, sitting down at the table, ringing a bell and calling out to the servants to move faster.

"I am sure it was," Dietrich muttered, eyes narrowed as and a mean smile spreading on his lips, trying to make it obvious to the mayor that they already knew what that pressing matter was.

The mayor looked panic for a moment and opened his mouth to apologize again, but his klutzy words were stopped from coming out when the food appeared. He started to stuff himself, signaling Isaak and Dietrich to start eating as well.

"This is a very interesting taste. I am sure the King will think so as well," Dietrich said, making sure to wiggle his nose a bit. "I am sure the cooks did their best."

Isaak said nothing, busying himself with his cigarillo and a glass of wine, his food remaining untouched while the mayor's eyes widened a bit, almost chocking on a piece of ham. He quickly sent the food back to the kitchen and gritted out between his teeth that he would talk with the cooks later about this.

The mayor started to search inside his coat for something and then pushed an envelope towards the two, stuttering that there were invitations to the newly built -but 'small and humble'- Opera House, were the king was scheduled to watch the very first opera every played there.

Isaak raised an eyebrow at the envelope and the words, as he was unaware that this small town had such a thing as an Opera House or that an opera had been scheduled for the King's visit. The mayor must have senses that something was wrong and the quickly added that the funds they used to build the building had come from an anonymous person and that a well known artist from Vienna had offered to perform for the king there.

"O-Of course, this means that the King has canceled his visit to our museum. W-we were lucky that the woman sent here to inspect the building and the surrounding ones green lighted the whole thing." The mayor added in the end, wishing nothing else but to melt away from the room where it seemed that tension grew.

"I see. Is the artist already in this town? I love opera and it would be a great honor if I were to meet with him." Isaak said after a few moments, a pleasant smile on his lips.

The mayor sighed in relief and rubbed his hands together, happy to inform him that the man had arrived a few hours ago and that it would be absolutely no problem for him to fulfill such a small request from such a kind and giving person.

After the breakfast, Dietrich had convinced his newest doll to show him around town, leaving Isaak to his own devices after announcing that he was way too bored and uninterested in meeting 'that' person. Isaak's only words came as a warning to the brown-haired boy, telling him not to let his fun interfere with their plan.

"My innocent fun is not what damaged the now ruined plan, mage. That person interfering in this did." And with that, Dietrich was out the door, girl attached to his arm as a black car pulled up to where they were staying.

Isaak sent away all the servants from his room and greeted his new guest with a small bow, the tips of his hair brushing the floor. The guest also bowed his head a bit and then sat down on a chair, accepting the glass of wine that the magician offered him.

"I do hope that you can adjust your plan to my presence, Panzer Magier." The newcomer said, smelling the wine, his light brown hair coming in his eyes. "The seats that have been offered to you and Marionettenspieler are right across the King's and his suit."

"A very dramatic and public way to go. It reminds me of a similar way a ruler from the old world was executed. Only it involved the theater."

The two continued to have a small conversation, both of them seemingly relaxed but in reality, both of them having their guards up. Isaak knew that the brothers had something else planned and Balthasar had taking into consideration Isaak's lack of trust towards their every move. They were both aware now that it became a competition to see which Rosenkreuz fraction delivers the message first and how well the message gets across.

I never really intended to have so many RCO members appear.