AN: ….
…
H-How are you, my lovely readers? Missed me?
*Gets virtual shoe tossed to the head.*
I'm really sorry this update took sooooo long to get out! But I was busy, and getting the characters to perform correctly was a pain! As an apology, this chapter is, well, very long. I will stop the AN now, since I'm sure everyone is more interested in reading the story than reading my excuses. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.
Chapter 8
The best plan. That was the best plan. Winning over Kaname: Success. Getting Kaien's approval: Success. The rest: IMPENDING DOOM!
Die too-depressed-to-think-clearly Katsumi! DIE! What am I supposed to do now?! How am I going to get out of this utterly messed up situation?!
Everything went smoothly in the car. Half of the way I spent staring out the window in dramatic sadness of leaving the mansion. The other half I spent trying to appease Takuma, who suddenly started yelling at me for doing something so reckless. From the moment we left Kaien's office, Takuma's face had been blank… in shock, probably. He remained in that state for some time in the car as well. Then, as if he was electrocuted, he pointed at me and asked in a loud voice, "Are you STUPID?!"
The smoothly running car stopped briefly at the interruption before continuing.
I blinked. Takuma didn't usually point at people and shout. Even Kaname was surprised. I watched as Takuma's expression slowly darkened into anger until he started trembling slightly.
He lowered his voice and continued. "This is not a joke, Katsumi. Do you even know what you are going to do now? Do you even know anything about us? About me and Kaname-kun? About what we are? Do you even realise what danger you are putting yourself in? You are a kid. WE are kids. We won't be able to protect you!" He was panting for breath at this point, leaning towards me, eyes burning with fury. That was my first time seeing the angry Takuma. And I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't a bit scary.
"T-Taku-chan-"
"Takuma. Calm down." Kaname interrupted, arms crossed in his trademark posture. "We can't have our transportation disintegrating into powder."
(AN: Takuma's vampire power: manipulating matter at a molecular level. Lol)
Yep. Definitely scary.
Takuma slumped back into his seat, all the energy leaving him in a breath. "Yeah. I know."
Blinking again, I couldn't prevent myself from admiring his level of control. Having vampire energy myself, I understood how hard it was to even maintain control. The fact that he didn't accidentally destroy things or kill people was a real feat. Maybe that was why he fought with a Katana, unlike the other Night Class members…
"But you do have a point, Takuma." Kaname added after some time, making both me Takuma and me focus on him. "It really is too dangerous to bring her there. We shouldn't have even entertained the idea. Yoshida-san", he called out to the driver. "We are turning back to the Cross Estate."
"My apologies, Yoshida-san." I immediately added. "If you move, I'm knocking you out."
"Kaname-sama?"
"Stop the car." Kaname ordered. Yoshida complied.
"Takuma." I began calmly. "I am perfectly aware of every danger that I am going to face by taking this decision. And don't worry, I can take care of myself."
Forgetting his calm again, Takuma roared back at me. "No you don't and no you can't! You don't know my grandfather! He will make you wish you were dead instead of being there!"
"Takuma-" Kaname attempted to calm him down again. But Takuma wasn't listening and this wasn't good.
"No Kaname! She doesn't understand! She'll be eaten alive and tortured and, seriously Katsumi WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"Taku-chan." I cupped his face in my hands softly and directed his angry green eyes towards my own violet ones. "I'll be fine. I am strong. I know what I am doing. I won't be eaten, I won't be tortured and I won't die. I will live a very long life and I'll bug you so much you'll want me to die already so you can have peace. And even then, I won't die."
Takuma stared at me for a few seconds. Then he abruptly teared up. "Really?"
I smiled. "Really."
"You won't die?"
"I won't die."
"Promise?" How cute!
"Yes. I promise."
And of course, one can always count on him to ruin the moment, Kaname coughed. "Ahem, so?"
I sat back in my seat as Takuma wiped his eyes dry. "What you guys said is true. This will be very dangerous and I am, undeniably, still a kid. If I were a normal child, I'd be going straight towards my death. But as I am sure that you both know, I am not a normal child. I will make sure to keep those promises I made to Takuma, so please do not underestimate me."
Yoshida-san revved the engine back up five seconds later.
Yes, that was the 'all went smoothly in the car' part.
Haha.
Remember when I said that Kaien was rich and that the estate was big? Yeah well I wasn't sure what fraction to use to compare it to the Ichijo Estate.
We passed three gates in total on a very long (very beautiful) forest-lined road, winding around two gorgeous fountains lined with gleaming statues of gods before finally crossing into the driveway to the main house. And, as usual, house is waaaay too modest a word to describe these oversized shelters. Gigantic castle was more appropriate for Ichijo's house. There was a valet waiting for us at the entrance, opening the car's door the instant it came to a full stop. Outside, a string of servants and attendants were lined up, awaiting orders. To my Yakuza-fan-side's disappointment, they didn't yell out "Welcome home, Bocchan!" as Takuma and Kaname walked to the door. Tsk.
Instead, it was like watching a very restrained version of the interaction between the Night-class and the Day-class fangirls at dusk. Takuma smiled good-heartedly at the maids and the manservants and Kaname walked forth like the grand-master he was. Some things never change. As for me, I was still busy staring wide-eyed at everything, so before I knew it someone relieved me from the suitcases in my hands. Truly efficient.
A very tall and dignified butler (or door-handler) (mid-twenties, black hair, black eyes, very handsome) held the door open for us and once inside, we were attacked by a slightly overweight woman who I assumed, through her clothes and posture, was the housekeeper.
"Takuma-sama! You are late! You should have already been getting ready for the night!"
While she talked and harassed Takuma, the door handler/butler took my jacket off, leaving me with my summer T-shirt and pants. We were in a huge, huge, HUGE entrance hall. The floor was carpeted with an expensive looking, deep red woven mat with intricate golden designs. The walls were embossed with a light golden damask pattern. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the hall with a soft pearly hue. Two winding carved staircases expanded on both sides of the hall, meeting up on the platform leading to the first floor. Between them, facing the front door, a dark green corridor lined with huge portraits and busts invited visitors ominously. On the hall's side walls, beyond the staircases, lay two closed doors, probably for servants, but I wouldn't know, and I wasn't going to ask as well, since I was still a bit frozen.
"Oh my, who might you be, little girl?" The housekeeper asked when she noticed me looking around the place. "Is she a friend of yours, Takuma-sama?"
Takuma suddenly straightened and answered in a clipped voice, "Yes. She will be living here from now on as Kaname-kun's bodyguard. Take good care of her, Reiko-san."
Reiko seemed startled for a bit, then she looked at Takuma sternly and almost whispered, "Takuma-sama. She is human. You do realise what is going to happen, right?"
A wave of uneasiness invaded me as I watched Takuma flinch away from this nice looking lady as if she were showing him a nightmare. Kaname put a hand on Takuma's shoulder and stood in front of him. "Nothing of the sort is going to happen to her, Reiko-san. She is here as a prospective bodyguard, so we'll follow through the procedures for that position, and that position only. Is that alright?" Kaname smiled at the end, but everyone present could recognise the 'Is that alright?' as a disguised 'Is that clear?'.
A look of disapproval settled on Reiko-san's face, but she still bowed her head and complied. "As you wish, Kuran-sama." She glanced at me, then gestured to the butler. "Wakamatsu-san. Please guide her to the 3rd floor's library. The Master should still be there."
At the word 'Master', Takuma and I both looked up at her in disbelief. Takuma attempted to voice out his complaints, but he was instantly shut down by Reiko-san.
"You should know, Young Master, that your grandfather always oversees prospective employees himself, more so if they human."
"This way, Miss." The butler gestured politely with his white gloved hand.
"I am doing her a favour because you said she's your friend, Takuma-sama. If not, she'd be sent to the 5th meeting room, no questions asked."
This new development somehow succeeded in ripping me out of my bewildered state. I looked questioningly at Takuma and Kaname. Both did not meet my eyes.
"Wakamatsu-san."
"Miss?" The butler prompted.
…get a grip, Katsumi. This place could be your deathbed if you continue to space out. You made a promise already… so stop your sissy act.
I stepped out from between Takuma and Kaname to follow the butler. As I passed him, I could hear Takuma's breath hitch, as if this was the last time he was seeing me alive. I could turn around and look back, it would create a perfectly dramatic moment, just the way I liked them. I didn't do it though. I didn't want to. Instead, I did a backhanded wave. Dramatic as well, but hey- how could I completely escape it at this point?
"Remember the promise, Young Master. See you in a bit." Then I followed the butler, and we disappeared behind one of the doors flanking the vaulting staircases.
Remember me venting about a 'messed up situation' at the beginning of this chapter? Yes, this was now.
I was riding a luxury elevator with the butler (the stairs were mainly for decoration, lol) and I was seconds away from meeting the FUCKING DANGEROUS ASATO ICHIJO! Hah! And I have to get out of this meeting alive! Talk about me making some pretty hardcore promises.
I freaked out already, so I have about three seconds to calm down. One, two, three-
Ok.
This man is very twisted, no doubt. But he's not the worst. If I play my cards right, I could even get some advantage out of this. What do I know about Ichio? He likes money, he likes power, he has a great beard, very fashionable as well, he wants the influence which comes with associating with purebloods and he loves his grandson Takuma. Hmm. I can use that last part, but it won't be enough. Come on, think… Asato, Asato, Asato…
*Ting*
We got off the elevator, walking down another corridor.
Very rich, he possesses most of the business in the human world. Head of the Vampire Council, very influential, has a lot of authority. I can't be a kid in front of someone like this. I have to be careful. A powerful businessman, I know how to deal with that. I have years of experience.
The butler, Wakamatsu-san, opened a huge carved door, just enough for us to pass through. Behind were rows of heavy book shelves, arranged in a labyrinthine way as if to warn people from venturing inside. Sophisticated armchairs and couches were placed strategically and sometimes, as we wandered further inside the room, I saw small booths of tables and chairs to accommodate people who might want to have a tea party right in the middle of a maze of books.
Then Wakamatsu-san stopped in front of me and touched my shoulder to indicate I wait there. He walked into one of the larger booths, an open space encircled by bookshelves, and spoke in a very respectful tone. "Master, we have a prospective employee set up for immediate evaluation."
"Was it Reiko?" I heard a deep voice enquire.
"Yes Master."
"Then I hope this one will last longer than the last one she sent. Bring them in."
Calm down. Remember who you are, remember the three golden rules: never show weakness, never show disrespect and always be one or a few steps ahead.
I entered the lounge when Wakamatsu-san called me and there stood the most intimidating man I had met in both of my lives. Asato Ichijo, face severe and eyes so sharp they could cut. I had no doubt that they probably would.
In my last life, I would have gone straight to my possible employer to shake hands. Here, I did an 80 degree bow (because 90 would somehow degrade me) and introduced myself in a calm, level voice, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Ichijo-sama. I am Katsumi Cross and I wish to work as Kuran Kaname-sama's bodyguard."
Predictably, Ichio completely ignored me and addressed Wakamatsu-san instead. "Tell Reiko that her joke was much unappreciated. You know where to throw this one."
I lifted from my bowing position and spoke as Ichijo turned to continue browsing through the bookshelves. "If I may, Ichijo-sama, are the nine other people present in this room your servants?"
I waited for that small head movement indicating I had his attention and I continued immediately, tone still cold and professional. "Or would you like me to remove these nuisances so you can continue your reading in complete peace and silence?"
I gave him a few seconds to answer, during which I mentally patted myself on the back for succeeding in the first stage of what I was starting to treat as an interview. I noticed these hidden people when we were moving through the bookshelves and confirmed their number when Wakamatsu left me behind to talk to Ichio. Since I was constantly controlling my vampire energy, I could somehow detect it when people with vampire energies were around, especially if they were close by, as in, in the same room. So identifying those who I guessed were Ichio's personal ninja bodyguards wasn't very difficult. However, there was a certain risk in using this information. By pointing them out so easily, I have insulted Ichio's ninjas and, to a certain extent, I have questioned his choice of employees. But there was a way to neutralise that risk. I'd be doomed if I didn't have my people analysis skills.
Ichio turned around and eyed me with a serious expression. He still did not speak to me, but to Wakamatsu instead. "Where did Reiko find her?"
"The miss arrived ten minutes ago with the Young Master. It seems they are acquaintances."
"Hmm." Finally deciding to address me, Ichio asked, "Did you say Cross? Is your father that hunter who opened a school recently?"
"Indeed Sir. Kaien Cross is my adoptive father."
"Did he send you here?"
"No, I offered my services to Kuran-sama myself and he accepted. I did ask for permission from my father before leaving though."
"Is that so?" He seemed to contemplate something for a few seconds, and I had a feeling that things were going to get harder for me from here.
"Say, little girl," he took two steps forward and stared down at me with an almost amused expression. "Are you spy sent by the hunter's association?"
Not good. This could turn bloody. Stay calm.
"With all due respect, Ichijo-sama, but if I were a spy, I would not enter through the front door."
"That is not a very convincing reason."
"If you were in any need to be convinced, I would no doubt already be dead." I said, maintaining my level and cool expression. Inside, however, I was shaking. I was struggling to not play in his game, but if this continued, my clear plan to get hired and to promote happiness in this messed-up world would be prematurely decapitated! (Because yes, my plan has a head!)
But instead of fetching the guillotine, Ichio, well, laughed.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Now don't let your imagination run wild. He did not grab his stomach or anything like that. Ichio laughed yes, but in a dignified manner. "Very interesting! Yes, you are actually right. I do not suspect you as a spy. You do not have that feel. Instead, you seem weirdly like a grown woman in a small body who is very confident about her job. Perhaps are you even friends with Kaname-kun and you want to protect him."
...
...
This must be why he interviews every employee personally.
"Either way, you seem like the dangerous type of little girl, so let me say this before we proceed. Even if you are offering your services as Kaname-kun's bodyguard, the one you will be working for is me. I believe you are intelligent enough to realise by yourself what will happen if you ever betray me." The man warned, eyes gaining a sadistic glint at the prospect of violence.
"Of course, Ichijo-sama. I would never intentionally bring harm to your prosperity. I understand that the Ichijo business has flourished so successfully because of your extraordinary leading capabilities and because of the loyalty of each and every one of your highly qualified employees. Confidentiality is an oath that I am ready to take upon joining your workforce." Heseemed almost pleased, but I was not yet finished. "However, I cannot promise loyalty to you, Ichijo-sama."
I watched as his expression darkened back to being very serious and intimidating. "Why so?"
"I wish to preserve my freedom and I do not want to lie to you about my standing. I have no intentions of betraying you, Ichijo-sama, but I have a pride that I cannot crush. I do not mind if you employ me as an independent contractor, but I cannot swear loyalty to a master who is not myself."
"Your proposition is absurd. I thought you were a sensible young person, but it seems you are dim-witted enough to take me for a fool. Tell me yourself, child," He bent down slightly and looked right into my eyes, with a gaze that threatened to engulf any opposition. "Why would I hire someone who would not swear loyalty to me?"
Do not gulp. Reply.
"Because I swear to protect your grandson from everything and everyone who will try to harm him. I will protect him from himself if I have to, and nobody else but I can do this."
His eyes widened just a fraction and his jaw flexed minutely. I would have missed the movements if I hadn't been staring at him so intently. He then straightened, shoulders just slightly stiff, "Oh really? And how will you protect him if you can't even protect yourself?"
Right at the instant he finished his question, a knife came flying at my shoulder at a speed high enough to slice through the air with a shing sound. I dodged it by dropping to the ground, but it was a last minute survival instinct which had kicked in. I hadn't been prepared for an attack at all, since things had been going rather well (meaning without any death threats) until now. Th-thank you Kaien for those countless dodging exercises.
"Oh, so you are not completely useless?" Ichio commented.
"Please do not underestimate me, Ichijo-sama." I said, barely preventing my voice from shaking as I stood up from my kneeling position. "I wouldn't dare present myself as a bodyguard without having some concrete skills."
"Then you should be able to handle my nine 'nuisances', as you called them. You so boldly offered to get rid of them earlier. You wouldn't be scared now, would you, little girl?"
I looked at Ichio in the eyes again. This is a test, and rule number one is imperative. Never show weakness. "Of course not, Ichijo-sama."
He sat down on one of the arm chairs and crossed one of his legs onto the other, as if settling down to enjoy a show.
Wakamatsu bowed before excusing himself. "I will go tell the maids to prepare some cleaning utilities right away."
Ichio waved him off with a slightly lazy motion. "Yes, do so. I would hate it if the blood were to stain."
I called out before Wakamatsu could exit the lounge. "That will not be necessary, Wakamatsu-san. What kind of bodyguard would I be if I were not able to refrain from spilling blood onto my employer's precious carpet?" I rolled my arms to loosen them. "Unless you were talking about my blood, which would me feel terribly offended, Ichijo-sama."
Ichio smiled, making the already tense atmosphere in the library turn icy cold. "Stay then, Wakamatsu. If she turns out to be wrong, she'll just have to wipe it off herself. If she's still alive, that is."
I smiled too, leaking some killing intent into the air. It wasn't anything magical, even a normal human could do it. It was just conveying the idea that you were dangerous in some sense. It worked wonders even in my last life. "Whenever your men are ready, Sir."
And a storm of nine ninjas raged through the library.
Even though it seemed like I was bragging and bluffing, I was pretty confident about this evaluation. I knew exactly where the nine guards were. Two behind me, three behind the huge old bookshelf, three in movement around me and one on the ceiling. All grown-up and all vampires.
The attack began with a flurry of projectiles, of course. Knives, arrows, darts and sharp paper cranes (paper cranes?!) came flying at me. I dodged, swirling to the side and anticipated the black-clothed man who launched himself towards me for a tackle. Seriously, a tackle on a child? I dodged again and kicked him on the stomach. He went flying against the bookshelf the other three ninjas were hidden behind. One managed to run from behind it, the other two got crushed under the heavy volumes of Geographical Encyclopaedias. If I moved around, they couldn't send more projectiles since they would risk hurting their master. The guy on the ceiling wouldn't be hindered by this though. He had full mobility, and since I sucked at shooting things, I'd have to deal with him last.
I climbed the fallen bookshelf, grabbing one of the thinner, though still heavily bound books on my way, and ran along the shelf tops towards one of the ninjas. I used the book to block a knife from the ceiling nin and threw it right afterwards at an attacker coming from my east. It hit him in the neck (I had aimed for the head) and he fell right in front of the Ichijo grandpa. Once I reached the guy I was targeting, he already had a mini sword out. As he swung, I slid in between his feet, grabbing one on the way. I twisted his ankle and he let go of his knife as he fell to the floor. Next. A two fold attack, one in front and one behind. Wasn't going to be as easy as letting them both collide with each other. I waited for them to close in and I grabbed the arm of the guy coming from the front just in time to use it to block a projectile from ceiling nin. All of them were wearing metal arm braces, so he wasn't hurt, but he lost his balance since I pulled hard. Using the pulling momentum, I kneed him in the gut once he was at my level and swept the floor with his body to trip the one coming from behind. He jumped, so it didn't work. Now my hands were full of the guy on the floor and there was an attacker who had managed to close in way too much. On top of that, another ninja was coming at me from the west. Ah shit. I let go of the unconscious man and jumped on the close attacker's face. Vision suddenly blocked, he was startled and made to grab me and throw me down. But I pressed a pressure point in his neck right before he could snatch me off and he fell limply right away. Not wanting to be crushed under his dead weight, I jumped off, just in time to throw a kick at west attacker's jaw and send him K.O.
I landed and turned around. Now all that was left-
I dropped to my knees and bent back until my head touched the ground. The knife flew right over my nose, missing me by a few millimetres. But ouch, my back hurt like hell from this move.
Damn you, ceiling nin. I got back up slowly to prevent anything from cracking in my body. I couldn't even have fathomed such flexibility in my past life.
"You lasted out much longer than I thought you would." Ichio said from his seat. Chuckling, he continued, "But unfortunately for you, this is the end. Raphael is my main guard, and he is the best fighter amongst all of my security department. A small kid such as yourself, despite the prowess you've shown until now, would never be able to defeat him."
… well that's a bummer. He didn't need to brag so much about it, I already knew ceiling nin was the real deal. The others were small fries capable of going down with a mere book in the neck. This one though, the look in his eyes (sexy golden eyes at that) was calmly feral and his gait was as lithe as, as a predator getting ready to pounce on his prey! Ah shit, if he'd only been toying with me all this time, by shooting projectiles right at moments when I could actually deflect or avoid them, then I was doomed.
"But," Ichio resumed, "since you've been very entertaining up until now, I will permit you a handicap."
HUH?! A favour?! From ICHIO?!
"You don't have to completely defeat Raphael." Lifting up one finger, he sneered in a way which confirmed my doubts about him doing me a favour. "One hit. If you land one hit on him, I will acknowledge you right away. I will even go along with your demands for freedom. But if you collapse before that, or, as you so confidently said earlier, if you dirty my library with your blood, I will still take you. But you'll be undergoing severe training and under my conditions. What do you say?"
"… you deal is extremely tempting, Ichijo-sama. My conditions against yours, all decided by one hit? It seems to me gambling is one of your personal pleasures."
Ichio smiled. "Indeed, as is disciplining disobedient little children. So I take it that you agree?"
I smiled, letting some vampire energy loose to fuel more violence into my release of killing intent. "Why, I would have to be a fool to turn away from such a luxurious bait."
"Heh, no holding back, Raphael." And as ordered, Raphael did not hold back.
I was flung against a bookshelf the instant Ichio finished his sentence. Heavy dictionaries crashed around me as I took in this man's speed. No joke. This was no joke. Time to be serious. Flinging a book at him, which he dodged, I dove right back into the fight. I couldn't reach him since he was tall though, so I had to work around the legs. But the man, Raphael, danced around my tripping attempts like a graceful ballerina. Even Kaien wasn't as flexible as this man! Then he kicked me on the stomach like I was a football. I skidded on the floor, coming to a stop as I knocked against the body of one of the small fry nins.
Heheh. Heheheh. I got up, wiping the spit that escaped my mouth because of the hit (thankfully, it wasn't blood). I watched as he slid two knives out of his pockets, flexed his fingers around them and came running at me.
I had to get a hit on. I had to get a hit on. One hit. That was all I needed. Get a grip, Katsumi. Rule number one: never show weakness. Breathe in. Relax your legs. Let him close in. Closer. Closer. Let him swing. Now make them regret.
I let my hands slide along his as his blades came nearer to my body. Then I twisted his wrists at the same time, making him let go of the weapons. Yanking on his twisted hands, I brought him closer to me and HELL YEAH THAT WAS ONE NICE HEAD BUTT!
Letting go, I staggered back and fell into a sitting position. I was seeing triples and… yeah, I think I just got myself a concussion.
Raphael was frozen in place and didn't budge. I heard laughing in the background, and could only assume that it was Ichio, since my head hurt too much to look up right then.
Big hands grabbed my shoulders and lifted me into a standing position. "I am very impressed, girl! You did extremely well!"
Let go of me, I feel sick.
"She got you good Raphael!" He lolled while slapping the man on the back. Turning me towards him, he squeezed my shoulders. "For such a brilliant talent such as yourself, I am willing to accept any conditions. Tell me, what do you want, girl?"
I want to throw up.
"I-" I wanted to say we'll talk about the conditions later, but I had a feeling that if I didn't finalise things right then and there, the deal I worked so hard for would be automatically off. So I swallowed my saliva and did my best to will the nausea away. "I want to be a free employee. Meaning that I work under my own conditions and for who I want to. Of course, you have my word that I won't betray you, Ichijo-sama." No more!
"I have heard you loud and clear, Cross. You are the first person that I am giving this much privilege to as an employee, but exploring new grounds is also one of my 'personal pleasures'. So welcome to my household, Katsumi Cross." He then slapped me on the shoulder and I had to put my hands on my mouth to hold back from throwing up. When I didn't reply to his welcome, Ichio grabbed my face and turned it towards himself. He spoke out again while examining my features, "Employment issues aside, you are sure to bloom into a beauty in some years." He smiled again, "With that sharp attitude and those looks, you'll most probably turn into the type of woman that I like the most. Heh, I will look forward to it."
I couldn't keep it in any longer. When that last comment passed, I vomited right onto Asato Ichijo's leather shoes.
It wasn't blood, so I couldn't care less.
Ah, that feels better.
I gulped down the remaining sweet water that Reiko had handed to me.
After I got sick in the library, Wakamatsu the Super-Butler clicked his fingers and two maids appeared, immediately starting to clean the mess. Ichio had not moved for some time after I delivered my lunch on his shoes, probably frozen in disbelief. Before he could say "Off with her head", Wakamatsu grabbed me, strode out of the library, and brought me right back to Reiko, which was how I was currently drinking sweet water to relieve my nausea.
I could feel my head getting better already. Must be the vampire energy doing its thing. Wakamatsu explained everything to Reiko while I drank, and she was eyeing me with a strange sort of awe the entire time. I gave the glass back to her and stood up carefully from the chair I had been sitting on.
"Feeling better?" Reiko asked, smiling gently. A nice change from the woman who promptly sent a child to almost certain death earlier. If I hadn't been me, she'd be in the top ten of my growing list of cruel people. But I was me, and things went a lot better than I expected them to, so I could forgive her for now.
"Yes, I'll be going now, Reiko-san."
She stopped me when I tried to approach the door.
"And where might you be going, young lady? You are hurt and sweaty. You should be taking a bath and resting. Come, I'll take you to your assigned room." She grabbed my hand and began dragging me to another door. I shook her off.
"I apologize, Reiko-san, but I am not one of the children that you have to look after. As Wakamatsu-san told you, I am from now on an independent employee, assigned as Kaname-sama and Takuma-sama's bodyguard. I appreciate you fawning over me, but I will do what I have to and what I want to. Right now, I have to return to the young masters, so if you would excuse me." Now I forgive her altogether. Lol.
Surprisingly, she didn't counter me or cuss behind my back. Instead, I heard her sigh and complain lightly to Wakamatsu that I was "yet another difficult person to care for".
Involuntarily, I could feel my lips twitching into a smile.
Once outside of the kitchen area, I increased my walking speed and- decreased it right away.
I forgot to ask her where I could find the boys…
It was dangerous to wander around this castle on my own like this, and I strode out of there so coolly too. I can't go back now and ask, I'd seem like a complete idiot!
"Anything troubling you, Miss?" a voice asked politely from behind me.
Turning around, I saw that it was none other than Mr. Wakamatsu. "W-would you please guide me to where the young masters are, Wakamatsu-san?" The shame.
Smiling, he walked in front of me and led the way, "Of course. But do go to your room to refresh and rest right after. It would do no good to have an unfit bodyguard now, would it?"
"I suppose not." I sighed. "I will go."
"Wonderful. I hope to get along well with you from now on, Miss Cross."
…huh? Get along? Does that mean we'll be working together? "Wakamatsu-san, aren't you a butler?"
"In some ways I am one. Since the people that our Master hires are all incredibly talented, we fulfil several roles. Apart from being a butler, I am also in charge of the everyday welfare of the Mansion's employees. I make sure that every employee in the Mansion is fed, clothed and has everything they need." We passed through several corridors and took an elevator, leaving the slightly more 'modest' kitchen area for the luxurious upper floors. "Reiko-san is my superior. Her job is to take care of the Masters and to make sure that all employees are doing their job right. While every department has their own supervisors, every employee living on the Estate falls under the care of the Household department. So if you have anything you need, please ask me." Stopping in front of a door, Wakamatsu turned to me and said, "We have arrived. This is Takuma-sama's room. I shall wait for you outside."
"Ok. Thank you for informing me about the workings of the mansion." I said, knocking on the door.
"Oh this was merely an overview. We will go into details later. For now-"
Wakamatsu was interrupted by the door which was flung open to reveal a very flustered Takuma.
I smiled, waving slightly. The boy must have been really worried. It's probably sadistic of me, but his worrying made me somehow happy. It sometimes made me want to see him suffer some more. But not right now. I wasn't silly enough to push my luck even more on my first night in his house, not with Wakamatsu watching right beside, duh. So instead of cracking the usual joke, I apologized.
"Sorry for making you worry, Taku-cha-"
And my waifu engulfed me in a hug before I could even finish my sentence. Because yes, I had just decided that Takuma was my waifu. Objections anyone?
Since Takuma was a bit taller than me, his hug had me hanging a little in his arms, the tips of my toes barely brushing the floor. I patted his head in an attempt to reassure him that I was alright, because I was certain that whatever words I wanted to say were just going to get interrupted by someone else.
"…you idiot…" he mumbled against my neck.
I chuckled. "You're the idiot for worrying about the great me." Then after a few seconds, "…It tickles, Taku-chan."
"So unromantic you are, Miss." Wakamatsu commented.
"Shut up, Waka-san. Come on, let go Taku-chan, or else blame yourself if weird rumours spread."
"Huh?" Takuma loosened his hold slightly and I steadied myself on my feet.
"Seems like you were keeping your touchy-feely side a secret from me. Not that I didn't know already, with how bubbly you are sometimes when you aren't stubbornly wearing your Young Master mask."
"T-that's not true!" Takuma countered indignantly, letting go of me completely, face cutely tomato red. Then just as suddenly, he calmed down and frowned. "More importantly, you say you're alright, but what are these bruises? And your clothes and hair are all messy! What did they do to you, Katsumi?!"
"It was just an evaluation, Takuma. Relax. More importantly, is that your room?" I leaned sideways to peek through, but it was dark inside, so I couldn't see much.
"Why are you avoiding the subject? Why would my room be more important than your injuries?!"
I let out a breath and looked at him in the eyes. I was supposed to feel really relieved that I had passed Ichio's test, that I could be here safely, but it hadn't really kicked in yet. Outwardly I was relaxed, playful, all sorts of calm. Inside, my senses were refusing from subsiding. I was still on my guards, and however much I wanted to dispel this inner tension, it wasn't going away. I had repeated the idea that I was safe, that I wasn't being attacked anymore, a thousand times in my head once I got out of the library, I had chanted it like a mantra. But my body wouldn't let go, not even when Wakamatsu caught up to me, not even with Takuma in front of me. The amount of control it had taken for me to not move away from Takuma's hug earlier, despite cracking jokes about him being a waifu, was tremendous. So I couldn't care less about my injuries at that moment. Even if it was dark, even if it was only for a few seconds, I needed a place where my body could persuade itself that it was safe. "Taku-chan, I-"
"Did you succeed, Katsumi-kun?"
And as I predicted, I was interrupted. Again. Kaname was walking down the corridor towards us, asking a surprisingly (lol) stupid question. I quirked an eyebrow and waited for him to stop once he was near enough to answer. "Guess?"
Before Kaname could reply, however, Wakamatsu pushed on my shoulders hard enough that I fell to my knees. He followed too, kneeling on one leg before Kaname's figure. "My apologies for this child's rudeness, Kuran-sama. She is new, so she is not aware of the rules. If possible, please be lenient in the punishment."
… I would have freaked out if I hadn't just remembered that Kaname was a pureblood and that purebloods were almost like gods to normal vampires. Still, bowing my head in respect to Kanama… good thing I had just dealt with Ichio about 20 mins ago. My self-esteem was still in employee mode, so it helped me to not snap.
"A punishment won't be necessary. She is a friend. You can get up."
We stood back up again and I dusted my pants. Making sure to smile so the wave of discomfort touched every present person, I replied to Kaname's initial question. "That is correct, Kuran-sama. I must say that I passed Ichijo-sama's evaluation with flying colours and that I will soon take up my duties as your bodyguard. So if you would please excuse me, I wish to have some friendly chat with our common acquaintance with blond hair and green eyes."
There were several seconds of silence before Takuma spoke, "W-well you wanted see my room, right Katsumi? I'll show you. Do you want to come too, Kaname-kun?"
Kaname shook his head once. "I will pass. Since you have been accepted, I will see you tomorrow for some formalities, Katsumi-kun."
I smiled again. "But of course, Kuran-sama."
Kaname opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to decide otherwise and simply nodded. He then left from the corridor he had come from. What did you expect after making me kneel, jerk?
I sighed and turned back to Takuma, smiling. "Do you have any-"
"Takuma-sama! It is time for your dance lessons. Please do not tally!"
Why, interruption? Why can't you let me have a peaceful talk?!
Reiko was striding down the corridor towards us, an almost angry scowl on her chubby face. "And why did you send away the maids? They need to help you get ready and- Oh my, why are you still here, Katsumi-chan?"
"I- "
"I'm sorry Reiko-san. Please tell the group to cancel the lesson today. I want to show Katsumi around, since she's new."
Reiko's face twitched a little, probably to reprimand. "That is not your job, Takuma-sama! Please keep in mind that you are the Ichijo family's heir! Even if you sneak out sometimes to play, you absolutely cannot skip out on your lessons!"
… Oh yes. Takuma is an heir. Haha, had forgotten about that after playing with him so much. He probably has a lot of work to do. … I am just being a nuisance.
Takuma opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Reiko-san is right, Taku- I mean, Young Master. You shouldn't skip your lessons. Wakamatsu-san is here! He'll show me around. And don't worry. The worst is over, so I will be fine. I will see you again tomorrow night, ok?" It's alright. I will manage. Go.
He stared at me for a few seconds. Then his usually bright, sparkling green eyes dulled and his face turned expressionless, as if he had suddenly transformed into a lifeless doll. "Very well, I understand. I will leave you in Wakamatsu-san's care." To Reiko-san, he said, "Tell the group to wait for a few more minutes. I will be ready soon." When the head-maid left, Takuma got inside his room and began closing the door.
"W-wait."
… Did I just, did I just make Takuma wear a mask in front of me? It had taken death threats to remove that mask when we first met, why did he… now… he had never shown me that expression again after that first time. So why now?
"If you have nothing to say, please excuse me. I am busy right now." Takuma said, shutting the door with a final click.
"But-"
"We should go, Miss. The Young Master is indeed very busy, so we'll come again tomorrow night. Is that alright?" Wakamatsu, the angel of butlers, said, gently steering me away from Takuma's door.
Looking back one last time towards his room, I reluctantly agreed to Wakamatsu's suggestion. "…Yes. Then will you accompany me tomorrow as well?"
"I will, since you don't know your way around the mansion yet. Please do not worry about the Young Master. He must also be very tired after all that has happened in the last hours."
I sighed. "I suppose you're right."
I heard Wakamatsu chuckle softly before speaking again. "I will show you to your quarters. Make sure to rest for tonight. Tomorrow will be rather heavy since I will be explaining how things work in detail. Oh, and even though it is common sense around here, you might not know, so I will remind you. Vampires are nocturnal beings. It goes without saying that you will have to adjust to working nightly hours in order to perform your duties. For that reason, please do your best to rest tonight."
"Ok, I understand. Umm-" I will sleep. But, do my best? Isn't that a weird way of phrasing it?
"I am sorry, Miss." Wakamatsu's tone, which was previously light but still professional, turned somewhat cold. He was walking in front with his back facing me, so I couldn't see his face. "Since you are such a young human, you might have a rough time living on this estate, where most of the employees are vampires. I unfortunately cannot offer you much protection. While I am not supposed to say this, I still wish to give you some advice, if you will take it, of course."
"… Please do so."
"Do not sleep at night."
…so weird! "But you just told me to do my best to rest, Wakamatsu-san." I'd gone through physical and emotional injuries tonight! I wasn't in the mood for deciphering the meaning behind the self-contradictory claims of a man I had just recently met!
"Resting should not be equalled to sleeping, Miss. If you lose your senses at night in this place, you might wake up to an extremely unpleasant and dangerous scene. I cannot go into further details about this warning because of my own restrained position, so please understand."
"…Ah." I huffed, finally getting it. "You mean that mosquitoes might bite if I'm not careful right? Don't worry about me, Wakamatsu-san."
"Oh, I don't worry." I blinked, startled. Now this was a fairly frank statement that I wasn't used to getting. He looked down at me and smiled. "You are strong, Miss. So I'm sure you'll do just fine."
… This guy, Wakamatsu, is not so bad as a co-worker. The world needs more such people who believe in the power of my awesomeness! Yeah, I like this guy!
Meanwhile, through our mood-changing conversation, we had left the posh section of the mansion, had passed through the kitchen area, had gone through a small back door in the mansion and had reached a smaller section of the castle, which was still connected to the main building through a hallway, but which lacked the excessive touch of luxury. The servants' quarters. Oh, even if I said smaller, the building wasn't actually small. It was around half the size of the Sun Dorms back at home.
Speaking of which, this would be my first night away from home ever since Kaien adopted me. A bit distantly, I wondered how Kaien was doing. He had probably put Yuki to sleep already and was now crying in his office alone, grumbling about his cute daughter leaving him for two younger guys. Hah, I was probably spot on! I would have lolled with grandeur if I hadn't been feeling down for leaving him alone. But this was necessary, and- Oh, we'd gone through all this talk already! Back to the present scenery!
The inside of the employee's lodge was, well, actually pretty nice! The décor seemed similar to that of a hotel, not too high class, but not too shabby either. Long corridors lined with doors which probably led to personal rooms or suites and a hall on the ground floor which probably served as a mess for the employees. Wakamatsu climbed two sets of stairs, crossed two long corridors and rounded three corners before stopping in front of a door. It didn't have a number on. Instead, there was the picture of a maple leaf beautifully engraved into the wood.
"This will be your room from now on. This corridor is occupied by employees in the security department. They are on duty right now, so do introduce yourself to them when you meet. Your luggage has already been placed inside and this is your key." He handed me a single metallic key with a tiny maple leaf engraving. "Is there anything else you need, Miss?"
… Yes, no, I don't know? Even if I am an adult woman in a kid's body, even if I am super badass and even if I act like I don't need anyone to help sometimes, I am still a kid right now! Don't get me wrong. I really appreciate the fact that Wakamatsu is treating me with respect and like someone who can be responsible for herself. But what do I do if I can't reach the shower handle? If something I need is too high for me to reach? If I have nightmares about bloody clowns trying to lure me with candy? Are these people seriously going to let a six year-old kid live by herself in a room?
Answer: YES. You even made such a fuss about being a free employee earlier, SO DEAL WITH IT, BRAT.
I smiled, "No, this will be all, Wakamatsu-san. Thank you for your help."
"My pleasure, Miss." Wakamatsu left after a slight bow, leaving me to discover my new room on my own.
Why did he bow though? It's not like he's lower than me. I'm an employee too, a new one on top of that. …People here are so weird…
The room inside was quite nice. It was like a mini apartment. A clean bed by a window with a nice view on one of the back gardens, a fairly spacious cupboard in the corner with a simple table and chair set beside, probably for paperwork. A door which led to a bathroom-toilet combo, this too designed simply. There was even a bathtub! The only thing missing was decoration and my personal touch, which I'd take care of another day (or night).
As soon as I finished exploring, I locked my front door, grabbed a towel from my bag and dragged myself to the bathroom to take a quick shower (which I could thankfully reach on my own!). I changed and flomped on the bed straight away, not waiting for my hair to dry. It wasn't like I'd get a cold anyways, what with my vampire energy constantly playing doctor with my body. I was tired though, and I the sensation of un-safety returned with a vengeance since I was alone with my thoughts again. It was mostly discomfort due to being in an unknown place, but with Wakamatsu's earlier warning and my own inner wariness, my muscles weren't going to relax anytime soon.
I sighed. The moon was beautiful tonight. Staring at its light which bathed the ceiling with a clear silver, I felt several pangs resonating in my chest. I let them fade one after the other, dipping my whole body into the deep and heavy waters of some unknown emotion that surfaced occasionally when I found myself alone. My eyes closed, but I did not sleep. I watched the darkness move, entangling some its shadowy strands with the lingering blur of moonlight. Losing myself slowly to the enticing depths of this new form of meditation, I fell into a static dream before I knew it.
And the night was over in less than a second.
AN: Some development there, huh? Asato and some interesting new OCs there, huh? Even a glimpse of ~romance~ there, huh? TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! THROW OUT THE REVIEWS! …Please.
I know this is going to come up, so I will clear this up right here. You might have thought that Katsumi was a bit emotionally messed up in this chapter, that her moods were unstable and that her thoughts were somewhat contradictory. This was because of all the things that happened one after the other, putting her in a very confused state. Acts as an adult, is an adult, wants to be trusted and treated as an adult, but also wants to be cherished as a kid sometimes. It's all jumbled up in her head, so please be patient with her.
That's all for this time! Thanks for reading, and look forward to the next chapter! (Though I can't guarantee when it'll come out.)
