Edmond elegantly made his way through the hall, a beautiful white-haired girl wrapped around his arm as he walked. Her hips swayed with each step, almost hypnotizing. Under the right circumstances, one could mistake her for a goddess. Her name was Élise De Sèvres.
She was among the most affluent people in the city, and Edmond's status paled in comparison to hers.
He subtly leaned closer to her, so near that she could almost feel his warm breath tickling her ear.
"Is it me, or does your beauty shine more brightly with every passing second? At this rate, I might go blind," Edmond whispered.
"Hahaha," she let out an amused chuckle, covering her face shyly with a red fan she held. "I almost forgot how forward you can be sometimes, Mr. Roosevelt."
"Please, call me Edmond. Your formality is too heartbreaking."
"I'm sure you'll manage somehow."
Soon, they arrived right outside a room with a very imposing door. Rather, It wasn't the door itself but what lay behind it that was daunting.
"Are you nervous, Sir Roosevelt?" Élise asked, half-smirking.
"Not at all," Edmond replied, opening the door to the room.
Inside, a blond-haired middle-aged man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the fireplace, his back turned toward them. On the couch directly to his right sat a blond-haired woman, legs crossed as she drank a glass of wine. She wore a red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.
The dreadful atmosphere of the room was enough to make Edmond's stomach churn. Apart from the crackle of flames emanating from the fireplace, the room was dead silent.
"Have a seat, Edmond," the man said without turning to look. His voice rang with authority. "And you too, Ms. De Sèvres."
Both of them quietly took a seat on a couch made from the most expensive of animal furs.
"How are your preparations coming along, Edmond? Have you taken care of your little errand?"
"Yes, Mr. Vanderbilt. I've managed to obtain enough fish oil, sir."
"Good. I've called you here to give you a timeline."
"So the time has finally come," Élise commented.
"Not quite so—"
"Daddy has a few arrangements to make before we can proceed with our plans," the girl in the red dress interjected. Her name was Isabella Vanderbilt, the daughter of Charles Vanderbilt—the owner of the mansion they were in and the organizer of this event.
He was one of the most influential people in the city, his influence stretching so far that he also acted as an advisor to the king himself. A man whose magical abilities were unrivaled. They called him "the Tank," as he could wipe out entire armies with a single blow.
Looking at him, one could never tell that this calm man possessed such violence.
"As I was saying before," Charles continued, "I wanted to give you a timeline; you have five months to prepare for the war."
Contrary to what Charles was saying, it wasn't a war at all; it was a premeditated slaughter. This country was known as Valoria, bordered many hostile nations. To the north of Valoria lay a land of untapped resources waiting to be claimed—a land known as Beastopia, the realm of demi-humans.
"You'll be my general, Edmond. I trust no one else with this. All the other generals will work directly under the king, but you will work for me; you'll follow my orders."
"I fully intend to," Edmond replied. "I know what needs to be done, and I'll do it. You have my word, sir."
"Is that so?" Isabella interrupted. "Do you really think you can handle the Shamans?"
Beastoria was ruled by three kings known as the Shamans, all hailing from the three most powerful tribes in the land. They were said to possess immense magical power.
"Don't worry, my lady," Edmond said. "I can handle the Shamans."
Isabella openly frowned at Edmond's comment, clearly displeased. 'What is she after?' he wondered.
Charles, on the other hand, seemed ecstatic about Edmond's confidence. He gave a reassuring smile and continued to speak.
"Good. I expect great things from you, Edmond. I'm sure your father would have been proud," he said, placing a hand on Edmond's shoulder. "You may go now; I need to have a word with Ms. De Sèvres."
Edmond glanced over at Élise, who kept her face hidden behind her red hand fan. Seeing Edmond's reaction, Isabella spoke up.
"Don't worry, Edmond. I'll walk back with you. Though I'm not as beautiful as Ms Élise, I'm sure I'll suffice," Isabella said, placing her glass down and getting up from her seat.
"I appreciate it," Edmond responded, bowing politely before leaving the room with Isabella accompanying him.
"So, how have you been, Isabella?" he asked as they walked along the hall.
"Bored out of my mind. I've been cooped up in this damn place for so long, I'm almost at my limit," she sighed. "Well, at least some excitement is around the corner."
"I'd hardly call a war exciting, especially one like this. There's going to be a lot of bloodshed."
"The bloodshed is what makes it so enticing. Ugh, what I wouldn't give to go with you." she paused for a second and gave Edmond a scrutinizing gaze, "Tell me something, Edmond: are you growing soft on me? Does it have something to do with that new wife of yours? I've always thought you and I were kindred spirits; boring lives don't do much for us."
"So you've heard about my wife," Edmond replied, ignoring Isabella's teasing. "Words travel fast."
"I was a bit surprised, to be honest. Wasn't it just the other day you were asking for my hand in marriage? And from the way you're looking at Élise, it seems you're on the hunt for a second wife."
"Is that jealousy I'm sensing? Remember, you were the one who turned me down."
"Oh please, I have no interest in men; I've never had before."
"Oh, I almost forgot—you get turned on by bloodshed and tormenting people. You are one freaky lady, Isabella. Such a shame to waste all that beauty. If only you were a bit different, I would've been dominating you right now."
"Hah, I'm glad you remember my proclivities," she replied with an amused grin. "My father doesn't want me to take part in this war. In fact, he forbade me."
"I must agree with him on this one. Noble women have no business fighting in a war. It would reflect poorly on him if he allowed you to take part."
"Tsk. You're such a bore. If my father won't grant me a little entertainment, I'll have to look for it myself."
Isabella slowly closed the distance between them, placing her delicate hands on his chest. She shoved him against the wall, her silk dress riding up as she stood on her toes, revealing smooth, porcelain-like skin. She leaned closer, staring up at him, her face flushed from the wild thoughts racing through her mind. "You know, I've been thinking about you a lot lately."
"Really now?"
"Hah," she let out a slight giggle. "You're such a cutie. Your face looks calm, but I can feel your heartbeat racing. What is it? Have you never been touched by a woman before?"
From a distance, the scene resembled a cat cornering a mouse. She looked at him with the eyes of a wild animal, her face one of utter amusement.
"Since I won't be coming with you, I need some way to take out my… frustrations. A girl has needs, after all. So, if you fail in this task my father has assigned to you, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I had a little fun with you. To be honest, a part of me is hoping you'll fail."
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but I won't fail. It doesn't matter what I have to do. You're the last thing I ever want to deal with after I've seen what you're really like. And to think I thought you were just a nice rich girl with daddy issues."
"That's rude. A lady is showing interest in you, and you're just going to turn her down like that?"
"If it were some other lady, then maybe. But since it's you, I'd like to keep my distance."
"Very well then," she said with a pouty expression. "I'll just have to make do with tormenting my servants. We got this cute new demi-human boy. Poor thing lost his entire family; I've heard he's been having nightmares. I'll have to pay him a visit one of these nights."
"Well, have fun," he replied, she shot him a glare before strolling off. "Bye, bye Edmond"
"Tsk. That's one crazy bitch. What the hell was I thinking when I proposed a marriage between us? I must have been out of my mind; she'd probably cut my cock off while I sleep," Edmond mumbled as he watched Isabella's hips sway as she walked away.