I sat on the couch on the opposite side of the room, feeling the weight of their intense gazes on me, making me feel a little uneasy. The silence stretched longer than I was comfortable with, the air thick with their scrutiny. I could feel every pair of eyes on me, their attention unwavering. Samantha, noticing my discomfort, broke the silence with a soft, almost apologetic smile. She spoke up, her voice warm and polite, and offered me a glass of bourbon. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether I should accept it, but after a brief pause, I nodded. It wasn't often I had such an opportunity, and though the thought of alcohol made me slightly nervous, I decided to go along with it.
When I took the first sip, the burn of the liquor hit me immediately, a fierce warmth spreading through my throat and chest. It was my first time having a drink like this, and I'll admit, it was a little overwhelming. The sensation lingered for a while, but I tried to push through the discomfort. I wasn't one to shy away from new experiences, even if they left me with a sore throat.
"So, this is your first time drinking something like this, huh?" Samantha observed, her tone light but curious as she glanced at me with a smile. It was clear she was trying to be friendly, maybe even a little amused by my reaction. Yet, despite her attempts to seem kind, I couldn't forget how dangerous she had looked when I first left that place, that unsettling presence that had chilled me to the bone. I couldn't shake it off, even now.
"Yeah," I said after swallowing, my voice a little hoarse. I cleared my throat. "I don't know if your King mentioned it, but I'm from the Albtraum Kingdom. I moved to the forest when I was sixteen, and I've lived there on my own, far away from everyone, for thirty-two years."
The moment the words left my mouth, the room went quiet, everyone pausing to absorb what I had just said. Their reactions were mixed, but mostly it was surprise. I could see the shock written on their faces as they processed the idea that I was, in fact, much older than I looked. They all seemed to exchange glances, clearly caught off guard by my statement.
"So, you never really got to experience the pleasures of life, like alcohol?" Samantha asked, her tone softer now, as though trying to understand. I nodded, feeling the weight of my own words. I wasn't just explaining myself, I was confessing a part of my past that I had long kept hidden. "Things like alcohol, I guess I never had the chance. Life in the forest was...different. Isolated. So, it wasn't really part of my world."
"You're just forty-eight years old?" Kai blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief. His eyes widened as though he couldn't quite wrap his head around it. The way he stared at me made it feel like I was some sort of mystery he was desperate to figure out.
"That's what I said, isn't it?" I raised an eyebrow, slightly amused at his reaction. The look on his face was almost comical. I wasn't sure if he was trying to understand or if he simply couldn't believe it.
I noticed how intense his gaze was, almost as if he was searching for some hidden truth. I rolled my eyes, unable to help myself. The whole thing felt almost ridiculous, but I couldn't deny how scrutinizing his stare was.
"I think she won't forget what you did for a long time," Ryusei said, his voice light and teasing, a playful edge to it. It was his attempt at breaking the tension, I figured. His words caused me to glance at him for a moment, feeling slightly annoyed but mostly grateful for the distraction.
"You don't need to tell me, what I already know, wolf boy," Kai shot back with a wicked grin, clearly enjoying the playful banter. There was something almost dangerous in the way he spoke, like he was always looking for a way to get under people's skin, but it didn't seem malicious. More like a game he enjoyed playing.
"Damn, Avain, you're still a baby," Maelli remarked, her tone lighthearted as she laughed. "We actually had a bet going on how old you were, and, well... we all lost. So, now we have to give all the money we bet to you."
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in conversation. "Oh, thank you, I guess?" I said, unsure of how to respond. The idea of winning a bet wasn't exactly something I was used to, let alone having money handed to me for something so trivial. It felt strange, almost uncomfortable, but I didn't know how to politely refuse.
Kai, noticing my confusion, grinned. "It's just a joke, no big deal," he said, as if the whole thing was a lighthearted game. But for me, it felt like yet another reminder that I wasn't quite fitting in with the rest of them, that I was still an outsider.
The conversation shifted again, this time to something more serious. Kai's tone grew more direct as he addressed me. "You mentioned you had conditions before aligning with us," he said, his voice steady, almost businesslike. "What exactly are those conditions?"
I felt the weight of his question, and for a moment, I hesitated. This was the part I had been preparing for, the part where I laid out what I needed if I were to stay with them. I could tell this wasn't just a casual conversation—it was something that mattered to them.
I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before I spoke. "I said that to make an impact at the moment," I began, looking Kai in the eyes. "But really, they're just basic things that I'll need to stay here. Things that will make life a little more... manageable for me."
I paused, making sure they were all listening. I could feel the weight of their gazes, each one assessing me as if they were trying to determine whether my requests were reasonable. "Food, a comfortable place to sleep, something with a big bed. Free access to the library you probably have here would be nice. Intense physical training is important for me, and I need training to control my wraths better because I need to get stronger." I glanced at them, my voice steady. "Also, I'll need training clothes and comfortable clothes. Two pairs of sneakers. And a bathroom that always has cold water."
I hesitated for a second, then added, "Oh, and a lot of chocolate. I haven't had that precious thing in a long time."
When I looked back at them, I expected them to take my requests seriously, but instead, I was met with amused smiles. I frowned slightly, confused by their reactions. "What?" I asked, my eyebrow raised. I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. Was something about what I said so funny?
"Nothing," Kai said with a ridiculously cute smile that made me want to roll my eyes. There it was again, that irritating look he always wore, like he knew something I didn't. I hated it. It was the kind of smile that made you feel like you were the joke, even if no one said anything out loud.
I tried my best to ignore it, but that smile stayed on his face, like it was mocking me just a little bit. The room felt a little too quiet after that, and the tension in the air seemed to thicken. Even though they were all smiling, there was an undertone to it all—like they were trying to figure me out, as if I was some puzzle they were dying to solve. The whole situation felt off. Maybe I would get used to it, or maybe I never would. But either way, I knew I'd be here for a while. And I'd have to learn how to fit in—whether I liked it or not.