The end of the second semester was almost here. Winter break was almost here. There was only two weeks left before Tatsuya and the girls advance onto the next grade and become third-years (Shurai and Takara will be second-years).
Tatsuya was ready for the winter break to arrive. The cold was his worst enemy and his body can't take anymore of the freezing temperature drops that dare to disrupt his physical health and confine him to bed. However, despite all of this, he was still excited for the break to come. Once the school semester ends, Tatsuya would be free to stay within the comfort of his warm and cozy house without any necessary need to come out, thereby reducing his contact with the cold weather and his chances of becoming ill. This was what he was happy for. He couldn't wait to relax while the winter season harmlessly pass him by.
At least, that was the plan. During today's club meeting—which was supposed to be the last meeting of the year—Mr. Urushihara shattered Tatsuya's dream with a shocking announcement. Tatsuya was beyond devastated when he heard it.
It was just another regular school day and the Cultural Mythologies and Supernatural Research Club was having their scheduled meeting after school. Mr. Urushihara was out of the room ever since the group came in and everyone began to engage in conversations amongst themselves. There were talks about games, movies, anime, food, money, girls, boys, and more food. A little while later, Mr. Urushihara opened the door and entered in a very grand and flamboyant way, as typical of his nature as a Draco, with a very huge beaming smile on his face. He approached the podium and slammed his hands on its surface to quiet down the room while still smiling away. Everyone quieted down and gave him their full attention.
"Everyone, I have great news for you all!" he announced loudly and passionately for them all to hear. "We, the Cultural Mythologies and Supernatural Research Club, will be taking another trip together during the winter break!" he told them brightly.
"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Tatsuya in surprise.
"Now, I'm sure that you all had things you wanted to do during the break, but believe me, this trip will be worth it!" continued the teacher.
"Where are we going?" asked Aika excitedly.
"W-Wait a minute!" shouted Tatsuya.
"We're all going to the dragon realm!" answered Mr. Urushihara in a slight sing-song manner.
"All right!" cheered everyone sans Tatsuya.
"This is a chance for us all to reconnect back with our family and recover our energy in a familiar place," Mr. Urushihara told them. "Wouldn't you all agree?"
"Yes!" agreed everyone sans Tatsuya.
"Hey, wait a minute!" protested Tatsuya.
"Now, are we all in favor?" asked the teacher, raising his own hand into the air. Everyone else did the same to show their concurrence with the decision and began to break off in happy conversations about the things they would do back home and the prospect of meeting old friends and family again.
"I said wait a minute!" screamed Tatsuya at the top of his lungs. Everyone quieted down and their faces quickly turned in his direction. "I do not agree with any of this!" argued Tatsuya.
"What are you talking about, Tatsuya?" asked Mr. Urushihara with a tilt of his head.
"How can you make plans like that and not ask each of us if we all agree?" he asked the teacher.
"But I thought we did all agree," answered back the teacher.
"Well, I didn't!" Tatsuya told him.
"Then tell me, Tatsuya, what are your plans for the winter break?" asked the teacher with a little grin.
"I just want to spend my winter break at home where it's warm and safe from the cold," answered back Tatsuya straightforwardly.
"So you basically don't have any plans at all," concluded Mr. Urushihara.
"I want to relax," argued back Tatsuya.
"So that means that you're free, right?" added Mr. Urushihara.
"That's not what I mean," protested Tatsuya. "I said that I want to use my break—."
"Tatsuya, that's not a very efficient way of using the break, isn't it?" pointed out the teacher. "Why don't you use this opportunity to learn and expand your horizons?" he suggested wisely.
"What are you talking about?" asked Tatsuya with a raised eyebrow.
"I've heard that you were training really hard throughout the summer break," said Mr. Urushihara. "Ever since your defeat by Aris, you wanted to become stronger, right? You trained hard each and every day and had even wanted to come up with a signature move."
"Who told you that?" asked Tatsuya suspiciously.
"I'm sorry, but that's a secret," answered back the teacher in a playful manner. In reality, Mr. Urushihara was kept updated with new information concerning Tatsuya and the princesses by Ingrid. Both he and Ingrid are still members of the United Front, despite Ingrid's current position as Aika's personal maid, and they've been keeping contact with each other ever since the incident.
Tatsuya remembered his summer break training. When he did, he realized that he had neglected a good few weeks of training ever since Takara's arrival at his house. The new addition of the Lindworm princess and her wild antics, and the ever increasing frenzy of his household, has worn him down and busied himself to where he had forgotten all about his desire to get stronger. He couldn't believe that he had failed to follow through with a resolution he made for himself!
"Use this opportunity to get stronger," offered Mr. Urushihara. Tatsuya looked up and was flashed a wink by the teacher. "Also, this would be a great opportunity for you to learn about our realm," added Mr. Urushihara with a nod of his head. "You are the Dragonborn, a being who is half human and half dragon yourself, so it makes sense that you should also learn about your dragon heritage too. For a Messiah destined to protect both realms, you need to first familiarize yourself with the other realm and its people and structure before you can call yourself its guardian."
"How long is this trip going to last?" asked Tatsuya.
Mr. Urushihara brought his hand under his chin and thought for a moment. He tapped his chin, he counted his fingers, he paced back and forth, he wrote imaginary numbers in the air. Tatsuya wasn't exactly sure what the teacher was doing, but the long pause really scared him—he couldn't possibly expect a good answer to come out of this.
"Well, I've already established the fact that time magic is way beyond our comprehension and we could theoretically come back at anytime we want," began the teacher. "But the straight answer is this: we'll be in the dragon realm for the length of time equivalent to the entire winter break."
"The entire winter break?!" exclaimed Tatsuya in surprise. He was right—no good answer couldn't have possibly come out of this. "Wait a minute, Mr. Urushihara, what brought this on?" he asked the teacher.
"The trip was actually suggested by Prince Nobi," explained Mr. Urushihara. "The United Front will be paying for all of our expenses!"
"Wow, how nice of them!" said Sasuke.
"Well then, that's all I have for you all right now! Our trip will began the week after next, so the first week of winter break. We will all meet each other at the same station as our last trip to the dragon realm, on that Sunday at 2:00 in the afternoon," concluded Mr. Urushihara as everyone began to grab their stuff and exit the room.
Tatsuya was the last one to get out and was stopped by the teacher before he took a step out the door. Mr. Urushihara handed him an envelope and left out the door without a word. Tatsuya was a little confused by the envelope in his hand and frowned when he tried to read the front. It was written in strange letters unlike anything he had ever seen before in his entire life. He packed the envelope inside his uniform and exited the classroom.
When he was out in the hallway, a voice called out to him from behind. "Owatatsumi Tatsuya!" called Hanami.
'Crap, it's Chihara Hebi!' exclaimed Tatsuya.
Hanami walked up to him and Tatsuya turned around to face her. "Don't think that you can escape me again, Tatsuya. I will get my story!" she told him boldly.
"R-Right," was all Tatsuya could respond with. Adding to his already hectic life, Chihara Hanami's constant pursuit of her story and meddling of Tatsuya's school life to get it has really put him on edge at what should've been a place of respite for him. He had spent the last week dodging her at every opportunity, whether it was in class, during breaks, at lunchtime, or in the mornings and afternoons. He was doing so well and it would've been a perfect victory if not for today's loss.
"Now, Tatsuya, would you mind telling me more about your relationship with Hiryu Aika?" asked Hanami, getting her notepad and pen ready to jot down any interesting facts for her story.
"W-W-We're just very good friends," Tatsuya told her. "Our relationship is nothing more than close friends."
"How close?" pressed Hanami.
"Close enough," answered back Tatsuya quickly.
"How far have you've gotten with her?" asked Hanami with an unsettling smile full of intrigue.
"W-What do you m-m-mean?" stammered Tatsuya.
"Have you guys kissed?" asked Hanami.
"K-Kiss?" repeated Tatsuya. Suddenly, the memory of his first kiss with Aika that night during their fight with the Okami flashed in his head. As it did, his face grew very red.
Hanami took note of his red face and began to jot down something on her notepad with the same unsettling smile on her face. Once she was done, she moved on to the next question. "Have you guys went on dates together?" she asked him.
"M-M-Maybe," answered Tatsuya nervously.
Hanami nodded to herself as she jot down some more notes on her notepad. "Do you guys often visit each other's homes?" she asked him.
"We live in the same house," he carelessly revealed to her.
"Really?!" exclaimed Hanami excitedly. She then went crazy jotting down the notes on her notepad.
When Tatsuya finally realized what he had said, it was too late. "N-No, I-I-I can explain!" Tatsuya attempted unsuccessfully.
"This is very good stuff!" said Hanami with a thumbs up and a satisfied smile.
"You got it all wrong!" Tatsuya told her.
"Have you guys taken a shower together?" she asked curiously, ignoring his attempt to explain himself.
"W-W-What does that have to do with this?!" shouted Tatsuya in protest. That's when the many memories of Aika joining him without his prior consent while he was showering and bathing began to flash in his mind. His face increased in its redness like a ripening fruit.
"Ahhh," said Hanami with a sly smile. She jotted furiously on her notepad. "This is really good stuff, Tatsuya." She finished with her notes and then moved on to the next question. "Have you seen her naked before?" she asked him nonchalantly.
"T-T-That—," began Tatsuya, but he was quickly interrupted by the memories flooding his mind. How many times has he seen Aika baring her all before his very eyes? There were the times she sneaked into his bed, the times she sneaked into the shower and bath with him, the times she unashamedly undressed in front of him for whatever reason…. His mind exploded from the countless memories that now stalled his brain from working.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, other memories of him being in the same vicinity as a dragon princess in a state of undress began to rise up from his consciousness. Just how many times has he been in the same room as a naked or half-naked girl for whatever reason? 'What's with these numbers?!' he asked himself in worry, referring to the many memories in his mind. Has his life really become this perverted?
"Has she ever seen you naked?" continued Hanami with her questioning.
"Uh-uh-uh-uh," stuttered Tatsuya dazedly.
"How far have you've gone? Have you had sex yet?" pressed Hanami, licking her lips as if she was enjoying a very juicy treat.
These words triggered two memories that was locked deep within the abyss of his mind. Tatsuya suddenly remembered the day he was sick in bed right after defeating the Sanryu the night before. Aika was helping him wash up and the atmosphere quickly got awkward when she nervously offered to wash his front. Tatsuya's face immediately darkened into a deeper red upon remembering that awkward yet intimate feeling. And the second memory was the day that she was affected by that strange love magic and had dragged him into a love hotel with the intention of sealing the deal between them. Tatsuya's face quickly changed from the previous dark red to a bright cherry tomato.
Hanami was now getting a little unsettled by Tatsuya's intense reddening of the face and the accompanying silence. "Tatsuya?" she called out to him, poking his chin with the eraser-end of her pencil.
The cold eraser sent a shock through Tatsuya's body and knocked him out of his stupor. He let out a yelp, surprising Hanami and causing her to drop her pencil. Tatsuya blinked his eyes a few times and shook his head. His senses came back to him. He noticed Hanami bending down to pick up her pencil and decided to use this opportunity to escape. "Sorry, Hanami, but I got to go now. See ya later!" he called out to her as he ran down the hallway.
He finally made it out of the school and joined the girls to walk home. "What happened to you?" asked Sunaji.
"I got held up with something," Tatsuya simply told her. "Anyway," he said, shaking his head to clear away those excruciating ten minutes of agony from his memories, "let's go home."
At home, Tatsuya unpacked his belongings and waited for his turn to use the shower. Aika was the last one out and Tatsuya entered the bathroom and began to undress. He placed his clothes in the laundry bin and stepped into the shower.
As he did, the bathroom door opened and Ingrid stepped inside to take the laundry bin. When she lifted the bin up, a white envelope fell out of the bin and down onto the floor. She put the bin down and bent over to pick it up. The first thing that caught her eye wasn't the words made up of non-human letters, but the conspicuous seal in the right hand corner. It was a bright crimson red seal with a crowned Draco in the center of a giant burning flame—the royal seal of the Draco tribe. Ingrid couldn't believe her eyes. 'What was this doing in here?' she wondered.
By this time, Tatsuya had finished with his shower and stepped out of it. He toweled off his hair and body and wore a towel around his waist. He stepped through the door dividing the shower and bath from the bathroom entrance and was startled to see Ingrid holding the letter he received from Mr. Urushihara earlier today.
"Owatatsumi-sama, my apologies," said the maid with a bow once she realized his presence before her.
"T-That's alright," reassured Tatsuya with an awkward laugh. "Say, why's that letter in your hand?" he asked her.
"Do you know of this?" asked Ingrid.
"Actually, Mr. Urushihara gave it to me after club ended today," he told her truthfully.
"I see," said the maid with a nod. "Owatatsumi-sama, this letter is from the Draco Royal Family," she explained to him.
"Say what?" responded Tatsuya in surprise.
Ingrid pointed to the seal in the right hand corner of the envelope and said, "This is the seal and mark of the Draco Royal Family."
Tatsuya looked at the seal and immediately understood what she was talking about. He remembered seeing the same logo from Nobi when the prince showed his Draco mark to him long ago. "Wait, what does the Royal Family want to do with me?" he thought aloud.
"We'll have to see," answered back Ingrid.
After Tatsuya had finished putting on clothes, he gathered everyone in the living room and told them of the envelope. He then proceeded to open it and brought out the letter inside. He unfolded the letter and was surprised to see it all written in a strange foreign language, even by human standards! Confused doesn't even begin to describe what he was feeling towards this unreadable letter. And then, just when he was about to give up on it himself and hand it over to one of the dragons, the strange letters began to change. Tatsuya was seeing real magic at play before his very eyes! The strange letters transmuted themselves into very familiar and recognizable characters, characters that Tatsuya could finally read and understand! In one quick second or two, the initially unreadable letter immediately transformed into a comprehensive letter written in Japanese.
Now that he can finally read it, Tatsuya read the letter out loud for everyone to hear. "Dear, Great Hero Dragonborn, Let me be the first to show you gratitude for all that you've done for the dragon realm. You've protected countless lives, both dragon and human, from the atrocities of the dreaded Ouroboros cult. And although there have been many innocent lives lost along the way, the righteousness of your deed will illuminate the path for the dead to pass over to the realm of Goddess Ammit and finally find peace as they seek redemption at the hands of God Ouroboros. As for my identity, I am King Rexus Draco, supreme monarch of the Draco tribe and descendant of the God of Fire. My desire in writing to you this letter is twofold. Firstly, I would like to formally invite you and your acquaintances, whomever they may be, to the Pyroignis Empire. It would be an honor for the Royal Family to host the Great Hero Dragonborn and his allies. Secondly, there is an important matter regarding events critical to the wellbeing of the realm that we must discuss. It's importance is enough that we cannot discuss this openly through written words. Though I would like to say that inviting you, O Great Hero, was an idea conceived by my own mind, I am ashamed to admit that it was my son, Nobara (Nobi) who have put this idea in my head and helped me in writing this letter. I thank you for your time in reading my letter and hope that you decide to answer back with your attendance. Yours Truly, King Rexus Draco."
"It's an invitation from the Draco King!" exclaimed Umi.
"Owatatsumi-sama?" asked Ingrid, looking at him with hardened eyes.
"Uh…. I guess we're going then," announced Tatsuya with a reluctant sigh.
"Oh, Darling! I can't wait to show you my home!" squealed Aika joyfully.
"I guess there's no escaping it," said Tatsuya quietly to himself.
"Tch, why didn't I think of that?" muttered Takara under her breath. "I can't believe that I let the Draco princess get the drop on me."
"Well, we only have a week before our trip," said Sunaji. "Shall we prepare ourselves anon?" she suggested to the group.
The other princesses nodded their heads in agreement. They then quickly exchanged very scary looks and smiles that sent a shudder up Tatsuya's spine. The atmosphere quickly became more tense than the beginning of a war between competing wolf packs. And then, swifter than the wind, the princesses all raced back to their rooms and began to pack their belongings, despite the fact that they had a whole week before their trip.
As each of the princesses packed up their belongings, they each came up with their own schemes to increase their relationship level with Tatsuya. This time, they will have the home field advantage. With their knowledge and familiarity of the dragon realm, their plans will indeed see a greater chance of success. And Tatsuya's unfamiliarity with their home will easily allow them the opportunity take complete control of his undivided attention via his reliance on them to guide him through an unfamiliar place.
Takara's plan to captivate Tatsuya and advance their current relationship to the next level will be to show him the elite parts of the dragon realm. Basically, she'll be taking him to only the best of the best of restaurants, shops, tourist attractions, entertainment destinations, etc. She already has a comprehensive list of popular hotspots, high rated locations, and sights worthy of an elite member of society, mixed in with a few of her own favorite choices and personal preferences. She will woo him with the luxuriant and elite greatness of the dragon realm!
Sunaji's plan to move her relationship with Tatsuya forward, as well as improve herself for the sake of it, is to take him on low-key and intimate dates through the cities and parks and natural landscapes. It will allow for Tatsuya to immerse himself into the natural environment of the dragon realm and observe the society with his own eyes. She hopes that this will accomplish three tasks: the first—to give him the chance to learn for himself about the dragon realm; the second—to allow him to assimilate into the realm as naturally as possible without having to feel overwhelmed; and the third—to give them the chance to talk and maybe see different sides of each other that will allow them to move forward in romance. She will win him over with the elegance and poise of the dragon realm!
Shurai's plan to capture Tatsuya's heart and reveal her feelings to him will be based on the only thing that she excels at: food. She will take him out to the cities and well known food districts and treat him to the wonderful delicacies and dishes of the dragon realm. As they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach—and Shurai is determined to succeed with this adage in mind. She will succeed in her endeavors with the exoticism and gourmet traditions of the dragon realm!
Arashi's plan to get Tatsuya to see her in a different light and confirm her love for him is to draw him with fun. She is well acquainted with the best locations for having fun and will use it to her advantage to win him over. Specifically, the kind of 'fun' she has in mind isn't anything that the other princesses will know about, much less associate with. She will show him a new world of fun that will have him wanting more. This will take the form of clubs, parties, festivals, and the like—events that will undoubtedly open him up and show him a side of the dragon realm that will forever become a part of him, as well as allow her to bare herself to him in a very familiar and comforting atmosphere. She will have him under her spell with the merriment and pleasures of the dragon realm!
Kanjomizu's plan to progress the development of her romantic relationship with Tatsuya, as well as build herself up for her own sake and that of her love life, is to show him all of her favorite places and open herself up more to him through these dates together. She already has a list of her favorite destinations, and they also coincidentally double as the perfect date spots too! She hopes that by having him learn more about her, she will be able to build up the courage to be more open to him as a person, as well as propel their relationship forward. She will progress their relationship forward with the fondness and intimacy of the dragon realm!
Aika's plan to spend time with Tatsuya and push their relationship forward was a bit less selfish than the others'. As a reflection of how Tatsuya took her to wherever she wanted in the city during her time here in the human realm ever since her arrival, memories which she treasures fondly and hope to repay back, Aika decided to let Tatsuya choose wherever he wants to go and act as his personal guide instead. She didn't want to force him to places that she is acquainted with and instead wants him to explore the realm for himself. This approach, she feels, was the best way for him to get acquainted with her home and hopefully give them the chance to naturally improve their romantic relationship without any pretense. She will do what she must to show Tatsuya her love with the freedom and spirit of the dragon realm!
As all six princesses were busy getting their plans together, Tatsuya sat in the living room with the letter still in his hands. Most of the servants were gone to either assist their masters or make dinner; only Ingrid and Vajra remained in the living room with him. He had reread the letter enough to realize now that the invitation itself wasn't something that he could reject. In fact, despite the generous words and phrases used and the letter's seemingly cordial façade, to get to the nitty-gritty of it, the letter itself was basically a declaration announcing their urgent and unforgiving expectancy of Tatsuya's attendance. Especially the line talking about an "important matter regarding events critical for the wellbeing of the realm". Tatsuya could tell by its inclusion that they were expecting for him to appear so that they can discuss it because it will affect the future of their home, for better or for worse.
"I'm guessing that I can't really tell them no, can I," he said out loud to no one in particular.
"This is a direct invitation from the Draco king, you should be honored," said Vajra.
"It kind of feels more like an order than an invitation," replied back Tatsuya.
"Owatatsumi-sama, if I may," began Ingrid. "From the looks of the letter, my king is really hopeful in your acceptance of his invitation and is no doubt waiting for your presence in his palace. I believe that he is curious about you and your character and holds you in the highest esteem. Additionally, you are the Dragonborn, a highly celebrated hero within our realm. The king has no doubt acknowledged you as such and is hoping for your power in helping with an important matter. And as the Dragonborn, you should also take this opportunity to learn more about the other side."
"Mr. Urushihara said that this afternoon too," commented Tatsuya.
"Then you should take their advice and educate yourself to become a better Dragonborn," Vajra told him straightforwardly. Tatsuya had the sudden urge to want to punch the butler in face right after that last comment, but he held himself together.
"Owatatsumi-sama, may I propose another reason in favor of accepting the invitation?" proposed the maid.
"What is it?" asked Tatsuya.
"Princess Aika will no doubt be happy if you choose to go through with it and immerse yourself in the dragon realm," Ingrid told him.
Tatsuya could already imagine the truth behind those words. He could see Aika smiling beside him as they ambled together down some street in the city. The image was strong in his mind, no doubt a sign that it was something that just feels right. And then he saw the image start to change a bit. The frame of the image expanded and he saw other familiar faces walking along with him and Aika—it was the other princesses. They all wore happy smiles as they ambled down the street together.
"I-I see your point," agreed Tatsuya. He sighed, but then let a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. "I don't know why, but my entire body is getting a little tingly about it," he said.
"My, I would never have thought that the wore 'tingly' was in your dictionary! I'm learning new things everyday about our Messiah, the Dragonborn," said Vajra.
'How far is this guy willing to go just to piss me off?' wondered Tatsuya to himself.
The butler then excused himself and exited the living room. When Ingrid asked him where he was going, he simply replied that he was meeting someone. Tatsuya and Ingrid exchanged confused glances as he opened the front door and left the house.
Sasuke entered the coffee shop and walked over to a booth near the window. Sitting in that booth waiting for him was none other than Vajra, the same person who had invited him here. Sasuke took the seat across from the butler and ordered an espresso and three slices of cheesecake.
"Congratulations on your advancement," said Vajra, referring to Sasuke becoming a third-year high schooler next year. He took a bite out of the coffee cake in front of him. The butler put down his fork to take a sip of his coffee and then resumed eating his cake.
"Why, thank you," said Sasuke.
"I am astounded that you were able to keep up with the human realm and advanced at the same pace as them," praised Vajra. "You've been here for five years—."
"Six years," corrected Sasuke.
"—Six years now! And now look at you! Then again, you progressed through the academy pretty well back then and became one of the youngest Blitzkrieg Knight in history."
"You give me too much credit," said Sasuke with a laugh. His order had arrived by then and he quickly dug into his cheesecake.
"So, have you made any plans going forward?" asked the butler.
"I don't know if you've heard, but the entire club is going to the dragon realm for the winter," revealed Sasuke.
"And you want to use that time to do what you have to do over there," concluded Vajra. He took a sip of his coffee and got started on his next slice of coffee cake. "I wonder, why didn't you use the summer break to travel to the dragon realm and take care of your business then?" asked the butler curiously.
"A lot had happened before then and I wanted to take a little breather before diving straight into another big deal," Sasuke told him. "Besides, I wasn't strong enough yet," he added darkly. During the entire summer break, Sasuke, like Tatsuya, trained himself to become stronger. He did everything he could to improve his physical and mental abilities. He needed to if he wants to stand a chance against his biggest enemy.
"And you're ready now?" asked Vajra.
"Of course I'm not," replied Sasuke with a laugh. Vajra made a sour face at the tasteless joke and turned to sip his coffee. "You know something," began Sasuke with a sigh, "I was hoping to take care of my business by myself, but it looks like that won't be the case."
"I think you can handle your business by yourself without any prying eyes," said Vajra with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Having my friends with me is going to make that very hard," said Sasuke. "I don't want to put them in any danger. If our relationship as friends is discovered by the enemy, who knows what kind of danger awaits us?"
"I think that you'll be fine," reassured the butler. "First of all, Owatatsumi-sama will be busy trying to get accustomed to the dragon realm, and who knows what plans your other friends will have. I bet that their focus will be on catching up with old friends and family." He then looked at Sasuke with grim eyes. "Family is more important than hanging out with people that you already see everyday."
"The irony in that statement, was it intentional?" pointed out Sasuke playfully.
"The Draco King has invited Owatatsumi-sama to his palace," informed Vajra. "Let's just say that family is going to be very prominent theme on this trip."
"That's good for Tatsu," said Sasuke with a smile. "I bet that many of the royals will be dying to see the human realm Dragonborn with their own eyes."
"I wonder, is it going to be dangerous once they are all gather together?" asked Vajra.
"I don't think I've ever heard anything like that from the priests and seers before," said Sasuke with a small laugh.
"Speaking of families, are you going to visit him too?" asked the butler curiously.
Sasuke's face suddenly turned a little dark and his smile disappeared. Those words triggered a very dark spot within him. They were like the fuse to the bomb wedged deep in his soul. He closed his eyes and willed his heart to still and his soul to calm. "I don't think I will," simply answered Sasuke with a small smile that was halfway between angry and sad.
"I don't want to meddle in your family affairs, but I really think that you should at least go say hi to him," offered Vajra.
"I'll be fine," Sasuke told him stubbornly.
Vajra simply nodded and didn't touch the subject any further. "Anyway, I think that you should go say hi to the boys. It's been a while since they last saw you. You're quite the household name among the newer generations," said the butler with a smile.
"I'll see," said Sasuke. His tone didn't indicate whether or not he will actually do it, leaving it all to his acquaintance to guess for himself.
Vajra finished his drink and then stood up from his seat. "Well, it's your choice to do whatever you want to do," said the butler. "I wish you well on your mission. I'll see you again the week after next when we all leave together."
"Sure thing," said Sasuke with a nod. "And thanks."
The butler left the table and Sasuke was now alone by himself. 'I'm sorry Vajra, but my mission comes first,' said Sasuke. 'I don't have time to catch up with friends or irrelevant bastards. There's only one bastard that I'm focused on.' The thought of his target elicited a small smile out of him. 'I'm coming for you, big brother.'