Children ran around at the nearby park, a couple dined at the nearby restaurant, and the smell of flowers came through the air from the nearby florist's. The headquarters weren't located in a shady alley or behind some sort of waterfall; it was there, right in plain sight, but no one saw it, no one even went near it. Truthfully, there was nothing but a visual illusion at the building, what kept them away from it was an instinctual fear.
Leonard entered the headquarters with Jared pestering him. "Who do you think that guy was?" he asked. "I think I could beat him if I went all out, but he seemed quite strong." Liar, thought Leonard.
"Wait here,"—he fidgeted—"I'll do the reporting," he said.
As Leonard walked the long corridors of the building, it was as if the place were alive. As if in the walls were invisible eyes and ears, taking note of all his actions.
"Here we go," he muttered.
He glanced at the name on the door and felt a chill down his spine; it was as if he had already been devoured by 'something' and was heading straight towards its stomach.
...
In the mansion's flower garden, three people—and a half sat drinking tea; around them were emotionless maids, beautiful flowers that were grown as if artificially towards perfection, bushes cut to an unreal level of symmetry, and birds that sang as if they were taught from the moment they hatched.
"You know, cousin, this place always creeped me out," Raphael said, trying to lighten up the mood.
"Cousin... Why," she breathed in, trying to find the right words. "Why is there a child with you?" said the blonde woman with pale blue eyes.
"Papa?" said Léo, looking at Raphael.
As the child called her cousin 'papa', the lady's face went pale as her jaw dropped as she stared at him. The child, confused, went back to sitting obediently, salivating slightly as the scent of freshly baked cookies filled the place, nearly hypnotising him.
"Here," whispered Chloe, a kind smile on her face as she gave him a cookie.
"Thank you,"—he smiled—"mama," Léo whispered, not noticing the wide eyes a wolfish woman was staring at him with. He kept eating, since he didn't know what the people around him were talking about.
"I'll excuse myself for a second," said Lilith as she got up. "I'll talk to you later," she whispered in the young lord's ears before disappearing.
"Cousin, answer the question."
"Well, as I was saying, cousin... we'll just stay here for a few days until I rent a place, probably near the library," he said, a casual smile unnaturally frozen in his face.
"..." Lily's eyes seemed to go through his soul as he completely ignored her previous question.
"... Cousin?" the young lord inquired, feigning confusion.
"Who. Is. The. Child?" she asked, again.
"The child,"—he coughed—"Well, I-I adopt—" he stuttered and coughed as if he were about to tell his mother one of the worst lies he's ever made.
"Why are his eyes red?" she interrupted.
"I'd supposed it's because of genetics, cousin,"—he shrugged—"It's a shame that there are so many racists out there... Isn't it?"
After a few seconds of silence, Lily finally gave in. "Okay..."—she sighed—"You're better out of here anyway. Is the child part elf?" she asked, staring at the child's ears.
"How could I kno—" he replied.
"Is he?" Her pale blue eyes seemed to penetrate his soul.
"Perhaps he could be, cousin." Raphael 'gave in'. "Well, since everything is cleared up, I'll go to my room for now, okay?"
As Raphael excused himself to his room, Léo and Chloe followed after him; Lady Lily remained in the room, a confused, lost look in her face as she thought out loud, "Did he change because of the kid?"
"I think they bought it," said Raphael as he lay in the comfy bed.
Seeing Raphael on top of the tall bed, Léo attempted to climb it. "Papa?" said Léo, confused as to why the young lord seemed so comfortable until Chloe helped him up.
"What now?" asked Chloe. "They'll probably wonder who the kid's mom is."
"I won't pretend to be his father forever, just until we can get out of the family," he replied. "For now, we prepare; there's something very weird in this city. Delacroix must have noticed you somehow broke the loyalty seal; someone is after Léo, and I'm pretty sure someone wants me dead."
Chloe's face twisted slightly in worry. "I'll make sure to protect you, Lord," she said, trying to stay cheerful.
"That won't be necessary," he said, getting up from the bed. "But I do need you to protect the kid."
"W-where are you going, Lord? Isn't it dangerous to go outside alone if you think someone is after you?" she asked, biting her lips.
...
\\
"This is the end of the report, sir," said Leonard, fidgeting across the big boss' desk.
"I see..." he replied, not even glancing at Leonard. "Tell your partner to come here next."
Leonard tried defending his colleague. "Sir,"—he gulped— "Jared was the one that gave the idea of waiting to see if something was wrong. He was vital to the report."
"I'll talk to him."
"... Okay."
//
"Hello, Adam." 'Jared' said as he entered the office.
"So, Mr. Thatcher, what do you think of the new recruit?" said a man who seemed to be in his late 50s, pulling out a cigar from his desk drawer. "Are you finally going to recruit the last member of the unit?"
"We've known each other for 30 years, and you still call me Mr. Thatcher?" Jared said, ignoring his question.
"And even after 30 years, I still don't understand you, Noah," Adam said, glancing at the young man in front of him as he cut his cigar. "Well, it'll be your final decision whether to hire him or not, but what happened with the young lich?"
Flick.
"Our information network is compromised."—he sighed—"Someone with access to the wooden."
Puff, puff.
"I know,"—he cleared his throat—"It has been happening since last year."
"... Why didn't you tell me anything?"—his eyes narrowed—"Don't tell me you thought I was—"
"You were on the list of the possible suspects, yes," Adam interrupted. "However, I had nothing to do with it, I just couldn't tell you."
"Those old fuckers..." He clicked his tongue.
"We're sending a unit to investigate the ones that captured the lich; that creature is too important for the 'Crown'..."—he sighed—"Just don't go around looking for trouble, alr—"
Adam stopped talking as he noticed Noah had left the office. "And they say old age makes one wise..." He thought out loud, clicking his tongue.