Chapter 2
In Nagano prefecture, kids hustled around in a rather small coffee shop, the younger one's flapping around the shop playing with various toys and eating away at the confectionaries, the older one's enjoying themselves on the shop's computers, or the vast physical library offered by teh shopkeeper.
In this day and age, when screens and tablets have become too common, physical books are rare. Yet many enthusiasts all over the country still prefer holding a physical book in hand to reading on a screen.
The kids, ranging from a few months old neonates to those approaching their teens, all huddled inside this small shop enjoying themselves while three women ran around, trying to curb them from going overboard.
The small cafe named 'Anteiku' was closed and had been reserved for the resident orphanage, a tradition that had begun three years ago on its opening where every month the owner would have the matrons bring all the kids over so that the kids may enjoy themselves.
"Thank you for doing this, Inei-kun," Martha Whitehouse spoke softly to the young boy sitting on the counter, lying on the chair as a book covered his face.
"There is no need for that, Matha-san. It's nothing really; it is you and your sisters that do all the hard work. I am just lending the kids some books and computers," he said without moving the book, and the blonde matron smiled, for she knew that it was much more than that.
The children in the orphanage had little beyond basic necessities and were often envious of the normal childhood other kids of their age possessed. Their budget allowed them little leeway to provide them with entertainment, and so when three years ago, a young boy had walked into the orphanage offering them free food, and entertainment on the preface of doing a trial run for his little cafe, they had been surprised.
Yet in the end, she decided to take the gamble, and since that day, every month on the last Sunday, the cafe has been closed and reserved for the Woodspring Orphanage.
"Look at you calling them kids," she spoke softly as she walked forward and picked up teh book from his face.
"You are only a few years older than the kids with us," she said, and underneath the book lay quite a traditional Japanese face with soft androgynous features and the most tired and weary eyes she had ever seen, along with the strangest hair.
"Come on, I was reading the book Martha-san," he complained, his voice weary as she smiled at him, for she was not fooled by his little act.
"I doubt one can hardly read anything like that," she scoffed as she placed the book down.
"Well, despite my age, I am a full-fledged adult in the eyes of the law. So, it matters little, though there was one thing I needed to talk to you about," he said, leaning forward.
"What is it?" she asked.
"As you know, I begin high school in little more than half a year, and despite my various attempts, I was unable to gain an exception and will need to attend the classes," he said, sighing as if that was a bad thing.
"That is good," she added softly, and he rolled his eyes.
"It is a hassle. That is what it is. But I was hoping that you could help me find an employee to take care of things while I am away," he said as he rubbed his head and she smiled, after everything he had done for her and the little kids this was nothing.
"Of course, I know a few kids who grew up in the orphanage. I believe they would be suitable for the job," and he nodded.
"Good, good. With that done, I am going back to sleep," he said as he picked up his book and put it on his face again.
"The food is in the fridge at the back. You can serve it whenever you want," he said as he gave her a thumbs up and leaned back on the chair once more.
"Inei-nii! Inei-Nee! You are being sleepyhead again!" A few of the kids ran up to them while they were talking.
"Come play with us! Show us that magic show of yours!" another girl asked and pleaded as she laughed and saw them clutching at his clothes, trying to drag him out of his chair.
"What a drag," Inei-kun said as he lifted the book and glanced at her, and she shrugged.
"This is all your fault," he said, and she chuckled as, with a weary sigh that no fifteen-year-old should ever give, he stood up much to cheer off the kids all around him.
"YEAHHHH!"
"Come, you, little hellions, let me fill your sleep with nightmares," and the kid backed away and ran to the table as one the other matrons joined her.
"Inei-kun, please do not tell them a horror story again. Many of them did not sleep for two days the last time you told one," begged Kiyoshi-san, and Inei-kun shrugged.
"I will see what I can do," he said as he walked to the head of the table, a CAD, a small remote-like device in his hands.
And he watched him click a few buttons, and the light in the room dimmed as Inei-kun began to regale the kids with another one of those fantasy tales he was so fond of. This one was about a kingdom named Westeros ruled by Dragonriders and an event he called the Dance of the Dragons.
"Well, at least it's not a horror story this time," Kiyoshi-san added with a relieved sigh as he used the shadows to tell a tale of the fight, making intricate scenes and animations with his magic and mesmerizing the kids.
And while he was busy, suddenly, they were interrupted by a knock on the cafe door, and Inei-kun stopped.
"Please continue Inei-san. What happened next after they crowned the bother the King!"
"What became of the beautiful Princess!"
She was frowning herself as Inei-kun smiled.
"I will be back," he said and began to walk towards the door, and as he opened the cafe door.
"Haven't you read the sign outside? We are close..." yet he stopped for some reason as he saw the man outside.
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"Haven't you read the sign outside? We are...." The boy stopped midsentence as he looked at Hayama, and he was surprised to see the spark of recognition in those eyes, and he immediately felt the boy's psions unravel as they spread around as his demeanor shifted in an instant.
Looking at pictures was one thing, yet now as Hayama Tadanori found himself face to face with the boy who had the blood of the Yotsuba clan's leader in his veins, he was taken aback by the similarities in their faces.
The young boy owned a small cafe in Naganou prefecture and often entertained kids from the local orphanage once a month.
"Inei Sosuke," he confirmed, and the young lad nodded, his gaze locked onto him. Those eyes reminded him much of Lady Miya, his aunt, and how they seemed to pierce through him.
"I am..."
"I know who you are, Hayama Tadanori," he finished as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Hayama was taken aback by those words.
Of all the Ten Master clans, the Yotsuba were the most secretive. Even their clan head was not aware of the identities of all the clansmen, and yet, somehow, this young man seemed to know him.
"Then you must also know who I represent," he asked, and the young boy nodded. He looked around and nodded before turning towards him.
"I do. You are the butler of The Empress of the Night," he replied. He was impressed and alarmed and was about to put the men he had brought on alert.
"Have your men stand down, otherwise this will become more complicated than it has to," he said as he felt a massive amount of psion build up from the young lad, as those eyes began to glow.
"I will listen to your request, but I am predisposed at the moment. I would be happy to host you and your men until I am done," the boy offered. Hayama looked him in the eye, and it reminded him of Lady Maya and her gaze. Despite having never met, the boy resembled the Lady quite a lot in that moment.
"So, be it. I will be in your care," he said, and the boy nodded as he opened the door and led him in.
"Then welcome to Anteiku," he said as he led him inside. It was a small cafe filled with kids and three matrons who were looking at him suspiciously.
"Who is he, Inei-kun?" the blonde matron asked. They exchanged glances, and the boy stepped forward.
"He is an old family friend," he said sheepishly, his demeanor shifting from that sharp and haughty attitude to a dull and weary one in an instant as he walked back to the front.
"Help yourself to anything you like," he said as he walked back to the table. Hayama felt the light in the room shift, and he was surprised for a while. To a normal person, this may seem like simply illusion magic, but it was anything but.
He had served Maya Yotsuba long enough to recognize her technique, which had earned her the moniker of Empress of the Night.
Nightout, rather than bending light rays through illusion magic, destroyed them, destroyed energy, and the boy used it to entertain the kids. Preposterous, he thought, yet the way those eyes continued to drift towards him, he later recognized this for what it was.
A threat.
The boy was asserting power, warning him off of any foolish action, and Hayama was impressed. It seems blood ran thick after all.
The story lasted for a bit over twenty minutes, allowing him enough time to look over the small space. It was a traditional cafe in all senses, except for the physical books it carried, a novelty in this day and age, yet still, it was nothing too uncommon.
And so, he waited as he took a sip of the coffee that was offered and found it quite sweet, similar to how Lady Miya used to take her coffee.
.
.
And twenty minutes later, with the kids and matrons leaving, the boy closed off the shop's door and turned towards him once more.
"Thank you for waiting, Hayama-san. Now, tell me, what can I do for you?" the boy asked, his weary and lazy demeanor vanishing in an instant as he straightened up, his presence thickening up in the room.
"I am here on behalf of Maya-sama. She wishes to meet you," he began truthfully, not wasting any more time, and the boy raised a brow.
"And I believe this meeting is supposed to take place at your clan compounds," he said, and Hayama nodded.
"Indeed," and the boy looked him over.
"And what if I decline this offer," he was taken aback by those words, yet he was a Yotsuba, and he let go of his own psions as he glared at the boy.
"I am afraid that is not an option," he said, and their psions clashed in that small shop, making the shelves shake before the boy sighed and let go.
"Since you were nice enough to accept my request, I shall extend to you the same courtesy. After all, I did believe that such a day might come," he said as he cracked his neck.
"Come then, take me to her. It is time I met her, after all."
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