Packing up his clothes, Alicarde muttered, "What the hell? I just finished unpacking, goddammit. Now I have to find a hotel. That goddamn landlord—what was his name again? Fairy, Fairchild? Oh, whatever. He's totally not being fair to me, that bastard."
He cursed under his breath, "Maybe I should really consider settling this in court. Then again, he did pay back five times more than I had, so it should be fine, right?"
Despite this, he still felt humiliated, but he was willing to swallow his pride. He didn't have the time or energy to sue, and he distinctly remembered a rule at his college that prevented students from getting involved in court cases without the administration's permission. Breaking this rule would lead to penalties, although he couldn't quite recall what the punishment was.
As he walked down the street, he pulled out his phone. He had already called a car using a ride-sharing app, and the GPS indicated it was about two minutes away, so he opted to wait by the road.
He couldn't stay in his apartment—or rather, what used to be his apartment. Lost in thought, a black luxury sedan pulled up beside him. It took him a moment to realize it wasn't the car he had been waiting for. The tinted glass lowered to reveal the familiar face of the dark-haired Carrisa.
"Enter the vehicle," she instructed, her tone cool and commanding.
He turned away and continued walking. He had no time to deal with the mysterious young woman today. The car slowly followed him.
"Why must you make things so difficult? You have nowhere to go now. Simply follow me; I assure you, I won't bite," she remarked, her voice detached, as if she had everything under control.
Hearing her words, he stopped walking.
"How did you know?" he asked, not specifying what she knew. Smiling, she answered.
"Because I purchased the house—or rather, the real estate company that owned the area. The so-called landlord who opposed me may have tried to resist, but ultimately, he had no say once I acquired the company. Although I commend him for attempting to compensate you from his own pocket," she explained with a composed smile.
He would have been livid, but he was too tired of all the nonsense to care. He looked into the car and remarked, "So Fairchild was fair to me after all."
"I do not believe that was his name, but indeed, he was," she responded with a faint smile.
"Though, I did consider taking his family hostage if he continued to refuse me," she added with an air of indifference.
"And do not trouble yourself with seeking a hotel, either," she continued, her voice as sweet as honey, but her words filled his heart with bitterness.
He was right; this woman was cruel. She was literally a she-devil, but he didn't voice his thoughts. Just then, he noticed that his ride had arrived. He walked towards it, recognized the plate number, and got in. The driver drove off.
Carrisa had told him not to bother looking for lodging at a hotel, and considering she had bought a whole real estate company, if she had planned to harm him, he would have been dead already. Still, he wasn't prepared to give in without trying.
The cab stopped at a hotel not too far from where he used to live. The accommodations were modest, but he decided to stay there for a while until he found a new place. The hotel was moderately large with automated glass doors and a sparsely populated reception area. A gentle-looking receptionist stood behind the counter, offering a welcoming smile.
Approaching her, he greeted, "Good day, ma'am. Do you have any rooms available?"
She smiled and returned the greeting, "Hello, and good day to you as well, sir. Would you like—"
She suddenly froze mid-sentence, her voice becoming slightly less hospitable.
"I'm sorry, sir. We have no rooms available. Apologies for the inconvenience."
Alicarde didn't argue. Feeling a little down, he replied, "Okay, no problem. Thank you."
Turning around to leave, he walked back the way he came. As soon as he was out the door, he noticed the familiar, beautiful dark-haired woman waiting for him.
"Well then, shall we go home?" she offered again, her tone now tinged with amusement.
He glared at her, trying his best to suppress his anger. He walked past her and tried another hotel.
"Sorry, sir, we have no rooms to spare."
And another.
"Apologies, but we have no rooms."
And again.
"We're fully booked, sir."
And another—from the cheap motels to the five-star hotels, he tried them all. Before he knew it, night had fallen, and he was starving. Entering a small fast-food restaurant, he ordered a large burger, fries, spicy chicken wings, and a milkshake.
It wasn't long before he devoured it and ordered something else. While waiting for his order, he couldn't help but notice his appetite had increased.
He noticed a shadow being cast behind him, and without turning around, he knew it was Carrisa. She had followed him the whole day, trying to get a word in, trying to convince him, though he never really gave her a chance to speak.
"What do you want from me, you goddamn wench?"
"That is not a very courteous thing to say to a lady, much less to a princess. In my homeland, such words would amount to lèse-majesté," she remarked, sitting down across from him without appearing particularly offended.
"I require your cooperation," she began.
"No," he spat, shutting her down before she even finished.
"You are in grave danger, fool. If you do not accompany me, anyone who sees you will automatically assume you are with me. And with your ignorance of the dangers that surround you, only suffering awaits," she warned, her voice firm yet tinged with concern.
"What are you on about?" he questioned, still wary but sensing a shift in her tone.
Sensing his willingness to listen, she continued, "As I mentioned before, I am a princess. The Evernight Empire is currently embroiled in a succession battle, and I have more than a few siblings. In other words, I have enemies everywhere."
"What does that have to do with me?" he interrupted.
"It has everything to do with you. As my one and only immortal champion, my enemies will target you as well. You may be immortal in body and soul, but you are not entirely invulnerable. If your mind is destroyed, you might as well be dead," she explained, her tone grave.
He listened as she elaborated on her circumstances and, apparently, his own. She spoke of a world he had never known: special abilities like magic, innate powers akin to superpowers, ki, white ash wood, ether, and a long list of supernatural creatures that could potentially come for him or his family.
By the time his food had arrived, he had lost his appetite. From her, he learned of a whole new world, and it became clear that she was his only choice. He could refuse, but she was the only one he knew in this bizarre new reality. Heartless she-devil that she may be, better the devil you know than the angel you don't.
"Fine, I'm in. But if any harm comes to my family, there will be hell to pay."
"I shall do my utmost to protect them," she answered immediately, her tone unwavering.
"Now then, let us depart," she commanded, standing up with an air of finality.
"Understood," he replied, leaving money on the table for the staff and dragging his luggage out with him into the night, following the woman to the place she called home.