Darkshore.

It was one of the two nations that bordered with the Empire, with the other being Nemphis. Back when the Empire was conquering everything, mowing down anything that stood along its path- the martial Kingdom of Darkshore was the one who prevailed. They drove the mighty Empire back to where they belonged- to the East, after a series of Pyrrhic victories.

Since then, the Empire fought countless battles against the stubborn nation of Darkshore. Despite its advantage in numbers and circler firepower- they were at a standstill. The armies of Darkshore, the most disciplined in Ervilia, was a force to be reckoned with.

It was a country that ran on military might. Else, it would have been been turned into a small county of the mighty Empire ages ago. Everyone in the country were capable of fighting; even small girls played with heavy wooden swords instead of tea sets.

Everyone in the country, be it nobles or poor commoners, were conscripted into the Darkshoric army as cadets- just at the age of twelve. At the age of sixteen, only the best of the best were selected amongst the cadets and were admitted into the Military College of Darkshore.

Their, they were not only taught magic and martial arts. The veterans at the institution also educated them with the art of war, with military tactics and strategies- both conventional and unconventional, and turned them into elite officers.

But a well trained personnel was not enough to stand against the Empire, nor was it enough to be hailed as the most proficient military in the whole confederation. What was even more important was intelligence.

To put all those tactics and strategies into play, the military officers needed to know everything about the enemy forces. And that’s where the ‘infamous’ Intelligence and Espionage Division came in.

And the one in charge of this mysterious yet supremely effective force was none other than the family of the best Dark circlers in the Confederation, or even the entire Continent- the Darkheart House- Adrian’s next destination.

*Neigh!*

*Clip-Clop*

A convoy of eight green carriages- all arranged in a single file- were tooling along a wide highway with full speed. The sun was right above them. There were no clouds above, but fast winds howled everywhere.

Inside one of the carriages, the odd one out, sat Adrian Darkheart, the Royal Advisor of Nemphis. But this time, there was a tense air inside the luxurious coach. Because this time, Adrian was not the only one inside it.

Opposite him, sat a woman in her late twenties- Teresa Ignis, a Vice Commander of the Royal Guardians of Nemphis. She had a dignified look on her pretty face. Her hair was black like most of the women in the continent, but her eyes- they were hazel. And those eyes were staring directly into the abyssal dark eyes of Adrian.

He had a gentle smile on his face. Though he had ‘ordered’ her to accompany him in his carriage, he had yet to spoken a single word in their past three hours of journey; so had she.

“What is it?” She asked, not being able to hold on anymore. “Why have you called me… sir?”

“Do you have a grudge against me?” The smile on his face grew wider.

“Even if I had one, it is not valid now.” Her voice was soothing, but strict. And her face was devoid of any emotions.

“Is that so?” He asked.

“Yes, I might have shared a master-apprentice relationship with the vice… I mean the previous vice principal.” Her countenance was still nonchalant. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you are the Royal Advisor of my nation, a position akin to a member of the Royalty and I am just a Royal Guard.”

“Well spoken.” He said, his eyes still locked onto the gorgeous hazel eyes of the beauty sitting before him. “But it also doesn’t change the fact that you are just a mere human, the most fickle of creatures.”

For the first time, her facial muscles contracted as her brows knitted. “What are you trying to say? That I might rebel?” She was direct.

“Yes.” And so was he. “So, we have to come to an ‘agreement’- a guarantee that you will not seek for vengeance on your duty to protect me.”

She looked down at the carpeted floor of the coach, thinking. She missed the malicious smile Adrian formed on his face. After a few seconds, she finally looked up and nodded. “Very well, what do you propose?”

All she could see was the gentle smile on the devilishly handsome face of the youth.

******

A few more hours passed. Afternoon.

The line of verdant carriages had finally reached its destination the city of Sallodeck. It was situated at the extreme South of the kingdom of Darkshore. Even more to the south, lied the endless waters of the ocean.

The carriages easily passed through the gates of the cities. The guards were already notified of their arrival.

Though the city was not the capital of the kingdom, it defeated its counterpart of higher status when it came to beauty and utilities. The roads were wider, the houses were bigger and better. There were beautiful gardens scattered across the city.

Even the passers-by looked even more well dressed compared to their counterparts back in the capital. And the further the coaches travelled along the main road, the more beautiful the city came to be.

And at the very centre of the large city, lied the Darkhouse Residence- the base of the Darkheart. All of the carriages passed through the gates with ease. And soon, they parked themselves in front of the main house.

A dozen of maids and servants stood before the mansion, ready to welcome the ‘young master’ of the house.

The old coachman jumped down to the ground and opened the carriage doors. A gorgeous and dignified young woman stepped out the carriage. She had a solemn look on her face as her hazel eyes darted through the crowd, looking for any signs of danger.

A few moments later, another pair of shoes touched the ground. A young man with otherworldly looks and a dashing demeanour stepped out of the same carriage. His black apparels swayed with the wind, along with his jet black hairs. His abyssal eyes scanned through the mansion before him. A smile crept out on his face.

The mansion was big, very big. It’s creamy white colour contrasted the pitch black insignia on the very centre of the establishment, just above the main door.

A one horned wolf- a dark uniwolf- looked at the world with its ravenous eyes. This mystical beast was at the pinnacle when it came to Dark attributed beasts. It was never seen on the surface of Ervilia and nor would it ever be. The records left by Sage Ervil were the only evidence of its existence.

Adrian finally looked down, right before him was the entrance. All the maids present were looking down on the ground, not daring to meet his eyes. Almost all of them had fallen prey to his abyssal eyes before. He ‘haunted’ the poor maidens in their dreams- making their panties damp.

Some of the newbies could not hide their curiosity and gave him a look, only to lose themselves in a trance, with their mouth open agape- drooling.

The old servants could only smile wryly. They were used to this.

But nevertheless, there was one young maid who looked as if she were in her mid twenties stepped out. She was a step behind the other maids when it came to looks. But she was the most confident among them all. Hence, she was the leader.

“Welcome, young master.” She bowed with a smile.

“Seethi.” He smiled. “Long time no see.”

“Indeed, young master.” She boldly looked into his eyes. “It has been more than two years.”

Adrian nodded. He knew why the maid before him was so much composed before him. It was not because of self control. It was because of her sexual orientation- she was a full on lesbian. And the only reason the family brought someone with such a looked-down-upon characteristic was just to deal with him.

Adrian began to walk forth. The maid and the guardian gave way while all the other maids and servants bowed.

*Clip-Clop*

His steady footsteps resounded through the atmosphere as he walked through the door, stepping into his house.

But no sooner had he touched the marbled floor of the mansion than-

“Brooooother.”

A little girl who did not look older than thirteen charged at him and jumped upon him.

Adrian caught the little girl with her strong arms and wrapped her in a hug- a warm one.

“I missed you so much… *sniff*.” The little girls cute voice sounded in his ears.

He finally broke the hug and put the cute little girl down on the floor below.

“Aria!” He smiled. “How have you been?”

Tears were constantly leaking down from the trembling black eyes of the girl. “I missed you… *sniff*”

“I am here now.” He knelt a bit and patted the little girl’s head. “And I will also be here for a few days.”

“Really?” She began to wipe the tears off her eyes. “How many days?” She looked into his eyes with her wet ones.

“Two or three days maybe.”

“Only three?” Tears began to flow out again.

“I have work, little girl.”

Aria barely composed herself. “But you have to play with me all the times.”

“Of course! I will play with you.” ‘And everyone in this house.’

Suddenly, an enraged feminine voice resounded through the hall.

“Aria! Come back. It’s study time.”