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anangelicday-mrwolf · 4 years

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Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 15 – Encounter

You would have been expected to kneel on a single leg and bow, given that you are one of us. In other words, don’t stress out any joint in your legs.

Don’t use any addressing term apart from “lord” or “my lord.”

Don’t fret. Simply answering given questions is good enough.

Don’t cover your pendant, for it must stay conspicuous at all times. Don’t lose or damage it either; you must return it upon your leave.

And PLEASE don’t burn or destroy anything in there.

The last sentence, as a matter of fact, was not included in the visitor’s manual Rael improvised, but he was impelled to add it based on his judgment on his company.

“Oh, don’t worry! I’ll definitely make you proud, sir!”

I beg your pardon, but you just scared my soul out of me by saying that.

Rael did not blurt out his fear, however. He felt guilty for offering six “don’t”s instead of a word of support to Yuhyung.

“By the way... Do I have to get in there by myself?”

Yuhyung warily asked, fingering the golden necklace that served as an emblem of a VIP visitor.

“I’m afraid so. I would’ve accompanied you on usual circumstances, but I am needed at my clan. Oh, and please save yourself from asserting that you do not blame me.”

Rael demonstrated his knowledge on his audience, which successfully sealed the human’s lips unzipped in a hurry.

“Just keep in mind what I told you, and you’ll be fine.”

As soon as Rael finished his words, the door opened with an mind-shattering thud.

Yuhyung ended up dropping his bag due to severe shudder, and Rael kindly retrieved it and handed it to its owner. He also kept his gaze on Yuhyung until the door was closed, to show that he has got the human’s back.

His part of the job done, Rael nimbly turned on the soles of his feet, only to stop short upon appearance of someone with no reason to be around at this time of the day.

“Lady Seira?”

“I see you made it back safely, Sir Rael.”

“What brings you here?”

“...I am on my way back. I just visited Lady Rosaria to reply to her invitation.”

Rael was about to play along with an affirmation of her answer, when he noticed something was not quite right with her description.

“What do you mean, visit Lady Rosaria to reply to her invitation?”

Don’t you mean you visited Lady Rosaria upon invitation?

For a second Rael suspected there is a flaw in Seira’s linguistic skills or his own auditory interpretation. He dropped the possibility in less than a second, though. He knew both of them were native speakers in Lukedonian, and it was partially because he realized albeit late that they were not on the same page of the conversation.

“Lady Rosaria sent me a messenger for an invitation. She suggested we should spend some ‘girl time.’ But I just visited her in person to decline. Additionally, I told her as grateful as I am for her considerations, there is no need for her to spare her hospitality for me.”

Seira was not the eager type when it came to socializing. Nevertheless, she was not the type to play blind to chances to socialize, either. At least that was the Seira he knew.

Not to mention he could not guess or see any reason for her to reject Rosaria’s invitation.

Rael was planning to ask Seira if there is anything wrong, when something drew his attention at the corner of his memories.

Right after he was made in charge of Lukedonia’s duties for the QuadraNet project, he briefly caught up to Seira to ask her if there is anything she would like him to deliver to her friends in Korea.

Thank you, but I decline.

Rael was not surprised at the fact that she said no. It was not the first time she said no, often solely because the person she was replying to was named Rael Kertia. He was surprised at the reason she produced, however.

Now it is time for me to treat everything about me as a head of the Loyard clan. Which means it is time for me to completely depart from my life before.

Seira had been a head of her clan for more than a day or two. She happened to be one before her return to Lukedonia, during which she willingly shared her presence with her friends.

But lo and behold, she was altogether turning her backs on her friends. Rael was aware of the fact that her return was permanent. Nonetheless, he was also aware of the fact that her friends, according to Raizel, remembered her. And they missed her.

‘No, she wasn’t turning her backs on them. She was trying to turn her backs on them.’

Back then Rael speculated she was trying to relocate her life outside Lukedonia in the safe of her memories.

To his shock, here she was, shying away from generosity of her own kind.

“If there is nothing more you have to discuss with me, allow me to excuse myself.”

Seira nodded her head and turned away, with Rael enacting a statue while his head was processing what was going on.

‘Seira, what are you thinking?’

Rael’s question echoed in mute, as he stared at her back and reminisced her most recent actions.

He could bet she was not completely unwavered by his offer to reach out to her friends; he recalled how her chest froze for a split second before she exhaled.

And one more thing.

‘Why would she pass by the Lord’s Hall on her way back from the Elenor manor? It would’ve been faster for her to head straight back to her own mansion.’

It did not take long for Rael to reach a projection-slash-conclusion.

‘Are you lonely, Seira? Are you, however, trying to ignore your loneliness? Because you are the head of your clan?’

Rael could tell that her solitary conquer of loneliness was not turning victorious.

‘It’s still early, but there are plenty of people going about, including the Central Knights. There’s a good chance she decided to stop by a crowded place even for a minute to weaken her loneliness. But does she have to go that far because of the shoes she is wearing?’

Almost as soon as he lamented, Rael could not help feeling deep relation to her.

After all, a falcon nesting atop a deadly precipice must fight off every risk, creature or creation, to protect its nest.

Rael knew he was in no situation to be a critic for Seira’s behavior, for he, too, half-forcedly made loneliness his new friend.

‘But loneliness is never cooperative. Whether you want to befriend it or shun it, it will not concede that easily. Particularly if you fail to cut off all your ties at once.’

The Kertia unleashed the air that had filled his head with a thick sigh, and the void in his head was replaced by responsibility he had forgotten momentarily.

‘I don’t have time to stand here.’

As Rael’s feet took him towards the Kertia land, his robe fleeted more noticeably than usual, as if personifying his mixed feelings of expectations, complications, and concerns.

*****

Where is I?

Who is this place?

What time is she?

Right now, who...

Oh, wait. She is the lord.

The lord of the nobles.

As soon as his brain finished making out the situation, Yuhyung’s mind – which was about to free itself from swamp of self-breakdown – was dragged back to the nightmarish pit.

The man went through hundreds of resolves. And thousands of determinations. Alas, now that he stood in the one and only noble sovereign’s presence, the pressure was beyond what he could dream.

Every single one of his brain cells was tap-dancing, thoroughly betraying its owner.

Yuhyung could not be more thankful that the lord appeared very, very generous. It has been roughly 5 minutes since their supposedly mutual conversation had turned one-sided; yet Yuhyung could not detect the slightest hint of annoyance on her countenance.

“Are you alright?”

“S-sorry?!”

“If your journey has damaged your ability to think accordingly, I can provide you with respite as necessary.”

“Uh... N-n-no! Not at all! I-it’s just that... I’ve never done something like this in my life...”

“Have no fear. I, too, have never done this. So let us take one step at a time. First, I would like you to show me the device you brought for me.”

“Ah, yes! Yes, of course! Allow me to... Uh, I mean, I shall do that!”

Yuhyung was shivering so hard any other spectator would envision his bones, flesh, vessels, and skin being separated by layers. Meanwhile, he pulled out from his bag a smartphone he had picked up from Tao.

“Uh... The Noblesse possesses a phone of the identical model.”

“I see. Now give me a moment.”

Lascrea removed herself from her throne, causing Yuhyung’s pupils to parody a Cirque du Soleil trick at least 5 times in a second.

His tremor much more intensified, Yuhyung started to outline Tao’s notices one by one.

“Uh, so... This is a model sold to the public, but the man named Tao modified it. It contains part of the source code essential for QuadraNet – uh, we decided to call this network the QuadraNet – so it will work here in Lukedonia. However, your phone is connected only to the Noblesse’s phone.”

Yuhyung’s finger glided across the screen, slow enough for Lascrea to get an understanding of the mechanism of the device that now belongs to her, partly because (in fact, largely because) he was still trying to believe this was reality.

The phone screen was almost empty, save for the corner covered by three applications. He tapped an icon marred with bloody calligraphy.

“This is a ‘messenger app.’ So – watch closely – if you tap it like this... And this... It will let you enter messages, which will be exchanged with those from the Noblesse. Right on the spot.”

Yuhyung performed a guide of the interface basically equivalent to commercially popular messenger applications, and Lascrea without hesitation orchestrated her fingers in staccato and typed in a message.

Yuhyung knew it is not polite to gape at someone, yet he could not control his eyes. Her action implied this was not her first time confronting a smartphone keyboard.

“I saw human children using this device, during my stay in your world.”

“Oh... I, I see! T-then I guess there’s no need for me to give you further details.”

Yuhyung returned to the main screen and sharply poked and initiated an application with crimson envelope icon.

“This is an email app that only you’d get to share with the Noblesse. I doubt you’d ever get to use it – not with the messenger app. But Mr. Tao decided it would be wise to make you one.”

After a brief demo of sending an email, Yuhyung directed his finger to the last application.

Which happened to be the main event.

“Now this is the application for the QuadraNet. With this app, you can log onto the QuadraNet whenever, wherever you are. As soon as the installation and furnishing of the system is complete...”

That was when Yuhyung relented in his speech; Lascrea immediately comprehended what held his tongue.

“I believe now is the time to show you our communication chamber.”

Yuhyung tagged along the noble lord like a puppy, and once he reached his destination, he stopped trembling for the first time ever since he entered the Lord’s Hall.

He did not think he would find much in the chamber. He had wondered, why would the nobles make use of human technology?

Contrary to his anticipations, he soon found himself standing in midst of every equipment and kit he could think of for communications.

Strongly convinced that his task will be much easier, Yuhyung smiled in a way only a confident man could manage.

In less than 20 minutes Lascrea got to marvel, upon returning to the chamber to give the man words of encouragement.

“The KSA has sent me a perfect person for the job.”

“Uhh... Oh, this is nothing!”

“How much progress do you presume you have made?”

Back to business mode in a flash, Yuhyung let his fingers dance across the keyboard he connected to the monitor.

“This chamber is now impeccably injected with gadgets from KSA and Mr. Tao’s appliances and programs. So I’d say it is more than halfway done. But...”

“We are not the only ones that will benefit from this project.”

“Right. I haven’t made contact with the werewolves, so I don’t have anything from their side. And until I get what I need from them, this system will be left incomplete. Would you mind if I collect what I need from them and finish the job once I get back?”

“Sounds reasonable. Which means you would need someone to take you to the wolfkind territory. I shall make arrangements on the matter.”

Yuhyung nodded to show he absorbed the idea, and Lascrea turned her elegant gaze towards the two Central Knights who shadowed her.

“Take the guest back to the cabin. And make sure nothing will affect his physical or emotional well-being. He is our priceless guest.”

The Central Knights replied in compliance, and Yuhyung very awkwardly bowed his head to her before he walked away with them.

Out of impulse he glanced back at her, to promptly tilt his head in curiosity.

Lascrea, who very quickly withdrew her attention from him, was looking down into her phone. And her face was flushed, floral – unmistakably marred with tinges of fluttering emotions.

‘What? Did she get a reply from the Noblesse? But how come she’s so delighted? Do they have a thing going on between?’

He did not have enough time to learn more about the most influential nobles of Lukedonia, because of which the only thing he could do was sway his head from side to side.

His gesture of inquisitiveness did not cease even as he stepped through the hallway outside. Even when someone approached him.

“My, my. Good day, gentlemen.”

Yuhyung flinched in pure gut reaction against a voice he has not heard before.

Once he fully grasped the appearance of the newcomer, Yuhyung inwardly exclaimed in shock.

‘My god... I’ve never seen an organism that looks more exhausted than I do.’

While studying his pale face, Yuhyung noted how the orange-haired noble was staring right at him. Hence he was rendered heedless of his own action as he gulped.

“Sir Deneb.”

“Can we be of service?”

“I heard we have an important visitor. As far as I’m concerned, he is the very first human guest we are to have in our generation. So I could not help getting curious. Which is why I wished I could get a glimpse of you from afar, sir. But what do we know? I ran right into you.”

Deneb very effortlessly shifted his speech towards Yuhyung, due to which the latter tensed up once more.

For a reason unlike the one he had in Lascrea’s attendance, however.

“Would it bother you if I escort him myself?”

“Sorry? Yourself?”

“There’s no need for you to do so. We are pleased to offer our service.”

“It’s alright. This would be a perfect chance for me to ease myself from the shackle of questions that I had no keys for until now. So please, could you be so kind and give me an opportunity here?”

Deneb even squinted his eyes in a silly grin, which rid the Central Knights of excuses, who awkwardly exchanged looks.

“Very well. We will leave this to you, sir.”

The Central Knights did not forget assuring Yuhyung that there is nothing for him to worry about before recalibrating their steps. Deneb, with the two nobles gone, made a full smile and strode towards the human doctor.

“Now, shall we continue?”

Yuhyung tailed the Illiness, his eyes not at all hiding his cringe.

His eyes stayed in the manner that he would by no means want to display to anybody, while they paced towards his cabin. Soon afterwards his eyes started to falter in disconcerted way, as he observed how the numbers of trees and pillars strange to him were increasing.

“Umm... Excuse me...? Sir? Are... Are we taking a detour or something?”

Yuhyung asked, hoping that he was wrong: this noble brought him to a place with nobody to pass by, instead of his cabin.

He was also unsettled by the fact that the noble who declared he had questions to ask was in fact silent throughout their trip. Finally, when Deneb turned around, Yuhyung clutched his bag tight onto his chest, Rael’s advice about his pendant wiped clean from his head.

“Seira J. Loyard. Do you know who I’m talking about?”

Deneb no longer sounded cordial or courteous. That was when enlightenment hit Yuhyung, upon the reason why he was attacked by anxiety not like the one he felt when he was with Lascrea.

“Pardon? Uh... Uh, yeah. My colleagues told me about her, but... Is there a problem?”

“When she was lodging in your world, what did she like? What did she do during her spare time?”

Yuhyung was momentarily speechless that his questions were about his own kind, not about him or homo sapiens.

“I... I believe she usually hung around with her human friends. She specially enjoyed chatting with her friends with a treat or two.”

Once he was done answering, Yuhyung fumbled with his lips. He was uncertain whether he was correct with the assumption that Deneb was asking about pastime.

“I’ll need a party.”

Just then Deneb whispered, almost to himself.

He smirked in a highly unpleasant way before the human could retort.

His smile was not hugely different from the one he exhibited when they first met; nevertheless, this time his profile was somewhat heinous. It no longer looked like the pale noble was smiling in a silly way.

Yuhyung could detect desire threatening to burst from every line and surface of his makeup. From the nanoscopic spots of color upon his pallid skin. From slim curves next to the corners of his eyes. From the tips of teeth ghosting beneath his lips now and then.

Yuhyung did not – or could not – stop himself from quivering in the face of a noble in hunger.

(next chapter)

#fanfic #korean webcomic #korean webtoon #noblesse #frankenstein #lunark #frankensteinxlunark #wolfsbane

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