Sephiram and Anissa sat inside the bus riding them home, the former holding a journal and a case containing the Briar Rose leaning against the seat in front of them. He looks at the window, remembering what the elder Sliversnow told him before heading home.
(Flashback)
"Thank you very much for your hospitality, but I'm afraid that we can't stay here any longer," Sephiram said as he and Anissa were ready to leave.
"Wait a minute." Mr. Sliversnow stopped them and then gestured to his secretary to fetch a few items for him. "There is something that I wanted to give to you if you're not in a hurry to go home."
"We can wait," Anissa replied. "Right, big brother?" Sephiram nodded in response.
"That's a shame that you're going to leave early. I want to invite you two over for dinner."
"Thank you for the invitation but I received a text from Mother that the President came by to our house for dinner."
"That's fine since I knew that President Zirconia would visit you for updates regarding your safety." Just then, the secretary arrived, carrying the journal and a long case. "This is my gift to you. First, (he took the journal from the secretary's hands) is the copy of our journal that was passed onto the Sliversnow clan for generations. And this (took the case) is the Briar Rose."
"Wait, I can't receive the weapon." Sephiram tried to decline. "It is important to you."
"No," Mr. Sliversnow insisted, gently shoving the case into Sephiram's arms; the latter reluctantly accepted the weapon, hugging it. "You are the rightful owner of the Briar Rose. It is yours now."
"Thank you...?"
"And before you leave, I wanted to say this after all centuries have passed."
He and the secretary kneeled in front of Sephiram, showing his respect.
"Welcome back, Your Highness."
(Flashback end)
"'Your Highness'. It's been so long since I was called that." He murmured to himself.
"Are you okay, big brother?" Anissa asked.
"I'm okay." was his answer. The events of this afternoon proved to him that his memories have been returned but not in full. Baby steps, he thought. Memories will not be flooded at once since this will cause a strain on his head. The last time he remembers his past life was when he was caught with a high fever. It was a rainy afternoon, and his brother filed a leave from his duty to take care of him while his mother was making his medicine. He was seven years old at that time when he dreamed about talking to another boy in a place that resembled a library. Books are scattered all over the place and both are hiding between the two bookshelves, a few books carried into each arm: reading history and novels with smiles on their faces. When the fever had subsided, he told his mother about his dream and she joked that he was talking about the time that he, Ian, and Mark were in the school library when they were cramped on their exam that day.
"But Mom, there is no way Mark and Ian were there," he explained one time. "It was only a blond boy."
"I think it was a fever dream." Augustus chimed in as he overheard the conversation. "Your dream mixed up with what happened to you last week."
Since then, Sephiram has thought of it as a fever dream. His memories before this are all mere dreams, like a box of unopened mail that is untouched until someone decides to open it to read its letters.
He was so lost in thought that Anissa tapped him on the shoulder multiple times. The bus came to its last stop.
"Big brother!" Anissa has no choice but to shout, causing him to startle.
"Whoa, Anissa. Calm down. (Looks around) did the bus stop."
"The conductor said that this will be the last bus stop for this evening."
Sephiram looks at the surroundings through the window, then his eyes widen in shock as he realizes that they have ended up in an unfamiliar place. "Shoot, we missed our stop! Let's go!" He hastily grabbed both the journal and the case, tapped Anissa on the back and they got out of the bus.
*
"And that's what happened," Sephiram explained to the people in front of him. Augustus only covered his mouth to stop his laughter. "It took an hour for us to wait for the next bus to arrive."
"Oh dear." His mother worried about her children if they didn't come home on time. "I almost asked Mr. Zirconia if he could send someone to escort you home."
"Mom don't do that. It's too embarrassing to Mr. President." Sephiram was so ashamed that he heard his brother could not contain his laughter and burst out loudly.
"Wow, this is the first time I see you getting lost on your way home." Augustus wheezed. "Did you just doze off the bus that you missed your stop?"
"Sheesh, brother." He wanted to bury himself on the floor in shame. Why? Because it happens that the President also listening to his story.
"Let him be, Augustus. He's just a kid."
Augustus stopped laughing the moment Zirconia spoke out. "What if I throw you into the wilderness and never come back?"
"Chill, Augustus." Zirconia raised his hand in defence while Augustus only glared daggers at him.
"By the way, Mr. President." Sephiram changed the topic. "Mom said that there is something you want from me. May I know what it is?"
Zirconia looked at him and cleared his throat. "Ah, that. There is something I wanted to tell you: Remember the attack that happened weeks ago?"
"Yes, I still remember them. I was so shocked that the vampires were already stationed on this island."
"We received an intel from one of our scouts that the vampires used this island. According to them, they used the mines outside the city as a dumping site for rebels and traitors since they thought this island was uninhabited."
Tension filled the entire room as everyone present was shocked by what they heard.
Zirconia continued. "The truth is, I don't want to tell this to you and this information will be sent out to your instructor first but since the vampires have already found out that the man with the mark of the lilies is on this island, it will be a matter of time before it could reach the ears of the Vampire God and he will set an attack. As per our meeting weeks ago, they decided to keep you protected here and let the others do the tasks so," he takes a deep breath. "As the President of Libertas, I'm requesting you to exclude yourself from this mission."
Silence filled out on the entire room.
"What the hell, Zirconia?!" Augustus stands up slamming his hands on the table as he can't believe what Zirconia had said. "You want to exclude my brother in his mission just because those monsters found out about him?!"
"This is for his safety, Augustus." Zirconia reasoned with a hint of urgency in his voice. "The majority of the Senate and the military vouched for this. We won't let those monsters get their hands on him."
"But they will attack Libertas if we keep him hidden. They will find a way to get him, hell, even send a spy to infiltrate this city and kidnap him!"
"That's why we had to protect him for the sake of humanity!"
"What you're suggesting is a complete massacre, Zirconia! Did those numbskulls suggest that to you? Why don't you send those bootlickers on that mission instead?!"
"It's not my cue on that!"
"You're the President of Libertas, dammit! Think of something to protect your citizens!"
Sephiram thought of this thoroughly as he watched the argument between his brother and the president while his mother tried to calm them down. Sure, he will be safe if he is excluded from this upcoming mission, but he also thinks of his comrades who will fight and, possibly, die for his safety. On the other hand, his brother has a point. Hidden or not; the vampires will either find a way to get him even sending a spy to infiltrate the city to kidnap him or invade the city to get him with many innocent lives will be sacrificed.
He made his decision.
"Um, Mr. President." He spoke out. The two stopped arguing the moment he spoke. "Thank you for your suggestion but, I'll decline your request."
"But Sephiram," Zirconia said. "Are you sure about this? This is you we are talking about."
"I'll be fine," he replied, then turned to his brother. "And besides, I can handle myself. I'm a soldier of Libertas, after all."
"Sephiram," Augustus spoke in a worried tone.
"Well then," Zirconia admitted defeat. He can't persuade this one. "Be careful on your mission. The details will be handed to you by your instructor by next week. Be prepared and be safe."
"Thank you, Mr. President."
*
"Well then, I'll be on my way now," Zirconia said as he and his bodyguards were about to leave while Augustus leaned against the door, arms crossed. "By the way, did you finish the manuscript that you found on the mainland?"
"Fifty percent done, and I will send the rest to you by next week." Augustus said irritably, then added, "Why are you so fixated with that manuscript? It's just a story."
"Well..." Zirconia doesn't know how to answer. Ever since he heard the story from Augustus, he still remembers vaguely of his ugly childhood. "I'll tell you when you submit the complete manuscript."
"Tsk." Augustus moves forward, arms down, and walks inside the house. Before closing the door, he turned to the president. "You're always like that. And be careful on your way home." And by that, the door shuts behind him.
Zirconia was surprised by Augustus' response. He relaxed and smiled. "You've always said the same thing, Augustus." He looked upward towards the window of Sephiram's bedroom. "Hope you're not regretting your decision. This is the fate of the humanity you are shouldering."
*
Sephiram sat on his chair, arms resting on the table. The room was completely dark, with only the table lamp being the source of his light. In front of him is the journal that the elder Sliversnow gave to him.
The journal of Lena Smee, the progenitor of the Solaria weapons. According to history, she was the one who created the Royal Arms that gave the Royal Army the ultimate victory against the primal beast, yet these weapons, save for the Briar Rose, were lost during the Vampire God's invasion.
Sephiram took a deep breath and opened the journal. Despite being a translated copy of the journal, its contents resemble the same as the original. As he skimmed the book further, he noticed a piece of folded paper placed between the two pages. He unfolded the paper and read:
'For those who will find this journal:
I don't care who you are or where you come from but if this journal falls into your grubby hands, this means that you need my supreme knowledge of weapon-making! ❤️
Kidding aside, this means that either you came from the Sliversnow family, a descendant of Lord Albert Lilitus, or the reincarnation of Prince Sephiram von Lilitus. Listen, kid, this letter will serve as a reminder, as well as a warning for things to come: Cicero's return is inevitable once his wounds are fully healed, and he will conquer this world in full force. The Lilitus Kingdom of the future will be no match for him as ordinary weapons only gave him little to no scratch. This book contains information regarding the Royal Arms that I created during my stay here in this world with the ore and little resources that I have with me from my home world. These weapons can stand against the vampires that he created but I don't know if it is effective on him. Why do you ask? He's the 'Vampire God' that bitch created! Sheesh, when does she give up?
Anyways, I hope this is useful to you and I hope that I will meet you again, in another identity, in the future.
Regards,
Lena Smee, former A-Rank SECTA Agent and member of the Lilitus Elite Military.'
"Did the Sliversnow put this on the journal on purpose?" Sephiram asked himself as he skimmed further at the letter.
'Cicero. That's the name of the Vampire God. Lena must have fought him during her time. But who's 'she' that Lena mentioned? And he was created by 'her'?'
"I'm tired for today." Sephiram puts the letter down and stretches his arms upward. All the events that happened to him today took a toll on his body, so he decided to retire for the night. He stood up, walked into his bed, lay flat, and fell asleep (he was in pajamas, by the way). Little did he know that he didn't read the last paragraph of the letter while his snoring was heard across the room:
'P.S.: By the way, Briar Rose is a twin sword type. Why it is the one half of the sword is in your hands, you ask? Well, if you see a Noble Vampire with long white hair, grey eyes, and a drop-dead gorgeous guy, just ask him where the other half of the sword is. Don't worry he's an ally of humankind and he's from my home world.'
*
A bright light illuminated across the chamber room through its open windows. Filled with solemnity, the man with long silver hair examined the contents inside the casket in front of him with no disturbance. The long, black coat that he wore gently swayed with the wind's dance along with the strands of his hair, which he braided in a low ponytail.
He let out a sigh. He was going to think that he would bring the content with him when he heard footsteps from behind. A man with spiky orange hair wearing a resemblance to a medieval military stopped when he saw the person he was looking for. He let himself in since the door was wide open.
"My lord," the man addressed the other. "The agents are now waiting outside the building."
No response.
"My lord?"
"Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought." The silver-haired man finally replied, realizing that his retainer was standing without turning his head around. "When did they arrive?"
"They arrived a moment ago with the latest camper developed by their engineering department."
"Hope we fit in the camper." The silver-haired man chuckled. He turned around to face the orange-haired man. "Who are the agents that were recommended?"
"Erisia and Hermione."
The silver-haired man lets out a frustrated sigh and a facepalm.
"I know what you are thinking, Milord. They will be making fun of you for the duration of this mission. Since he is still in the middle of investigating the asylum breakout that happened one week ago, I'm afraid he will be unavailable until that ends."
"That's fine. I understand that he is still busy. Why those two of all agents anyways?"
"And you're complaining." The retainer deadpans.
As he was about to speak, the phone rang and echoed the entire room. The silver-haired man only sighed before he took it from his pocket and answered it. "Hello?"
'YOU FUCKING VAMPIRE! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU AT THIS MOMENT?! HERMOINE AND I ARE WAITING FOR YOU OUTSIDE!' The voice of a very angry woman responded as the man flinched for a minute before answering. "I'm still inside of my estate, Erisia. Can you give me a few minutes?"
'Well, faster! We don't have all day since the portal to that world is time-limited! If you are worried about your food stock with Carl, don't worry! We stacked the fridge with lots of Strawberry Sundaes and Chocolate ice cream in a 1L container each, a dozen jars of chocolate chip cookies, some boxes of sweet bread and hard candies in cabinets, and blood bags in a huge ice box in case things go awry!'
"Blood bags aside, what about your stocks? I mean, excess sweets can make you sick, you know."
'Nah.' Erisia calmed down. 'We have food stock that will last for months, but we doubt that since this camper can fit at least thirty people we will meet more people who will be assisting us along the way.'
"We can worry about that when we are there. There will be local villages that we can stop by and replenish the stocks."
'Idiot! Those 'villages' that you are talking about are from the Middle Ages! If there is a village that Hermie and I can restock; as well as your sweet stash, that would be the hidden city that we are going to!'
"You mean the city that Hermione's aunt built? We haven't checked what is it like."
'That's why the portal was pointed there!' A pause. 'We don't much have time. And stop dilly-dallying! I'll tell him if we leave you behind!'
"All right, all right. Just don't use that card on me." he gave up. "Carl and I will be heading out now."
He hangs up.
"Shall we go then?"
"Yes, my lord. But what about the sword that Lord Albert leaves behind?"
The man turned at the casket and spoke. "It may be a prototype for the weapon that he and Lena created but it is effective enough against vampires." he approaches the casket and grabs the item containing it. It was a rapier wrapped in cloth. "The other half is in that world. The Briar Rose must be reunited. Ironic, is it? The symbol of the Lilitus Clan is the lilies, but Albert refers to roses."