The drive back to the city was peaceful, well, if you ignored Sipho's constant yapping. Elijah had been strangely quiet since we first came to the Zulu village, but I was too busy to even think about it at the time. Even now, it was only a passing thought; I would have to make time for a conversation later.
"Are you even listening to me?" Sipho asked, dragging me out of my musings. Looking back at him.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?" He looked at me questioningly for a second before answering.
"I just asked what the plans for the day are. I know you said we are going to a club, but I've never been, so I don't know what to expect." Sometimes I forget how naive and sheltered he actually was.
"Women, music, and booze. That is what you can expect from a club. But first, we have to make a stop at my company before we can go." I answered half-heartedly.
"Oh, okay."After that, the drive was filled with blissful silence until we reached Imperial Metal & Resources. Uh, I really need to change that name; it was absolutely terrible.
Elijah waited for us with the car still running, as it was only a quick stop. We headed inside the building, and the familiar young woman was sitting behind the front desk, typing away at her keyboard as we approached. I cleared my throat to garner her attention before stating.
"Tell Xander that I am on my way up." She looked up to me, confused, until recognition flashed on her face along with surprise. The change in my appearance probably played a large part in her reaction.
"Y…yes, sir." She squeaked before pressing a button on her desk and informing the new CEO that we were on our way.
Thanking her, I turned and left for the elevator. Catching sight of Sipho following me from behind, I came to a realisation. He is going to need some new clothes if we want to go clubbing. Can't have him look like some tribal savage when we're trying to pick up girls. We will have to make a stop at a clothing store. Looking at my own clothes, I realized that I was in a similar boat. My once pristine clothing was now dirty and torn in certain places. I can not go out like this, or I will be the laughing stock of high society. Walking into Xander's office, I instantly noticed the difference, where previously it had been filled with extravagance. Now it was the picture of minimalism, with only the bare necessities present. Xander was sitting behind the desk, leafing through some documents. He only looked up at us after I knocked on the glass door.
Taking off his reading glasses, he welcomed us inside. "Please take a seat." He motioned towards the two seats in front of his desk.
I completely ignored his suggestion and sat down on the comfy sofa in the corner. Sipho sat down next to me. "So, tell me, Xander. What has happened with my company in the time I have been away?" Before Xander could answer, Angelica walked in carrying a tray with tea and refreshments.
This time she wore far more modest clothing, and her brown hair was tied in a ponytail behind her head. She slightly swayed her hips as she moved towards us. My focus was on the distinctive smell of rooibos tea, which was why I did not even notice her slight flash of annoyance at my lack of reaction. The same could not be said about my dear cousin; the poor fellow was staring at her with his mouth slightly agape, completely enraptured by her presence.
"Lord Whither." She placed the tray down on the table infront of us before giving a slight bow.
Noticing that she had no intention of leaving, I had to intervene. "That is all, you may leave," I said while waving her away. She looked stunned at my suggestion, but nonetheless left the office. Sipho stared at her slightly swaying backside as the gorgeous woman left.
Turning my attention back to Xander, I raised a brow, signaling for him to begin. "Ghm, where to begin? Ah, yes. I have been hard at work rooting out the corruption within the company. We have already found five people who had either been embezzling funds or were clearly spies from our competitors." He went silent, unsure what else to say.
He was clearly a competent young man. I had already shown him the stick. So I might as well reward him with a carrot for his hard work. "Well done, Xander, you have not disappointed." He released a sigh of relief at my words. "I believe this is befitting of a reward, don't you think?" The question was a test of sorts; depending on his reaction, I could determine what type of person he was.
He sat silent for a while, mulling over my words before finally giving an answer. "I am only doing my job, my lord. There is no need for a reward." That was the correct answer, so I smiled in return to his words.
"A wise decision, Alexander. You have proven yourself competent and loyal to the company as well as to me. You can rest assured, as long as you work faithfully. I will do everything in my power to ensure it will be a mutually beneficial endeavor." Having spoken my mind, I took the last sip of my tea before getting up and motioning for Sipho to follow. "Keep me updated, and in the meantime, I will look for a solution to our little guild problem." With those words, I left and returned the the car where Elijah was already waiting.
—-
Xander released a sigh of relief when Zeon left the room; it was like a major weight was lifted off his shoulders. He had no idea what the young man had been through to change so drastically in a month, but his very presence was oppressive and suffocating. Not to mention the new scars he spotted on his face. He just hoped that this change would be for the better; he still remembered Friedrich's cold, dead eyes as he looked at the corpse. The memory haunted his dreams, but it was only trumped by the fear of the young man who had just left his office.
—-
We drove to a tailor situated in the center of the city that catered to aristocrats. I had to make an impression as this would be my first appearance in polite society since I left the academy. We entered the old school three-story building with a confident gait. The lobby was adorned with a red carpet leading towards the front desk. I walked up to the lady behind the counter, who was giving me a skeptical look.
I smiled politely before speaking. "Is Andrei in today?" He was the tailor I always worked with for every single one of my outfits.
"Yes, mr Andrei is in his workshop." Recognition flashed across her face before adding. "It is good to see you again, Lord Whither." Giving her a small nod, I walked towards the left door leading towards the stairs that took me to one of the workshops.
When I entered, I saw Andrei toiling away at his sowing machine, completely consumed with his work that he did not even notice the intrusion. I did not even need to announce my presence, as he looked up for a second. Recognition turned to horror as he looked down at my clothes; he only gave a passing glance to Sipho. His attention was focused entirely on my broken outfit.
"What have you done!? You have ruined her!"Andrei jumped up from his seat, walking directly to me and placing his hand on the ruined fabric, caressing it as if it were a lost lover.
I almost laughed at his reaction. Andrei had always had a certain obsession with his work. It was a large part of the reason I was a regular of his. He looked from my clothes directly into my eyes with light anger brimming within them. "It is good to see you too, Andrei," I said with a laugh.
My words caused him to actually focus on me instead of my clothes, and his light anger turned yet again to shock when he noticed my changed appearance. "What the hell happened to you, boy? It looks like someone threw you into a meat grinder."
"Such is life," I said with a shrug of my shoulders. "As you can see for yourself, we are in dire need of new clothes. Something casual, as we only plan to go to a club. But I would also like you to take my cousin's measurements so you can work on building him a new wardrobe. His current clothing will not suffice within polite society." At my words, I saw the eccentric old man transform once again. His focus returned like a hawk having found its prey.
He stood there thinking for a second before going into the back of his workshop, returning with a new set of clothing. He always kept spares for his clients in case they required last-minute outfits like now. He brought a black button shirt, with sleek navy blue pants for me. Taking the clothes with a nod of thanks, I disappeared into the dressing room for a few minutes to put them on while he took Sipho's measurements. After putting on the new clothes, I looked in the mirror on the wall, taking in my new appearance.
I had bulked up a bit in the last month, so the shirt was not a perfect fit, so I left the top three buttons undone, making my burn scar slightly visible. I had rolled up my sleeves a bit, while the navy blue pants fit like a glove, a black belt held them together. My black loafers paired perfectly with the outfit, and the mirror only confirmed it. My dreadlocks were tied together in a ponytail with a few strands falling down in the front of my face. My grey-blue eyes had a new intensity to them, with the scar only furthering my new warrior-like features. A rare smile graced my lips as I left the dressing room, only to see that Andrei was already finished with the measurements.
"You are lucky you and your cousin share a similar frame. So he can use some of the clothes I designed for you." Looking up to me, he gave a slight nod towards the outfit. Before handing Sipho his clothes so that he could get dressed.
While waiting for him to finish, I had a pleasant conversation with my eccentric tailor. We spoke of everything and nothing at once, until Sipho came out as a changed man. Instead of his tribal clothes, he now wore a red velvet button shirt, with maroon pants and ox blood loafers. His short hair and brown eyes complemented the red clothing. He broke out in a smile while raising a single brow. "I'm looking good, eh?" He said while nudging me with his elbow. Saying my goodbyes to Andrei, we left his workshop, paying at the front desk before returning to Elijah and the car. Once inside, we set a course for the Scent of Snow club in the northwestern district. It was a club that catered to high society and wealthy commoners.
Sipho had a contemplative look on his face before he spoke. "Yo, cuz I have been thinking. Considering I am going to be working for you. And the fact that this is going to be the start of my new life. I wanted to make some changes, the first of which is my name. From now on, you can call me Simon." He said with conviction.
"Why Simon?" I was genuinely curious. Sipho was a fine name with cultural importance.
"I just don't want to be reminded of home." There was something more than what he said to me, but I was not going to pry; he was his own man after all.
I understood that feeling all too well. Sometimes, the only way forward was to bury the ashes behind you.
"Well then, Simon, are you ready to get wasted?" I had a shit eating grin on my face that was quickly mirrored by my bubbly cousin.
When we arrived at the club, We left the car before Elijah drove off to go about his own business. I told him to be ready to pick us up when I called and watched as he drove off. The Scent of Snow was an opulent venue, made from white marble with various blue accents. It looked like an impressive manor of some wealthy aristocrat; it was part of its appeal. Bodyguards lined the front door, welcoming new arrivals and checking their passes before ushering them inside. Simon looked nervous, so I flashed him with my most confident smile before walking up the stairs to the door. He looked nervous, wide-eyed at the marble steps. I remembered my first time when my arrogance was hiding the same fear. The guards noticed my approach, and I saw how their bodies tensed ever so slightly, readying for a possible altercation.
They only seemed to relax after I showed them my pass, which was a rift quartz card made to resemble an ice carving. They imbued mana into the card, making it glow a light blue to verify its authenticity. When that was done, they gave me a slight nod and let me inside. The outside was almost completely quiet, but upon entering, you could hear the unmistakable sound of techno playing from the speakers across the room. Multi-colored lights danced around the room, resembling something akin to a rave. I released a breath I had not realized I was holding in, and felt the weight of the last month finally bleed away. People moved in rhythm with the music on the dancefloor, while others talked to their friends while sharing a drink.
This was a necessary respite, and I would be a fool not to take it. We made our way through the crowd, approaching the bar. I ordered two whiskeys on the rocks and some shots of tequila. The shots came first, so I downed it in a single gulp. The fiery liquid burned as it went down my throat; it was a promise of the fun that was to come. Simon had mirrored my actions, so I bought three more shots for us both. After drinking the shots, I could feel the buzz starting to take effect. When the bartender gave us the whiskey, I decided to savor it instead of just downing it.
I lost myself in the moment, enjoying the music, while watching as the other patrons let themselves go on the dance floor. Feeling the sudden urge for female companionship, my eyes wandered across the room. My eyes landed on one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Her hair was ever shifting in the colors of the rainbow, and her eyes seemed to share the same quality. Her oval face and confident gaze drew me in. She had smooth, pale skin, with full lips and a curvaceous body. She wore a white Sunday dress with blue frills close to her neckline. My breath caught when I saw her; my usual confidence took a backseat when appreciating her beauty. With my prey in my eyes and my mind made up, I started moving across the room to where she stood. My focus was as sharp as a knife's edge as I moved through the crowd. When I was only a few meters away, she was approached by another guy.
His movements made it clear that he had had a bit too much to drink. They exchanged a few words that I was too far away to hear. But the guy clearly did not like her reply as his face scrunched in anger before he tried to grab her arm. I was there in a split second, catching the hand that tried to grab her. Without even paying the man any attention, my gaze traveled to her before I asked. "Is this man bothering you, miss?" She was taken aback by my words and actions, clearly flustered by the events, but she nodded her head, and that was all I needed to know.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?! Let go of me!" The man screamed in a high-pitched voice.
The softness left my eyes, as my killing intent left me in waves, drowning the man in its suffocating presence. My focus had shifted to the idiotic fool who knew nothing of decency. "Make me." My voice was calm, but the coldness within sent a shiver down his spine. He took a step back as he regarded me fully, his eyes drifting a second too long on my scars.
"Do you even know who I am? I am Count Strodonov of the Soviet Empire, you will unhand me at once!" He tried to speak with confidence, but it came out as a squeak.
"And I am Duke Whither; it seems I outrank you, Count." My voice turned into a low growl as my annoyance was mounting.
He looked at me with shock before his gaze settled on the beautiful woman behind me. "Aurora, are you really going to choose him over me?" The indignation did little to stop the squeak in his voice. Aurora, so that was her name, hmmn, what a beautiful name.
I did not give her the chance to reply before I spoke. "She is not choosing anyone; you have simply stepped out of bounds. If you wanted to flaunt your status to bag a woman, you should have gone to one of the commoner clubs instead of this one." A sigh escaped my lips as I let my killing intent fade before speaking again. "We have caused enough of a spectacle already, so I will kindly ask you to leave. Or I will have to security escort you out, your actions are frowned upon, so at least try and save some face." I shook my head as I spoke, but the man got the picture. With a final glare in my direction, he turned and left towards the bar.
After watching him leave for a second, my gaze focused on the cause of this little altercation. "Are you okay, miss?" My voice turned soft as I spoke to her. She gave me a sweet smile that made my heart flutter.
"Yeah," she said with a downcast look before turning to look directly in my eyes. "Thank you for stepping in. He did not want to take no for an answer." As she spoke, her eyes traveled across my face until recognition flashed across her features. "Wait!" Her voice grew louder as she spoke. "Oh my god, no, it can't be? Ronin, is that you?" My entire body froze when I heard the name, a name I had not used in seven years.
"Nope, nope, nope," I whispered as I promptly turned around to leave. But she grabbed my arm before I could. "It really is you." The surprise and adoration in her eyes reminded me of a time better left forgotten. "I don't know what you are talking about." I pretended to be oblivious, but the look she gave me with her gorgeous face made my facade crumble at its seams.
"Yes, it's me," I said with a sigh as I struggled to look into her rainbow color eyes. The joy in her face made me feel like an asshole for lying to her earlier. "Or at least it was me." My voice was barely a whisper when I spoke.
She flashed me with another smile that made me hold my breath before speaking. "I knew it, where have you been all these years? You haven't dropped a single in like forever. A lot of your fans thought that you died. But I knew you were still alive." She spoke quickly, but the adoration in her voice reminded me exactly why I stopped making music. Malach's spectre was straight up laughing at me for having my deepest shame exposed like this.
"Can I take a picture with you?" She could not meet my eyes as she spoke; her shyness brought a smile to my face. I could not refuse such a drop-dead gorgeous woman. So I gave her a defeated nod before stepping next to her. She took out her phone, which had a baby blue cover, before she angled the camera for a selfie. She drew me in so close that I could smell her hair, which reminded me of the scent of spring when the flowers began to bloom after a harsh winter. I was a bit flustered, but I smiled for the photo nonetheless.