The Demon's Bride

Elise who was still in the middle of taking a bite out of the long bread heard a sudden slamming in front of her and steadied her eyes tensely at the woman who stood before her. She had a very bright face and a wide kind smile across her face, proving her to be a very friendly person. As she named herself, Elise returned her smile with another one and heard another voice from behind.

"I told you not to surprise her, didn't I? Did you forgot how many people you have scared of due to your rough personality?" Vella added from behind a snappy voice.

Carmen turned her head, shrugging her shoulder, and took a seat across Elise. "Duh, that isn't my fault here, and don't call it rough! It's called being friendly you know!"

Vella rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, friendly to the point you scare someone of, that's the first time I've ever heard that." Her cynical tone added her cold nature and black hair but Carmen didn't take her friend's chiding tone to heart and seemed to be very used to her snappy tone.

Since at her small town Elise rarely come across someone of the same age, seeing the two girls and their friendship, she couldn't help but to burst into a giggle. Seeing Vella sitting down, she greeted. "My name is Elise, nice to meet you too, Carmen."

Carmen returned her greeting with a smile and turned her eyes, seeing Vella and inclined her head for a whisper. "This is Vella. She's very sarcastic so bear with her alright."

But her not-so-subtle voice could be heard directly to Vella's ear. Giving a sigh, she chopped Carmen's head lightly and rolled her eyes again. "I can hear you, alright!"

Once again Carmen ignored her and began to take a bite out of the bread and asked curiously, "So where are you from, Elise?"

Normally people would feel pressured by the sudden interrogation gave by Carmen and judging from Vella's words there had been many people who were uncomfortable by her straightforwardness. But Elise found Carmen as a bright and honest person. She didn't think twice and replied, "Runalia."

"Runalia?!" Carmen exclaimed aloud, standing up due to surprise to have everyone looking at her sudden outburst. Although Vella didn't scream like her, her expression and her hand which was still in the middle of breaking the bread stopped.

"What's wrong?" Elise asked but then she understood their expression after a second thought, she knew what was wrong. In Runalia only humans and sorcerer lived within the land. All citizens in the Empire knew just how well the people in Runalia feared mythical beings and often found mythical beings as either disgusting or barbaric. Take one Runalia citizen in front of an innocent mythical being and the outcome was clear. They would run with their life on the line as though their hair was burning with living fire while shouting for their life. Due to the extreme abhorrent of Runalia people to the mythical beings stepping their feet outside the land almost never occurred.

Not only Elise's journey from Runalia to Warine the land abundant with mythical beings was very unique and attention-attractor. Since long ago some people from the other four lands had their own opinions to Runalia's extreme detest to mythical beings. Most of their opinions being negative opinions. The outsiders think Runalia citizens as overbearing, stupid, and annoyance, or sore-eyes.

Seeing their surprised faces, Elise could only guess that both things must have made them taken aback. She rubbed her cheek awkwardly. Will they go away now? That's a pity, I have just finally talked to someone; Elise thought to herself while fiddling with her fingers. When she saw Carmen starting a talk with her, she felt happy but going away isn't something she could hold them back from. She thought herself anew again, even if one avoids her she was sure sooner or later she would find someone who would become her friend.

Yet unexpectedly, Carmen gave out her curious eyes and inquired again. "So are you a sorcerer? Is it true that only people in Runalia humans?" Her question was straightforward, pure with only curiosity.

Seeing her expression, Elise gazed warmed from her straightforwardness. She had been too worried that the culture of humans and mythical beings would be very different. Thankfully she met very kind people. She returned the smile. "I am not and yes, most of the people there are humans."

Carmen was about to ask again when suddenly Vella chopped her head once again. With a frowned, she sighed. "Can you please not ask her questions after questions? It is very rude, Carmen!"

"Ah!" Carmen finally realized that she had been rudely asking her various question and apologized. "I'm sorry for my rudeness, Elise."

Elise shook her head frankly it was nice to see someone bright like her and she didn't view Carmen's behavior as rude. "No, it's not a problem Ms. Carmen."

"Just call me Carmen," Carmen spoke with a grin. "In case you are wondering, I came from Hurthend."

"Hurthend?" Elise asked to herself and recalled her knowledge from the book that she studied for the Church examination. The Empire was divided into five lands. The middle of the country, Runalia with its only human citizens. Warine, the land with many mythical beings and humans. Marshfoth a land abundant of mountains and forest, the land controlled by the elves and the land that held the most dangerous and forbidden first of dreadful mythical beings. Hurthend, the land that rarely greeted with the sun, thus has a very low temperature perfect for the vampires. Lastly, Downbridge, the land of peacefulness with humans and the beasts mythical beings such as werewolves and werecats.

"Yes," Carmen confirmed with a muffled noise while munching to her bread and continued, "But I'm not a full-fledged vampire. I'm a half-vampire. Vella here came from Warine, she's a local."ƒ𝑟𝐞𝗲𝘄𝙚𝚋𝑛ｏ𝙫𝒆𝒍.𝒄𝘰𝓂

Elise shifted her eyes over to Vella and saw the woman smiling thinly with her still cold face to greet her.

"Has the Lord left yet?" A woman in the neighboring table spoke with her friend. Her voice was very loud that many heads snapped to hear her talk. The same also goes for Elise. She turned her head curiously when Ian was mentioned. The three women were speaking loud enough for Elise to her but staring at them was rude and so, she turned her head again but her eyes still involuntarily overhear their conversation.

"He did! I saw him leave this very early in the morning. I heard the lords are holding a meeting with the others."

"Who knows?" The woman spoke again with a shrug of her shoulder.