Chapter 14: Father
“Why the huge reaction. He only used to be!” Lisa shouted, the desire to protect fully evident from her tone. Bern was scared almost immediately into silence and he ducked his head to observe his fingers.
“The Magic Party opening a restaurant on Secret Party territory isn’t shocking news?” I looked at Bern, he was too frightened to make a noise. “Why are you so loud, be careful of scaring your new little friend.”
“Is it possible to surprise you? I could never tell!” Lisa made a joke again. Perhaps she had noted Bern’s reaction, and so sought to lighten up the tense atmosphere caused by her sharp words.
“This only proves that you have no observation skills.” I didn’t want to negate her good intentions and so played along.
“But, a Magic Party member who opened a restaurant, that sounds a bit ridiculous!” I couldn’t hold in my laughter as I spoke, it was a feeling I hadn’t had in a long time.
“Oh! You laugh!” Lisa exclaimed in astonishment.
“I wasn’t born out of an egg, why wouldn’t I laugh.” I extremely disliked her habit of making a big deal out of nothing. It wasn’t a big deal originally, but her emphasis made it seem like I hadn’t known how to laugh before, and only through her help did I learn something that everyone underneath the sky could do.
“You can’t say I’m a making a mountain out of a molehill! I’ve never seen you smile in all the years that I’ve known you!” Lisa seemed to have been sorely aggrieved and pouted fiercely.
“Who can laugh when faced with a monster.” I didn’t pull my punches when sparring with females, not to mention she wasn’t the fragile and delicate type.
“Why are you always at odds with me? Did I kill your parents? But I don’t remember harming a single good person!” Lisa looked at me perplexed, as if recalling something. Perhaps an old person’s memory was never too good.
“Do you think you have the right to?” My tone immediately turned as frosty as snow, and my eyes were filled with hostility.
“Jing’er, what’s wrong? It was just a small joke! Why so scary, even I’m a bit frightened!” Sinmo had been sitting silently all this time, but even he was scared by my look and called out involuntarily.
“Nothing!” I responded coldly. There was actually a pain in my heart which was as frigid as winter and cut to the bone, so painful that I was unable to consider the feelings of others.
After my icy rage, even Sinmo and Lisa made no more sounds, not to mention Bern. The surroundings quieted down, as if the banter and chatter a moment ago had belonged to another world.
“Sir, the restaurant is going to conduct our annual inventory check. May we ask you to leave? Our deepest apologies!”
“Ma’am, the restaurant is going to conduct our annual inventory check. May we ask you to leave? Our deepest apologies!”
We sat silently as the voices of waitresses asking guests to leave surrounded us. We continued not saying a single word, or perhaps no one knew which words to use to break the silence. After all, none of them had seen me truly angry before, and it was natural that they didn’t know what to do.The unnatural thing was why the inventory check had to be conducted so early.
“Miss, the restaurant is is going to conduct our annual inventory check. May we ask you to leave? Our deepest apologies!” A waitress stood in front of me not long thereafter, asking me to leave.
“She is my friend!” Lisa spoke before I could open my mouth.
“My apologies for disturbing you.” The waitress left respectfully afterwards.
“Is he really coming?” There was no way I would thank Lisa for her “good intentions”, perhaps they weren’t any real good intentions at all.
“It’s about time, father always likes to come early.” It was the first time that Lisa had used such a respectful tone in front of me. It suddenly hit me with a stabbing pain. ‘Father’ is it? After so many years, why would my heart still be hurt by this word? Why do the wounds of the heart always start bleeding again whenever you think they’re fully healed?
“Jing’er, are you alright?” Simon asked after seeing me with a face full of concern.
“Why wouldn’t I be!” I guess my expression wasn’t looking too good then.
“As long as you’re okay. Aren’t you a bit afraid that you’ll meet a vampire even stronger than me?” Lisa started her banter again.
“What do you think?” I didn’t directly answer her question, because the answer was a foregone conclusion. The waitresses started closing the doors and shuttering the windows, as if it really was closing down. They then all left silently. The restaurant was curiously silent, as if every person and item present was just a mere illusion. The only thing I could hear was my own breathing and heartbeat. I think it was the same for them.
I looked around, suddenly thinking that the overly respectful faces were a bit comical. Who did they think they were greeting? Just an older vampire, and here they were making it seem like the manifestation of a true G.o.d. But on the other hand, perhaps the manifestation of a true G.o.d wouldn’t even see this kind of treatment! It looked like ghosts will only believe in ghosts, but why do humans believe in G.o.ds and not themselves? May this is the reason why mankind will never move out of the jurisdiction of G.o.ds!
“Luvian, what are you looking at?” Sinmo seemed to like to stare at me when he had nothing better to do.
“Seeing how many believers are in this restaurant.” I turned my head in response.
“Quite a few!” Sinmo smiled.
“Are you not” I suddenly thought of this question.
“No, but I’ve had some dealings with him.” Sinmo played with the cup in his hand.
“No wonder you knew things about Lisa.” I brought up another topic.
“Who are you, seriously?” Lisa stared at him, her eyes full of doubt.