At that moment, Theodore deValstar., also known as Black Opal., a 28-year-old man with silver hair and sharp black eyes radiating authority, sat in his luxurious office. He wore a half-face mask and a meticulously tailored suit that added to his seriousness and elegance. He was looking through some files, with the rhythmic sound of turning pages and the ticking of an old wall clock composing a quiet symphony in the stillness of the room.
A gentle knock on the door, his personal assistant, Marius, entered with a smile which indicates good news.
"Sir, here are the deal documents… we secured it today."
Black Opal calmly raised his eyes and said, "Oh, good. Place them here," pointing to the edge of the desk.
Marius placed the papers were instructed and then respectfully asked, "Do you need anything else, sir?"
Opal responded with a wave of his hand, without looking up, "You may leave."
The assistant nodded and quietly exited, leaving Opal alone with his thoughts.
A heavy silence filled the space for a moment, while the last rays of sunlight slowly withdrew from the large windows, casting long shadows across the floor. In a moment of quiet reflection, Opal raised his hand and calmly removed his mask. revealing handsome features marked by a scar on his forehead on the left side, and black eyes shimmering with mysterious light.
He gently placed the mask on the table, then he stood and walked silently toward the open window. The cool evening breeze played with the strands of his silver hair as the city below was bathed in orange light and dark shadows.
He whispered softly, as if speaking to the sunset:
"This is only the beginning… William Claudine."
At Claudine Palace
At evening, in the sitting room, the countess was speaking with the count about what preparations were needed.
Countess Margaret said gently, "By the way, I forgot to tell you—the student arrived today. Aron Simon, your student."
Count William Claudion responded with excitement, "Really? I must've been too busy
Deep down he thought." I still have a trump card. This student might be one of them,
Then he added "We'll be hosting the judge and his deputy for dinner tonight. Prepare a fine meal and cook a variety of dishes. The whole family must be present. We must show proper welcome and respect. I'll make sure this dinner is perfect, especially with our new guest."
Kate, glaring at her father: "What? Father, is that foreigner going to eat with us?"
The father, firmly: "Kate, you must show more respect. The conflict between our two nations ended a long time ago. You must be a good example. My family has welcomed students from Darkthemar for over fifteen years, and you must learn to be kind to our guests—even if they are from another country ."
Kate: "Fine, Father."
She left with flushed cheeks and hurried to her room; she silently reflected: Even Father is siding with that foreigner. even before he meets him, I'll make sure he regrets the way he talked to me.
She kept muttering to herself.
In the dining room:
Aron Simon entered, where everyone was waiting. With a calm smile, he bowed before them and then looked at the Count.
Aron, politely: "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Aron Simon, the new student; Mr. Cloudion. Thank you for your hospitality."
Claudion, warmly: "Welcome, Aron. This is the city's chief judge, Mr. Victor Norman. And this is his deputy, Mr. Carlos Michel. We're very pleased to have you with us."
Judge Victor: "Welcome to Mr. Cloudion's home. We appreciate your efforts in strengthening peace between nations."
Deputy Carlos, with a smile: "Indeed, we're here to support this cooperation."
Then the maid, Vivi, entered carrying soup and placed it on the table. She glanced at Kate, who gave her a mischievous smile.
Flashback:
In the kitchen
Kate had added a spoonful of salt to the soup.
Vivi: "My lady, please, don't add salt. We have an important guest; everything must go well, we don't want any trouble".
Vivi hesitated, speaking softly: "But my lady, this isn't right… are you sure?"
Kate, annoyed: "Silence, "Vivi. Stay out of it. Just serve him the soup as I said."
Back to the present,
Aron took the soup calmly and drank it without showing any emotion, which surprised Kate.
Kate stared at him, deep down she said: Why isn't he reacting? Is he… an animal?
Then she rushed out of the room, already planning her next move.
Kate whispered to herself: "This time, he won't escape me."
She rushed to the kitchen grabbed some salt and hurried to sprinkle it over Aron's dessert. She giggled wickedly as she imagined his reaction.
Kate, returning calmly to the table: "Hehehe, we'll see now."
After dinner, the servants brought dessert. Aron took a small bite, but his facial expression quickly changed, clearly upset.
Kate, thinking inwardly: Haha! Finally, he's showing something!
But Aron didn't let things escalate. Instead, he began eating the dessert quickly, as if trying to hide his anger.
Judge Victor, smiling as he looked at Mr.Claudion: "Thank you, Mr. Cloudion, for the wonderful dinner. It was truly an honor meeting your student and your family."
Deputy Carlos, admiringly: "We thank you for your efforts in supporting peace between the two countries, even if such efforts seem small and indirect. Your family is truly an inspiration."
Mr. Claudine, smiling: "Thank you. We're here to serve everyone. And I believe this cooperation will be beneficial to both sides."
As the judge and deputy were leaving:
Deputy Carlos whispered to Judge Victor: "What's the point of visiting him? I thought you'd talk more directly about the deal."
Judge Victor, thoughtfully: "Did you really not get it? He's not doing this out of a desire for peace—but for his reputation and status."
Judge: "Even if that's true, at least he's trying to do something that benefits us."