The Prince Of Magic

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In an unknown location, there was a young woman sitting in one of the chairs of a vast theater by her lonesome.

The young woman was completely unbothered how she was the only one inside the elegant opera-like theater, despite the eerie darkness that lurked in every corner of the area.

The theater itself was showing a series of scenes via a magic device in real-time.

It was no different from watching a movie set in real-time events, except the show was better than any other ones in her opinion.

"To think that you would actually be related to that man…" She muttered under her breath. "The world truly is small, despite its vast size."

She was so preoccupied with her entertainment, she almost missed the arrival of a certain man.

Said man has short light blonde hair that was slicked back, and has well-regulated features that wore a calm yet severe expression.

He has a pale complexion that was not usually seen before, almost as if he was pale as death itself. He has the appearance of a man in his 30's or 40's, but with a somewhat healthy physique, which hinted that he was a capable fighter.

He wore a black suit with a white dress shirt, black formal slacks, and dress shoes. Hanging around his neck was a long gray scarf and fell to his front, while a pair of black gloves covered his hands.

While the severity of his expression was eye-catching, it was his eyes that stood out the most about him. Unlike a normal person's eyes, his own was different. His irises glowed an unnerving shade of yellow and his sclera was as black as the night.

What was even more disconcerting was the lack of humanity in them, as if every emotion in him had disappeared with one exception, the urge to kill.

Most people would be fearful to be in his presence, but the young woman remained unbothered.

"Thought you'd never come…" She paused, giving the newcomer a side glance. "… Monsieur Cordelion."

Bazdilot Cordelion stood beside where the young woman was seated, merely giving the latter a glance before turning to the large screen in front of them with a curious glint in his amber eyes.

The man (if he can be still be qualified as such) slipped his hands inside his pockets as he watched the 'show' with an observant expression.

"I changed my mind. This seems to be more interesting." Bazdilot responded, nodding to the 'show' they were watching.

The young woman smiled at his answer, turning her fascinated gaze back to the screen as she continued.

"Right you are." She grinned with amus.e.m.e.nt. "Now, if you're here, I take it that you're done with your tasks for the day?"

"Yes." He said with a slight nod.

"And how's the 'project' doing, Monsieur Cordelion?" She asked idly.

"It's going along well enough." Bazdilot gave the young woman a glance, who happened to be looking at him in return. "The materials for our preparation is still insufficient, but it's getting there. It'll only be a matter of time before it is ready to ascend to the next phase."

"I see." She said, though the smile on her lips hinted that she was pleased by the news. "While I'm glad to hear it is going along nicely, the lack of materials is a bit worrisome. If the need to make up for the insufficient items arises, do not hesitate to double the harvest for the project's materials. There's plenty of resources we can get it from, after all."

"Very well. Should I rush the harvest ahead of schedule then?" He inquired.

The young woman was quiet for a few moments, her smile morphing into an unpleasant manner as she watched the events on the screen with fervor before she answered his question.

"No." She finally said with a hum. "Although it is imperative for the project to be complete soon, I feel that we have more time in our hands to do everything that needs to be done. There's no need for us to rush. Not when the main star of this show has yet to step into the stage."

Aware of what she meant but not knowing what to say about her somewhat vague statement, Bazdilot had decided to change the topic.

"I see that that snake is not around here." He commented with his usual severe expression.

Noticing the silent inquiry in his words, the young woman indulge his curiosity.

"Yes, I have sent him along with the others." She said in a sing-song voice, a feat that would unnerved most people.

"Why?" He asked with a raised brow.

"To send my greetings and the invitation, of course." She answered with a wide grin that showed too many teeth. "He was also curious about ma petit obsession, so I thought 'why not'?"

"I see…" He said in a monotone voice.

"Granted, his curiosity regarding the Spider can be a concern, but since he promised me to behave, I'm sure it'll go smoothly." She said with a grin.

In response, Bazdilot merely gave a slight grunt, disbelieving that the man he considered a snake would know how to 'behave', but uninterested in voicing his reservations, let alone caring about it.

Instead, he changed his attention to a different subject, one that he was more curious about.

"So… he's the one?" He asked.

"Why yes, em effet, monsieur Cordelion." She said brightly, her pearly whites in display as she grinned. It would have been a normal scene if not for her dreadful appearance and her next words. "He's quite a fascinating subject for me, one that I would certainly not mind to pick apart and prod to my heart's content." She gave a forlorn sigh, one hand on face. "If only he wasn't so protected…"

Then, she tilted her head as an idea came into mind and she gave the man standing next to her a coy stare.

"Why do you ask, monsieur Cordelion? Are you perhaps… jaloux?" She asked with a mischievous grin. "If you wish, just say the word and I'll gladly give you some of my attention to warm your harsh, cold nights. Just be aware, I intend to be utterly faithful to him, so I'm afraid that you will only ever be a passing interest for me."

To his credit, Bazdilot didn't even took her bait that would have made many people shirked in disgust and discomfort, much less blink at her behavior.

Instead, he stared at the screen and spoke in his usual unperturbed tone, speaking as if he never heard her in the first place, which made the eerie woman to pout when he ignored her teasing.

"What makes him special?" Bazdilot asked, gesturing to the person being displayed on the screen. "Other than what is obvious, I don't see how he is crucial to our project."

"Ah, but first, tell me… what do you think of him?" She answered his question with her own, staring at him from the corner of her eyes.

Bazdilot arched a brow, but paused as he thought about her question.

"He's quite talented, despite being young. I heard from that fool, and yourself, that the boy was a survivor of the grail war. There's also this… talk that the boy received the grand rank of 'Crown' by the higher-ups of the Clock Tower, something that the people in the Mage's Association were only happy to agree with. Combined with his power and heritage, he would make for an ideal harvest. Is that why you have him in your sights? Other than wanting to cut him open and add to your collection?"

For a few moments, the eerie young woman was silent, humming as she mused over his response and question.

"Hmm… oui and non." She finally said. "You are correct to say that he is an ideal ingredient. The most tempting one, if I do say so myself." She grinned at the last part before it disappeared as she went on. "But non, I've decided that he has a far more important role to play in our project."

"And what is that?" Bazdilot inquired.

"Patience, monsieur Cordelion." She giggled, a vile sound that can make a person's skin crawl. It was light in tone, yet held an ominous vibe. "You shall see soon enough. In time."

With nothing more to discuss, the two individuals turned their undivided attention to the wide screen where the actions of a certain blonde haired young man was being shown, aware yet ignorant of the loud blood-curling screams and suffering of the kidnapped victims that were located somewhere nearby the opera-like theater.

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