“Nice to meet you, Lulu,” Klaus said, keeping his tone light and calm. However, in the back of his mind, he was wary of the young lady before him. Matters of the soul are something he knew could be very dangerous.
“Big Brother Klaus, do you know Big Sister is an Inner Disciple at Celestial Mountain Academy?” Nathan, of course, had to continue the conversation.
Klaus, hearing how he suddenly started addressing him, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
‘When did I turn from Brother Klaus to Big Brother Klaus?’ he thought inwardly, but on the outside, he maintained a small smile.
“Oh, that is great! I guess after dinner, I’ll indulge Sister Lulu in telling me more about the Academy,” Klaus said with a smile.
“Of course,” Lulu replied, returning the smile.
She is a Saint, a peak Saint to be precise, and from the look of things, she had a very strong foundation. Klaus, however, didn’t want to pry, so he kept his golden eyes focused, not bothering to look any further. Things could change if she decided to do anything funny; after all, he still had the Eye of Malevolence.
He wasn’t exactly defenseless.
“Lulu, it looks like your prayer has been answered; Klaus is finally here!” Just when their stare-off was starting to feel awkward, a voice spoke from one corner of the room. From that direction, Dave Arcadia walked toward the head chair.
“Dad,” Lulu said, hiding her face in her palm.
Klaus raised an eyebrow upon hearing that. So it’s an Aoi Hiroshi situation again. Back during the Regional Trial, when they were invited to the Hiroshi Mansion, he learned that it was Aoi Hiroshi who wanted to meet him, which led to the event being organized.
Now, hearing Dave Arcadia speak, he couldn’t help but smile. It seemed his charm was more intense than he thought.
“War Goddess, Klaus, glad you both could make it,” Dave Arcadian said as he took his seat. Miriam nodded slightly in acknowledgment of his presence. Dave nodded back before turning to his daughter.
“Lulu, you wouldn’t continue to hide your face for the rest of the night, would you? Your idol is here; don’t you want to look at him? I know for a fact he isn’t ugly, so you’ll be missing out if you keep hiding your face.” Dave Arcadian teased his daughter again making his other children smile at the scene.
“I hate you, Dad,” Lulu said, still covering her face.
“I love you too, dear,” Dave replied before turning to the man on his right.
“Klaus, this is Hank Arcadian. He’s my brother and the Chief of Operations for the entire city and the region at large. You didn’t see him last time during the invasion because he was away on business and couldn’t make it back in time,” Dave explained.
“Nice to meet you,” Klaus said to Hank.
“Likewise. Thank you for helping defend the city and its people. On behalf of the people of Arcadian, I want to extend our apologies for the negligence that nearly cost you your life,” Hank said, his expression sincere.
“It’s nothing. Accidents happen, and I’m sorry to hear the assassin got to three other soldiers before reaching the weapon. I hope they rest in peace,” Klaus said as politely as possible, making everyone, except the War Goddess, nod in agreement.
“By the way, how’s the rebuilding of the defenses going? Is there anything I can do to help?” Klaus asked.
“Everything’s underway, and thanks for offering, but we have it under control for now,” Dave responded. Klaus nodded in acknowledgment.
“Anyway, you’ve already met Nathan and Lulu. This beautiful lady is my wife and the mother of my children, Rose Arcadia,” Dave said, and Klaus nodded in response.
“These are Kaden, Smith, Andrew, and Tate. They’re my other children and the ones who manage the city’s day-to-day activities.” Klaus nodded toward them. He had caught glimpses of them during the invasion, but back then, he wasn’t aware they were Dave’s children.
They were among the few who stayed until the final battle. Kaden and Smith are Sages, while Andrew and Tate are Saints, but they remained on the battlefield until it was over.
“Glad to see you all are doing well,” Klaus said making sure they knew he noticed their presence on the battlefield.
Andrew and Tate were injured during the final phase of the battle, so when he and his uncle unleashed that last attack, they didn’t join the few who ganged up on the disoriented zombies. But Klaus noticed everything.
His Universal Enigma passive skill made it so he remember everything he sees.
As expected, they all smiled. Klaus realized he had become some kind of idol to many after the invasion, so he knew how important it was not to let people down. Even a small gesture like this could go a long way.
“I would’ve been there, too, if I wasn’t away at the academy,” Lulu suddenly said, drawing everyone’s attention.
“We know, baby. We know you’re the genius who can command weapons with unprecedented might,” Dave teased with a mocking smile. Upon hearing that she could command weapons, Klaus’s mood shifted. The War Goddess noticed this and smiled slightly.
“Oh, so you’re a Spirit Master?” Klaus already knew as the senior had warned him about her, but he played along since she didn’t know he was aware.
“Yes,” Lulu said with a small smile.
“What kind of weapons?” Klaus asked, clearly intrigued. Around the table, everyone was listening with smiles.
“Mostly projectile weapons—like needles, knives, light spears, and swords,” Lulu said casually, trying not to make a big deal of it.
“Don’t be fooled by her casual tone, Brother Klaus. Sister Lulu can command dozens, even hundreds, of swords with deadly precision,” Nathan chimed in, revealing her strength with a grin, ruining her attempt at modesty.
Klaus chuckled at Nathan’s enthusiasm but kept his eyes on Lulu, intrigued by her abilities. “That’s quite impressive, Lulu,” he said, his tone genuinely admiring.
“Being able to command so many weapons at once takes not only skill but immense mental strength.”
Lulu looked down shyly, brushing off the compliment. “It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done, Brother Klaus. You saved the city.”
Klaus waved his hand dismissively. “It was a team effort. Honestly, I wouldn’t have made it without the help of everyone who fought alongside me,” he said, though deep down, his curiosity about Lulu was growing.
“I’ll be staying here for a few more days. If you’re not busy, I’d like to pick up some pointers from Sister Lulu,” Klaus suddenly added, making Lulu smile—if only for a brief moment.
“Oh? I did not know you are also a Spirit Master,” she said, a hint of surprise in her voice.
“I dabble,” Klaus replied with a casual smile.
Lulu raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by his response. “Dabble? You don’t strike me as the type to ‘dabble’ in anything.”
Klaus chuckled softly. “I’ve had some experience, but I wouldn’t call myself a spirit master. That’s why I’d like to learn from someone more experienced. Besides, it’ll give us some alone time to talk, since you’ve been expecting me for a while.” Of course, Klaus wouldn’t let the moment pass without slipping in a bit of playful flirting.
As expected, Lulu blushed, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. The rest of the table couldn’t help but smile at her predicament
“Alright, let’s not let the food get cold. Time to dig in,” Dave said, breaking the moment with a chuckle.
With that, everyone began eating. Klaus, however, wasn’t one to hold back when it came to good food. While the others ate slowly and with the elegance one might expect from a family of wealth and power, Klaus was in his own world. He devoured his meal with gusto, clearly enjoying every bite. Stay tuned with
Hank, Dave, his wife, and their children exchanged amused glances as they watched Klaus eat with such enthusiasm.
Even the cold, emotionless War Goddess shared a rare, small smile as she observed the white-haired brat tearing through his meal like there was no tomorrow. Klaus, despite his battles and status, had a simple, down-to-earth side that couldn’t be hidden, and it was very refreshing.
After a while, when they were all done eating and had dessert. Klaus and the War Goddess left back to their room for the night. The next day, Klaus met with Lulu to train as a spirit master.