In one of the most upscale districts situated near the heart of the city, a fancy, but not overly opulent restaurant was welcoming the first few visitors of the day. While some owners made a point of following the archaic traditions and hired human servers, this particular establishment was aimed at at a mostly young audience.
For that reason, a lot of things were automated and could be easily accessed through personal communicators of the patrons. The chefs were still human, of course. They were also true masters of their craft. Every ingredient used by them was natural, as well, while some were even imported from other quadrants.
The interior design was similarly luxurious, with natural wood visible everywhere. Authentic paintings from centuries past hung on the walls, protected by thick sheets of transparent alloy. Everything was expensive, stylish, and screamed of class.
Such a restaurant, of course, was only accessible to citizens of the highest ranks, who could afford to dine here. It was especially popular among young heirs of the city elite, and had a reputation for being a prime spot for arranged dates and romantic occasions.
Currently, a couple of such meetings were taking place inside, with wealthy young men and women going through the awkward motions of attending a blind date arranged for them by their families.
Strangely, the most striking visitor of the famed restaurant sat alone, as if her date was running late.
The young woman seemed to be in her mid-twenties, but possessed elegance and grace that spoke of strange maturity. She was exquisitely beautiful, with a supple figure and flawless skin. The beauty was wearing a stylish red dress and a black leather jacket. A few tasteful pieces of jewerly adorned her fingers and delicate neck.
Other female visitors of the restaurant couldn't help but feel exasperated by the fact that their dates seemed to be unable to stop stealing glances at the beautiful woman. The men, meanwhile, were all wondering what kind of a fool would keep such a belle waiting. If only they were in his place, they wouldn't be so tardy!
Finally, the doors opened, and a new visitor came in. The young man looked around, scratched the back of his head, and then headed toward the table where the striking beauty sat alone.
Sitting down, he smiled sheepishly and said:
"Sorry for being late. I hope you did not have to wait too long."
The young woman smiled politely, revealing her pearly white teeth.
"No problem at all."
She studied the young man for a few moments, and then said with a bit of reproach in her pleasant, velvety voice:
"I hate to say it, but you don't look like the images I was shown at all."
He looked down, as if embarrassed.
"Oh… I had to wear something inconspicuous. Walking around as my usual self would be a bit too ostentatious. However, isn't it the same for you? All that makeup to hide your complexion…"
The young woman frowned.
"It is a cosmetic Memory, I'll have you know. Regardless… I have already ordered something to eat. You can peruse the menu while we wait."
The young man hesitated, then looked around with an amused expression. Finally, he asked:
"How do I do that?"
She glanced at him with curiosity:
"You don't know? Have you never been to a proper restaurant before?"
The young man smiled and shook his head, then said wistfully:
"To tell you the truth, this is my first time visiting a restaurant. I was raised in the Dream Realm, after all. I only returned to the waking world when I was around thirteen. Many things here seem very strange to me…"
With that, Mordret thumbled with his communicator for a bit and finally managed to open the menu. The body he was wearing used a biometric lock, at least… otherwise, he wouldn't have known how to access the communicator at all. He looked at all the options projected in front of him and asked:
"What do you recommend?"
The beauty smiled.
"I doubt that we have similar tastes."
At that moment, the dish she had ordered finally arrived. It was a steak, prepared so rare that it barely looked cooked at all. The young woman elegantly sliced a small piece and brought it to her sensual lips, which were as red as blood.
Mordret observed her with a pleasant expression.
"Ah, yes. I've heard that you and your sisters follow a very special diet, Lady Song."
The young woman licked her lips and looked at him with a neutral expression.
"Just call me Seishan. There's no need to be formal."
He smiled.
"So, Seishan… why did she send you, of all people? Are you so expendable that the Queen does not mind sacrificing you to me, should the date go badly?"
Song Sei Shan calmly ate another piece of the steak, then wiped her lips with a napkin.
"Why would our date go badly? We have a common goal, after all. Our clan is your best chance to achieve it."
Mordret thought for a bit, then nodded and sighed.
"True. However, with that Antarctica thing going on, I would have thought that she would be reluctant to move forward. After all, it's not the best time to do anything drastic."
Seishan studied the Prince of War for a few moments, and then smiled.
"Oh, on the contrary. We think that the event in Antarctica sets the best stage to do something drastic."
He hesitated for a while, then shrugged.
"Well, fair enough. So, what now? Do I have to kneel and recite a vow? Kiss your ring? Or do something else?"
The beauty shook her head.
"Usually, you would have had to sign a contract with a drop of your blood. However, considering your propensity to change... attires… that would hardly do anything, wouldn't it?"
She smiled.
"So, there's no need. Welcome to Clan Song, Prince Mordret. I look forward to all the great things we will accomplish together."
Mordret reciprocated her smile, then chose a couple of options in the menu and pressed them.
Then, he sighed and said with a bit of amusement:
"Ah… it feels strange to be adopted…"