74 Tea Time and Storms of Change (2/2)
Reed nearly choked on his tea when he heard that terrible piece of news.
The old freaks want me to visit?! But why?! Is this some kind of scheme that those annoying siblings have devised or is it...
”They send their warmest regards and apparently want to congratulate you for your noble deed, the speech you gave during your coronation. It seems that you've caught their eye, so to speak, but given what we know...”
”Mmn….They likely want to meet me for more than just that. Of that, we should have no doubt. They're up to something…”
Lu'um nodded and said, ”We can't just reject their invitation, though. It would be… unwise to antagonize them just yet, before the empires have prepared themselves for what they potentially have planned…”
Time was running out. Reed knew this and understood that he might have even accelerated the course of events he wanted to avoid. His actions might have even inspired the Twilight Siblings and the Holy Church to act on the movement he had unintentionally started in the East…
They'd use me as the leading figure for their cause… It makes sense, in theory…
The power behind the new movement in the East and the meaning behind my title as the ”Stainless Prince” would greatly assist them in their final goal of uniting the continent as one…
”That makes a lot of sense, given what was happened as of recently… It seems you aren't completely hopeless when it comes to using your head,” said Lacrima in a amazed voice. ”And here I had pegged you as the meat-headed type who preferred to act before thinking like...”
Reed coldly snorted and said, ”Time's running out. If Astrid and Sebastian are to be saved, then we must act with haste henceforth before things get out hand.” He put down his tea, stood up and said, ”I need to go talk to gramps and tell him everything. We're going to need his help.”
He started walking, but stopped when Lu'um said, ”Are you sure you want to go out like that? I don't care what you wear, dear, but if anyone else saw you like that...”
”Hm?” Reed looked down and immediately realized what she meant. He'd been so focused on the matter at hand that he had almost walked out looking like…
He bashfully scratched his head and said, ”…Thanks for the save. I really don't know what I'd do without you sometimes…”
Lu'um's face bloomed a little bit when she heard that and knowing smiled. She bit into her slice of moonberry pie and said, ”I feel the same way…”
About you.
A quick change of clothing later, Reed set out to find gramps and strolled over to his private chamber which was located near the heart of the tree-spire. As far as Reed knew, it was where he usually located most of the time when he wasn't out somewhere for work.
When Reed reached the room, he knocked on the door and said, ”Hey, gramps, I gotta talk to you about something important. It's sorta urgent.”
A response did not come so he knocked again, to no avail. He shrugged his shoulders in disappointment and started to walk away but stopped when he heard the door creak open behind him.
Reed turned around and said, ”Gramps? I can come back a bit later if you're doing something important,” but did not a receive a response when he called out.
Nevertheless, the door had been opened so Reed took it as a sign for him to enter. He peeked his head into the room and said, ”Gramps?” But no one was inside the room.
It was empty.
He looked around but still couldn't find anyone who could have opened the door, so he assumed that it must have been a coincidence.
”...Guess it was nothing,” mumbled Reed and shook his head but when he was about to leave, he heard a faint voice whisper in his ear.
”…I'm right here…” said the voice and Reed jumped in fright.
Reed quickly looked around but could not find the voice, but he knew he had heard it…
He couldn't detect any Anima abnormalities, fluctuations, or lifesigns in the room either.
It was an empty room... that was what he told himself. But the truth was...
”...Can you hear me?...”
Much more strange that he had imagined…