Lord Makai is his usual cranky self come morning. I can’t believe I kind of missed it.

In the morning, Lord Makai runs over our plans for the day, making sure to glare at me the whole time too since, apparently, I would have been given a sheet or asked to write this information down to keep track. Since I can’t do that, Lord Makai tells me, but I will not disappoint.

After breakfast, we ready ourselves for the first meeting of the day. Snow continues to fall outside so I must hold the umbrella for Lord Makai. My coat, however, is not spared from the snowfall. My back is covered almost instantly.

The town is bustling with life, horses trotting through wide streets pulling their carriages that dig into the dirt. Once white snow turns a murky brown from the mud while the shops sitting side by side are filled with warm light and their signs dusted white. Civilians are rushing about in their heavy coats, arms crossed or hands and faces hidden by layers upon layers of clothes. There’s similarity between Isabe and Vashna, the chatter and slight laughter in the air, but Isabe feels friendlier. They’re the everyday folk that moved to a booming town for jobs to support their families and it seems to be working. Business really is booming based on the foot traffic that Lord Makai and I see while riding in the carriage to the Makai Mining Co. building in town square next to city hall.

I’m still repeating the schedule in my head, muttering it once or twice then catching Lord Makai raising a brow. Ah, I must be getting too loud, so I repeat the day in my head until I’m certain I won’t forget it.

There’s the meeting with the heads of Makai Mining Co., one of which has been running the main hub for twelve years named Jeffro. We will have lunch with them afterwards in a restaurant nearby with a name I could never dream to pronounce. Afterwards we will return to tour the facility, which was recently expanded so there are many new workers. Today and tomorrow will consist of Lord Makai observing how the operations are run. He said he’d go over the rest with me later. For now, this is simple enough not to forget.

It’s not surprising that Makai Mining Co. is arguably the nicest building in town. A dark brick building painted black, four stories high and as big as a factory with sparkling glass windows and trims within of emerald and silver. There are double doors at the entrance, heavy and wide with arched silver handle bars and within is even nicer. The floors are made of marble with a great chandelier overhead, although they’re slightly overshadowed by the chaos within.

At the front is a receptionist desk, but behind her are glass windows that reveal a long room filled with desks and workers that are running about with their hands full. Makai Mining Co. must be the headquarters for all the mines owned by Lord Makai in the kingdom with how busy they are, which isn’t surprising. Isabe is a huge mine that has yet to be depleted and, from rumors within the estate, that won’t change anytime soon.

“Your Grace!” Calls the receptionist in her purple and black pinup suit. She bows swiftly. “What an honor it is to see you. Please, follow me to the meeting room. Everyone has already arrived and are eagerly awaiting your presence.”

Even I want to roll my eyes at her sweet tone, but Lord Makai says nothing; only rolls his coat off his shoulders to hand to me. We follow after the receptionist that takes us to the elevator, another contraption I’ve never been on. The inside is small with more silver bars that we can see through in order to admire the levels. The woman pulls a silver lever that clicks before we’re pulled up.

I accidentally grip the back of Lord Makai’s arm.

“Wallace,” he hisses.

I let go immediately. “My apologies, Your Grace.”

When the doors open, we’re lead out only for Lord Makai to stop just short of double doors with a silver plaque overhead that reads, Meeting Room.

“Wait here,” Lord Makai orders. “You will be called if needed.”

Then he walks through the double doors. I catch a glimpse of a long wooden table with a multitude of men and women in fine suits, one of which must run this place in particular because he’s at the head of the table. But all I catch of him is a huge nose and sparkling bald head, then I’m left to sit outside in a chair that the receptionist brings for me from another room. She leaves too, returning downstairs.

This is boring. I rather be at the estate, at least I have something to do to pass the time. While I understand not attending the meeting, they’re likely discussing profits or trade secrets, following Lord Makai only to sit out here until he needs me is a pain. Yes, the extra pay for my services will be great this coming payday, but if I had a choice I’d say no.

“Everyone has been in an uproar all month, and for what? The attention of a no good vampire that they would rather not have attention from to begin with,” a man says from somewhere nearby. I peer about, but see no one.

“He pays all their salaries, of course they’re in an uproar. There is nothing we can do about it either,” a woman sighs. “King Baylor must do something about the freak. At this rate, he’ll own everything in Aberia and there won’t be a thing anyone can do to change it.”

“Suppose the beast is here yet? Father said he’d be atte—”

The man stepping out of a room from down the hall stops mid sentence to stare wide-eyed at me. Behind him is a woman that looks somewhat similar to him. Siblings perhaps?

Both are rather tall with strawberry blonde hair, but the girl has soft green eyes while the boy has brown eyes. They’re dressed beautifully, the woman in a gorgeous dress with ruffled ends and the man in a form fitted suit. They have money, that’s for sure, or based on what he was saying; their father had money, likely from the mines.

“Hello,” the woman says with a kind smile although her eyes do not show the same sentiment. “Are you perhaps Lord Makai’s personal butler?”

I stand and give a bow. “Yes, My Lady. My name is Wallace Jonessan, or just Wallie.”

“Wallie.” Her heels click when she comes towards me with the man right behind. “So he’s here then, Lord Makai?”

I stand up fully and nod.

“Our father runs this place,” the man says, gesturing between the two of them. “I am Artur Brabec and this is my sister, Lebina.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you both.”

“Lord Makai will be attending lunch afterwards with everyone, won’t he?” Lebina asks sweetly.

“Yes, he will.”

“How wonderful. We were hoping to greet him. After all, Artur is set to take over after father retires. It’d be a good idea to get to know His Grace now.”

During a time like this, I wish I had some form of status so I could put them in their place. Belittling someone they don’t even know behind their backs; shouldn’t well educated children have better manners? Ridiculous.

Luckily, Artur and Lebina don’t stay long. They bid me adieu, although judging by the conversation I’ll see them again at lunch. I return to my seat, squirming a bit in place after time continues to pass.

I don’t know how long I sit there before the doors open. I jump to my feet immediately and that damn natural reaction of mine kicks me in the butt because I smile the moment I see Lord Makai. Oddly enough, he doesn’t glare, but he gives me this look that basically says, “stop it.” I can’t help it! Smiling is my natural state, sorry not all of us have a naturally cranky demeanor!

“We are so pleased to have you join us for lunch today, Your Grace,” Jeffro says. Now that he’s out of the room I notice that he’s rather short. He walks with a cane and a silly top hat to hide his bald head. “And when we return we have quite the tour planned for you—”

“I don’t need a planned tour. I will go about my business alone,” Lord Makai interrupts causing Jeffro to go a little red in the face.

“Ah, but surely you will want a guide.”

“No.”

It’s amazing how Lord Makai can end a conversation. I need to take some pointers.

This time I don’t get to sit in the carriage on the way to lunch since some members of the committee join Lord Makai. I have to sit up front with the driver and shiver uncontrollably until we reach the restaurant that, luckily, isn’t too far.

However, when we get to the restaurant, Lord Makai doesn’t follow everyone in. He lingers outside with me for a moment and says, “Take the carriage back to the office.”

“Huh?”

“Take a look around. Just observe.”

“Why me?”

“Do you think anyone can focus, or will act normally with me there?”

I bite my lip. He asked that so nonchalantly, like it doesn’t bother him to think about how the whole office probably feels like a frozen wasteland simply by the idea of Lord Makai visiting. Once again, it’s an unsettling thought.

“Return in—” Lord Makai checks his pocket watch. “Forty minutes. Wait inside after.” Then hands that pocket watch to me.

“I-I can’t take this. It p-probably costs more than my life!”

“I’m sure it does. Now go. Forty minutes starts now.”

“W-Wait! What am I looking for?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond, slipping inside without another word.

This son of a bitch. One second I feel bad for him and the next I wanna slap him over the back of the head. Whatever, he didn’t tell me what exactly to look for so if I screw this up, it’s his fault.

The driver takes me back to the office where the receptionist greets me. I inform her that I’ve been asked to look around. She offers her assistance but I declined since I took the hint that he wants me to go alone. Again, not sure what I’m looking for as I meander about this overly large facility, but I try to keep my eyes peeled for something suspicious or maybe not healthy for the workplace.

I’m on the verge of giving up when thirty minutes pass and I know I must leave soon to meet the forty minute deadline, but something peculiar catches my eye. I’m on the fourth floor, passing by an office when I happen to hear a frantic ripping sound. The door is slightly ajar, enough for me to see a woman inside, shredding paper with her hands. Angling myself to the right, I also take note of a man in a red suit watching and whispering orders. Then she stands and follows him through a door in the office. I take a chance by sneaking into the room, listening softly to their whispers in the conjoined room.

“Is that all of it?” The man asks.

“Yes, Sir.”

“You claimed that last time yet I found a whole stack of agreements here. If the beast discovers even one percentage of his profits being sold off, we’ll be killed on the spot.”

So this is what Lord Makai wanted me to find out? Suppose it’s easier for me, the butler that people aren’t paying much attention to, to discover any foolery compared to Lord Makai, who frightens simply by the mention of his name. I don’t stay longer to hear more, that’s enough to tell Lord Makai, plus at this rate I’ll be late. Hopefully it’s forgiven considering I found out something.

♱♱♱