Looking up, he sees a waitress approaching carrying a tray full of glasses filled with red liquid. She is wearing a light brown dress trimmed around her waist exposing ample cleavage. Her skin is pale but smooth enough to make anyone wonder whether she wears makeup or not.
She places three empty cups on the wooden tabletop next to him followed by a bottle of wine. Placing the remaining four bottles beside one another nearby table, she leaves taking the coins placed beside the cup.
Holding onto her wrist, he speaks in a calm voice. "A beauty ought to have a name."
Looking over the counter at her employer, she received a nod of approval. Turning back to face him again, she replies, "My name's Esme," flashing a dazzling smile that makes him feel a tinge of connection.
[Host? What are you doing?]
'Shhh! I'm trying to get information one way or another.'
Hearing his response, she smiles wider displaying perfectly aligned pearly whites with her fangs, skin, and her red eyes reminding him of her origin.
Taking hold of the neck of the bottle, she takes a sip of its contents letting it slide down smoothly through her throat. After swallowing, she wipes her chin clean with the sleeve of her uniform leaving only traces of lipstick smeared across her fleshy cheeks.
"Enjoy the rest of the evening!" She says with a wink. Walking past the bar where numerous drinks were lined neatly waiting to be consumed.
[Host, I don't think that would be a good–]
Picking one of the cups, using the very bottle Esme had drunk from, and taking a sip of the 'wine'.
Pffft!
Hisha spits out the drink and looks in horror at the wine being diluted blood mixed with resveratrol and other spices.
[I did try to warn you host!]
'You could have done it sooner!!!' Hisha screams in his thoughts.
Three things came to mind, why did he think drinking anything from a vampire tavern would be remotely just alcohol? What sort of blood was that–human, animal, creature?! And how does anyone manage to survive after consuming blood?!
[You took a DRINK off the counter from a beautiful waitress without verifying its content, host!!! Of course, your sense left with the beauty]
Hisha wasn't given enough time to react to HTC's words or the metallic taste in his mouth as he realized all attention was drawn to his unusual behavior. He quickly grabs his bag which is lying under the chair and pulls out a small dagger hidden within.
[How will that help you, host? They can heal!]
'So can I and I am still immortal! But I can never be too careful if I happen to get seen by some weird psycho and change into some weakling that can be restrained.'
Sliding it between his belt and pants, he stands up ready for action but instead finds himself surrounded by men wearing leather armor wielding swords and daggers. The leader standing tall holding a sword pointing directly at him.
"What business do you have?" His gruff voice booms throughout the room drawing curious stares from others around.
'You've got to be kidding me.' Hisha rolls his eyes. In reply, he raises both hands showing he has no weapons concealed upon his person.
'HTC, how many people can see me as someone they know?'
[Once someone has laid their eyes on you, it lasts for 30 minutes, as long as their attention is maintained you retain the form they are familiar with]
'Great!' Hisha thinks with a smirk.
Wiping his mouth, he coughs and pretends to have spat out the wine because something was in his throat, showing the wooden cork from the wine bottle.
At that moment a few lost interest and walked off.
Hisha had thought it had been over, but when the man still had his weapon at him, he couldn't help but curse at him in his thoughts. 'You fucking pale beast, why do you seek violence?'
[Would you stand back when someone acts out of the ordinary, especially to something your race is used to?]
'HTC, be a bit positive to me!'
[...]
The man growls loudly and threatens. "I said: WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE?!"
His tone becomes louder and angrier with each second passing.
Not wanting to provoke any further trouble, he tries speaking calmly yet firmly. "Just looking for a place to lay my head and you, my friend, seem to have forgotten about me…"
Pointing towards the bartender, he adds; "…aren't vampires meant to have good memories?"
With an angry expression still plastered across his features, the lead warrior points behind him saying, "Get lost before we teach you manners! I am no one's friend!"
'That easy? My luck!'
Hisha nods and turns, wishing not to start his night with a brawl at their peaks. 'You all are going to wish you hadn't met me, mark my words…'
It was at that moment he realized his mistake in choosing the disguise mask.
Closing his eyes momentarily, he lets out a disappointed sigh at how he couldn't go back on the points he had invested.
'I'm held back by my poor choices.'
Cough!
Cough!
He quickly places another coin on the counter ordering some water and food instead before coughing once more causing everyone present to turn their gaze away from him.
After finishing his order, he turns around to face the group which now looks less hostile than earlier.
'What do you think these groups want?'
[How about walking up to them to ask them that?]
Hisha's deadpanned face was fixated on the screen with a slight hint of displeasure.
'Why didn't I think of that?' Hisha sarcastically replies.
Walking casually behind the bar, he spots an open door leading into the kitchen area. It leads outside so he decides against going inside until later when there isn't such a crowd.
Instead, he walks along the wall observing various rooms filled with tables and chairs. Some were occupied whilst most remained vacant.
Taking notice of the different types of customers seated here and there, he notices two groups of individuals having heated arguments regarding his rule as an overlord.
One side claiming as an overlord, he should stay true to what made him powerful during the war whereas the other argued otherwise stating power corrupts those who wield it and their overlord was going down that path slowly. They argue back and forth without taking heed of either party's opinion.
'Unlike in Mertac, Winst, or Asrinth, the people from Radomir are having political discussions and in heated arguments over what they thought about all that had happened.' Hisha observes.
They weren't the barbaric kind he had thought they could be and were nearly as intellectual and civil as the humans.
[The higher the hierarchy, the higher their thinking capability–excluding the elves, what they lack in strength, they make up for strategy and brainpower]
Hisha nods and smiles at the information, feeling confident in his plan working out perfectly.
A few moments pass by unnoticed by Hisha as he continues making his rounds. Taking note of the fact this city seemed devoid of guardsmen patrolling the streets, he wonders if that could be the reason the majority of its citizens are all wielding weapons.
[47:32:04]
Asking HTC, he learns that the majority of soldiers stationed in cities like this usually resided near the castle walls defending the gates and keeping intruders out rather than roaming through the town itself searching for criminals. This allowed them to focus solely on protecting the Count while leaving the rest of the city undefended.
'Stupid but plausible.' Hisha shrugs and walks off.
Another twenty minutes pass and Hisha makes several stops trying to find somewhere suitable to sleep other than the tavern for the night only to come up empty-handed every single time. Finally giving up after being turned away twice already, he returns to the tavern hoping to finally settle things peacefully.
[The all-powerful overlord gets turned down and now he returns to where he started with his tail tucked between his legs]
Upon entering the building again, he sees the same three warriors sitting together talking amongst themselves. One looks slightly older compared to the other two.
All three appear tired due to recent events happening recently. Their conversation ends abruptly as soon as Hisha enters the room with his hoodie lowered by a mysterious wind.
Silence!
'Why the fuck is this happening to me?!' He asks himself quietly as he tries to pull up his hoodie at the same moment he sees the leader approach him.
*****
A/N
A pictorial illustration of the Esme is shown in my discord server.
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