Val Pov(first person point of view)

  "OK! Thats about it!" Sylvaris decred in a booming voice, cpping her hands together. The sound shook both Elcipsara and me out of our bewilderment.

  Eclipsara, still reeling, voiced both our thoughts.

  "Wait thats it?! You arent going to say anything more?!"

  "Nope"

  "Huh?! Why after revealing a huge secret?"

  "Then let me ask you this" Sylvaris then paused, and looked at us dead in the eyes with an unreadable expression. "Will it change how you view him at all?"

  Before Eclipsara could respond, I replied instantly and sincerely. "No. Not in the slightest. I already know it must be something personal if he never revealed it. Even if he had revealed it to me, It wouldnt really change my view on how I look at him, nor would I judge him at all. We all have our own wars inside and if keeping it from me made him comfortable, then thats ok."

  I hesitated and then cautiously asked." But, Miss Sylvaris, this secret...it was really important to Dr. Trauss right? Why reveal it to us like this? I wouldnt have minded it if you never revealed it to Eclipsara and me at all. The st thing I want is to cause him any stress, knowing that I know something about his past. I don’t want him to think I’d ever betray his trust."

  Sylvaris blinked, then smiled at me. "Your quite loyal arent you..I see you speak truly. I know can see why Dr. Trauss was so unconcerend in his letter to me about what would happen if I happen to accidentally reveal abit of his past to you." Sylvarius chuckled. " That lizardman said, and I quote:

  '

  ‘Even if you let something slip about my past, especially to Val of all people, he wouldn’t care. He’s not the type to judge, nor would he change how he treats me. In fact, knowing him, he’d probably think just learning that information was already causing me trouble. He’d either write me a letter apologizing for something that isn’t even his fault or take the secret to his grave, as if he were guarding a national-level secret. That boy is far too serious when he thinks he’s inconveniencing others. He’s too damn caring.’

  "Coming from Dr. Trauss himself, you must have truly impacted him to the point where he can easily allow you to know his past. Honestly, I am quite jealous." Sylvaris tilted her head slightly, studying me. "Tell me what did you do to make that lizardman, of all people, adore and care for you so deeply."

  Sylvaris paused and then grinned even more as she observed me. "And judging from your recent small actions and your care for that girl under your wing as going as far to joining her antics, your probably the type to never betray your friends nor family nor treat anyone differently are you. No wonder that doctor trusts you."

  I became a bit flustered at her sudden compliments and how also deeply moved I am that Dr. Trauss trusts me so deeply that he wrote such a statement about me in his letter to Sylvaris. "Huh? Wait...I am not tha-"

  Eclipsara barged into the conversation and excitedly chimed in. "Val also massages my head while I am asleep! He also washes up my clothes and tries to learn new desert recipies in secret just to-"

  "How on earth do you know that?! I thought I hid myself well!?" I excimed, utterly shocked. Embarrassement crawled up my spine as I desperately avoided the amused gazes of both Eclipsara and Sylvaris.

  Eclipsara grabbed my face and made me look directly into her eyes. ""Val... I pretend to be asleep sometimes. It doesnt take even a baby that long to what you have been doing"

  My face crumpled into a look of exaggerated sorrow. I had just been exposed. Dang it! I wanted to be a really cool sneaky character from a movie I watched in my st life!

  Eclipsara smirked, clearly enjoying my suffering. "Val, you arent that good at hiding things"

  "At least, let me dream Eclipsara. Let a boy dream" I drmatically sighed and started having fun with her with the dramatic undertone of the conversation.

  Sylvaris snickered and ughed out loud to the point that both Eclipsara and me stopped what we were doing and stared at her. "My god...I am sorry, I am sorry" she said between chuckles. "you both are adorable and so funny too. No wonder Cooler Trauss-no, I mean: Dr. Trauss, likes you guys alot."

  Sylvaris then cpped her hands together, her ughter settling into a grin. "But enough chitchat. Its time for supper, dont you think?"

  I heard Eclipsara's stomach rumble abit.

  "Yeah, i agree we are both hungry." she admitted sheepishily.

  Sylvaris smirked. "Come on, then. Follow me. I know a good restraunt to have some supper in"

  As promised, Sylvaris lead us out of the house and then into a seeingly popur restraunt. Inside, vampire waiter—cd in a crisp white dress shirt, bck pants, and a neatly tied bck tie—greeted us.

  "3 seats, please" As Sylvaris told the waiter.

  The waiter simply nodded and gestured for our group to follow him "Of course, maam. Please follow me as I lead you to your seats"

  Sylvaris gnced back at us with a grin. "Trust me the food here is delicious. I have been here quite a few times."

  As the 3 of us sat on the table, the vampire waiter waited patiently while Sylvaris flipped through the menu, offering recommendations.

  "Eclipsara, you should try this" Sylvaris pointed at an option of the menu. "It’s a famous chicken dish, cooked with cheese in a unique way. Trust me, it’s delicious."

  Eclipsara drooled at the description of the dish.

  "Yes, I want that please!" Eclipsara pointed at the dish for the waiter to see.

  "Understood maam." The waiter jotten down Eclipsaras option and had already gotten Sylvaris's order. He then looked at me and asked"And you sir?"

  "Please give me an orange drink, and the same dish as her, please"

  The waiter wrote the order down on his small notebook. "Your dish will be ready in a few minutes, until then please enjoy your drinks and some appetizers from this restraunt" A few moments ter, the waiter came back with some warm, chedder bread. "Here you go sir. I hope you have a pleasant supper" He bowed slightly, and went to give the chef our orders.

  As we nibbled on the bread, Eclipsara, Sylvarius, and I talked about on whats in store for the future.

  "Wow, so Trauss really made you the student of his old mentor?" Sylvarius blinked, looking abit impressed. "Coming from him, thats a huge honor"

  "Um...Sylvarius, how does his old mentor act?" I asked, a bit nervous of the future.

  Sylvarius took a moment to think and choose her words carefully. "Hes eccentric and abit...how do I say it...funny, but no joke he is one of the best doctors in the nation. He traveled through all the nations and had been the head of some famous projects that have lead to many types of medicine we hear today."

  "Whats his name?" Eclipsara asked curiously.

  "Well, I think its best that he approaches you and gives you his name himself." Sylvarius smirked. "You may enjoy his unique introduction I feel"

  Sylvarius grinned at something in her mind which confused us as we weren't sure if it was something ominous or reassuring at all.

  "But all i can say is, you wont have to worry at all." Sylvarious continued. "He is a kind doctor even if he is abit...eccentric. He wont give up on a student ever. Thats one of the reasons why Dr. Trauss respects him so much you see."

  As we continued our conversation on like this for awhile, the waiter returned with serveral dishes, bancing multiple ptes with such ease. "Here you all go. All fresh and ready to be eaten. Thank you for dining with us. And we wish you a warm and welcome evening." He bowed and then left.

  Eclipsara took the first bite, and the moment the fvors hit her tongue, her ruby-red eye shimmered with delight. I imagined the other eye, hidden beneath her bangs, reflected the same excitement.

  "This...is...amazing!" She didn’t even waste time talking after that—she just devoured her food with childlike glee.

  "Eclipsara rememeber to eat slowly and drink abit to make sure the foo-"

  "This is slow for me Val! And i understand! You worry too much you know?" And Eclipsara continued to eat her food happily.

  I chuckled and ughed abit...only to realize I had started eating just as quickly.

  Eclipsara snickered. "Val, you tell me to eat slowly, but you too are eating it as quickly as I am!"

  I shrugged. "Well Eclipsara, if the foods too delicious then I can't help myself can I?"

  Sylvarius snickered. "You two really do enjoy good food huh?"

  Both of us responded in unison. "YES"

  Laughing, Sylvaris leaned back on her chair. "Well, eat all you want. I’m paying tonight."

  Grateful, Eclipsara and I dug in. That night, we ate like there was no tomorrow—our ughter mixing with the lively chatter of the restaurant, filling the air with warmth.