Chapter 23

Alec walked next to Hakin through the streets, with a pondering expression on his face.

How could the muscular Hakin, who Alec himself set as his representative, have become such an awful looking person. Alec always knew that Hakin laid too much worth on partying, playing with women, drinking and eating, but he had never stopped his training to keep his body in shape before. It seemed like the rich life was too much to handle for Hakin.

‘It seems like I will have to send him on a journey with the trading convoys this time…’ Alec thought and once again looked at his representative. He didn’t like what he saw: Countless jewels, expensive looking necklaces, fine clothes and the stench of sweat, alcohol and other unidentifiable substances.

‘If Hakin had an appearance like this before, I wouldn’t have made him my representative. Even my former self wasn’t that disgusting and looking at it now mine and his body are as different as life and death…I will ask him about his changes in appearance as soon as we reach the study room!’ Alec thought and started walking in a faster pace.

Hakin looked annoyed and with a dark expression at the muscular body of Alec and followed him as fast as he could. After a few steps he already started panting like he had run a marathon two times. (WN: I don’t know how to express this better…so just bear with it…sorry.)

After a few minutes Alec reached the white metal gate which lead to his mansion, leaned against the wall and waited patiently for Hakin. It took almost five more minutes until Alec could finally hear the panting of the fat man and another minute before Hakin appeared before the gate.

“When did this happen?!” Alec, who couldn’t wait anymore, asked in a disbelieving tone.

“I…was….it…..just….” Hakin tried to answer while panting heavily. Alec was already worrying about the black haired man collapsing on the street, because of overexertion, but fortunately after three more minutes of panting and hasty breathing, Hakin seemed to calm down again.

“So?!” Alec asked and the gaze of his intelligent grey eyes bore into the black haired mans eyes. Hakin felt really uncomfortable, as if Alec would tear him apart the moment he felt like Hakin said something unpleasant or lied.

“I became like this, because…yes! I became like this because of the stress at work, which you left me with and the countless banquets I had to attend in your stead, as a representative. It really isn’t my fault!” Hakin said and a sly expression flashed shortly on his face as he pushed the guilt towards Alec.

Alec didn’t believe one of Hakins words, but decided to act like he understood as he didn’t know what the state of the company was like. He also felt a little bit guilty for leaving all the work to Hakin.

“Alright…well, I don’t blame you, lets get inside so that you can tell me, why I had to come back.” Alec said with a sigh, opened the gate and stepped inside.

The garden was still the same as it was before he left over a year ago and it was still beautiful, but now that Alec had seen real forests, grass lands, rivers and mountains, this small garden paled in comparison. More importantly there was no life at all in this garden. Alec once again thought of the strange phenomenon, that nowhere in this town were any animals, beasts or anything alive except for the humans. Even the horses that were used for pulling the carriages had to be kept outside of the city, leaving the many stables inside of it empty. Alec made the decision to find out one day, how and why no animals, beasts and the likes could enter this city. Unfortunately now wasn’t the right time to begin research, but during the year of travelling he learned something very important: Patience.

There wasn’t always a new demonic beast, when he wanted to find one.

It wasn’t possible to sail down the river without learning to be patient.

And not everyone was as intelligent as him, so he had to learn to be patient and let them come to the same conclusions as himself on their own pace.

Alec stepped through the door of his mansion and was directly shocked by the sight that was presented to him. The mansion originally was furnished with cheap and practical furniture, because his father wanted it to be like that.

Now the former almost empty hall was filled with expensive carpets, artfully built and carved wooden furniture stood along the wall and a huge chandelier, apparently made out of silver and filled with countless candles, hung from the ceiling of the hall.

Alec couldn’t believe his eyes, but Hakin didn’t even seem to mind his shocked expression as he busily walked past the stunned blond man towards the study room in the back of the house. Alec slowly followed the black haired man and discovered uneasy and a little disgusted that every room they passed was filled with expensive furniture like that. In some of the rooms were even lying naked women on beds and on carpets on the ground.

“What happened here…?” he mumbled quietly and decided to ask Hakin when they reached the study room.