Chapter 11: 011
Max is currently sitting in the estate's garden. After he had breakfast, he tried to sleep in, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't.
So he decided to walk around the estate and ended up in the garden. The garden was big, almost an acre in size.
It had small plants and bushes that acted as borders while the insides were filled with various dark-flowered plants.
At the centre of the garden was a raised stage with a table and a few chairs around.
SIGH
Max sighed in exhaustion as he put the tea cup on the table. From the moment he woke up from his dream, his body felt heavy. As if he was carrying a weight beside him.
The four-armed man's face kept flashing in his mind; it's like he's going to meet him again.
But then he shook his head, trying to steer his thoughts away from the dream, 'When is Mom coming, she said she would come back by afternoon?' he mused inwardly as he looked at the silver moon high in the sky.
The world Max reincarnated doesn't have any sun. Its time is decided by the position and presence of the moon.
Just as he was wondering where his mom could have gone, he heard footsteps from behind.
He turned around to see Khiona walking towards him with a small smile on her face.
Max stood up from his chair as he asked, "Where did you go, mom?" He asked.
This was the first time in fifteen years that Khiona had left him and left the estate.
"I went to meet an old lady," Khiona answered as she sat beside him.
Max frowned at her answer; his heart felt heavy as he asked, "Is it about my dream?"
Khiona's eyes flickered at his question. She hesitated about whether to tell him the truth. But then she shook her head as she thought, 'I do not want to lie to him.'
"....Yes." She replied.
Max's expression turned solemn, 'So me dreaming is a big deal, huh?' He muttered inwardly, but he looked at his mom when she held her hand and guided him to sit.
"Baby, do you trust your mother?" she asked as she squeezed his hand.
Max's frown deepened when he heard her question, his face turned serious as he answered, "yes, mom. I trust you more than I trust myself."
Khiona's heart melted at his words; her face softened as she whispered, "Thank you."
"Then, baby, I want you to trust me and not think about those dreams. Thinking about them will only harm you." She added.
Max narrowed his eyes as he listened to her, "Will I have those dreams again?" he asked.
"I-I don't know, the old hag said that these dreams are random. No one can know when or if they will come again," she answered while keeping some of the information to herself.
Max stayed silent for a few moments, 'She seems to be upholding some information. Which means it is harmful for me to know more.' He mumbled inwardly.
He trusted his mom, and knew that she would never do something that might harm him.
"Okay, mom. I will try not to think about it," Max answered.
Khiona smiled at his answer, but then Max tilted his head in curiosity and asked, "But who is this old hag?" He asked as he took a sip of his tea.
"Oh, her? The old hag is the vampire queen!" she said with a bright smile.
"What!?" Max choked on his tea as he exclaimed out loud.
Khiona instantly went behind him and patted his back, "What happened, baby? Is the tea not good?" she asked in confusion.
Max's lips twitched at her question, "Mom, why do you call the Queen an old hag?"
"Hmmm?" Khiona hummed as she tilted her head in confusion, "Because she's old?"
'This woman!' he exclaimed inwardly as he looked at her, stupefied.
SIGH
Max sighed in resignation, "But mom, can you get away with calling the Queen an old hag?"
Khiona frowned for a moment, not understanding his question. But then a flicker of understanding passed through her eyes as she said, "Oh, that. It's fine, she is the one who raised me. And also, I am stronger than her."
"Oh!" Max said as he nodded his head, 'So she technically is like my grandmother, huh?' he mused inwardly.
The mother-son pair had a light conversation. Khiona tried to improve his mood throughout the chat, and she succeeded; by the end of their conversation, Max was back to his past self.
They then moved back to the estate to have dinner.
"My Lady, we received an invitation from Marquis Raven; do you wish to reject it?" Helena asked as she stood beside Khiona, who was having her dinner.
Max was sitting beside Khiona and was listening attentively to the maid.
"Yes," Khiona replied coldly; she didn't care if it was a marquis or a duke who sent the invitation; she never went to these types of gatherings and never will.
But Max frowned when his mother rejected the invitation. "What is this invitation for?" he asked as he turned into Helena.
"It is a birthday invitation, Young Master. The Marquis's daughter is a hundred years old." She answered.
"Oh," Max exclaimed in understanding. Noble vampires host a banquet when their children reach a hundred years old. It is to help them make friends in the noble circles.
Max tilted his head as he thought about the invitation, but stayed silent. He wanted to meet new vampires but, 'If I say that out loud, she will definitely kill that marquis family!'
They continued having dinner, and Helena informed Khiona more about the invitations and things happening in her land.
"Madam, we received this from the royal family," Helena said as she handed Khiona a letter.
The letter appeared luxurious; it was made out of red leather and its contents were written in gold.
Max got curious about the letter and asked his mom who was reading it, "What is it, mother?"
"It is another invitation, baby," Khiona answered as she handed the letter back to Helena.
"What's it about?" He asked.
Khiona turned to him and answered, "It's about the tournament happening three years from now. They invited me to be one of the judges."
Max raised his eyebrow at her answer and asked, "Are we going?"
The earlier invitation was from a marquis, a noble whose standing was lower than theirs, so they can reject their invitation.
'But now the invitation is from the royal family. I don't know how close mom is to the queen, but I think we should go.' Max mused inwardly.
"We aren't."
'Maybe not!' Max exclaimed inwardly; his lips twitched.
A sneer developed on Khiona's face as she explained, "The tournament is used by the nobles to scout young talent from all across the kingdom who will be participating in the tournament."
Max frowned at her answer, "Then, don't we need to attend the tournament? We will be losing out on good talent if we aren't."
But before Khiona could respond to her son, Helena said, "We do not need talents, young master. Our army is the second strongest in the kingdom, and even the royal army will think twice before provoking us."
The maid had a proud look on her face while her chest puffed out.
"Really?" Max asked in surprise. "Of course, young master. Mistress had personally trained them!" Helena replied.
Max turned to look at his mom, "You are so cool!" He placated her.
Khiona's cheeks flushed at his words while a smile bloomed on her face, "Ahem, it's nothing, baby."
"Then, mom, since I am alright, can you resume my training?"