Inhuman Warlock

As for the middle-aged man, he was the owner of this restaurant, and it was also his home. He didn't leave this place.

"It appears to be closed. There's only one man here, and even he's sleeping," Caen muttered. He walked towards the man and shook his shoulders. "Wake up."

"Huh? What?"

The man suddenly opened his eyes, still slightly sleepy.

As his eyes opened, the first person he saw was Caen. However, the next person his eyes fell on was enough to make his face go pale.

"Y-your Majesty!"

He stood up in respect before going down on his knees.

"Is the restaurant closed?" Milena asked. "I was hoping my guests could have something delicious to eat."

"Ah, I sent them home because of the warnings by the lordships. They are all at their homes. But you don't have to worry! I can prepare the best dish of our restaurant personally for you all!" The man declared.

"Prepare fast. Some people are really hungry," Milena said, glancing towards Lucifer.

Lucifer walked towards the table closest to the window and sat down.

Milena sat in the chair which was right beside him.

Salazar took the chair on the other end of the table with Caen.

Lucifer kept glancing out the window in silence, not speaking. Caen also kept his mouth closed, checking the menu which was lying on the table.

"This place isn't half bad. It looks similar to the restaurant which I had back in my hometown." Salazar broke the silence.

"It is decorated by Feronia. So you should thank her for that," Milena said.

"Hmm? Why would a Noble decorate this place?" Salazar asked, surprised.

Even Caen and Lucifer grew slightly curious about it.

"Because she owns this place," Milena answered. "That man who just went to cook for you? He is the owner and also the father of Feronia."

"Feronia's father is alive?" Lucifer asked.

"Did you want him dead? Feronia wasn't from the Divine Empire. She lived with her father in the Southern Empire. In my war with the Empires, she was killed by Duke."

"After that, I turned her. When the Divine Empire was established, she and her father shifted here. She often comes here to help her father with things like management and decoration, but not many people know about this because she secretly comes when no one is here."

"Why would she come secretly? She's one of the most powerful people in this Empire. She could also come openly?" Salazar asked.

"She doesn't want anyone to know that she's related to this restaurant. She wants her father to live an ordinary life. If civilians knew she was related to this place, they would get intimidated."

" Their behavior towards her father might also be tinted in fake politeness because of fear. At least that's what she told me when I asked her why," Milana explained. "Anyway, why are you all so surprised that she has a father? Is it that rare where you're from?"

"Not a single member of the Warlock Council has a family member," Caen answered. "That could be the reason. We always forget that not everyone is as unlucky."

Lucifer knew it wasn't entirely true. Kellian also had a mother, but he didn't want to meet her. She was dead for him.

Then there was also their newly hired tech guy who had a family. Caen didn't know about those things like everyone else in the Uprising.

"So you two don't have a family either?" Milena asked Caen and Salazar.

She already knew about Lucifer, but the other two were still a mystery for the most part.

"I'm also a member of Uprising. Do you even need to ask that question?" Caen responded.

"My parents died five years ago in a car accident," Salazar answered.

"So this table is filled with four orphans," Milena smiled. But some pain was clearly hidden behind that smile as she remembered the death of her father.

"Milena?" Lucifer muttered.

"Yeah?"  Milena responded.

"I hate fake people," Lucifer said, without even looking at her.

"What do you mean?" Milena asked.

"That fake persona you're putting on currently? I'm just warning you. That I hate fake people. I won't mind if you're rude to me as long as you're honest. On the other hand, if you fake yourself, I won't appreciate it even if you put in more effort."

Even though he wasn't looking at Milena often, he was now entirely sure that she was faking that friendly girl next door personality.

"What do you mean? I'm not acting at all," Milena answered. "It's just your deep suspicion speaking."

"If you want to keep playing, I won't stop you. I said all that I wanted to," Lucifer replied, shaking his head.

He once again stopped speaking.

The middle aged man soon returned with two plates of his best dish.

He placed both the plates on the table. "I'll be right back with two more. It's just that there's no waiter, and I couldn't carry it all at once."

He went back.

Lucifer took one of the plates and started eating without waiting for the others. He was starving as he hadn't eaten in a long time.

The second plate remained in the middle of the other three, but none of them took it.

As the middle aged man came with two more plates, only then did the other start eating.

The dish which was served appeared to be a seafood dish made from the imported fish.

Within seconds, Lucifer emptied the plate. "Bring one more!"

The middle aged man went to bring one more and soon returned.

Lucifer was about to start eating but stopped in the middle.

He brought the vibrating glasses out of his pocket and wore them.

"Yeah."

"They are? How many?"

"Two leaders and their men?"

"Hold the line when they get there. I'll be coming back soon. I already handled the matter here."

"That's right. The situation here is under control. I'll leave today. Just hold them back if they get there before me!"

Lucifer took off the glances and kept them back in his pocket.

"What happened? Who was it?" Salazar asked Lucifer. "What is happening?"

"The Warlock Council has sent a team to attack Elisium. The team is being led by two of their leaders," Lucifer explained. "We need to get back."

"They're attacking us instead of attacking the Divine Empire after their team was wiped? Do they know Elisium was involved?" Salazar asked.

"I doubt that. Their men died only recently. I don't think they can get that information so fast, analyze it and decide our role. It must be because their meeting with Kellian didn't go well. It's something I expected, but I didn't expect them to be so fast and so swift," Lucifer answered.