Chapter 57: A Father's delight - Investigating the Silver Clan!
On the ground, a strange monster with four arms and a twisted body, nothing like a human and close to a lobster, with claws and sharp fangs in its mouth.
However, this beast was now dead, in the small arena with various noble-looking viewers all cheering, the metal cage filled with sharp blades and spikes to prevent escape. The arena was one of the underground areas in the B-Empire, a small island which owned countless colonies across the globe.
'That bastard making me fight these strange fucking fae monsters...'
In the B-Empire, the monsters were bizarre and caused the Celtic folklore, though there were strange things like horses that lived in ponds or streams and goblins. The monsters were truly horrific and distorted due to all the other colonies' monsters interbreeding in this empire.
A bloody Ivan, with his claws retracting, stood with a body of steel, his abs not as explosive as Nikolai's, but there wasn't a woman in the crowd not cheering for the handsome werewolf.
"Please, everyone, take a brief rest, for the next match is between a changeling and the famed blood walker nicknamed Jacky the Ripper!"
The crowd cheered louder and more bloodthirsty, not a single voice saying anything negative, only wishing for carnage and death, a night filled with entertainment.
Ivan exited the cage as the two new fighters were being brought in and began to prepare. The prize for this fight was over four million crowns, which was the currency of the B-Empire.
'Wow... the conversion rate is amazing, to think four million crowns is nearly eight million dollars.'
It was a hefty prize and the reason so many top-notch fighters came to this island, even if it meant facing the horrific monsters of the empire.
The monsters were dangerous because they had aspects of several races. The healing of vampires, the body of ogres. Though it seemed similar to a hybrid vampire or werewolf, they were inferior and created in a lab.
However, only those in the top clans knew this truth. The base form of all these abominations was human, and they were not true monsters, but humans made into abominations!
'Well, let's rob these bastards blind and get our money back. I should check the information on my son. Thankfully Nagisa always keeps me updated.'
Ivan left the arena, his grey suit jacket wrapped around his shoulders, while he looked down at the ruined pants covered in blood. He almost lost this fight because the venom in the freak's claws caused him to hallucinate and see his son and wife. However, the moment he realised what happened, it made him enter a frenzy and kill the opponent.
'I rarely kill the enemy... Well anyone that tries to sully my memories of Eliza and Nikolai deserves death!'
Walking through the dingy halls, he entered the large room that served as the locker room for the fighters. It was spacious and had a few servants holding a few trays of food and drinks, mainly alcoholic beverages.
"A drink, Lord Silver?" The servant offered, but Ivan waved back and gave a wry smile.
Though the food was for monsters, so it contained blood or meat from unknown sources. Thankfully, Nagisa arranged for him to have a high-quality supply of blood from sources where the humans were treated well and respected after being paid well.
"No thank you, Sulley, thanks for offering but I have to meet with my sponsor."
"Ah... those people, my condolences. Your fight was amazing, I always root for you!"
"I'm thankful you do; make sure you don't work too hard. I know you're training to become a fighter."
Sulley was a good monster from a weak werewolf clan. He couldn't fully transform and only held the ability to form claws and lacked even the regeneration that Ivan did. Thus, this young boy who wished to reach glory made him worry as if seeing his son in the past, he would offer tips and train with the boy.
As for his sponsor, it was a female werewolf from the Fenrir clan, one of Nikita's aunts and an old friend who rarely returned to the S-Kingdom.
'These people only want money, power, and status... I can't say shit, though, since I'm the same. Thankfully, they are easy enough to become close to. This lad, though, wants to support his sister. Maybe I should consider helping the little fella; he cannot be a fighter, and Nikolai seems ready to leave the nest. I wish you were here to guide me, Eliza.'
Elizabeth was a woman who would take in sick cats and dogs all the time, and then after helping them heal, she would set them free to good homes.
'I remember that's how Nikita met Nikolai after the pair fought in the park; she brought them both home and made them bath together... to think that girl still loves him to this day. That lucky boy of mine....'
Nodding, Ivan went and grabbed his bag that was placed inside the locker and looked at the boy. "Sulley, how is your sister? If you don't mind how about I take you both out for a meal tomorrow?"
He gave a warm smile and then passed a card with his number and card to the boy. Some monsters changing were amused, while some thought it was stupid. Although monsters were violent and different from humans, that didn't mean they lacked emotions or feelings; it was just a completely different level.
"A-Ah?! Thank you, Lord Silver!"
"Just call me Uncle Ivan you fool, that little girl calls me Uncle all the time anyway." He pictured the cute girl with golden hair. She seemed to lack any monster traits yet looked like a princess with her curly hair and lovely green eyes.
***
When he left the building, the miserable Empire weather hit him hard: rain, cloudy skies and people stained in misery, despite expecting the people to be negative and lack joy.
He would find himself greeted with a smile or a hello. This reaction felt strange to the culture of his homeland, where people would normally avoid others or turn away unless they wanted something.
'Well, I am glad I live a few streets away. The wet floor and splashing sounds are kind of relaxing, though.'
Ivan looked out of his massive wall-spanning window, looking out at the beautiful river that wrapped through the entire city and the people with umbrellas all passing by his penthouse below.
"One-way glass makes me feel like a pervert..."
Ivan didn't feel any difference between this expensive apartment and his one back home; to be honest, he didn't mind poverty or luxury... first; he took the mail and saw the mark of Fenrir, and it felt quite bulky as he opened the seal and read the letter.
"Let's see... what does Nagisa's message have to tell me..... huh? What?"
Ivan's eyes widened as a contract appeared... an engagement document.... signed by the Fenrir clan, between Nikita and his son! Then he read the reasons and understood it was political and to protect the lovely Nikita from the Hati clan. "Ah, those bastards were nothing but a small gathering back in my day...."
Then he nodded and found the already paid for the next-day urgent airmail delivery in the package and signed it because he appreciated the one-year deadline and the protection the clan would give his son.
"Nagisa, thanks for looking out for him... I guess it's because you and Elizabeth were such close friends..."
Elizabeth the last of her kind, the rest of the Báthory clan in hiding during that time, and Nagisa... first she was captured and kidnapped after her clan suffered from the White Okami clan's purge. Thus, the two became friends over the years.
'No wonder Nikita and Nikolai ended up so close, that woman would always meet Eliza in the park and planned to match them together.... haha..'
"Hmm? Why is Vlad sending me a letter? That guy hates me..."
The moment Ivan opened the letter his eyes widened, his body falling back onto the sofa. "It's not Vlad... but Selene? That girl is offering the same deal? Did the two plan this together, Nagisa and Selene? A Fenrir and Tepes...
both with my son? But why would Vlad sign it... Haa... Nikolai, what kind of playboy are you becoming?"
'I should head home at the end of the month and see him. Hmmm, from what Nagisa tells me, he's got his place in the city and has won two big fights... this boy. Don't make your old man worry when he can't rush to your side and help to go against the Faust family and Hati family. I should probably help him train a little when we next meet.'
His silver eyes shone as he looked out the window, a smile on his split lips. "But you make me proud to be your dad, Nikolai."
***
Present day, Nikolai, Selene and Nikita were walking through the slums after there was an issue at one of her clubs. Her father sent Nikita and her new fiance to deal with the issue. This was to prove their skills and abilities to the rest of the clan, who would be watching from the shadows.
Selene tagged along because she was curious how Nikolai was growing, or rather, she felt a little strange when she turned to leave and noticed he would stay with Nikita.
'I cannot be jealous... It's just that my belongings are being taken by a werewolf! That's it, I am sure that's it!'
"It's just down here, and this place is the club where the Hati members were gambling, but recently, they sent people to take loans, and the owners could not pay it back."
"Wait, I'm surprised, but isn't this place under the Silver Clan?" Nikolai asked. He began learning about the world a few days ago, and thanks to Eliza, he knew about most of the clans in the slums to avoid any issues.
"Ah, the silver clan is a distant branch of the Fenrir clan, thus they are under our protection." Lucas, from behind them, corrected Nikolai, the tall, buff male with no hair and a scar, as their protector because the Hati clan had no sense of honour or code.
'Why does he only talk to the damn wolves?! Speak to me!'
[I think that the vampire princess is getting lonely, Nikolai, don't forget her.]
'Mm? Thanks, sorry I was a bit too focused on the upcoming situation. Thanks, Eliza!'
Nikita gave a slight frown and grabbed Nikolai's arm as she saw Nikolai turn to Selene and smile, "Are you sure you want to join us Selene, will it affect you if they notice you?"
Selene's heart fluttered, and she was happy he didn't push her aside. "The Tepes clan doesn't need to care about these people; we are the law of this kingdom. But... Hmph! Good, you asked, I like a considerate man."
'As I thought, this type of Selene is cute.'
[Don't let the wolf on your arm hear that...]
He couldn't help but give a wry smile upon peeking at the dull eyes of Nikita that were staring at him while clinging to him. Though it wasn't scary, he could feel a sense of danger.