Chapter 44
[Ping! System notification: Attention needed! A subject hanging around somewhere.]
"Huh?"
Damien called out loudly.
"What? What's the matter?"
He had forgotten that he was seated with the girls around the bonfire. It was night.
"No -- nothing, go for it. Let's hear you sing."
He quickly fixed the odds. The girls nodded, looking away from him back to the the popstar twin, Mira and Laurette.
He'd really love to hear them sing if this system hadn't suddenly intruded. Plus he was lucky that he was the only one who could see the window pop-up. If the system hadn't been exclusive --- let's not talk about it.
He looked around the girls again, picking each of them in his gaze. Monalisa was seated with them, urging Mira and Laurette to sing. But Claire wasn't in sight.
She couldn't possibly had gone only herself into the woods, plus he remembered Allison telling him that Claire chose to be left alone in her room in the castle.
OH THE SYSTEM.
He recalled what the system said few seconds ago. Mira and Laurette started singing. They had really good voices. While Mira sang in maxo soprano, Laurette did in tenor, parting, giving such sensational melody to the song. Doing the song a rhythmic justice.
He put up one of his hands then stood up,
"If you'll excuse me. I'll be back."
He did well not to stop the song nor ruin the mood. He could see Tendzel's eyes haunting him. He should bang her again. But he needed a little time dealing with Claire first.
Though there were still a bunch of them that he was yet to have. Make the list for yourself. Duh.
He walked away from them.
"A Cannibal hanging around somewhere?"
He interpreted what the system had said. He wasn't sure in what direction he should go. He wished the system would be helpful.
After he had searched around, going from the fence to the gate, to other reasonable spots around the building, he yet couldn't find any trace.
"The system couldn't be trolling. Could it?"
He was standing at the front of the gate at that moment. Suddenly he saw someone creeping on the girls from the direction of the first safehouse.
"This bastard."
He hurried quickly to catch the Cannibal before he would freak the girls out. He was lucky enough to get to the Cannibal and grab him by the shoulder.
"Damien?"
"What are you doing?"
The girls looked up at him.
"Holy shit, when did he get hear?"
"Isn't that a Cannibal?"
"What's he doing here?"
Seeing that the girls were already on a edge, he spoke up.
"Don't be scared, it's nothing. I'll take it from here."
He pulled the Cannibal away towards the gate of the building.
"What the fuck."
"I almost shat my pant."
"I don't think we should worry anymore, Damien now rules them."
"You can resume singing now. I'm enjoying myself."
Allison urged the twin.
"I can't anymore. I don't think I can find my voice anymore."
Mira said.
"Don't you think you're overreacting?"
Jada scolded. Allison noticed that if she let the girls keep to that, a fight might break out. She refused to take such a risk.
"Let's just talk then. It's about time we went to bed. Let's just talk till we feel sleepy then go inside."
The girls agreed and they let a ball of discussion rolling.
"You fool! What were you thinking creeping on my queens? Did you want them to pass out?"
Damien let go of the Cannibal, who suddenly fell on his knees.
"Punish me, Lugal. I was senseless and acted so stupidly. We creep on ourselves to surprise each other."
Damien leaned forward and helped the Cannibal up. He shook his head.
"It's not bad to surprise people. But you're a different kind, you can't surprise people who aren't your kind that way."
Damien paused for a while, sorting his thoughts.
"Look at it this way. You and your folks were gathered, having a nice time. And then a mountain lion saw y'all and wanted to give you a surprise visit. In such manner. How would that feel?"
Damien felt bad for using an animal as an illustration. It meant that he still saw the Cannibals as animals?
"I would claim his neck in my jaws and teach him a lesson that he would live to teach his offsprings."
The Cannibal didn't seem to care about Damien's subject of illustration.
"What brings you here? Didn't I warn that you shouldn't come any close to the girls. Do you really want me to punish you?"
The Cannibal dropped on his knees again.
"Punish me, Lugal. I was senseless and acted so stupidly. We wanted to tell you that we would be celebrating the LUGAL ET AGIANO tomorrow. And there would be a lot of activities, but it wouldn't be grand if the reason of the party isn't there. You, Lugal, are the reason for the occasion."
The Cannibal continued.
"There was no way to contact you. Hence I came running here with a message."
"LUGAL ET AKIANO or what do you call it..."
"LUGAL ET AGIANO."
"Yes, that. What's it about?"
"A celebration of the great one who was sent to oversee the works of we worthless servants."
OH, A SORT OF CORONATION SERVICE?
Damien simplified it in the typical human jargon.
"You don't have a specific time of the day for its commencement, do you?"
"We'd start as soon as you arrive, Lugal."
Damien nodded at the Cannibal's response then turned away,
"You may leave. I'll be there with my queens."
The Cannibal bowed and ran on.
"Huh?"
Damien was in awe of how smoothly and quickly the Cannibal disappeared from his sight. It was safe to say that, the Cannibal didn't run, he zoomed off.
"That's nuts."
He quit wondering and walked towards the castle. He decided not to go to the girls who were getting louder by the night.
He walked into the castle instead and went straight to the room of Claire.
WHAT COULD SHE BE DOING ALONE? IS SHE MAD OR SAD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED? OR IS SHE SHY?
There was only one way to find out. He quit scolding himself with the thoughts, he should go check it out for himself.
As soon as he got to the door of Claire's room, he heard a low but audible voice coming from the room. The voice was very low. Naturally he shouldn't hear the voice, but he could hear it clearly. Very clearly!
THERE MUST BE MORE TO THIS SYSTEM THAT I DON'T KNOW YET.
That was the only reasonable thing to think. He listened closely to the voice, pressing his hear to the door.
"I should be very mad at him. I should be plotting to kill him. I should be talking some other girls who share the same hate as me for him. But why do I feel soft inside? Why do I hunger for him? Why do I imagine his cock between my thighs. Why! Why! Why!!!"
Her voice was getting louder,
"Could it be? Could it be that I lost my mind? After the impact of the missile on the jet and we landed here, he changed into something else. Maybe all of us did too. Perhaps my own change was to be out of my mind. Yes, I must be out of my mind to be in love with him!!!"
"No, no, no! What am I saying? What love?"
She stopped talking and started grunting. Damien could tell by the activity coming from inside that she was throwing things everywhere in rage.
She suddenly stopped.
HOW STUBBORN CAN SOMEONE BE!
Damien thought, putting a force on the door. The door creaked.
"Who's that?"
She's been alerted.
OH SHIT!
Damien hurried away.