Nathan took the phone from Cheol and answered the call, saying:
"Hello, Mr. President."
"Nathan, it's been a long time since we spoke, hasn't it?"
"Yes, you're right."
"I want you to come today at midnight."
"But, Mr. President, what about work?"
"Consider yourself off today and just come."
"Yes, sir."
He hung up.
Nathan looked at Cheol and said, "I need to rest and prepare myself well before I go."
"Where are you going, sir?"
"The President summoned me. I must go meet him at midnight."
"And work?"
"There is no work today — that's what he told me."
"Cheol, you must keep a close watch over the palace, especially with these humans around."
"Don't worry, sir. Everything is under control."
Saya walked through the palace with the maid Mina, who was showing her around and explaining the rules and the forbidden places, saying:
"Miss, now that I've shown you all the places you're allowed to see, let me tell you which places you're not allowed to approach. First, Mr. Nathan's room — only the servants enter it to wake him. Second, the room where you were at first when Mr. Nathan brought you to the palace. Those two rooms are strictly forbidden to enter under any circumstances. Also, you may not go out to the palace garden or even look at it from the window. You must keep as quiet as possible because the master loves silence and is very annoyed by noisy environments."
"I accept and understand everything you've told me, but why was the room where I was in made forbidden?"
"It has been forbidden from the beginning since Mr. Nathan created it, but no one knows why he put you there while you were receiving treatment."
"I see. I want you to show me my new room. I'm tired and want to rest a little."
"Okay, miss. Follow me."
Saya entered the new room prepared for her.
It was a gloomy room filled with dark colors and purely classical design, giving off gloom and worries — the opposite of the room she had been in when she was sick.
Saya spoke to herself, saying, "That man is full of secrets. He has a lot of money, yet he doesn't seem to enjoy anything. This palace feels full of spirits; it is so cold, like a tomb. Still, I feel stabs in my heart whenever I think about leaving this place. My God, what should I do? Why do I feel this way?"
Night fell, and Nathan's meeting with President Hwayoung approached.
Nathan in his room dressed very formally: a white shirt, a short black formal vest, and black trousers, his hair cut short.
He looked at the classic watch on his right wrist and saw it was 11:30, saying, "I must leave now; I'll arrive on time."
He put on his mask, left his room, and headed out of the palace.
Nathan got into his car and drove to the President's residence.
Saya in her room was listening to Nathan's movements as he left the palace and murmured to herself, "What would he be doing outside at this hour? He is very strange. Well, it doesn't matter — I must sleep now; tomorrow I have a long day of work, it seems."
Nathan arrived at the residence, which looked like a small abandoned hut near an old cemetery, its gate nothing but a shabby, very old door that aroused no suspicion.
But when he opened it, there was a massive wall behind that door. Nathan extended the claws of his fingers and cut the palm of his left hand until it bled. He pressed his palm to the wall and after only moments the wall began to move, splitting in half to reveal a long staircase leading down.
He entered and began to walk down the stairs. The place resembled a deep cave; on its walls huge hanging chalices burned with fires that lit the place. The deeper Nathan walked, the more they illuminated the way.
At the end of the stairs there was a large arena filled with tiers of seating. Strange inscriptions and talismans were drawn on the floor, and in the center there was a large circular symbol painted with big letters.
In the middle of that circle stood a tall man wearing a black robe with a hood of velvet embroidered in gray.
Nothing of that man's face was visible except his eyes.
Nathan approached the man and said, "Mr. President, it's strange that you summoned me at such short notice and without any prior warning."
The President smiled at Nathan's words and said, "Does my meeting bother you that much? Never mind. I have a matter I want to discuss with you."
"Go ahead. I'm listening."
"I heard that you brought a human girl to your palace. Is that true?"
Nathan felt annoyed by the question, knitting his brows, and replied, "Why would that concern you? These are personal matters that only concern me. Besides, you know I hate being tracked."
President Hwayoung put his hands behind his back, stepped closer to Nathan, and whispered in his ear, "Fate cannot be changed, no matter how hard you try. If you wish for your situation to improve, accept it. There's no need to cling to false hope."
Nathan laughed sarcastically, saying, "I don't know what you mean by that. I hope we keep our relationship strictly professional and that neither of us crosses any lines. I don't like others interfering in my personal affairs. If that's all, allow me to leave now."
Nathan bowed to the President and turned to leave.
The President addressed Nathan, saying, "Disappointment will be very strong, and if you cause disorder with that human, I will not hesitate for a single moment to destroy you — and you know that."
Nathan stopped in his tracks for a moment, then continued walking and left the place.
He got into his car and sped off in a state of intense anger. On the way, he saw a vampire disguised as a human luring a human girl into a narrow alley away from residential areas, trying to use her as prey and drink her blood. She fought to defend herself and begged him to spare her life, but it was to no avail. He grabbed her neck and lifted her against the wall, preparing to sink his fangs into the veins at the base of her neck with thirst.
Nathan stopped his car, leapt out, and rushed at him, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him backward forcefully.
The vampire was shocked and said, "Who are you? I will kill you first — you don't know who I am."
A sneer of disgust crossed Nathan's face as he said, "I know creatures like you well, indeed."
He turned to the girl and said, "Run now. Don't look back, no matter what you hear."
The girl looked at Nathan, tears in her eyes, kneeling and stammering with fear, "Thank you."
She started running as fast as she could.
The vampire tried to kick Nathan to attack him, but failed because Nathan's physical strength was unmatched.
Nathan lifted the vampire and slammed him hard against the wall.
His eyes were filled with emptiness and rage; there was no hesitation or mercy in them.
The vampire stood on his feet and charged at Nathan, trying to bite him, but Nathan was faster. He struck him in the chest and pushed him against the wall, pulled off his mask, sank his teeth into the vampire's neck, and began to drink his blood in a hysterical frenzy. His eyes turned a deep, deadly red.
When he finished drinking, he returned to himself and threw the vampire to the ground. His mouth and shirt were covered in blood.
He breathed rapidly, gasping as if on the verge of suffocation.
He got into his car and rushed back to the palace at top speed.
Cheol was waiting for him at the palace gate. When Nathan arrived, he got out of the car looking very bad.
Cheol hurried up to him and asked, "What happened to you, sir? Why are you in this condition? We must not let anyone see you like this, especially the human girl. Come, let me take you to your room so you can wash."
"I want you to bring her new clothes tomorrow — she has nothing to wear — and tell her that I want to sit with her at nine in the morning to start her treatment."
"What? You tell me this while you are in this state?"
"I'm not in a state to discuss. It's an order and you must carry it out."
"I obey, I'll do as you said."
Next.....